Delhi- The Cockroach Janta Party has announced a major nationwide protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on October 10, bringing together student and youth organisations, civil society groups, and citizens in a united campaign against the erosion of democratic institutions, electoral accountability, and voting rights. This announcement follows a series of protests in Delhi and Mumbai between October 2 and October 6, where thousands gathered to raise concerns over the Election Commission of India, the Special Intensive Revision exercise, and the institutional accountability of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Speaking at a joint press briefing at the Press Club of India in New Delhi, Co-convenor and Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das emphasised that the movement intentionally seeks to form a broad coalition transcending individual political party banners. Vowing a prolonged struggle against current institutional challenges, Saurav Das stated: “We know that no one can fight this battle alone, nor should we. When we all agree on the need to save this country and its democracy, why should we fight separately? We will fight with strength. We will fight shoulder to shoulder. We will fight together.”

Earlier today, Saurav Das and Legal Affairs Head Ratna Singh formally visited the Parliament Street police station to submit an intimation letter, clarifying that the youth are prepared for a nationwide agitation and wished to avoid any future dispute with the police.

Despite the visit, the has police denied permission for the October 10 protest.

When asked what the party will do following the denial, Saurav Das rejected the mandate completely, stating: “This concept of permission for our right to protest dates back to the time of British rule, and they were the ones who indoctrinated Indians into thinking that permission is required to protest against the government. Just consider how absurd and strange the concept is: we are repeatedly told that if we wish to protest against the government, we must first obtain permission from the government itself. Who is Delhi Police to grant us permission? Delhi Police's work is to ensure safety, maintain law and order and make traffic arrangements, all of which we also will be cooperating with them. We have been brainwashed into thinking that we require permission from the government to protest against the government. We should be ashamed that we are still seeking permission after 80 years of independence.”

The briefing also revealed that warnings from internal sources on preemptive arrests of top leadership, including founder Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and Ratna Singh under stringent provisions like the National Security Act or UAPA ahead of October 10 to derail the protest.

The leadership stated that the young generation has awakened, they are prepared to face arrest, and the march will proceed seamlessly even if leaders are jailed.

Following the initial phase in Mumbai and Delhi, the movement is expanding nationally, with protest organisers confirming that decentralised morchas and rolling agitations will be launched across Goa, Bangalore, and Kolkata, strategically structured as continuous rolling actions spanning the entire month of October 2026 to demand structural electoral reforms.

The upcoming October 10 mobilisation builds on intense street demonstrations that witnessed severe police clampdowns, arbitrary detentions, and the closure of nearby metro stations to suppress public gathering. Organisers highlighted that nearly 1,000 citizens were detained on October 2 across Delhi, followed by further large-scale detentions on October 3 and 4. In recent days, the Delhi Police clamped down heavily on demonstrators, shutting down local metro stations and bundling youth into buses. Protesters and independent observers highlighted severe online and offline targeting, where young women facing the frontlines were subjected to doxxing, harassment, and severe online abuse following physical standoffs. Protesters alleged that Delhi Police personnel subjected women to harassment, violence, and inappropriate physical contact under explicit instructions from senior officials.

The core focus for the Jantar Mantar protest remains clear: demanding immediate transparency regarding the handling of the Special Intensive Revision exercise, which critics allege has put millions of voting rights at risk; demanding full transparency regarding updates to Form 6 and conflicting claims surrounding whether modifications received the Supreme Court's approval; and continuing to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over internal rifts and purported lapses in electoral roll modifications.

The full press conference panel was led collectively by Saurav Das (Co-convenor & Chief Spokesperson), Ratna Singh (Legal Affairs Head & Spokesperson), Adarsh Saji (Students' Federation of India), Neha Bora (All India Students' Association), Viraaj Devang (All India Students' Federation), and Eeshna Gupta (Aam Aadmi Party's student wing). The panel concluded with a direct message to the Election Commission, stating that democracy has never depended on the BJP or the RSS, but has always been sustained by ordinary citizens. Organisers urged people from across the country who understand what the theft of votes means in a democracy to march towards Jantar Mantar on October 10, at New Delhi, to safeguard voting rights and institutional independence.