Delhi protest LIVE updates: CJP's call for 'Jantar Mantar 2.0' turns capital into a fortress

Updated - October 10, 2026 07:57 am IST

Despite the denial of permission from Delhi Police, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) released a poster that says “Final Call To Save Democracy”, asking its supporters to reach Jantar Mantar at 10 a.m. on Saturday (October 10, 2026) as they look to go ahead with the protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

At least 100 people with criminal records, suspected of joining the protest, have been detained in overnight operations by the Delhi Police, sources told The Hindu.

Also read | SC backs right to protest, says blanket transit ban in Delhi ‘over-reaching’

The Delhi Police on Friday (October 9, 2026) denied permission to the CJP to hold its proposed protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday (October 10), citing alleged violations of conditions agreed upon for an earlier demonstration,

Also read | Police send notices to students, CJP supporters ahead of October 10 Delhi protest

Authorities have taken several measures ahead of the protest, including internet curbs in parts of Delhi, the shutting down of markets and Metro stations, and the cancelling dozens of trains bound for the capital. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed all States and Union Territories (U.T.s) to coordinate with the Delhi Police and take preventive measures to stop the movement of protesters towards Delhi.

Shaheena, 63, reached Jantar Mantar at 6 a.m. with her daughter after leaving from their home in Gurugram in the early hours on Saturday (October 10, 2026). “We thought we should leave early because it would have been more difficult later. It was so important for me to be here because we need to save our democracy from this ruling BJP government. Our entire citizenship is being questioned through the SIR process.”

Ms. Shaheena, who is married to a professor at IIT Delhi, is at the protest site with her daughter, who has made a poster for the planned agitation against the CEC.

Ms. Shaheena and her daughter seem to be the only protesters at the Ashoka Road side entry to the Jantar Mantar protest site. Bus loads of security personnel continue to enter the designated site from this side intermittently.

At Jantar Mantar, a loudspeaker continues to make announcements warning media personnel to not report from amongst the protesters or enter any crowd of protesters as people begin to trickle in to join the proposed CJP protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

The announcements also ask the media personnel to report the events from a distance that does not obstruct police personnel.

Staff at workplaces nearby the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi said on Saturday (October 10, 2026) that they are arriving about 4-5 hours ahead of their designated shift times in anticipation of road blockades in view of the CJP protest.

30-year-old Rohan, an F&B staffer at a prominent New Delhi hotel, told TheHindu that he was stopped by security personnel three times on his way from Chhattarpur.

“They asked me who I was, where I was going, what I was going there for. I showed my ID at each stop and also offered to have them speak to the security staff at my workplace. Our employers had warned us to come early in anticipation of security blockades. That is why I have reached here at 630 for a shift that starts at 11 am,” he said.

The Delhi Police have detained at least 100 people with criminal records in overnight operations across 15 districts, sources told The Hindu. These include the people who were suspected of joining the October 10 CJP-led protest amid the Election Commission row.

Police are also keeping a close watch on the movements of certain people who could mobilise people or influence them to participate in the proposed demonstration. Surveillance has been intensified outside the residences of such people as part of the security measures.

Delhi Police detains over 100 people with criminal records across Delhi ahead of CJP protest, enforcing traffic diversions and security measures.

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday (October 10, 2026) left his hotel for Mumbai Airport to attend the Jantar Mantar protest in the national capital.

He is expected to reach Delhi by 10 a.m., a CJP functionary said.

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.

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.

Delhi Police deny CJP’s October 10 Jantar Mantar protest over non-compliance with earlier conditions and late intimation.

In view of the CJP-led protest in the national capital, the Delhi Police are checking vehicles at entry and exit points of Delhi’s borders.

The affected stretches in Central Delhi include the Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road roundabout, Tolstoy Marg-Janpath crossing, Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg crossing, Rail Bhawan roundabout, Patel Chowk, Gol Dak Khana and Windsor Place. Traffic movement might be affected also at Mandi House, the Chelmsford Road and Sansad Marg intersections with Connaught Place’s outer circle, the Barakhamba Road intersection, and the Minto Road-Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg junction.

Other affected stretches include the Chelmsford Road-Connaught Place outer circle intersection, Bharion Road-Mahatma Gandhi Marg intersection, Lodhi Road flyover, Neela Gumbad roundabout, Madarsa T-point, Samrat Hotel roundabout, Sardar Patel Marg-Panchsheel Marg crossing, the underpasses beneath the Bhikaji Cama Place and Moti Bagh flyovers, and the Ring Road-San Martin Marg intersection.

