On May 12, 2025, the Cockroach Janata Party’s co‑conveners Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das delivered a 24‑hour ultimatum to the Delhi Police. They asked the force to provide an alternative date for a protest that the party wishes to hold at Jantar Mantar. The ultimatum was framed as a demand for clarity: the party said it had left the scheduling to the police but could not allow the request to be delayed indefinitely. If the police failed to answer within the next day, the CJP warned it would issue its next call for action.
The planned demonstration is not a generic rally; it is aimed at pressing for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The CJP alleges that Kumar’s tenure is marred by irregularities in the electoral rolls, and it believes that a public show of dissent at Jantar Mantar is the appropriate venue to press this demand. The party’s co‑conveners have repeatedly described the protest as a peaceful exercise of a constitutional right, insisting that citizens are already exercising that right in various forms.
#BREAKING: Delhi Police De-notifies Jantar Mantar in New Delhi as a Designated Protest Site. Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar has issued an order designating three new locations for protests in India’s National Capital: Ramlila Maidan Burari Ground CBD Ground in East Delhi https://t.co/2WGFlh3ng6
The Delhi Police responded by denying permission for the proposed October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar. In their refusal, the police pointed to three specific grounds: the notice given by the CJP was considered short, the party had previously violated protest rules, and there were concerns about public safety.
Ashutosh Ranka framed the police’s refusal within a larger narrative of governmental overreach.
Under the rules governing public demonstrations in Delhi, organizers are normally required to submit their intimation at least ten days in advance of the intended date. The CJP, however, gave only three days’ notice before the planned October 10 action. This discrepancy between the required notice period and the actual notice supplied formed part of the police’s justification for denial. The situation occurs amid broader tensions regarding the detention of protesters in Delhi, despite recent Supreme Court guidelines on the matter.
VIDEO | Delhi: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leaves to join INDIA bloc protest, says, "We want justice." https://t.co/3rwnH4wp8m
Ashutosh Ranka framed the police’s refusal within a larger narrative of governmental overreach. He stated that "in the last 72 hours, the country has witnessed peak authoritarianism," suggesting that the denial of protest permission is part of a recent pattern of restrictive actions. The CJP has pointed to recent detentions of protesters as evidence of this trend, arguing that the government is acting in an authoritarian manner by refusing to allow a peaceful demonstration.
The timeline helps to place the ultimatum in context. On May 12, 2025, the CJP issued the 24‑hour ultimatum. Months later, on October 7, 2026, the party submitted its formal intimation for the protest to the Delhi Police. The proposed date for the demonstration was set for October 10, 2026. After the denial and the ensuing period of preventive detention, Ashutosh Ranka held a press conference on October 12, 2026, following his release, to reiterate the party’s position and to demand that the police specify a new date within the next 24 hours.
#WATCH | INDIA bloc protest march | Delhi: Former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, along with the MPs of her party, arrives at the Constitution Club of India. https://t.co/HkHKO2q7Up
Several direct statements from the CJP leaders are included. Saurav Das emphasized the constitutional nature of the right to protest, saying, "Peaceful protest is a right, a constitutional right, and people are already exercising it." Ashutosh Ranka repeated the demand for clarity, noting that "Jantar Mantar is the designated protest site and we are here to seek dates on which we can carry out our protest." He also pressed the police directly, asking, "Where should I carry out our protest? They should tell us in the next 24 hours how we can proceed with the protest. Otherwise, we will give our next call." These quotes illustrate the party’s insistence on a timely response and its belief that the request is legitimate and lawful.
At present, the CJP awaits a reply from the Delhi Police within the 24‑hour window set after the ultimatum. The party has made clear that if no alternative date is offered, it will consider further steps. The episode remains a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over the balance between public order and the right to peaceful assembly in Delhi, with both sides citing procedural rules and broader political concerns to justify their positions.