Delhi Police detain youth activists attempting march to Jantar Mantar over CEC resignation
Police contained unauthorised marches in central Delhi while a civic counter-group called for maintaining faith in constitutional bodies.
Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel detained several activists on Sunday after youth organisations attempted an unauthorised march towards Jantar Mantar in central Delhi. The demonstrators were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
Security forces stepped in shortly after the National Students' Union of India began its demonstration from Raisina Road. Officers halted the procession after a few metres, detaining several participants to maintain public order. Parallel attempts by the Revolutionary Workers' Party of India and the Disha Students' Organisation to march from Connaught Place were similarly contained by police.
Organisers had sought to reach Jantar Mantar to stage a prolonged demonstration against the Election Commission. Speaking during the rally, NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar defended the protest as a democratic right, while representatives from other student groups raised objections to venue restrictions and pushed for changes to the 2023 law governing election panel appointments.
| Organisation | Location of Action | Key Stated Demand | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSUI | Raisina Road | CEC resignation and SIR review | Stopped by security forces, several detained |
| RWPI & Disha Students | Connaught Place | Scrapping of SIR and 2023 appointment law | Detained immediately by Delhi Police |
| Laal Hit Janta Party | Malviya Smriti Bhawan | Reliance on constitutional processes | Staged peaceful public meeting |
As security personnel cleared the protest sites, a counter-group named the Laal Hit Janta Party held a meeting at Malviya Smriti Bhawan on Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg. The outfit urged young citizens to engage in democratic discussions through legal channels and verified facts rather than unbacked allegations that risk weakening constitutional bodies.
Addressing attendees alongside filmmakers Richa Gupta, Pawan Nagpal, and Atul Gangwar, convenor Ayan Bhatnagar said political debate over electoral rolls must rest on transparent evidence and official findings. The group emphasised that institutional credibility and public order remain crucial, warning against attempts to create instability through baseless claims regarding electoral roll updates.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Date of demonstration | 18 October 2026 | Delhi Police and event organisers |
| Counter-meeting attendance | Around 200 people at previous gathering | Laal Hit Janta Party statement |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Jantar Mantar | Protest site in New Delhi that demonstrators attempted to reach. |
| Gyanesh Kumar | Chief Election Commissioner whose resignation was demanded by youth groups. |
| National Students' Union of India | Youth organisation that organised the march from Raisina Road. |
| Laal Hit Janta Party | Civil group holding counter-meetings advocating constitutional processes. |
| Delhi Police | Security agency that contained the unauthorised marches and detained participants. |
| Ayan Bhatnagar | Convenor of the Laal Hit Janta Party counter-group. |