Delhi traffic diversions at 30 points on Oct 10 amid Jantar Mantar protest, with metro closures and mobile internet suspension in central Delhi.

Heavy barricading was seen near the Jantar Mantar protest site, early in the morning

Passengers travelling from Jammu and Katra to different parts of the country faced considerable inconvenience after four trains scheduled to depart on Friday (October 9, 2026) were cancelled at short notice due to anticipated traffic congestion around New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations.

The Jammu railway division said it has made special arrangements to help passengers, officials said.

The Railway Board on Friday (October 9, 2026) cancelled over 250 trains connecting New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations with destinations across the country ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) October 10 protest, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Early morning scene at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station on October 10, 2026. Photo: Abhinay Lakshman

Even before sunrise, as porters hunt for work at their rest stops outside Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, their conversations revolved around the protests scheduled for later in the day, with many expressing sentiments like “the public has awakened now”, “looks like the police is preparing to beat the protesters”, and “all eyes are on Jantar Mantar”.

Several porters said that the cancellation of trains by the Government in light of the youth protests today will hit their incomes hard -- not just for the day but over the next few days up to a week.

One 34-year-old porter, who expressed fears about disclosing his name, said, “The trains that are arriving now in the early morning hours had left days before. But the trains that have been cancelled were supposed to arrive later in the day and over the next few days. This will also cause trouble for people who were supposed to board these trains on the return trips. Naturally, all those people will also be inconvenienced.”

As Delhi braces for a protest at Jantar Mantar by the CJP over the demand for the resignation of chief election commissioner, traffic diversions will be enforced from 6 am, with movement likely to be affected at 30 key points across Delhi, police said.

According to an advisory issued by the Delhi Traffic Police, the diversions will be enforced depending on the prevailing law and order situation. Commuters will face restrictions around Connaught Place, Mandi House, Jantar Mantar, Patel Chowk, and several other key intersections in Lutyens’ Delhi.

In light of the proposed protest, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has announced the closure of the following metro stations:

Ahead of the massive protest by the ​Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)​ alongside student organisations, social activists and farmer organisations on Saturday (October 10, 2026), authorities have clamped down with strict security measures and traffic restrictions across New Delhi.

Click below to read more on this:

Delhi braces for a massive CJP protest with 45 metro stations shut, trains cancelled, and 23,000 security personnel deployed.

As Delhi police authorities prepare to subdue a mass gathering, Cockroach Janta Party’s founder in a late night X post said he would be reaching Delhi by 9.30. a.m.

Mr. Dipke appealed to protesters to remain peaceful, saying that protest called on October 10 should not end even if he is detained or arrested. He said, “I will reach Delhi tomorrow morning, and I don’t know what will follow. But I am not afraid of detention, or UAPA Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) or the National Security Act (NSA) charges. We are fighting for free and fair elections, and it cannot happen without the rollback of SIR and resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.”

“Even if I am detained, the protest should not end. Don’t make it (protest) around one person, make it around the Constitution of India.”

Protesters are still coordinating at what time they will be heading to the protest site, and are taking security into consideration, by planning to visit in smaller groups.

Some students said the curbs suggested that their protest was already gaining momentum.

Aditi, JNUSU president, who is currently on a hunger strike over various campus issues, said around 3,000 students had joined a protest from the campus on July 20, and they expected a similar turnout this time.

Late on Friday night, students say that they were being stopped by the police around the respective campus areas, as they attempted to head to the protest site.

NSUI Jamia Millia Islamia Secretary Ebin Basil said, “Four of our female friends who were stepping out in an Uber were detained by the police around 11.30 near Jamia, following which we went to the police station to ask why women are being detained at night. The police recognised me and another NSUI member by name and said that we were already on the list of preventative detentions. Because there were women students with us, who asked for our release, we were released at around 3 a.m.”

JNU campus gates were barricaded late at night, against which students then proceeded to protest.

Follow live updates from The Hindu’s reporters on-ground, as despite denial of permission from the Delhi Police, the Cockroach Janta Party has asked its supporters to reach Jantar Mantar at 10 a.m. on Saturday (October 10), looking to go ahead with the protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the rollback of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Click below to read more on how authorities in Delhi are preparing for the protest:

Delhi plans to curb a CJP protest with internet shutdowns, Metro closures, train cancellations, and security heavy-handedness ahead of Oct 10.