Jantar Mantar protest highlights: ‘Stop acting like Shah’s henchmen,’ Dipke tells Delhi Police, praises Mumbai cops

• Nearly 160 protesters were detained from areas around the Jantar Mantar on Saturday, a senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity. This included senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav, AISA's Neha Bora and activist Anjali Bhardwaj. Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal had also joined the protest.

• CJP's Saurav Das "strongly condemned" the detention of Yogendra Yadav and other protesters, and said Delhi would see the "biggest mobilisation of well-meaning citizens" October 10 onwards. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke criticised the Delhi Police. "Delhi Police needs to stop acting like henchmen of Amit Shah...Delhi Police should learn from Mumbai Police how to facilitate citizens’ right to peaceful dissent, not suppress it," Dipke said in a post on X.

• A day after over 1000 protesters were detained in Delhi, AISA activists again gathered at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Several members of AISA were detained by the Delhi Police, as Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023, remained in force across New Delhi district.

• Internet services in and around the Jantar Mantar area continued to function, unlike Friday when telecom companies were asked to suspend internet services in New Delhi district from 9am to 9 pm.

• AISA member and former JNUSU president N Sai Balaji told HT that police began detaining protesters within 15 minutes of the march, which started at Vithal Bhai Patel House around 3 pm.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday criticised the Election Commission.

“The Election Commission should be the most ashamed of the new attempts being made. The Election Commission should apologize to the entire nation and openly admit what happened, on whose directions it happened, and why it happened…” PTI news agency cited the Congress leader as saying.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav on Saturday questioned the denial of permission to protest at Jantar Mantar.

“Jantar Mantar is a designated space for peaceful protest. Yet today, even senior advocates from the Supreme Court and High Courts had to come to the streets to assert this basic democratic right,” Yadav said in a post on X.

He added, “If a designated protest site cannot accommodate peaceful dissent, where does democracy leave room for protest?”

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Several protesters who were detained on Saturday were taken to the Badarpur Police Station, activist Anjali Bhardwaj said in a post on X.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Nearly 160 protesters were detained from areas around the Jantar Mantar on Saturday, a senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Activist Anjali Yadav, who joined the protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, said the campaign “continued in detention.”

Bhardwaj, who shared a photograph with Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, said the three would go live on Facebook from the Badarpur Police Station and explain why they were demanding the scrapping of SIR.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest at India Gate on Saturday demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, even as student activists protested in Jantar Mantar.

The protesters alleged that questions had been raised over the electoral process and demanded that the Election Commission provide answers to concerns being raised by citizens and opposition organisations, PTI news agency reported.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Senior Congress leader and former union minister P Chidambaram on Saturday criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

“I have no doubt that Gyanesh Kumar has to resign someday or the other. It would be good for him to resign early, but if he doesn't, the protest will continue,” Chidambaram told ANI news agency. He added, “The INDIA bloc protest will continue. The other groups are protesting, and he will be compelled to resign. The wisest thing he can do is to resign now.”

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: CJP spokesperson Saurav Das on Saturday condemned the detention of political activist Yogendra Yadav and other protesters during the protest at Jantar Mantar against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

“Strongly condemn the detention of Yogendra ji and other protesters in Delhi. October 10th onwards India will see the biggest mobilisation of well-meaning citizens!” Das said in a post on X.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Activist Anjali Bhardwaj on Saturday said the right to protest was “being stifled” in Delhi. “e are all in detention. Why is the MHA using the Delhi police to silence protesters demanding resignation of the CEC Gyanesh Kumar?” Bhardwaj said in a post on X.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: CJP convenor Abhijeet Dipke said that Delhi will witness “a massive mobilisation of young Indians” on October 10. In a post on X, Dipke said, “Delhi Police must stop its crackdown on protesting students and activists.”

He added, “Every attempt to suppress peaceful protesters will only bring more people to the streets and strengthen the march to Jantar Mantar. Dissent is a democratic right. It cannot be crushed through intimidation or force.”

