# Voter List Row: AAP Protests at India Gate Demanding CEC Resignation, Saurabh Bharadwaj Among at Least 25 Detained

> Delhi Police detained at least 25 AAP leaders and workers, including Saurabh Bharadwaj and MLA Sanjeev Jha, during an India Gate protest over the SIR voter list revision. Bharadwaj alleged physical mistreatment during detention.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Delhi · **Published:** 2026-10-04 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/delhi/matadata-suchi-vivada-india-gate-para-aap-netaon-ka-joradara-pradarshana-saurabh-bharadwaj-sameta-kama-se-kama-25-hirasata-men-42850 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Aam Aadmi Party, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gyanesh Kumar, India Gate, Voter List, Delhi Police, Sanjeev Jha

Protests surrounding the Special Intensive Revision, known as SIR, of voter lists have intensified significantly across the national capital. On Sunday, workers and senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party gathered at the historic India Gate to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Security personnel moved in to disperse the gathering, detaining at least 25 AAP functionaries, including Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj and party legislator Sanjeev Jha. The demonstration stems from allegations of widespread irregularities and improper deletion of voter names during the revision process, while the Election Commission maintains that all operational procedures strictly follow legal provisions.

## Demonstration at India Gate and Police Interventions
A substantial contingent of AAP members assembled at India Gate on Sunday, raising slogans directly targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demanding that he step down from his post. Delhi Police personnel deployed at the venue intervened to halt the unapproved gathering and took numerous participants into custody. According to a police officer, at least 25 AAP workers were placed under detention during the security operation, with Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjeev Jha among those rounded up by the forces.

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## Saurabh Bharadwaj Alleges Physical Mistreatment
Following his detention, Saurabh Bharadwaj leveled severe accusations against the handling of demonstrators by Delhi Police personnel. Sharing a visual on social media, the AAP leader claimed that security officers deliberately lifted him in an awkward posture so that his face could not be captured by media cameras. He had earlier used online platforms to urge citizens to assemble at India Gate in solidarity.

Venting his outrage over the police measures, Saurabh Bharadwaj said that officers threw him around like a football. He described being carried away upside down, with his head facing downward and feet in the air, while questioning why authorities avoid filing a first information report against their own ACP while treating people standing up for a girl's rights with such harshness. Sharing a picture highlighting his shoes suspended in the air, he asserted that Delhi Police deliberately flipped him upside down to keep his face away from news cameras.

## MLA Sanjeev Jha Calls for Transparency
Addressing the demonstration, AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha argued that those holding positions of authority cannot evade citizens' genuine concerns regarding their constitutional franchise. He noted that matters involving public voting rights cannot be solved through bureaucratic silence, coercive intimidation, or harsh police clampdowns. Jha stressed that state institutions must address public doubts transparently through verifiable facts and open procedures. The Aam Aadmi Party asserts that the SIR initiative has resulted in sweeping, unauthorized voter removals, leading opposition groups to demand direct accountability and formal explanations from the election authority.

## AISA Students March Toward Jantar Mantar
Parallel to the political demonstration, the All India Students Association, known as AISA, staged street demonstrations for the third consecutive day in the city. The student demonstrators organized a march from Andhra Bhawan Circle on Ashoka Road, advancing toward Jantar Mantar. The local administration had established extensive multi-layer barricades and deployed heavy police contingents along the route to halt the procession.

Tensions flared when marching students attempted to bypass the physical barriers, triggering scuffles and pushing between the crowd and police personnel. Video footage circulating across social media showed AISA president Neha Bora climbing over metal barricades as police officers worked to restrain her and hold the perimeter line.

## Hundreds Taken into Custody Over Recent Days
Sunday's detentions reflect an escalating series of confrontations over the electoral roll revision across New Delhi. Just a day prior on Saturday, police detained around 150 people near Jantar Mantar during similar demonstrations, including AISA president Neha Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav, and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan.

That followed an even larger demonstration on Friday, during which more than 500 protesters were taken into police custody throughout Delhi. That initial wave of detentions similarly encompassed political figures from AAP, various student representatives, and AISA members demanding institutional accountability.

## The Core Dispute Over the SIR Revision
The controversy revolves around the Special Intensive Revision mechanism deployed for updating electoral registers. Protesting organizations allege that the process has purged large volumes of legitimate voters from the rolls without due diligence, effectively stripping citizens of their fundamental right to cast ballots. In response, protesters continue to insist on the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The agitation has spilled beyond the capital into other major metropolitan centers, including Mumbai. Facing persistent mobilization, Delhi Police have heavily reinforced security deployments and set up checkpoints across central Delhi and Jantar Mantar to prevent gatherings at designated protest zones.

## What this means for you
The ongoing row over voter roll revisions and central security measures directly influences everyday commuting and citizen voting rights.

- **Across India:** Eligible voters nationwide should proactively verify their registration status on official election portals to ensure their names remain active. If an entry has been mistakenly omitted during the SIR drive, individuals must promptly submit relevant claim forms before upcoming deadlines.
- **In Delhi:** Commuters navigating central Delhi, India Gate, and Jantar Mantar should anticipate traffic diversions due to strict police barricades. Daily travelers through Lutyens Delhi should plan routes in advance to avoid recurring transit delays around protest venues.
- **For Activists and Students:** Law enforcement agencies are enforcing stringent curbs against unsanctioned gatherings across sensitive administrative districts. Participants in public demonstrations should stay updated on local security orders to avoid unexpected administrative detentions.
- **For Administrative Redress:** The Election Commission has emphasized that all updating procedures are functioning under established legal provisions. Citizens facing irregular exclusions should approach designated local electoral registration officers to lodge formal administrative objections.

## Why this happened
The widespread protests erupted following allegations that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process improperly deleted a large number of registered voters from official rolls. Opposition parties and student groups claim the exercise lacks transparency, whereas the Election Commission asserts that all measures strictly follow statutory norms.

- **Direct Trigger:** Political leaders and student bodies accused authorities of purging legitimate voters from electoral rolls under the SIR drive. This triggered demands for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- **Underlying Escalation:** Demonstrations organized around sensitive zones like India Gate and Jantar Mantar prompted police to establish road barriers and enforce public order. Attempts by marchers to push through security perimeters resulted in scuffles and subsequent preventive detentions.
- **Preceding Timeline:** Sunday's confrontation followed two continuous days of friction, where over 500 demonstrators were detained on Friday and roughly 150 more on Saturday across New Delhi.
- **Subsequent Outlook:** With similar demonstrations emerging in cities like Mumbai, public scrutiny surrounding electoral roll revisions is likely to sustain pressure on electoral authorities to address procedural concerns.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Why were protests held at India Gate on Sunday?
AAP members staged protests against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

### 2. Who was detained by the police during the protest?
Delhi Police detained at least 25 AAP members, including Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj and MLA Sanjeev Jha.

### 3. What specific allegations did Saurabh Bharadwaj make against the police?
Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed police mishandled him like a football and carried him upside down so his face would not appear on media cameras.

### 4. Have similar protests occurred in other cities beyond Delhi?
Yes, demonstrations protesting the voter roll revision have also taken place in other cities, including Mumbai.

### 5. How many protesters were detained on Friday and Saturday?
Police detained around 150 demonstrators on Saturday and over 500 individuals during protests on Friday in Delhi.

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