Demonstrations are being held in Delhi, Mumbai, Patna and other cities on Friday demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and closure of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign in the voter list.
Student organizations, Aam Aadmi Party, and social organizations had announced their participation in the protest in Delhi, while the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has appealed to the people to gather at Mumbai's Shivaji Stadium on Friday evening.
Film actress Shabana Azmi and musician Vishal Dadlani have also reached CJP's protest in Shivaji Park in Mumbai. A large number of protesters have gathered here and are raising slogans.
According to social agency PTI, CJP founder Abhijit Deepke said, "The government is so incompetent that we have had to protest for the second time in two months."
Shabana Azmi said, "Vote is our right. It is our voice. But what will we do if our vote is taken away from us? We will protest peacefully. We will not tolerate any wrong thing. This is our country. Our Constitution has given us this right."
Film composer and producer Vishal Bhardwaj reached Shivaji Park and said, "I have come here in support. This is a personal matter. If someone feels that what is happening is wrong, then come in support and if someone does not feel so then do not come."
Here in Delhi, the police did not allow the demonstration at Jantar Mantar and the Delhi Metro also closed more than 10 metro stations.
However, even after this, a large number of protesters kept trying to reach Jantar Mantar to protest and were taken into custody by the police.
Social activist Yogendra Yadav wrote in a post on X, "Delhi Police has kept the detained comrades in different police stations. We were first brought to New Friends Colony and then to Kalindi Kunj."
"Today, the way arrests were made by turning Delhi into a cantonment, reminds of the British era. Movements do not get tired of repression, their resolve becomes stronger."
This post of his has also been shared by RJD MP Manoj Jha.
Many opposition leaders, including RJD MP Manoj Jha, were detained even before they went to Jantar Mantar to protest on Friday.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi was detained by Delhi Women Police. Former Delhi government minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj and MP Sanjay Singh have also been taken into custody.
AISA leader Neha Bora detained by police. CPM General Secretary MA Baby is also among those detained.
News agency PTI, quoting police sources, claimed that hundreds of protesters have been detained by the police near Jantar Mantar.
Leaders and workers of leftist student organisations, AISA, SFI, CPM, CPI had started reaching Jantar Mantar in the morning itself.
However, Delhi Police had refused permission for the proposed protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar on October 2.
Delhi Police had informed on Thursday evening itself that Section 163 has been imposed around Jantar Mantar. Also, heavy police force was deployed in the area.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, one of the people who called for the protest, said that metro stations have been closed, prohibitory orders have been imposed and internet has been shut down, police have cordoned off Jantar Mantar and people are being detained there.
Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijit Deepke announced Jail Bharo Andolan at Shivaji Park in Mumbai at 4 pm on October 2.
A huge crowd of CJP supporters has gathered in Shivaji Park for this movement and people are raising slogans regarding their demands.
Cockroach Janata Party has written in a post on X that people started reaching Shivaji Park two hours before the scheduled time and Mumbai will write history on 2nd October.
CJP has written- Season 2 has started.
In view of the protests, a large number of security forces have been deployed in and around Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
In Mumbai, a large number of protesters have reached the streets marching from Shiv Sena Bhawan towards Shivaji Park.
Regarding CJP's movement, Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray faction leader Aditya Thackeray wrote on Instagram, "Mumbai is coming forward to regain democracy. I hope that everyone will be reaching here to support this protest of CJP."
"The autocratic rule of the BJP has taken away our votes and our voices and we have to reclaim them. This is not a matter of politics, this is a matter of the country. This is a matter of our democracy, our votes and our Constitution. Gyanesh Kumar must go."
DeepK had earlier said that Mumbai Police had refused permission for CJP's proposed demonstration against Gyanesh Kumar. After this he announced that the organization would start "Jail Bharo Andolan" on the day of Gandhi Jayanti.
However, Mumbai Police clarified that in view of the 2013 Bombay High Court order, it is not authorized to allow any gathering at Shivaji Park. Police also said that this area is a silence zone.
Earlier, Cockroach Janata Party, student organizations, Aam Aadmi Party and many other organizations had announced protests on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti.
When CJP announced to hold its protest in Mumbai, other organizations had appealed to the people to reach Jantar Mantar in Delhi on October 2.
Delhi Police has not given permission to the march proposed by All India Students Association (AISA), Students Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). However, the organizations had planned to gather despite this.
Aam Aadmi Party appealed to the people to join the demonstration.
AAP MLA and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Thursday appealed to the people to reach Jantar Mantar at 10 am on Friday. He said in a post on X, "Let's go to Jantar Mantar on October 2, 2026 at 10 am."
Criticizing Delhi Police, senior Supreme Court lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan wrote on X, "On the orders of Modi/Shah, Delhi Police has completely closed down Central Delhi to stop the Jantar Mantar protest."
“11 metro stations have been closed, prohibitory orders have been imposed and the internet has also been shut down! Police have surrounded Jantar Mantar and people are being detained there. MP Manoj Jha has also been detained.
