Police Detain Protesters Over Voter Roll Changes
Indian police detained protesters in New Delhi on Saturday, disrupting the second day of demonstrations led by the Gen Z‑led Cockroach Janta Party and other opposition groups over changes to voter rolls.
Protesters claim the changes benefit the governing party and demand the resignation of the election chief. They removed security barricades, chanted slogans, and police detained some of them.
Among those detained were independent lawmaker Kapil Sibal, All India Students’ Association President Neha Bora, and activists Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav. Police declined to comment on the number and identity of those held.
Earlier Friday, police stopped a group of protesters from gathering, bundled them into buses, and closed several nearby metro stations. Many were released but charged with violating orders banning mass gatherings. Critics say a nationwide voter‑verification exercise has removed millions of eligible voters, while the commission says it removes duplicates, deceased, or ineligible voters.
