NEW DELHI: Indian police detained several demonstrators in New Delhi on Saturday as protests against changes to voter rolls entered a second day, with the demonstrations backed by the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party and other opposition groups.
Protesters allege that the voter-roll changes could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party and have called for Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar to step down.
Around 100 demonstrators gathered in the capital and removed security barricades while chanting slogans demanding Kumar’s resignation. Police subsequently detained some of the protesters.
Independent MP Kapil Sibal, All India Students’ Association President Neha Bora and political activists Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav were among those taking part, according to a Reuters witness.
Police did not immediately provide details about how many people had been detained or identify those taken into custody.
Bora told Reuters that protesters objected to the removal of people from voter lists and said they should be allowed to voice their concerns.
Kumar has not publicly commented on the demonstrations or calls for his resignation.
Friday protests
Police had also prevented a group of demonstrators from assembling on Friday, detaining several people and taking them away in buses. Security was tightened in the area, with several nearby metro stations remaining closed.
A police source said some of those detained on Friday were later charged with allegedly violating restrictions on large gatherings in Delhi.
The protests centre on a nationwide voter-verification exercise launched last year. Critics claim the process has resulted in millions of eligible voters being removed from electoral rolls.
The Election Commission, however, says the exercise is aimed at identifying and removing duplicate, deceased and otherwise ineligible voters.
On Friday, the commission instructed officials to register newly eligible voters and include people who had been left off the electoral rolls.
