Delhi Protest: Two FIRs Filed Over INDIA Bloc March; Supreme Court, High Court To Hear Pleas
Two FIRs have been registered in connection with the INDIA bloc’s march to the Supreme Court in Delhi on Monday, as protests over alleged electoral irregularities intensified. The Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court are scheduled to hear separate pleas on Tuesday concerning the demonstrations and the alleged closure of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue.
The protests have centred on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with opposition leaders demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
According to news agency PTI, one FIR was registered at Barakhamba Road and another at Tilak Marg police station in connection with Monday’s march.
Rahul Gandhi To Meet Opposition MPs, Student Activists
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi may host INDIA bloc MPs, civil society representatives and student activists for a high-tea gathering at his residence on Tuesday, PTI reported, citing sources.
The Opposition is also expected to hold a joint press conference in the afternoon to discuss the controversy surrounding the Chief Election Commissioner and the allegations of electoral irregularities.
On Monday, INDIA bloc MPs, led by Gandhi, held a “March for Democracy”. The march was stopped on Bhagwan Das Road, but Gandhi and other opposition leaders reached the Supreme Court, where their legal team completed the formalities for filing a petition against the Election Commission.
Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had also sought a meeting with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to raise their concerns over alleged “vote chori”.
The petition, led by Gandhi, includes several opposition leaders as co-petitioners, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, TMC MP Saugata Roy, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and CPI general secretary D Raja.
The petition seeks scrutiny of alleged discrepancies involving voter deletions during the SIR exercise. It also asks the Supreme Court to summon records relating to the Election Commission’s decisions and order an independent investigation.
Supreme Court To Hear Pleas Over Protests
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear two separate pleas concerning disruptions during protests held in Delhi on October 10 and 11.
One petition has been filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association, while another was mentioned by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, PTI reported.
The pleas concern alleged disturbances affecting lawyers and court functioning, as well as allegations that some individuals attacked lawyers, young people and other protesters.
A bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana had earlier said that the functioning of courts and the movement of lawyers could not be obstructed.
The Delhi High Court is also scheduled to hear pleas connected with the protests and the reported closure of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site.
CJP Leaders Detained At Jantar Mantar
Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) co-convenors Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were detained by police at Jantar Mantar early Tuesday, according to the sources.
Ranka had posted a video on X showing him and others climbing over a gate at the protest site while displaying the Tricolour. He captioned the post, “Hands Off Jantar Mantar!”
The detention came as the party’s 24-hour ultimatum to Delhi Police over a protest date was set to expire. On Monday, Ranka and Das visited Parliament Street police station to demand permission to hold a demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
Ranka said the party wanted police to specify when it could stage its protest, adding that it would announce its next course of action if no response was received within the deadline.
In a post on X, the party questioned why the government was restricting people from exercising their democratic rights.
Security Tightened, CAPF Deployment Extended
Security remained heightened in parts of central Delhi on Tuesday, with barricades and personnel deployed in several areas. Delhi Traffic Police warned that vehicle movement could be affected because of the law-and-order situation and said diversions or restrictions could be introduced depending on conditions on the ground.
The Centre has extended the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel in Delhi until further orders, according to people familiar with the matter.
Around 110 companies, comprising nearly 11,000 personnel, had been scheduled to leave Delhi on the night of October 12 after arriving from different parts of the country.
Separately, Delhi Police has sought an extension of the deployment of 273 CAPF companies until October 20, PTI reported. The request cited the possibility of further demonstrations by the CJP and other organisations.
The police had earlier received approval for the deployment of 301 CAPF companies in the Capital.
All Delhi Metro stations remained open on Tuesday, with entry, exit and interchange facilities available, according to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
Election Commission Faces Questions Over SIR
The controversy has intensified following reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months to decisions and orders, some of which they reportedly said had been issued without their knowledge.
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that decisions taken by the three-member panel, including those relating to the SIR exercise, were unanimous.
The dispute has triggered protests by opposition leaders and activists, who have called for accountability over the electoral roll revision process and demanded action against the Chief Election Commissioner.