Protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar are planned in Delhi and Mumbai on October 2, with different groups raising concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. In Mumbai, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a protest at Shivaji Park seeking Kumar's resignation. In Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), All India Students' Association (AISA), National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and Indian Youth Congress have announced a demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Police authorities in both cities have denied permission for the proposed gatherings. Delhi Police has also imposed prohibitory orders across the New Delhi district and increased security around Jantar Mantar.

Protests Planned in Two Major Cities

The planned demonstrations come amid an escalating political dispute over the functioning of the Election Commission and the revision of electoral rolls. In Mumbai, the CJP has said its protest will begin at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park. The organisation has demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and has indicated that it intends to take its campaign to other cities as well. According to reports, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has said the Mumbai demonstration is part of a wider agitation that could subsequently move to cities including Goa, Bengaluru and Kolkata before a proposed gathering in Delhi. The group has maintained that its campaign is independent of political parties, although opposition parties have separately been raising concerns about the Election Commission.

Delhi Police Denies Permission for Jantar Mantar Gathering

In Delhi, a separate demonstration has been announced at Jantar Mantar by student and political groups. Delhi Police has refused permission for the proposed gathering and has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the New Delhi district. The restrictions cover public meetings and assemblies of five or more people without prior written permission. They also apply to processions, demonstrations, picketing and dharnas. Police have cited public safety, maintenance of public order and traffic management as reasons for the restrictions.

Security Increased Around Jantar Mantar

Security arrangements have been strengthened in central Delhi ahead of the proposed Jantar Mantar Protest. Multiple layers of barricades have been placed on roads leading towards the protest area, including routes around Tolstoy Marg, Janpath Road and Sansad Marg. Additional Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel have also been deployed around important points. The authorities have also issued traffic-related restrictions for commuters travelling through central Delhi.

Delhi Metro Restricts Access at Several Stations

The planned demonstration has also resulted in temporary restrictions at several Delhi Metro stations. According to reports, entry and exit facilities were closed at 11 stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Janpath, Patel Chowk, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg and New Delhi. Interchange facilities at some stations have continued to operate, while commuters have been advised to take the security arrangements and traffic restrictions into account while travelling through central Delhi.

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Why Are Groups Protesting Against Gyanesh Kumar?

The protests are primarily linked to disagreements over the SIR process and broader concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission. The CJP and opposition groups have criticised the manner in which electoral rolls are being revised and have demanded greater transparency and accountability. A separate report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on several occasions concerning decisions and procedures associated with the SIR exercise. Those reports have added to the political dispute surrounding the functioning of the poll panel. The Election Commission, however, has said that decisions concerning SIR were taken through the prescribed institutional process and has maintained that the three-member commission took the relevant decisions unanimously.

What Is the SIR Issue?

The Electoral Rolls revision has become a major point of political disagreement. The Special Intensive Revision is intended to verify and update voter lists. The process has generated debate over the identification of eligible voters, removal of ineligible names and the procedure through which voters can establish their eligibility. Opposition parties and protest groups have raised concerns about possible exclusions and have called for greater transparency in the exercise. The Election Commission has defended the process and said the revision is part of its responsibility to maintain accurate electoral rolls. The competing positions have made SIR one of the central issues in the current dispute between the poll panel and opposition groups.

CJP Announces Wider Agitation

The Mumbai protest is also being presented by the CJP as the beginning of a wider campaign. The organisation has said it intends to conduct demonstrations in several parts of the country and eventually take the agitation to Delhi. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has publicly demanded Kumar's resignation and said the movement would continue over the issues raised by the organisation. The group has also called for greater accountability in the functioning of the Election Commission. Opposition Parties Also Raise Election Commission Concerns The protests come as opposition parties have separately intensified their campaign over the Election Commission. Leaders from several opposition parties met in New Delhi on September 30 to discuss a coordinated strategy concerning the poll panel and the SIR exercise.

Election Commission's Position

The Election Commission has rejected the suggestion that its SIR-related decisions were taken outside the institutional process. According to the poll panel's clarification, decisions concerning the exercise were taken by the three-member commission through the established procedure. The dispute therefore involves competing claims about how the electoral-roll revision has been conducted and how decisions within the poll panel were reached. For readers, an important distinction is that allegations made by political groups or protest organisers are claims under dispute and are not, by themselves, findings that electoral wrongdoing occurred.

What Happens Next?

The immediate focus is on the planned demonstrations in Delhi and Mumbai and the authorities' response to gatherings for which permission has not been granted. In Delhi, security and traffic restrictions have already been strengthened around Jantar Mantar. In Mumbai, the CJP has said it will proceed with its planned agitation despite the police denying permission. The broader political dispute over SIR and the Election Commission is also expected to continue through further protests, political meetings and public statements. The developments will depend on how the authorities handle the proposed gatherings and how the Election Commission responds to the concerns raised by political parties and civil society groups.