AISA president Neha Bora, along with activist Yogendra Yadav, at Parliament Street police station in New Delhi on Monday.
| Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Three days after the Delhi Police detained protesters attempting to reach Jantar Mantar, a delegation of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), led by its president Neha Bora, on Monday submitted an “intimation letter” at the Parliament Street police station about a proposed protest on October 2 demanding the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
The delegation included activist Yogendra Yadav, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, social activist Nikhil Dey and educationist Nandita Narain.
“The right of citizens to peacefully assemble and express their views is an important constitutional freedom,” the letter stated, adding, “It is in exercise of this fundamental right that we are intimating you.”
‘Not a permission’
Delhi Police acknowledged receipt of the letter but clarified that this did not amount to permission for the protest. A stamp on the letter read, “This is not a permission. It is only an acknowledgement of your letter.”
The organisers, however, said the protest would go ahead at 11 a.m. on October 2.
“It is up to the Delhi police to facilitate us or to face us,” Ms. Bora said after submitting the letter.
Concerns over SIR
According to the letter, the protest will raise concerns over the “recent functioning and actions” of the Election Commission (EC) and “the actions and decisions of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar”.
The organisers have centred their concerns on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and its alleged impact on voters. The letter claims that “thirteen crore people have been excluded from the voter roll already” and raises concerns over the manner in which the revision is being undertaken and changes relating to Form 6.
The organisers said the protest intended to seek “accountability, transparency and protection of the electoral rights of citizens”.
The group called upon “all friends of the democratic movement and concerned citizens” to join the protest and asked the police to take necessary steps to facilitate the “peaceful and lawful exercise of our democratic and constitutional rights without unnecessary obstruction or hindrance”.
The letter submitted by the delegation to Delhi Police seeking permission for the protest.
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
Bora questions police action
On September 25, more than 50 protesters, including Ms. Bora, Mr. Yadav and Mr. Bhushan, were detained near Jantar Mantar during an AISA-led protest against the SIR exercise and demanding Mr. Kumar’s resignation.
In a video message ahead of Monday’s submission, Ms. Bora questioned the police action against protesters seeking to demonstrate at what she described as a designated protest site.
“First, you steal our right to vote, then we go to protest against this at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site, and you then steal our right to democratic dissent. This police is denying citizens the right to protest, on the basis of which law and on whose orders?” she said.
Published – September 28, 2026 12:39 pm IST
