Protests calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar intensified in Delhi on Sunday, with AAP leaders and student activists detained as demonstrators attempted to march towards Jantar Mantar.

The protests, which began on Friday, have been driven by opposition to the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and broader concerns over the functioning of the poll panel.

On Sunday, members of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) assembled near Andhra Bhawan Circle on Ashoka Road and attempted to proceed towards Jantar Mantar. Police stopped the protesters using barricades, and a brief confrontation broke out when some demonstrators tried to push through the security cordon.

At the same time, AAP workers held a separate demonstration near India Gate, where they also demanded Kumar’s resignation.

Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj and party MLA Sanjeev Jha were among those detained during the demonstration. A police officer said at least 25 AAP workers were taken into custody.

Bharadwaj later alleged that he was manhandled during the detention. He claimed police personnel turned him upside down while attempting to prevent cameras from recording the incident. The allegation has not been independently verified.

Protests have continued since Friday

Sunday’s demonstrations were the third consecutive day of mobilisation in the national capital.

The protests began on Friday, when AISA, political workers and civil society activists gathered in central Delhi to press for Kumar’s resignation. Police detained a large number of protesters as the demonstrators attempted to move towards Jantar Mantar.

More than 500 people were detained during the first day, according to reports, although figures varied across accounts.

The demonstrations continued on Saturday, with protesters returning to Jantar Mantar despite restrictions on gatherings. Nearly 200 people were detained during the second day, taking the reported number of detentions over the first two days to more than 650.

AISA president Neha Bora and activist Yogendra Yadav were among those detained during the protests. Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan was also detained during Saturday’s demonstration.

Police subsequently registered three FIRs against protesters over alleged violations of prohibitory orders imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

AISA alleges Bora was taken away in unmarked vehicle

Bora was again detained during the latest round of protests.

AISA alleged that its president was taken away in an unmarked vehicle and claimed that a woman police officer was not present during the detention. The allegation has not been independently verified.

Security was stepped up across central Delhi as the demonstrations continued, with police and paramilitary personnel deployed at several points and barricades installed on roads leading towards Jantar Mantar.

SIR at centre of controversy

The protests have been fuelled by opposition to the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Opposition parties and several civil society groups have raised concerns about the exercise, particularly over the possibility of eligible voters being left out of electoral rolls during the revision process.

The controversy has also widened following an Indian Express investigation that reported disagreements within the Election Commission. According to the report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally raised objections on 14 occasions between November 2025 and September 2026 over various decisions and processes of the poll panel.

The reported disagreements covered issues including electoral-roll processes, voter registration and access to election-related data.

The developments have added to Opposition criticism of the Election Commission and strengthened demands for Kumar’s resignation.

The Supreme Court has also agreed to hear a petition challenging aspects of the functioning of the Election Commission under Kumar and questioning the nationwide SIR exercise. The petition raises allegations about the functioning of the three-member commission, which remain subject to judicial consideration.

Election Commission defends revision exercise

The Election Commission has defended the electoral-roll revision process, saying the exercise is intended to identify and remove invalid entries while ensuring that eligible voters remain on the rolls.

The poll panel has also instructed officials to rectify cases where eligible voters may have been inadvertently excluded.

Kumar has not publicly responded to the protests and calls for his resignation.

Meanwhile, demonstrations have extended beyond Delhi, with protests also reported in Mumbai. Opposition parties and youth organisations have indicated that further mobilisation could take place as the dispute over the electoral-roll revision and the functioning of the Election Commission continues.