CJP Leaders Arrested After Entering Delhi's Barricaded Jantar Mantar Protest Site

The protests centre on allegations that changes to India's voter lists could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, according to Euronews. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

NPR reported that authorities had removed more than 130 million names from the voter roll. Opposition parties say the revisions favour Modi's party. The coverage presents manipulation as an allegation, not an established finding.

The earlier account of this story called CJP the Coalition for Justice and Peace. The current coverage, including CNA, identifies it as the Cockroach Janta Party. That naming differs between the accounts.

On October 12, opposition leaders marched to the Supreme Court demanding the election chief's resignation. BBC News reported that the march followed a chaotic weekend in Delhi during which police detained thousands of protesters.

That same day, Delhi Police removed Jantar Mantar's designation as a protest venue. The Hindu reported the decision, while Business Line named Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as the three replacement venues.

The change disrupted CJP's plans, according to Times of India. Separately, Indian Express reported that CJP announced protests in Rajasthan, extending its mobilisation beyond Delhi.

On October 13, CJP leaders entered the barricaded Jantar Mantar site and were detained, CNA reported. NDTV India said activists raised slogans demanding Kumar's resignation after entering the site.

Police then filed a trespassing case against CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, according to India News. Times of India reported that the FIR also alleged violations of a peace bond previously signed by the leaders.

By October 14, India Today reported that Das, Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde were under preventive arrest for entering the Jantar Mantar area.

The latest reports describe arrests rather than only the initial detentions. The Hindu reported that CJP's legal head Ratna Singh said police had arrested Das, Ranka and Shinde. Mint reported that CJP's lawyer called the arrests illegal. That is the lawyer's allegation, not a court ruling reported in the coverage.

A separate legal challenge to the electoral roll revision also faces a procedural obstacle. India News reported that the Supreme Court registry flagged 14 defects in the opposition petition, delaying its listing for a hearing. Business Line identified documentation and court fee issues in the plea seeking an independent audit of electoral roll changes.

India News reported that Das and Ranka were likely to be produced before a Special Executive Magistrate Court at Mandir Marg on Thursday. Their appearance, and any resulting orders, are the next concrete steps in the police case.

The other pending question is when the opposition's electoral petition can be listed for a hearing after the registry's objections. CJP's stance on the protest venue also remains significant: India Today reported that the group vowed not to back down from protesting at Jantar Mantar.