Full Breakdown
Protests at Jantar Mantar Over the Election Commission’s SIR Exercise
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On October 3 2026, demonstrators gathered near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. The march was halted by a police cordon; All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora was seized and taken away in a vehicle, sparking accusations of unlawful detention and gender-based misconduct. Detentions continued into October 4 2026, when hundreds of activists and students were again blocked from reaching the protest site.
Background & Context
The SIR, launched in June 2025, aims to delete ineligible entries from electoral rolls. An Indian Express investigation published on September 23 2026 revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected 14 times over the past ten months, describing several SIR actions as “unauthorised and illegal.” The Election Commission defended the exercise, stating that internal dissent is normal and that all orders have statutory backing.
Official Statements & Responses
- Delhi Police: said no permission was granted for any protest on October 3 and that prohibitory orders remained in force. It claimed Bora was taken in a government vehicle with two female officers and later released at Narela Industrial Area police station.
- Election Commission: described the objections as part of “standard administrative practice” and maintained that all SIR orders are legally valid.
- Police on journalists’ complaints: announced the allegations have been forwarded to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial enquiry.”
Criticism & Opposition
- Brinda Karat (CPM leader) questioned the police’s refusal to register an FIR against the officer accused of assaulting a journalist, calling the demand for video evidence “extremely wrong.”
- Kailash Yadav (RJD spokesperson) said, “In the garb of Special Intensive Revision (SIR), names of 13 crore valid voters have been deleted, violating their constitutional rights.”
On-the-Ground Reports
Activists described a “human chain” forming around the vehicle that carried Bora, with protesters climbing onto the car to prevent it from leaving. Women journalists reported being groped by male officers, while detainees said they were forced into buses and taken to police stations, including Badarpur and Narela.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Vehicle type: AISA members claim Bora was taken in an “unmarked private vehicle,” whereas DCP Sachin Sharma said she was moved in a government vehicle with female staff present.
- Female officer presence: AISA alleges no woman constable was inside the vehicle; police assert two female officers were in the back.
- Exact number detained: Sources differ, ranging from ?250 to ?700 individuals. No definitive figure has been released.
What’s Next
If CEC Gyanesh Kumar does not resign by October 10 2026, the Cockroach Janta Party has pledged another protest at Jantar Mantar. The Crime Branch investigation into the journalists’ harassment claims remains pending, and the Election Commission says it will continue to defend the legality of the SIR process.
