New Delhi: Protests have continued across India on Tuesday, October 13, calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over irregularities during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Cockroach Janta Party, several student organisations, and Opposition leaders have joined the nationwide stir, with the INDIA bloc on Monday, October 12, marching to the Supreme Court to file a petition against the CEC.
Live Updates:
04:10 pm: Urging protesters not to lose sight of their goal –resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar — Abhijeet Dipke said that by treating “different protests differently,” the government is trying to create suspicion and mistrust.
“When CJP was granted permission to protest, many were quick to float conspiracy theories that we were planted by the BJP,” Dipke said. “Yesterday, the INDIA bloc held a massive protest, but there was no crackdown like the one we witnessed on October 10.”
He said, “This is exactly how the govt plays us against each other.” Through selective enforcement, Dipke said, “they create suspicion and mistrust among people who are ultimately fighting for the same cause.”
The CJP founder appealed to protesters not to let such conspiracy theories divide them and not to fall into “the trap of fighting among ourselves.”
Dipke warns of countrywide agitations if protests banned at Jantar Mantar
04:07 pm: Abhijeet Dipke warned that protest sites would emerge across the country if demonstrations were banned at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Dipke said that if police stop him on his way to Delhi, he would begin the agitation from wherever he is detained.
The CJP leader also said he would reach the national capital on Wednesday to join the CJP’s protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Delhi Police make announcements that Section 163 in force
03:50 pm: Delhi Police personnel have begun making announcements that Section 163 is in force, ordering protesters to leave the premises. Several demonstrators have been arrested, according to The Hindu.
NSUI stages flash protest at Connaught Place
03:45 pm: Congress’ students’ wing National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), staged a flash protest at Gate 7 of Rajiv Chowk metro station, demanding immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, with police detaining several protesters, according to officials.
“NSUI’s fight against vote chori will continue with full force until Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” said Ravi Pandey, its national media in-charge.
CPI(M) vows to resist withdrawal of Jantar Mantar’s status
03:43 pm: The CPI(M) vowed to resist the withdrawal of Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated protest site, alleging that the move is aimed at suppressing dissent and weakening the right to hold peaceful demonstrations.
Delhi Police on Monday, October 12, de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated venue for protests and demonstrations, naming Ramlila Maidan, north Delhi’s Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi as alternative sites. The order followed recommendations by a committee constituted by the Union home ministry to examine alternative venues.
Pregnant journalist accuses Rahul Gandhi of assault
03:13 pm: Richa Parashar, a journalist pregnant for three months, has accused Rahul Gandhi of assaulting her during the INDIA bloc’s protest march on Monday, October 12.
According to a video posted by the Bharatiya Janata Party, Parashar claimed Gandhi “grabbed her hand,” “pulled” her forward, following which his bodyguards “pushed” her.
Kiren Bedi backs denotification of Jantar Mantar
02:56 pm: Former IPS officer Kiren Bedi has supported the Centre’s decision to denotify Jantar Mantar as a protest site. She said it was a mistake by the administration at the time, adding that it was least suited to be a place for demonstration due to its narrow lanes and proximity to “sensitive buildings and offices.”
Bedi said in her lifetime of policing the national capital, she has seen protest sites shift from PM residence, Teen Murti Marg, to roads of Lutyens’ Delhi in the early 70s to Jantar Mantar. “Every city does require an open space for democratic expression, which we also call a protest, but forgets to provide for,” she said.
Addressing city planners, Bedi said, “Jantar Mantar was least suited to be a protest site in view of its narrow lanes and proximity to sensitive buildings and offices.”
Youth wings protest in Patna seeking CEC’s resignation
02:24 pm: Activists of the student and youth wings of the CPI(ML) Liberation held a protest march in Patna seeking the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The protest march, starting from Gandhi Maidan under tight security measures, was headed towards Lok Bhavan but was stopped by the police at J P Golambar.
Protest at CBD ground requires formal permission, necessary approvals: Delhi Police
02:20 pm: Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajendra Prasad Meena said prior permission, necessary approvals and strict adherence to the established SOP are a must when planning a protest at the CBD Ground.
SC lawyers gather in solidarity with those mistreated by police in anti-CEC protests
02:12 pm: Members of the Supreme Court Bar Association and Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) converged at Media Park in solidarity with the advocates who were manhandled and mistreated by Delhi Police.