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan on Saturday said the “police cannot silence the voice of the people”, after being detained while protesting against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

In a video posted by political activist Yogendra Yadav, Bhushan said, “On 3 October, lawyers and activists peacefully marching towards Jantar Mantar were taken into custody by the police. The more the repression, the more voices will take to the streets. The police cannot silence the voice of the people.”

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: CJP convenor Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday criticised the Delhi Police, claiming that they were “crushing dissent and and cracking down on peaceful protesters.”

“Delhi Police needs to stop acting like henchmen of Amit Shah. By crushing dissent and cracking down on peaceful protesters, Delhi Police is bringing nothing but shame to the institution and the country,” Dipke said in a post on X.

He further drew a comparison with the Mumbai Police. “Delhi Police should learn from Mumbai Police how to facilitate citizens’ right to peaceful dissent, not suppress it,” he said.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Sharing a video of herself from the protest site, AISA president Neha Bora on Saturday said, “We're at the Barricades! Jantar Mantar 2.0 is still on.” Bora and other AISA members were later detained by the Delhi Police.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed there was anger among youth against the BJP governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra, and cases are being filed to suppress their voices, PTI news agency reported.

This came after a parallel protest against the CEC in Mumbai, organised by the CJP. “The youth have taken to the streets to save democracy and the Constitution. The issues they have raised are important ones facing the country,” PTI cited Sapkal as saying.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Delhi Police on Saturday detained members of All India Students' Association (AISA), who were protesting against CEC Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar, ANI news agency reported.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Around 150 protesters, including AISA's Neha Bora, Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan were detained by the Delhi Police as they marched from Patel Chowk towards Jantar Mantar, PTI news agency reported.

The protesters are demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. AISA members earlier said senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Nitya Ramakrishnan, Pallav Sisodia and Prashant Bhushan, along with activist Yogendra Yadav, had joined Bora and other students during the march.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: AISA's Neha Bora lauded Advocates Kapil Sibal, Prashant Bhushan, and Nitya Ramakrishnan, as well as activist Anjali Bhardwaj and Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav

“Our Heroes! I hope that when we are your age, we are as strong and steadfast as you all!” Bora said in a post on X, while sharing photographs from the site of the protest.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Indian Youth Congress has moved the Delhi High Court against Delhi Police's decision denying them permission to protest at Jantar Mantar against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Bar and Bench reported.

IYC President Uday Bhanu Chib has filed a writ petition in the matter.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: A day after over 1000 protesters were detained in Delhi, AISA activists again gathered at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The fresh mobilisation came after AISA national president Neha Bora, who was among those detained on Friday, called on activists to return to Jantar Mantar at 1 pm and continue their protest. Police began detained protesters as the gathered near the protest site, with security personnel deployed at multiple points and barricades placed on roads leading to Jantar Mantar.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, AISA president Neha Bora, Prashant Bhushan, Avik Saha, several other lawyers and young people are marching towards Jantar Mantar amid the ongoing protest against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Sharing the update, Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said, “Peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar is our right in a democracy. This right cannot be snatched from us by the might of the police.”

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Delhi Police said Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023, is in force across New Delhi district to ensure public safety, maintain public order and facilitate smooth traffic movement.

The police said unauthorised gatherings, public speeches, slogan-shouting, processions, demonstrations and dharnas are prohibited under the order.

“No permission has been granted for any protest scheduled for today, i.e. 03.10.2026, nor has any prior intimation regarding any such protest been received by New Delhi District Police,” the notice said.

The police urged citizens to comply with the order and cooperate with authorities, warning that violations would invite legal action.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: Delhi Police has started making announcements asking people gathered at the Jantar Mantar protest site to disperse.

Police have also started detaining protesters at the site.

On Friday, nearly 750 people were detained from areas around Jantar Mantar, while another 400 were detained from other parts of Delhi during the day.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE: TMC leader Mahua Moitra appealed to people to come out in larger numbers for the protest against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In a video posted online, Moitra said protesting was a right that “noone is going to snatch” from people, “least of all Delhi police.”

“11 metro stations shut down. Central Delhi Sealed off. 700 protestors detained. Gyanesh Kumar will go and so will his master. This fight continues today, 3rd October 1 PM at Jantar Mantar,” she said.