Full Breakdown
Supreme Court Scrutiny and Police Measures Amid Anti-CEC Protests in Delhi
By Drooid · · How we work
Police Crackdown on Protesters and Journalists
On October 10, 2026, Delhi Police detained journalists covering a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Reporters were man-handed, forced onto buses and held for up to two hours despite press credentials. Security forces blocked access to Jantar Mantar, shut 45 metro stations and imposed a four-kilometre internet blackout around the protest zone. Over the weekend, thousands of demonstrators, including leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and student organisations, were detained, and the city saw a massive police and paramilitary presence.
Background & Context
The SIR, launched last year, removed more than 130 million names from voter lists, prompting accusations that it targeted minority communities and favoured the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Opposition parties and civil-society groups formed the INDIA bloc and filed a joint petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s handling of the revision.
Data & Statistics
- CAPF deployment: 301 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces were approved for Delhi; 221 arrived on October 6 and an additional 80 on October 8.
- Security actions: 45 metro stations were closed; internet services were suspended within a 4-km radius of Jantar Mantar from October 9 pm to October 10 pm.
- Detentions: At least 12 journalists were detained on October 10, including Hindustan reporter Ashish Singh, who said he was struck with a pointed object. Roughly 100 people were held at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana after being bused out of central Delhi.
Official Statements & Responses
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, hearing senior advocate Indira Jaising’s petition filed by the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), ordered a senior Delhi Police officer to appear “to explain” the alleged assaults on women journalists. The bench listed the petition for hearing on Thursday.
Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued a standing order on October 11 de-notifying Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue and naming Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as alternatives. The police also sought an extension of the CAPF deployment until October 20.
Criticism & Opposition
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh warned that “Democracy no longer matters for them (the Prime Minister and Home Minister). It is all a matter of Demokursi.”
On-the-Ground Reports
A journalist documenting the October 10 protest described being detained at Connaught Place, shuttled to a makeshift detention centre at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, and denied water and food for several hours. Protesters inside the stadium continued chanting “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chor” and demanding Kumar’s resignation.
Another eyewitness said police officers from the CRPF, BSP, ITBP and CISF aggressively pursued demonstrators, used tear-gas munitions and entered the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara to detain participants despite prior requests to be left alone.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact number of CAPF companies that remained unreported after October 8; some say 28, while others give no figure. The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on whether the police actions violated the October 10 order prohibiting harassment of media personnel.
What’s Next
The Supreme Court will hear the NWMI petition on Thursday, and the police have been asked to provide a written response regarding the alleged journalist assaults. The request to extend CAPF deployment remains pending, with the scheduled end date of October 20. The CJP has given the police a 24-hour deadline to designate a protest date at Jantar Mantar; failure to respond may trigger another round of demonstrations.