Why it is in the news
On 7 October 2026, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was detained by the Delhi Police for the second day running as INDIA bloc MPs attempted a flash protest near Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. A prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 has been in force across New Delhi since 2 October; police have said they will pre-emptively detain past agitators under BNSS Sections 126 and 170 and use Facial Recognition System (FRS) technology on more than 2,800 people before a 10 October protest. The same day, the Delhi High Court asked the Centre to decide within six months on a plea for standard operating procedures (SOP) for ‘always-on’ body-worn cameras during crowd control.
The exam angle
Issue: Preventive police powers meant for law and order are increasingly used to manage political protest, blurring the line between detention and arrest.