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.
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. 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. In December 2019, mobile internet was suspended for several hours in parts of the Capital during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, following orders from the Delhi Police. In January 2021, mobile internet was suspended in areas adjoining Delhi during the farmers’ protests, and the suspension was later extended at border sites, including Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri.