All protests are one: Rahul Gandhi
02:09 pm: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi has invited INDIA bloc leaders, opposition MPs, students organisations as well as civil society groups at his home for tea to discuss the movement.
Stating that it is a people’s movement to “protect democracy,” the LoP said it will continue “relentlessly.”
“After tea, we will all come together and present our case in front of the media,” he said, adding all protests are one.
4 FIRs against ‘rumour-mongers ‘; Pakistan social media handles under scanner
01:58 pm: Delhi Police has registered four FIRs against social media handles allegedly spreading false narratives and rumours about the protests in the capital, with several Pakistan-based social media handles under scanner, officials said.
Cases have been registered against social media handles allegedly disseminating misleading information, attempting to create an “anti-India narrative” and disturb law and order, they said.
Several social media handles based in Pakistan are allegedly involved in spreading anti-India narratives in connection with the protests through posts and claims that could create unrest.
Disha takes out march to reclaim Jantar Mantar
01:54 pm: Members of a student organisation took out a march from Connaught Place, demanding immediate release of detained CJP leaders and opposing the de-notification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site.
The protesters, associated with student organisation Disha, called on citizens, particularly youths, to gather at Connaught Place in large numbers and “reclaim Jantar Mantar”.
Members of Disha demanded immediate release of Ranka, Das and other CJP members, describing the protest march as a demand for justice.
SC urged to initiate suo motu contempt action over posts targeting CJI
01:44 pm: A Supreme Court lawyer has approached Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant seeking consideration of suo motu criminal contempt proceedings over a now-deleted social media post by Congress Kerala targeting the CJI and the Opposition’s protest march to the apex court.
SC seeks Delhi cop’s explanation over manhandling women journalists
01:38 pm: The Supreme Court has sought the presence of a senior Delhi Police officer on Wednesday, October 14, over allegations of harassment and mishandling of women journalists during the ongoing protests against the CEC.
“We’d like some senior officer to remain present here and explain,” the CJI said, adding that the police would have to answer the allegations.
SC defers hearing on pleas related to anti-CEC protest to Oct 15
01:12 pm: The Supreme Court deferred to Thursday, October 15, the hearing on pleas related to protests, closure of metro stations and disruptions in train services ahead of the October 10 agitations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar due to the indisposition of Justice V Mohana.
Police ‘refuse’ to let lawyers meet detained CJP leaders
12:36 pm: CJP head of legal team, Ratna Singh, has alleged that the Jaffarpur Kalan Station House Officer has refused to let lawyers meet CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ajinkya Shinde, who were detained for attempting to enter Jantar Mantar.
“Today morning, Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde, along with other leaders, were detained by Delhi Police for waving the National Flag at Jantar Mantar,” she said on X.
Singh said that while barring lawyers from meeting them, the CJP members’ phones were also confiscated, raising serious concerns. “Under what legal authority are they being detained and why is their lawyer being denied access?” she questioned.
‘Will protest at Jantar Mantar only’
11:30 am: In a video following their detention, Ashutosh Ranka asserted that the CJP is standing by their word and won’t back down until Gyanesh Kumar resigns. “Today there were 10 people, tomorrow there will be 10,000. We will protest at Jantar Mantar only. Gyanesh Kumar will resign here,” said Ranka.
Dipke said the group had “sneaked” into Jantar Mantar early in the morning with the Tricolour before police picked them up. In a post on X, he said Ajinkya Shinde and other team members were also detained along with Das and Ranka. Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he wrote, “You cannot denotify the resistance.”
CJP leaders detained for sneaking into Jantar Mantar
10:06 am: CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by Delhi Police minutes after they climbed over a locked gate to get into Jantar Mantar, waving the Indian flag and demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
A video shared by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke shows Das, Ranka and other party members scaling the gate. Once inside, they raised slogans of “Gyanesh Kumar isteefa do” (Gyanesh Kumar, resign) and “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, with the national flag in their hands. Police personnel rushed to the spot soon after and took them away.
In a statement, the CJP described its action as reclaiming Jantar Mantar, saying that its members had entered the heavily barricaded protest site and hoisted the Tricolour there. “Fortress Jantar Mantar has been reclaimed,” said the statement.
