New Delhi, Oct 3: At least three FIRs have been registered by the Delhi Police in connection with the mass protest held near Jantar Mantar on October 2 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest was held as part of the opposition's campaign against the Election Commission and its functioning.
Two FIRs were registered at the Parliament Street (Sansad Marg) Police Station, while one FIR was filed at the Connaught Place Police Station.
The cases have been registered under Sections 223, 221, 132, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for violating prohibitory orders, obstructing public servants, and unlawful assembly. The police are investigating the matter.
The controversy came after a report in The Indian Express said that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections on at least 14 occasions over a 10-month period regarding decisions concerning electoral rolls, voter registration and the Commission's technology systems.
Earlier on Friday, the protesters near Jantar Mantar raised allegations of irregularities in the SIR exercise and demanded the removal of Kumar. The demonstration was held amid heightened security in central Delhi after police denied permission for the proposed protest and imposed prohibitory restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. Several opposition leaders, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, were detained during the protest.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said the Congress and INDIA bloc leaders were prepared to face arrest, alleging that the votes of common people were being "snatched" through the Election Commission of India.
"This is for saving the democracy of the country, saving the vote for a common man. Common men's votes are snatched by Modi and Shah through the Election Commission of India. So, this is a do-or-die fight for the Congress party and the INDIA alliance and all other opposition parties. We are not going to allow this thing," Venugopal said. (ANI)
