Indian capital braces for second day of protests against poll chief

New Delhi is preparing for the second day of protests against election chief Gyanesh Kumar. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijeet Dipke, organized the demonstrations after Dipke and two other leaders were released from detention. The court ordered their release on Sunday, with Dipke's legal representative stating that the condition was no breach of peace for a year.

Activist Dhruv Rathee, also among those detained, was released with the condition he not participate in further protests. Over 2,000 people were detained in Delhi's city center on Saturday, and police continue to deploy thousands of personnel to prevent similar demonstrations. Opposition parties and critics have condemned the heavy-handed use of force against protesters.

Meanwhile, a UN body urged authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly. The protests specifically call for Kumar's resignation over allegations that his revision of voter lists disproportionately benefits Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Critics claim the deletions disproportionately impact Muslim voters and other minorities, who are less likely to support the Hindu nationalist party.

The CJP, which began as an online satire, has evolved into a movement calling for electoral system reform.