India news: Top court hears petitions against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
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The Supreme Court heard pleas against India's beleagured poll body chief over alleged unilateral decisions related to the large-scale revision of voter lists. DW has the latest.
https://p.dw.com/p/5NkeO The hearing comes after thousands of protesters and opposition supporters rallied in Delhi and Mumbai over the weekend to demand Kumar's resignation Image: Abiraj Kumar Arulgnanakumar/DW Advertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know India's Supreme Court heard petitions against the functioning of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid voter list controversy The top court has issued notice to the Election Commision of India and sought the body's response to the allegations against Kumar Meanwhile, protests are seeking Kumar's resignation Here are the latest developments from India on Monday, October 5.
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10/05/2026 October 5, 2026 Delhi: Detentions reported during protest over alleged sexual harassment of women journalists by police officials Several protesters were detained as they held a demonstration outside the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi on Monday over the alleged sexual harassment of women journalists by police personnel during the October 3 protests against India's chief election commissioner, reports said.
The protesters were reportedly staging an overnight demonstration demanding an examination of the CCTV footage of the alleged incident and an action on the complaints.
"We went back and again asked for the CCTV footage, but they did not provide it. They did not register an FIR (First Information Report) or give us any update on the case. Instead, we were detained," news agency PTI quoted a protester as saying.
Three women journalists have alleged that they were sexually harassed by police personnel while covering Saturday's protest in New Delhi demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
One of the journalists alleged that an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) groped her.
The Delhi Police said in a statement police that the complaints were referred to the Crime Branch for a "fair and impartial enquiry."
The Indian Express reported that one of the alleged victims was among the 17 protesters who were taken on a bus to Delhi Cantonment police station on Monday morning,
The Cockroach Janata Party movement's legal affairs head Ratna Singh said that the journalist who alleged sexual harassment by an ACP was among the detained.
Singh claimed that she was told that the detainees were assaulted by the police.
"Two of those detained were allegedly brutally beaten," she wrote on X.
There is yet to be a statement from the Delhi police on Monday's detentions and alleged assaults.
Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi railed against the Delhi Police over the alleged mistreatment of female protesters and journalists.
"What's happening in Delhi right now follows a single pattern: silence any woman who dares to ask questions," he wrote on X, as he shared an interaction with two women journalists who alleged harassment at a Delhi police station last month.
The Congress leader alleged that those "entrusted with the responsibility" to protect women were now the ones "posing a threat to them".
"Hundreds of people were detained at Jantar Mantar. Female protesters alleged that male police officers misbehaved with them. Cameras were snatched from female journalists, and they were dragged around. Not even an FIR was filed on a journalist's complaint," Gandhi said.
10/05/2026 October 5, 2026 Supreme Court issues notice to Election Commission of India, no suspension for Gyanesh Kumar The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking the poll body's response to petitions against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.
The pleas sought action against Kumar following an investigative news report which claimed that the poll panel, headed by him, took decisions on voter list changes despite objections from two of three election commissioners.
India’s top court said on Monday that after considering ECI’s response, if it finds that decisions were taken by the top poll official without the required unanimity, it would reconsider or recall those decisions, news agency ANI reported.
"If records show some decision was not unanimous etc., we will injunct those decisions," legal news portal LiveLaw quoted the court as saying.
The Supreme Court declined to pass any interim order to suspend Kumar, an action sought by one of the petitions.
10/05/2026 October 5, 2026 India's Modi holds talks with Swiss President Guy Parmelin Parmelin (R) last visited India in February 2026 to participate in the AI Impact Summit but his latest trip marks his first state visit to the country. Image: Adnan Abidi/REUTERS Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held bilateral talks with visiting Swiss President Guy Parmelin at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
India and Switzerland exchanged a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) after their leaders reviewed progress in a range of areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade, investment, technology and culture.
The two nations countries took "several important decisions to increase market access for India's exports in Switzerland, and to make investment between the two countries smoother", Modi said at a joint press conference with Parmelin after the talks.
"This will increase the export of India's agriculture, pharma, textile, and engineering goods to Switzerland. At the same time, we will attract new Swiss investment in India's important sectors such as biotech, life sciences, banking, insurance, food processing, and sustainability," the Indian leader added.
India and Switzerland also signed a mobility…
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