CJP and Student Groups Plan October 10 Jantar Mantar Protest

**NEW DELHI:** The Cockroach Janta Party and several student organisations are preparing to demonstrate at Jantar Mantar on October 10, escalating a campaign that is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over India’s voter-roll revision process.

The organisers have submitted a formal intimation to Delhi Police for the gathering, according to The Indian Express. Police, however, have said the protest will not be permitted while prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita remain in force in the area.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has said the movement intends to proceed peacefully. The planned action would return the youth-led group to the central Delhi protest site where it drew national attention earlier in the year.

Electoral roll revision becomes the focus

The latest demonstrations centre on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision exercise. CJP and opposition figures allege that the process has removed legitimate voters and lacks sufficient transparency. They have made Kumar’s resignation one of their principal demands.

The Election Commission and the Indian government reject allegations that the revision is designed to manipulate the electorate. Officials say the exercise is intended to remove duplicate, deceased and otherwise ineligible entries while allowing eligible voters to correct records or appeal exclusions.

The dispute has grown into a broader political confrontation. An Associated Press report published on October 8 said the revision had removed roughly 130 million names from voter lists, while also noting that affected citizens can challenge decisions through the established process. The scale of the exercise and the competing accounts of its impact have made electoral rolls a prominent issue ahead of future votes.

Student representatives who appeared with CJP this week said the October 10 gathering would press for accountability and protection of voting rights. Their participation broadens a campaign that began as a student-led response to problems in India’s education and examination system.

Earlier demonstrations in Delhi and Mumbai

CJP first mobilised at Jantar Mantar on June 6 to demand the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The demonstrations grew over the following weeks and were accompanied by larger police deployments and confrontations near the protest area.

The movement ended that phase of its Jantar Mantar campaign on July 25 after Pradhan resigned. Supporters presented the resignation as evidence that sustained public pressure could produce a political response, while CJP said it would continue to pursue other demands.

Its attention subsequently shifted to the electoral roll dispute. On October 2, thousands gathered near Shivaji Park in Mumbai despite police refusing permission for the demonstration. Delhi also saw detentions during a separate action linked to the same campaign.

The Indian Express reported that police detained about 550 people in Delhi, including Aam Aadmi Party leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjay Singh. Police said the participants had assembled without permission. Organisers described the actions as peaceful protests and criticised the restrictions.

Police restrictions shape the October 10 plan

The status of the proposed Jantar Mantar gathering remains uncertain because of the prohibitory orders. Section 163 gives authorities powers to restrict assemblies when officials believe urgent action is needed to prevent danger, disorder or obstruction.

That means the organisers’ announcement does not by itself guarantee that supporters will be allowed to reach the designated protest site. Previous demonstrations in central Delhi have involved barricades, additional police personnel, temporary road controls and changes around nearby public transport stations.

Authorities had not announced a detailed traffic plan for October 10 at the time of publication. Travellers heading through central Delhi on Saturday may therefore need to monitor official Delhi Traffic Police and Delhi Metro updates before setting out.

The response of both organisers and law enforcement will be closely watched. A negotiated location or revised conditions could reduce the risk of confrontation, while an attempt to march despite a police refusal could lead to detentions or tighter restrictions.

Why Jantar Mantar matters

Jantar Mantar is one of New Delhi’s best-known locations for public protest. Its central position and long association with political and civil-society campaigns give demonstrations there visibility beyond the size of the immediate crowd.

For CJP, a return to the site links the electoral roll campaign to the movement’s earlier mobilisation over education and examination grievances. It also tests whether the organisation can again bring together students, opposition supporters and citizens concerned about voter registration.

The October 10 protest is expected to focus on Kumar’s resignation and demands for a more transparent review of disputed voter-list changes. Whether it proceeds at Jantar Mantar will depend on police enforcement, any further talks with organisers and developments before Saturday.

This article was written and edited by the Novexa News Desk using independently checked reporting from The Indian Express and the Associated Press.