Delhi police broke up a protest against Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar on Friday, in an operation lasting roughly three hours, according to The Quint. The outlet reports that demonstrators were dragged and shoved during the crackdown.
The Quint's account describes the action as a "3-hr crackdown" on what it calls an "anti-Gyanesh" protest. No casualty figures or arrest numbers were included in the available reporting.
The protest comes amid mounting opposition pressure over Kumar's role at the Election Commission of India. The Indian Express reports that two Election Commissioners registered objections on record 14 times over ten months regarding steps taken by the poll panel. A Union minister, meanwhile, said there was "no proof" of a dispute between the EC and the SIR process, and accused the opposition of speaking out of turn, according to The Times of India.
Opposition figures have escalated their demands. The Hindu reports that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray called for Kumar's removal and imprisonment, and sought fresh elections in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. NDTV reports that the INDIA bloc is scheduled to meet on September 30, with Kumar's removal listed as the main agenda item.
The sequence suggests the Jantar Mantar action is unlikely to be the last flashpoint. Watch whether the September 30 opposition meeting produces a formal demand, and whether the Election Commission or the government responds directly to the allegations raised on record by the two commissioners.
