# Massive Commotion at Jantar Mantar Over Voter Roll Revision as Saurabh Bharadwaj and Over 100 Detained

> Police detained AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj and over 100 student demonstrators at Jantar Mantar during a protest against the Special Intensive Revision drive, triggering metro entry curbs and mobile internet suspension.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Delhi · **Published:** 2026-10-02 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/delhi/election-commission-ke-khilapha-jantar-mantar-para-bhari-bavala-saurabh-bharadwaj-sameta-100-se-adhika-loga-hirasata-men-lie-gae-41777 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Jantar Mantar, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Election Commission, Gyanesh Kumar, SIR, Delhi Metro, Delhi Police, Voter List

A high-voltage demonstration against the Election Commission unfolded at central Delhi's historic Jantar Mantar protest site on Friday, drawing large contingents of student activists and political leaders despite strict administrative prohibitions. The police swiftly intervened as demonstrators attempted to push past security cordons, detaining more than 100 people, including Delhi Aam Aadmi Party president Saurabh Bharadwaj. To prevent large congregations and maintain law and order across the New Delhi district, authorities deployed extensive barricades, suspended mobile internet services across a 1.5-kilometre radius, and temporarily shut down passenger entry and exit at 11 Delhi Metro stations.

## Student Outfits Mobilise Against Special Intensive Revision
The protest at Jantar Mantar was formally organised by left-wing student organisations, specifically the All India Students' Association (AISA), the Students' Federation of India (SFI), and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). Organisers had anticipated a turnout of nearly 1,500 demonstrators converging at the site to demand the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The groups directed their anger at the operational functioning of the poll body, raising sharp questions regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted for updating electoral rolls.

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Carrying placards and chanting slogans such as 'Gyanesh Go Back', hundreds of activists sought to march toward the central square of Jantar Mantar. When a substantial faction tried to proceed from Ashoka Road, a heavy police contingent intercepted them using multi-layered barricades. Protesters engaged in heated standoffs with law enforcement personnel after being denied permission to advance, prompting officers to initiate immediate containment procedures and herd demonstrators into police vehicles.

## Detention of AAP Delhi President Saurabh Bharadwaj
The protest gained significant political momentum with the arrival of senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, who joined the gathering to protest against the Election Commission. Addressing journalists before being apprehended, Bharadwaj stated that he deliberately travelled to Jantar Mantar without a vehicle to show that regular citizens could also reach the venue without hindrance. He expressed confidence that by afternoon, substantial numbers of Gen-Z youth, women, and students would arrive at Jantar Mantar to register their dissent over the deletion of voter records.

His presence was cut short when police officers moved in swiftly, taking him into custody alongside scores of demonstrators. In video clips shared on X showing the detainment, Bharadwaj was escorted by police personnel into custody vehicles. Senior police officers confirmed that while more than 100 individuals have been detained so far across different picket points, an exact tally remains unclear as sporadic confrontations and gatherings continue in nearby streets.

## Enforcement of Section 163 BNSS and Internet Suspension
Addressing the security measures, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma stated that Delhi Police had categorically denied permission for any protest, march, or dharna at Jantar Mantar. He emphasised that preventive arrangements were enforced to avoid disturbances to public order and urged citizens to abide by the law and cooperate with police personnel on the ground.

DCP Sharma explained that Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) remains actively promulgated across the New Delhi district. Under this statutory provision, assembling without explicit administrative permission, staging sit-ins, and holding unauthorised rallies are strictly unlawful. Taking additional preventive measures, the administration ordered telecom operators to suspend mobile internet connectivity within a 1.5-kilometre perimeter around Jantar Mantar from 9 am until 9 pm to curb rapid digital mobilisation.

## Commuters Hit as 11 Delhi Metro Stations Restrict Movement
To curb the influx of protesters into the heart of the national capital, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) enforced an immediate restriction on passenger movement across 11 key stations in New Delhi and Central Delhi on Friday. As per DMRC directives, these entry and exit gates were initially scheduled to remain closed until 4 pm, subject to further situational assessments.

The restriction on passenger gates affected several critical transit nodes

- Janpath and Patel Chowk
- Central Secretariat and Rajiv Chowk
- Sewa Teerth and Mandi House
- Lok Kalyan Marg and INA
- Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, and New Delhi

While commuters could not enter the street network or access the stations from outside, DMRC ensured that train interchange facilities continued uninterrupted at major junction stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, and New Delhi. Inside trains and on concourses, automated public address systems made continuous announcements to alert passengers about the restricted station access.

