Gaurav Gogoi, other Assam Congress leaders detained during protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and MP Gaurav Gogoi and several senior Congress leaders were detained by police on Friday, September 25, during a protest in Guwahati against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The protest was organised by the Assam Congress as part of the party's nationwide agitation seeking Kumar's removal and arrest and an independent review of electoral-roll changes made during his tenure. The party had planned to march from Rajiv Bhawan to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, at Janata Bhawan.

According to APCC Media Department chairman Bedabrat Bora, those detained included Gogoi, AICC secretary Manoj Chauhan, Seva Dal president Deep Bayan, APCC general secretary Udit Bhanu Das and party leaders Bidisha Neog, Mousumi Neog, Tazika Parbin, Mainajan Begum, Shantanu Bora, Golam Mustaque Osmani, Ankur Raj Gogoi and Anwar Hussain, among others.

Bora condemned the police action, alleging that the Congress leaders were forcibly arrested while participating in a democratic protest. He also alleged that police used force during the demonstration, where protesters sought to burn an effigy of the Chief Election Commissioner.

The Congress has been demanding Kumar's resignation and removal amid a political controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The agitation follows reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on several occasions over decisions related to the revision process. The Election Commission has said that decisions on SIR and other matters were taken with the approval of all three commissioners.

The Assam Congress had also announced similar protests by district units outside district commissioner offices on September 28.