Telecom companies on Friday were directed to suspend internet services in and around Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for 12 hours, where various organisations have gathered to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.
This marks the second shutdown at the site in three months, following an internet suspension in July during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest over the NEET paper leak. Political parties and members of AISA, SFI, NSUI and other student bodies are protesting to demand Kumar’s resignation over the alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls and mass deletion of voters. In July, internet services were suspended in parts of central Delhi around Jantar Mantar – one of the longest suspicions in the Capital. It came during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest demanding the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak. SFLC.in has challenged those orders in the Delhi High Court.
Police said permission had not been granted for the protest and around 700 protesters were detained from Jantar Mantar and nearby areas at the time of filing this report, PTI reported. Seven suspension orders were issued over five days between July 20 and July 25; ended only after Pradhan resigned on July 25 and the protest was called off.
