New Delhi: Two leaders of India’s youth led Cockroach Janta Party have been remanded to five days of judicial custody after entering a restricted protest site in New Delhi and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The incident has added to tensions over a controversial revision of electoral rolls and growing opposition protests against the process.
Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were detained after members of the movement crossed barricades and entered Jantar Mantar on October 13. The protesters demanded Kumar’s resignation over concerns about the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, known as SIR.
A Delhi court ordered five days of judicial custody for Ranka and Das on October 14. Another movement leader, Ajinkya Shinde, was released on a personal bond, according to Indian media reports.
The latest detention followed an earlier episode in which the leaders were detained and subsequently released. Their lawyer, Abhisht Hela, said the case followed an alleged breach of an undertaking given when they were released the previous week.
Delhi Police cited repeated violations and concerns that the men could break the law or encourage others to do so if released. The allegations and the court’s decision should not be confused with a criminal conviction.
Jantar Mantar, in central New Delhi, has long been a gathering place for demonstrations on political and social issues. However, authorities recently withdrew its status as an official protest venue and identified alternative locations for demonstrations.
Despite the restrictions, members of the Cockroach Janta Party entered the site on October 13. Their action came amid a wider dispute over the revision of electoral rolls, which has drawn criticism from opposition parties and activists.
The SIR process aims to update electoral rolls by identifying deceased voters, duplicate entries and people who are no longer eligible to vote. The Election Commission of India says the exercise is intended to improve the accuracy of voter lists.
However, opposition groups have raised concerns that the process could exclude eligible voters. They argue that documentation requirements and registration procedures may create difficulties for poor people, migrant workers, elderly citizens and minority communities.
More than 130 million names have reportedly been removed or left off draft electoral rolls during the revision across several states and territories. However, this figure does not mean that 130 million eligible voters have been wrongly excluded.
The Election Commission disputes the characterisation of all the affected names as deleted voters. The reported figures include people who may have died, moved to another location or could not be traced during the revision. The available breakdown does not account for the entire reported total.
The Commission has rejected allegations of political bias and maintains that the revision is necessary to ensure accurate electoral rolls. It has also said that people whose names are missing can take steps to register again.
The controversy has reached the Supreme Court. On October 12, opposition demonstrators marched to the court and submitted a petition seeking an audit of voter deletions and safeguards against the removal of eligible voters without proper notice or an opportunity to challenge the decision.
The opposition has also sought an interim suspension of the revision. The petition reflects wider concerns about the way the process is being implemented and the protection available to people who believe they have been wrongly excluded.
The Supreme Court had previously upheld the revision process in May 2026 while making clear that the Election Commission could not make a final determination on citizenship. The current dispute concerns the implementation of the revision and the safeguards available to affected voters.
The Cockroach Janta Party began as an online satirical campaign and later developed into a youth led protest movement. Its activities have included demonstrations over unemployment, education and alleged examination paper leaks.
The movement has gained attention through its protests and criticism of government policies. However, its views should not be taken as representative of all young people in India.
The latest detention has renewed debate over restrictions on public protests and the right to demonstrate. Authorities have cited compliance with legal conditions as a reason for action against the leaders, while the movement continues to challenge the electoral revision and demand accountability from the election administration.
As of October 14, Ranka and Das were reported to be in judicial custody under the five day order, while Shinde had been released on a personal bond. The wider dispute over the electoral rolls remains unresolved, with opposition groups demanding stronger safeguards and the Election Commission defending the need for accurate voter lists.