CJP Leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka Detained at Jantar Mantar After Protest Site De-Notified

Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, along with activist Ajinkya Shinde, on Tuesday, October 13, after they reached Jantar Mantar to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.

According to reports, the group attempted to cross a police cordon before officers took them into custody. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke confirmed the detentions and said the party would continue its agitation.

Ranka and Das have demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Ranka said the protests would continue at Jantar Mantar until Kumar resigned, warning that the number of participants could increase in the coming days.

Why Is Jantar Mantar No Longer a Protest Site?

The detention came a day after Delhi Police removed Jantar Mantar from the list of officially designated protest venues under a revised standing order.

The new order identifies three alternative locations for demonstrations: Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi. The change followed recommendations from a committee constituted by the Union Home Ministry.

Jantar Mantar has been a major centre for public demonstrations in Delhi for years. Its removal from the designated list has drawn criticism from CJP and Opposition leaders, who argue that it restricts access to a prominent place for peaceful protest.

The order does not mean that every protest across Delhi has been banned. Instead, demonstrations are expected to follow the revised venue rules and applicable permission procedures.

Why Is CJP Demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation?

CJP is protesting against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demanding Kumar’s resignation.

The controversy intensified after an Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months on decisions linked to voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, Form 6 and access to electoral data.

The Election Commission responded that its decisions, including those related to SIR, were unanimous and described differing views as part of the decision-making process.

The reported objections have raised questions about transparency and internal oversight, but they do not by themselves prove that voter lists were deliberately manipulated. The allegations need to be examined through records, evidence and the appropriate legal process.

The Bigger Question: Public Order and the Right to Protest

Authorities can regulate demonstrations to protect public safety, traffic and public order. Citizens, meanwhile, have constitutional protection for peaceful assembly, subject to reasonable restrictions permitted by law.

The key questions are whether the new arrangements provide a practical way for people to demonstrate and whether police action in individual cases follows the law.

For now, CJP says it will continue its protest until the Chief Election Commissioner resigns. The immediate focus remains on the detained activists, enforcement of the revised protest-site rules and the wider dispute over electoral-roll revision.