The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Sunday vowed to intensify its protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as demonstrations entered their second day in , with around 200 people detained amid a heavy security deployment across the capital.
The agitation, triggered by allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision () of electoral rolls, continued despite restrictions and barricades around key areas of New Delhi
The Supreme Court intervened, directing authorities not to illegally detain people gathering peacefully and asking them to ensure that metro services and internet connectivity remained uninterrupted, subject to requirements.
A special bench of Justices and V Mohana issued notice to the Centre while hearing a plea seeking contempt proceedings over alleged violations of an earlier direction concerning restrictions on and train services during the protests.
The court also asked Solicitor General to ensure that lawyers, journalists and others could carry out their professional duties without obstruction. It clarified that peaceful assembly could not be grounds for illegal detention, while recognising the authorities’ powers under the law.
CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were released after being produced before an executive magistrate. The said they had been released after furnishing a ₹50,000 bond to maintain peace and good behaviour for one year.
The party described their release as a legal victory. However, Das alleged that the authorities had treated citizens unfairly and claimed that police personnel took away their phones during without issuing seizure memos.
He expressed concern that the devices could have been hacked or cloned, though no evidence establishing such interference was provided.
Ranka said the agitation would continue until Kumar resigned, with demonstrations planned beyond Delhi.
Around 200 students and protesters were detained on Sunday as demonstrators marched towards Jantar Mantar, raising slogans demanding the CEC’s resignation.
Members of the Students’ Federation of India, All India Students’ Association and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan were among those detained. CPI(M) MP John Brittas and AISA president were also taken into custody.
Delhi Police registered 20 FIRs linked to Saturday’s demonstrations, including cases involving alleged assaults on police personnel and obstruction of public servants.
Separately, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee alleged that people in plain clothes took him from his residence on Saturday morning and moved him between police stations without allowing him to contact his lawyer for around 22–23 hours. His account could not be independently established from the material available.
Police also released footage to counter CJP’s claim that had not been informed of his grandmother’s death while in custody, saying he was told about the funeral and offered assistance to travel home.
The confrontation is expected to continue, with the INDIA bloc preparing another march on Monday. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he and Rahul Gandhi had sought a meeting with the Chief Justice of India to seek intervention over allegations of ‘vote chori’.
