Delhi Police deny permission for CJP’s October 10 Jantar Mantar protest, cite breach of past undertaking

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Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Nupur Prasad. Photo: Special Arrangement

The Delhi Police have denied permission for the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) proposed protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10, citing alleged non-compliance with conditions agreed to during an earlier demonstration, Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Nupur Prasad said on Friday (October 9, 2026), a day before the proposed protest.

“Because of not following the conditions as part of undertaking during the past protest, this time the permission has been denied,” Ms. Prasad said.

The decision comes two days after CJP co-convener Saurav Das submitted an intimation letter to the Delhi Police on October 7, informing them of the planned demonstration and seeking arrangements for law and order and traffic management. The protest is scheduled for Saturday (October 10).

The official said that the permission was sought in the last minute while as per rules it should be sort atleast 10 days before the protest.

The CJP had maintained that it was informing the police rather than seeking permission, arguing that Jantar Mantar is a designated protest site and that the police should facilitate a peaceful gathering. Mr. Das had submitted the letter at Parliament Street police station and received an acknowledgement, according to the organisers.

The October 10 demonstration has been called by the CJP and student organisations, including the All India Students’ Association (AISA), amid protests over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The organisers are demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, an independent inquiry into alleged irregularities in the revision exercise and reforms to the process of appointing Election Commissioners.

The proposed protest follows a series of demonstrations in Delhi against the SIR exercise and the CEC. The CJP had also organised a mobilisation in July over the NEET-UG paper leak, which led to confrontations between protesters and security personnel.

The police have been scrutinising proposed demonstrations following the July protest. In the run-up to the October 10 gathering, the Crime Branch registered a fresh FIR to investigate the alleged involvement of 2,873 people with criminal records who were flagged during the July 20 CJP protest. The investigation is also examining whether the violence during the demonstration was pre-planned or whether people with criminal antecedents joined the protest.

The denial of permission comes amid heightened restrictions on demonstrations in central Delhi. The police have said that organisers must obtain prior permission for protests at Jantar Mantar and that applications should ordinarily be submitted at least 10 days in advance.

The CJP’s proposed demonstration on October 10 is part of the continuing campaign against the SIR exercise, which has drawn opposition from political parties and student groups over concerns about electoral roll revisions and alleged exclusions.