SIR row: No police nod so far for Oct 2 protest in Delhi

NEW DELHIDelhi Police has so far not granted permission for a proposed protest at Jantar Mantar on October 2 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a senior police officer said on Tuesday

NEW DELHI

Opposition parties and civil society groups have given a call to gather over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. (Representative photo)

Delhi Police has so far not granted permission for a proposed protest at Jantar Mantar on October 2 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.

Opposition parties and civil society groups have given a call to gather over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

“No permission has been granted so far. It’s a prohibited area and gathering of more than four people is not allowed,” the senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, said.

According to civil society groups, the proposed demonstration, planned on Gandhi Jayanti, is geared towards demanding Kumar’s resignation and questioning the Election Commission of India’s handling of the SIR exercise.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday and Tuesday appealed to people to join the protest at Jantar Mantar.

The controversy was further clouded after recent reports cited several objections by election commissioners over 10 months. The Election Commission, however, has rejected the suggestion of an institutional rift, maintaining that decisions relating to the SIR and other matters were taken with the approval of the Commission.

On Monday, a united delegation of activists, including All India Students’ Association president Neha Bora, and civil society members Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Nikhil De, and Nandita Narain visited the Parliament Street police station over the protest call at Jantar Mantar.

“From stealing of votes to stealing our places of protest, the rattled government is trying tooth and nail to curb the people’s aspirations for change and justice. We have moved following the due procedure, now it is up to the Delhi Police to follow natural justice and respect the people’s will,” Bora said.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has announced a “Jail Bharo Andolan” at Shivaji Park on October 2.

The Delhi Police, meanwhile, has installed barricades on all roads leading to Jantar Mantar.