Delhi police detained Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and other MPs on Tuesday evening as they broke up a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The MPs were stopped on a march from Parliament to the Election Commission’s office. Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other MPs were taken away in a police bus and released shortly afterwards, then sat in protest at a nearby building. The opposition said 237 MPs took part.
Police said the protesters were removed to maintain law and order and prevent the situation from escalating, according to the news agency ANI. A police complaint has also been registered against the Gandhis for entering Akashvani Bhavan without permission, PTI reported.
Opposition parties accuse Kumar of revising electoral rolls to benefit the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP and the commission have rejected the allegation. The commission says the revision removes duplicate and ineligible voters, and more than 130 million names have been removed from draft lists.
The commission said it was willing to meet the opposition but objected to a 240-member delegation meeting at Parliament. It said a party representative must request an appointment and that meetings are held at the commission.
The Supreme Court has asked the federal government and the Election Commission to respond to a petition alleging that Kumar took key decisions without the approval of the other two election commissioners. Another round of protests has been called for 10 October by the Cockroach Janta Party.
