Political tensions moved up a gear in the national capital on Saturday as student leaders and activists pressed ahead with a protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, despite strong curbs imposed by police.

Neha Bora, the National President of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) announced on Saturday that the planned stir, originally scheduled to unfold at Jantar Mantar, would shift to Dilli Haat, as security was beefed up over key locations in Delhi.

She wrote on ‘X,’ “Dilli Haat becomes Jantar Mantar today! See you there!,” urging supporters to join the demonstration amid a police crackdown on the organisers of the protest.

Activists take to streets

Amid heightened deployment of police and CAPF personnel. Bora and activist Yogendra Yadav were seen leading agitators near the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. Meanwhile, Yadav, in a separate post on ‘X’, said that demonstrators were marching to Dilli Haat from Jantar Mantar to keep the stir alive. Reiterating the demands of the protestors, he wrote, “Cancel the SIR. CEC, resign.”

Bora also went live for a brief period on Instagram, in which she was seen marching alongside former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) Dhananjay and JNUSU joint secretary Danish Ali. However, the livestream was cut off abruptly.

Permission denied for demonstration

The venue change ensued after Delhi Police refused to grant permission for the planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar, citing the short notice given by the organisers. The cops also highlighted security concerns and alleged violations of conditions imposed during previous protests.

Authorities defended their stance, saying that the measures were necessary to keep overcrowding at bay, as well as safeguard protestors, residents and commuters. Security arrangements were beefed up across the national capital, and large numbers of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed at sensitive locations.

Barricades were laid, movement was curbed in parts of New Delhi, and authorities issued a warning that violations of prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS could lead to legal action.

CJP, student groups call for CEC’s resignation

The demonstration was called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in collaboration with several student organisations, including AISA, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) and the Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP), the student wing of the Aam Aadmi Party.

A screengrab from the protest held earlier

The groups are demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise, arguing that electoral roll revision requires greater accountability and transparency. The protest forms part of a series of demonstrations against the Chief Election Commissioner and the electoral roll revision process over the past week.

Detentions fail to quell protest calls

Several protesters, including Bora, were detained during earlier attempts to march towards Jantar Mantar. However, CJP and the participating student organisations have maintained that their agitation will continue despite the restrictions. With activists seeking alternative gathering points and police enforcing stringent security measures, the confrontation has brought electoral transparency, the right to protest and the Election Commission’s functioning into sharper political focus.