Chandigarh: Protesters scuffle with cops in Sector 17, seek CEC’s resignation

Around 50 protesters from the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Panjab Students Union (PSU) Lalkaar, Sath, and Students for Society (SFS), among others, were present

Protesters had a scuffle with policemen as they held a march from Panjab University to Sector 17, demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Monday evening.

Supporters of various student organisations during their protest near the election commission’s office in Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Monday. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

The protesters were mainly members of different student unions at Panjab University (PU). The protest march, which was organised from the Student Centre of the university to the election commission’s office in Sector 17, was in support of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which has been protesting in New Delhi for a few days.

Around 50 protesters from the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Panjab Students Union (PSU) Lalkaar, Sath, and Students for Society (SFS), among others, were present. They carried placards seeking the CEC’s resignation and marched from the PU Student Centre to the Election Commission office in Sector 17.

Police had installed barricades near the office, where a few students allegedly had a scuffle with police officers. The protesters then sat outside the office and delivered speeches. Police said permission had been sought only for a march up to the Sector 17 plaza, but the students marched toward the Election Commission office without prior notice. “No student was detained,” a police official said.