New Delhi, Oct. 10 -- The United Nations Human Rights office on Saturday (October 10), expressed concern over reports of mass detentions of protesers, leaders, civil society members, lawyers and journalists in Delhi ahead of and during large-scale demonstrations.

The protests were linked to demands by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and others for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The UN body called on Indian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly, exercise restraint in dealing with protesters and immediately release those who had been arbitrarily detained.

"We are concerned by reports of mass detentions in India of demonst...