Indian capital braces for second day of protests against poll chief

New Delhi is on high alert for another day of youth protests demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar. The second day of demonstrations began on Sunday, following a court order to release the party's founder, Abhijeet Dipke, and two other senior leaders.

Dipke, along with the other leaders, was detained upon landing in Delhi on Saturday as the movement aimed to gather thousands in Jantar Mantar, Central Delhi. They were released on Sunday, under a condition of no breach of peace for a year.

Activist Dhruv Rathee, also among those detained, was released past midnight, with a condition not to participate in further protests. Police have detained over 2,000 people and maintained a heavy police and paramilitary presence across the city on Sunday, despite the reopening of metro stations and resumption of mobile internet services.

Opposition parties and critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government have criticized the heavy-handed use of force against the protesters. A UN body has also called on authorities to ensure the right to peaceful assembly is respected. However, India's foreign ministry dismissed the UN's approach as 'selective' and an 'unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of India'.

The protests are centered around Kumar's decision to revise voter lists, which critics claim disproportionately benefits Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sporadic protests have been ongoing across India since late September, when the Indian Express reported Kumar's deputies raised concerns internally about the revisions and related procedures.

The Election Commission denies allegations of manipulation, but opposition parties allege that Muslim voters and other minorities are disproportionately affected by the deletions. The CJP, which started as an online satire, has called for its protests against Kumar to continue until India's election system is reformed.