National President of the All India Students’ Association, Neha Bora. File.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
Security has been tightened around the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi ahead of a delegation of student leaders, civil society members and Opposition representatives set to arrive at 3 p.m. on Monday (September 28, 2026) to submit an “intimation letter” for a proposed protest at Jantar Mantar on October 2, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The delegation will comprise AISA president Neha, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, activist Yogendra Yadav, academic Nandita Narain, RJD MP Manoj Jha, and social activist Nikhil Dey.
The development comes three days after around 50 protesters, including Ms. Neha, were detained in New Delhi while attempting to reach Jantar Mantar for a demonstration demanding the resignation and arrest of Mr. Kumar and raising allegations concerning the functioning of the Election Commission.
Announcing Monday’s (September 28, 2026) visit in a video message on social media, Ms. Neha questioned the police action against protesters seeking to demonstrate at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site.
“First you steal our right to vote, then we go to protest against this at a Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site, you then steal our right to democratic dissent. This police is denying citizens to protest, on basis of which law and on whose orders?” she said.
“We will be reaching the Parliament Street police station to submit the intimation letter for the protest on October 2 demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar,” she added.
Representatives said a protest will follow if the police does not grant permission for the October 2 protest.
On Friday (September 25, 2026), New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma had said protesters were detained as “no permission had been sought or granted to hold the demonstration at the venue”.
The protesters, however, alleged that the police action amounted to restricting their right to democratic dissent. Ms. Neha had said students were taken to Kanjhawala police station and vowed that protests would continue until their demands were addressed.
Police are yet to clarify whether an FIR has been registered in connection with Friday’s (September 25, 2026) incident.
Monday’s (September 28, 2026) delegation is expected to approach the Parliament Street police station to formally submit the intimation for the October 2 protest and question the police over restrictions on demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
Published – September 28, 2026 12:39 pm IST
