Delhi Police have told Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke not to go ahead with a flag march planned at Connaught Place on Friday, October 16, 2026. They served him a notice at his home hours before the event, citing prohibitory orders in the area. The CJP had called the march, named ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’, for 5 p.m. at Central Park.
The notice sets up a possible clash between police and a youth-led group that has been holding near-daily protests this month. At the time of writing, we could not confirm what happened at the 5 p.m. gathering.
What happened
More than 20 Delhi Police personnel visited Dipke’s residence in New Delhi on Friday and gave him a notice barring a protest at Connaught Place, according to officials quoted by PTI and Telangana Today. The Tribune reports that police restricted his movement and describes it as house arrest. We have not seen police use that term.
Dipke said the police told him he was engaging in “unlawful activity” and provoking people by carrying the national flag. He reacted by asking whether waving the Tricolour is a crime, according to The Tribune.
Key facts and the latest updates
- The march: ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’, at Central Park in Connaught Place, 5 p.m. on October 16. Dipke announced it on Wednesday, after two CJP leaders were jailed.
- The police notice: It says prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are in force in Connaught Place, that no permission was given, and that legal action would follow if he went there. India TV adds that the notice says Connaught Place is not a notified protest venue.
- Alternative offered: Police said they could help a small group of people wave the national flag and sing the national anthem at a suitable place elsewhere.
- Park closed: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) closed Central Park for two days for “administrative reasons.”
- Security: More than 6,000 personnel and 220 companies of central armed police forces have been deployed, according to Telangana Today.
- Courts: The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to stop the protest, but recorded police assurances that steps would be taken to regulate it. On Friday, the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing on traders’ plea over the closure of the park.
What the courts and the police said
A trader’s petition in the Delhi High Court raised concerns that the march would disrupt business in Connaught Place. The high court did not restrain the CJP, according to The Statesman, but it took on record the police’s assurance that they would act to control the group’s activities.
On Friday, the Supreme Court declined to hear a plea against the closure of Central Park on an urgent basis. Justice Bagchi said traders could be compensated if the restrictions were found to be disproportionate and to have deprived them of their livelihood, as reported by Organiser and NewsBytes.
Delhi Police urged people not to join such gatherings, according to Reuters. The force did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Also Read- Jantar Mantar Case: CJP Leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka Sent to Tihar Jail for 5 Days
Background
The CJP launched online on May 16, 2026, as a satirical political platform for young people, and it has since grown into a protest movement. Reuters says a sit-in by its supporters earlier this year led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks.
This month, the CJP, opposition parties and student groups have been protesting almost daily, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protests are about the revision of voter lists. Critics say the revision favours the BJP. Reuters reports that more than 130 million voters were deleted during the revision. The Election Commission denies favouring any party and says wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol. The BJP says its rivals are wrongly questioning legitimate electoral processes.
The latest demonstrations began after The Indian Express reported that Kumar’s two deputies raised concerns inside the commission about voter list changes, registration procedures and digital systems, according to Reuters.
Friday’s march is tied to the arrest of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. A Delhi court sent them to five days of judicial custody on October 14 after they entered Jantar Mantar, which had been removed from the list of protest sites two days earlier. Delhi Police say they had broken their earlier peace bonds. The CJP says they were arrested for waving the flag.
Political reaction
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at a media briefing on Friday that the demonstrations were an attempt by the Congress to “seize power.” He said young people were being used in the politics of anarchy, according to Reuters. The Congress and the CJP have not accepted this view in the reports we checked. Dipke has said the CJP is not tied to any political party.
Traders in Connaught Place have said the protest would cause severe losses and have sought compensation for losses from a similar rally planned for the weekend that was foiled by a security crackdown, according to Reuters.
Why it matters
The dispute is testing where the line lies between the right to protest and public order in the heart of the capital. Jantar Mantar’s de-notification pushed protests towards other places, and now Connaught Place is closed to them as well.
It also shows how far the CJP has moved from an online joke to a political challenge. Reuters calls it one of the biggest challenges faced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP in 12 years in power.
What happens next
What happens at and around Central Park on Friday evening will decide the next steps. Police have said they will take legal action if the prohibitory orders are broken. Das and Ranka remain in judicial custody. We will update this article when the outcome of the march is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Abhijeet Dipke?
He is the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth-led group started online on May 16, 2026.
What is the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march?
It is a flag-waving protest planned by the CJP for 5 p.m. on October 16 at Central Park in Connaught Place.
Why did Delhi Police serve a notice?
Police say prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS are in force in Connaught Place, no permission was given, and the area is not a notified protest site.
What are the CJP’s demands?
It wants Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign over the revision of voter lists.
Did the courts stop the march?
No. The Delhi High Court did not restrain it, though it recorded the police’s assurance, and the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing on the traders’ plea.
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