New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced plans for another protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10 if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke made the announcement after the group’s October 2 protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, where thousands gathered despite police denying permission for the demonstration. The protest was part of the CJP’s campaign seeking Kumar’s resignation and changes to the way electoral rolls are revised and the Election Commission is constituted.
Dipke said the proposed Delhi demonstration would be peaceful and invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s approach to protest. He also warned that if Delhi Police stopped the march, the location where protesters were stopped would become their “Jantar Mantar”.
CJP sets October 10 deadline
The CJP’s latest announcement comes a day after its Mumbai mobilisation, which marked the second phase of its campaign against the Chief Election Commissioner.
Dipke said the group would return to Delhi on October 10 if Kumar did not resign. The proposed demonstration is being presented by the organisation as a continuation of its earlier agitation at Jantar Mantar.
The CJP has framed its campaign around allegations concerning the SIR exercise and what it says are concerns over electoral transparency. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing, while the ongoing debate has included questions about the process used to revise electoral rolls.
The group had earlier announced that its campaign would begin in Mumbai on October 2 and subsequently expand to other cities. The October 10 announcement now puts Delhi back at the centre of its protest programme.
Thousands attend Mumbai demonstration
The CJP’s Mumbai protest was held at Shivaji Park on October 2. Reports described a large gathering, with thousands of people attending the demonstration.
The protest included participation and support from several well-known personalities, including actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi and singer-composer Vishal Dadlani. Other public figures from the film and cultural sectors were also reported to have attended or supported the event.
The gathering featured placards and slogans directed at Kumar. Protesters also used songs and creative slogans to draw attention to their campaign.
The Mumbai demonstration went ahead despite police denying permission, according to reports. Security arrangements were increased around the area as protesters gathered at Shivaji Park.
SIR lies at centre of CJP campaign
The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has become the central issue in the CJP’s latest agitation.
The organisation has alleged irregularities in the process and has demanded Kumar’s resignation. It has also called for greater transparency in the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and changes concerning electoral-roll revision.
The controversy intensified following reporting about disagreements within the Election Commission over aspects of the SIR process. The CJP has cited those reported differences as part of the basis for its campaign.
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the electoral-roll revision process is being conducted according to established procedures. Reports also indicate that the Commission has taken steps to facilitate the inclusion or re-registration of eligible voters following concerns raised during the exercise.
The competing claims about the SIR process remain part of a wider political and institutional debate over electoral rolls.
CJP’s earlier Jantar Mantar agitation
The CJP’s planned October 10 demonstration follows a lengthy protest the organisation held at Jantar Mantar earlier in 2026.
The group had previously conducted a 37-day agitation over alleged examination paper leaks. That campaign was directed at the Union government’s handling of the issue and included demands concerning then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
According to reports, Pradhan subsequently resigned as Education Minister following the agitation. The CJP has now sought to build on that campaign by taking its electoral-roll concerns to cities across the country.
The organisation’s latest campaign therefore represents a shift from examination-related issues to electoral administration and the functioning of the Election Commission.
Dipke refers to earlier Delhi clashes
While announcing the October 10 protest, Dipke also referred to violence during an earlier student demonstration in Delhi on July 20.
He said the CJP would follow a peaceful route and urged authorities not to repeat what he described as brutality during the earlier protest.
The July demonstration had resulted in clashes between protesters and security personnel. Several protesters and personnel from the Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force and Central Reserve Police Force were reported injured.
Subsequently, allegations were made that security personnel had used metal pellets against protesters. The matter reached the Supreme Court, which later constituted a high-powered committee to examine the violence and allegations concerning police action.
Dipke’s reference to the episode indicates that the CJP is seeking to make the conduct of authorities towards protesters a significant part of its October campaign.
More protests planned across India
The CJP has indicated that its campaign will not be restricted to Mumbai and Delhi.
The organisation had earlier announced plans for demonstrations in several cities. Reports have mentioned planned activity in locations including Goa, Kolkata and Bengaluru, as part of a wider campaign concerning electoral rolls and the Election Commission.
The Mumbai demonstration was intended to serve as the first major mobilisation of the latest phase. The proposed October 10 event at Jantar Mantar would give the organisation another opportunity to bring supporters together in the national capital.
The scale and nature of the October 10 demonstration will depend on permissions, security arrangements and the CJP’s mobilisation efforts in the days ahead.
Political parties and civil society also raise SIR concerns
The CJP’s campaign comes amid separate protests and political activity concerning the electoral-roll revision process.
On October 2, protesters associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, Left student organisations and civil society groups also attempted to demonstrate in Delhi. More than 500 people were detained during those protests, according to the Indian Express.
The CJP’s campaign is separate from those demonstrations, although the groups have raised overlapping concerns about electoral administration.
Opposition parties have also announced further demonstrations relating to the Election Commission and electoral rolls. This has made the SIR issue an increasingly prominent subject of political debate.
CJP says protest will remain peaceful
Dipke has repeatedly described the proposed CJP mobilisation as peaceful.
In announcing the October 10 programme, he called on citizens concerned about free and fair elections to participate. He also said the organisation would follow the path associated with Mahatma Gandhi.
At the same time, his warning that any location where police stopped protesters would become their “Jantar Mantar” signals that the group intends to continue its demonstration even if access to the designated protest site becomes difficult.
Whether the October 10 gathering goes ahead at Jantar Mantar will depend on the permissions and arrangements made by the Delhi authorities.
Conclusion
The CJP’s announcement of an October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar marks a fresh phase in its campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The organisation’s allegations centre on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and broader questions about electoral transparency. The Election Commission has disputed allegations of wrongdoing, while the CJP and other groups continue to press their concerns through protests.
Following the large Mumbai mobilisation on October 2, attention will now turn to the proposed Delhi demonstration and the response of the Election Commission and Delhi authorities. The October 10 protest is expected to be the next major development in the ongoing SIR-related dispute.