Jantar Mantar Denotified: CJP Leaders Detained Again

Jantar Mantar Denotified: CJP Leaders Detained as the Protest Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar Grows

Last updated: October 13, 2026

The protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has taken a sharper turn. In two days, Delhi Police removed Jantar Mantar’s status as a protest venue and detained the movement’s top leaders again. Here is what happened and why it matters.

What Is the Protest About?

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is a youth-led movement. It announced nationwide demonstrations from October 2, 2026, demanding Kumar’s resignation, an independent inquiry into the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, and restoration of the earlier electoral rolls. The group began as online satire in May 2026 and has since grown into a street movement. Its earlier protests over medical entrance exam irregularities came before the Education Minister’s resignation in July 2026.

Jantar Mantar Removed as a Protest Site

For decades, Jantar Mantar has been Delhi’s best-known place for peaceful protest. On Monday, October 12, Delhi Police officially denotified it as a designated protest site. The order was signed by Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and replaced an earlier order from April 28, 2022. Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi were named as alternative venues.

The order came during a standoff. CJP leaders had asked for permission to protest but were given neither a date nor a reason.

Leaders Detained Again on October 13

On Tuesday, the CJP went ahead anyway. Leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ajinkya Shinde were among about 20 volunteers who entered Jantar Mantar to “reclaim” it, and police detained them. Reports say the group got past security gates while raising slogans before police stopped them. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke responded that an official order cannot end resistance.

Thousands Detained in Recent Days

This was not the first crackdown. Civicus Monitor reported that police detained more than 7,000 protesters on Saturday, October 10. Police also detained activists and political leaders at several places, including routes leading to Jantar Mantar. Exact numbers differ between sources, so treat all figures as reported estimates.

Opposition Parties Join In

The movement is no longer only about the CJP. On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi said the INDIA bloc’s protest had one aim: restoring democracy. Delhi Police announced Section 163 restrictions and detained several protesters that day.

Will Gyanesh Kumar Resign?

This is the question everyone is asking. As of today, he has not resigned, and there is no clear sign he will. The government and the Election Commission have rejected the opposition’s accusations in the past. But each detention and each banned venue keeps the issue in the news, so the pressure is unlikely to fade soon.

What to watch next:

Whether the new protest venues are accepted or challenged Any court or Election Commission response on the SIR concerns How large the opposition’s combined rallies become Final Thoughts

The right to protest peacefully sits at the center of this story. Whatever your view on the CEC, one fact is clear: a youth movement that began as online satire is now shaping the national political debate.