How India’s governments have handled protests

In October 2026 the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), student groups and opposition parties held protests in New Delhi and Mumbai demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, which removed more than 130 million names. Protests grew after an Indian Express report that two election commissioners had questioned Kumar's decisions. Police denied permission for a 10 October Jantar Mantar rally; authorities sealed central Delhi, suspended mobile internet and detained CJP leaders and thousands of protesters. On 11 October the Supreme Court directed that no one be detained except under procedure established by law. Delhi Police then denotified Jantar Mantar as a protest site. The Election Commission denies wrongdoing.

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