Delhi Protest: 1,000 Detained Over CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Posted on October 3, 2026 at October 3, 2026 by Kuljeet Verma

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Delhi Protest: Over 1,000 Detained During Demonstration Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

A major protest was held in Delhi on October 2, 2026, with opposition parties, student organisations and other groups demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

According to reports, around 1,000 to 1,100 people were detained by Delhi Police as protesters attempted to move towards Jantar Mantar.

Why were protesters demonstrating?

The protesters raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged that large numbers of voters had been removed from voter lists.

AAP, Congress-linked groups, Left parties and several student organisations participated in or supported the demonstrations. They demanded accountability from the Election Commission and called for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

These claims about irregularities and voter deletions are allegations raised by the protesters and opposition groups; they should not be treated as independently established facts without supporting evidence.

Protesters stopped from reaching Jantar Mantar

Police had imposed restrictions around central Delhi ahead of the planned demonstration.

As protesters attempted to move towards Jantar Mantar, police stopped them at barricades and detained many of them. Reports said several roads around the area were heavily barricaded and security personnel were deployed in large numbers.

Among those detained were political leaders and student activists, including Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Sanjay Singh, Manoj Jha and student leader Neha Bora, according to reports.

Around 1,000 people detained

Different reports have given slightly different figures.

Delhi Police-related reports put the number at around 1,000, while Aaj Tak and India Today reported more than 1,000, with India Today citing approximately 1,100 detainees.

The detainees included members and supporters of AAP, AISA, SFI, NSUI and other organisations.

Protest planned again on October 3

The demonstrations were not expected to end with the October 2 action.

AISA national president Neha Bora called for another gathering at Jantar Mantar at 1 PM on October 3, demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Security was increased around Jantar Mantar ahead of the planned protest.

Delhi Police had also imposed restrictions around the area, and reports said heavy security and barricading were in place.

What is SIR?

SIR stands for Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. It is a process for revising and verifying voter lists.

The current political dispute centres on how the revision is being conducted and allegations from opposition parties and protest groups that eligible voters could be removed from electoral rolls.

The Election Commission has defended the process, and Aaj Tak reported that the Commission said decisions of the three-member poll panel, including those related to SIR, were taken unanimously.

What happens next?

The protests have created another political confrontation over the Election Commission and voter-list revision.

For now, the immediate development is the planned October 3 gathering at Jantar Mantar, with additional security deployed in the area.

Main Points

A major protest took place in Delhi on October 2, 2026.
Protesters demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest focused on SIR and alleged voter-list irregularities.
Around 1,000–1,100 people were detained, according to different reports.
Protesters were stopped from reaching Jantar Mantar.
AAP leaders and student activists were among those detained.
Security and barricading were increased around central Delhi.
Another protest was called for October 3 at 1 PM.
The allegations regarding voter deletions are claims made by protesters/opposition groups and should be distinguished from established findings.