New Delhi: Demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, social activists, lawyers and student leaders once again staged a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday. However, hundreds of protesters marching from Patel Chowk towards Jantar Mantar were forcibly detained by the police.

Among those detained by the police were AISA national president Neha Bora, social activist Yogendra Yadav and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan. Following an appeal by AISA national president Neha Bora, the protesters had set out to gather at Jantar Mantar on Saturday. Bora had also been detained on Friday. She had urged activists to return to Jantar Mantar at 1 p.m. and continue the protest.

The protesters are expressing concern over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. AISA members alleged that during the police action, a male police officer pushed Bora, while another Delhi Police officer abused her. A video posted on ‘X’ also appears to show Delhi Police personnel pushing Neha Bora. In the video, Bora can be heard shouting and accusing the police of assaulting her. These allegations could not be independently verified immediately.

Figures including Kapil Sibal, Nitya Ramakrishnan, Pallo Sisodia, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav joined Neha Bora and other students in the march. As protesters began gathering near the protest site, police started detaining them. Security personnel had been deployed at several locations, and barricades were placed on roads leading towards Jantar Mantar.

A day earlier, police and paramilitary personnel had stopped large numbers of protesters from reaching the protest site, following which around 1,000 people were detained from Jantar Mantar and surrounding areas. Several of those detained were later released.

Delhi Police also registered at least three FIRs in connection with Friday’s protest—two at Sansad Marg Police Station and one at Connaught Place Police Station. The FIRs were registered under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which relates to alleged disobedience of an order duly promulgated by a public servant.