## Election Commission Review and Verification Directives
The unrest at Jantar Mantar erupted amid widespread public scrutiny over the deletion of approximately 13 crore voter names during the nationwide SIR exercise. Student organisations and opposition figures alleged that genuine voters were arbitrarily disenfranchised during the revision.

Responding to these concerns, the Election Commission conducted a comprehensive review via video conference with the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of 20 states where the SIR process has already concluded. Following an official decision taken on September 26, the poll panel instructed state electoral heads to deploy Booth Level Officers (BLOs) back into their assigned jurisdictions for ground-level verification of electoral rolls.

The mandate requires BLOs to conduct door-to-door visits to add missing eligible voters and re-examine cases where names were struck off due to clerical errors, oversights, or systemic discrepancies. State CEOs have been directed to issue specific instructions to District Election Officers, who will oversee the BLO field deployment.

The re-verification drive will strictly focus on electors previously categorised under three classifications: deceased, shifted, or absent. Booth Level Officers will verify whether any voter in these categories was eliminated mistakenly. However, cases concerning doubtful or disputed electors currently pending before tribunals have not been included as the focal point of this verification drive, as authorities seek to address administrative oversights systematically.

## What this means for you
The sudden restrictions and security deployment around Jantar Mantar have directly disrupted urban commuting and digital communication across central parts of the capital.

- **In New Delhi:** The shutdown of mobile internet services across a 1.5-kilometre radius until 9 pm directly affects digital payments, navigation, and office connectivity for locals and visitors. Individuals requiring internet access must rely on fixed broadband Wi-Fi networks in the vicinity.
- **For Metro Commuters:** Entry and exit restrictions at 11 key central stations including Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat force travelers to exit at alternative stops. Commuters needing line transfers can still do so seamlessly at major junction stations without exiting the network.
- **Across India:** The Election Commission's fresh verification directive across 20 states allows citizens whose names were incorrectly dropped during SIR to seek re-inclusion. Electors falling under absent, shifted, or deceased categories can expect door-to-door visits by local Booth Level Officers.
- **For Road Users:** Extensive barricading along Ashoka Road, Jantar Mantar Road, and adjacent corridors has caused significant traffic congestion. Motorists travelling toward Connaught Place and central government offices should avoid these routes and allocate extra commuting time.

## Why this happened
The escalation at Jantar Mantar stemmed from intense public and political discontent regarding the Election Commission's recent voter list revision drive.

- **Discontent Over Voter List Deletions:** Student outfits and political leaders alleged that roughly 13 crore eligible voters were arbitrarily removed during the Special Intensive Revision process. These widespread deletions prompted calls for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- **Defiance of Prohibitory Orders:** Delhi Police had explicitly rejected permission for the march due to the enforcement of Section 163 of the BNSS in New Delhi. When organisers attempted to assemble an estimated 1,500 demonstrators despite the denial, law enforcement initiated preventative detentions.
- **Preemptive Crowd Control Measures:** To prevent rapid digital mobilisations and block protest crowds from massing at sensitive central locations, authorities pre-emptively shut mobile data within a 1.5-kilometre radius and restricted station access across 11 metro hubs.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Why was the protest organised at Jantar Mantar?
The protest was called by student organisations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over concerns regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) voter roll drive.

### 2. Who was detained by Delhi Police during the protest?
Delhi Police detained AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj along with over 100 activists from student outfits including AISA, SFI, and DYFI.

### 3. Where has mobile internet service been suspended in Delhi?
Mobile internet services have been suspended across a 1.5-kilometre radius around Jantar Mantar from 9 am until 9 pm.

### 4. Which Delhi Metro stations have restricted passenger entry and exit?
Entry and exit gates were restricted at 11 stations including Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Janpath, Mandi House, Sewa Teerth, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, RK Ashram Marg, and New Delhi.

### 5. Can commuters still interchange trains at the affected metro stations?
Yes, train interchange facilities remain operational at major junction stations including Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, and New Delhi.

### 6. What corrective measures has the Election Commission ordered regarding voter rolls?
The poll panel directed Chief Electoral Officers across 20 states to deploy Booth Level Officers for physical re-verification of voters flagged as deceased, shifted, or absent.

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