Delhi Police Detain Over 700 as Protests Against CEC Continue for Second Day

Delhi Police detained roughly 700 people on Sunday as protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar continued for a second day. Demonstrators have focused on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and alleged irregularities in the process. About 40,000 security personnel were deployed. The Supreme Court underlined that any detentions must be lawful and that traffic movement should be eased, with the metro running and fewer road barriers.

Leaders of the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms said they would continue after their release and would seek permission for further action on Monday. The Bharatiya Janata Party criticised Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for remarks made during a Chennai visit, calling the allegations against the government baseless and rejecting claims of an attack on the Tamil language. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined a request by opposition leaders for a meeting, citing sub-judice proceedings and the separation of powers.

The Election Commission extended the deadline for claims and objections in the Maharashtra voter-roll revision to 26 October, with notice and disposal continuing until 10 November. The protests in Delhi have remained sporadic but persistent. Police reported the detentions after monitoring gatherings at multiple sites. No major violence was recorded, but the scale of the security presence and the number of people held drew attention from the court.

The Special Intensive Revision has been a point of contention between the opposition and the Election Commission. Critics argue that the exercise has produced errors that affect voter lists; the Commission has defended the process as necessary housekeeping. The Supreme Court’s emphasis on due process adds a legal constraint on how police manage the gatherings. Whether the protests expand or subside after Monday’s planned steps will depend on the permissions granted and on the response of the authorities.