Anti-CEC protests: 700 detained, including AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi
What's the story
As many as 700 people, including AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha, Atishi, and All India Students' Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora, have been detained amid an ongoing protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar. They are protesting to demand CEC Kumar's resignation over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and voter deletions.
Twitter Post
Atishi shares video of detention
Detained by Modi ji’s @DelhiPolice from Jantar Mantar
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) October 2, 2026
Fight against #VoteChori shall go on ✊🏼#ChunavAyogThikKaro pic.twitter.com/kwl5NQbpLs
AAP
Detained from and near Jantar Mantar
They were reportedly detained from and near Jantar Mantar.
The AAP took to social media platform X to announce the detentions, saying, "Despite the peaceful protest, Delhi Police arrested MLA Sanjeev Jha ji and Saurabh. But the movement will continue!"
SFI general secretary Aishe Ghosh also confirmed that several DYFI and SFI activists have been detained.
"This is not democracy. If police think they can stop the movement by detaining us, we want to tell them...this is just the start."
Security measures
Internet services suspended in Jantar Mantar
Per TOI, mobile internet services have been suspended in the Jantar Mantar area.
Some users received a notification that internet services had been stopped as per government instructions until further notice.
Ahead of the protest, the Delhi Police stepped up security in New Delhi, deploying Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel and imposing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Eleven metro stations were also closed.
Nationwide agitation
CJP to hold nationwide protest
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is also planning a nationwide protest from Mumbai's Shivaji Park.
The CJP's founder, Abhijeet Dipke, has called for people to join the "Jail Bharo Andolan" against Kumar over the SIR of electoral rolls.
The protest has been planned for at 4:00pm at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park, near Gate No. 6.
The campaign will start in Mumbai and then spread across the country, ending with a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.