The ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ mobilisation called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on October 16 has left behind a widening legal and political dispute over the right to protest, the use of preventive police powers and the restrictions imposed on demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Three days after the planned rally, the consequences extend well beyond the detention of CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke. All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, who was detained while marching with students in Delhi, has moved the Delhi High Court challenging a police notice requiring Neha to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety. Meanwhile, CJP convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka remain in judicial custody as their release proceedings face further delays.
The government responded to the Lehra Do Tiranga march by detaining Abhijeet Dipke and Neha, but thousands of protesters marched through Connaught Place. The police tried to disperse the crowds with incessant whistling.
Videos by Maya Palit (@mayapalit1), Surabhi Kanga (@surabhikanga) and Puja Sen (@psen9)
— The Caravan (@thecaravanindia) October 16, 2026
#WATCH | People carry out the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest march in the national capital, following a call by the CJP for the demonstration today.
CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke has been detained by Delhi Police https://t.co/M0cBpeza2P
— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2026
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Visuals from Azad Maidan in Mumbai, where people have started gathering following CJP’s call for the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest. https://t.co/qAJpgpIwX6
— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2026
Delhi: Delhi Police detained AISA president Neha Bora as she arrived to participate in CJP’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest march https://t.co/SvzwDq1Miq
— IANS (@ians_india) October 16, 2026
Tense scenes unfolded at Connaught Place during the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march as Delhi Police detained protesters. Crowds gathered around detention buses, with demonstrators attempting to secure the release of those held.
DeKoder reports from the ground amid heavy police deployment and restrictions on the protest. Follow for more updates.
#IndianDemocracy #DelhiPolice #Protest #CJP #DelhiProtest #TirangaRally #ECI #SIR #GyaneshKumar
— DeKoder (@DeKoderAI) October 16, 2026
AISA national president Neha Bora was detained by Delhi Police at Mandi House while heading towards Connaught Place for the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest.
The detention comes amid heavy police deployment and restrictions in central Delhi ahead of the CJP-backed Tiranga march.
Follow DeKoder for more updates.#NehaBora #DelhiPolice #Protest #CJP #DelhiProtest #LehraDoTiranga #AISA #ECI #SIR #GyaneshKumar
— DeKoder (@DeKoderAI) October 16, 2026
Ready for jail over the Tricolour: CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke dares Delhi Police as Central Park turns into a fortress for the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march.
Ukrainian Armed Forces #Ranabaali Hegseth भगवती मंदिर Brahmin #Salaar2 #Tesla #WorldFoodDay #Ranabaali #MaaKatyayani #reliance Dhirubhai Ambani
— Mir Ilyas (@Mir_Ilyas_INC) October 16, 2026
Delhi: A ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march was held at Palika Bazar in Connaught Place https://t.co/dsYIV6dV00
— IANS (@ians_india) October 16, 2026
Pune, Maharashtra: Pune city unit of the Cockroach Janata Party organised a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march, which concluded at the Pune Collector’s Office. The protest follows nationwide demonstrations after party members Abhijeet Dipke and Saurabh Ranka were taken into police custody in Delhi
— IANS (@ians_india) October 17, 2026
The demonstrations were organised in solidarity with Das and Ranka, who were remanded to five days of judicial custody after they entered Jantar Mantar on October 13, a day after the Union government withdrew the site’s designated protest status. The party has also been demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and calling for the restoration of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue.
The police have cited the absence of permission, violations of previous undertakings and apprehensions of a breach of public peace to justify their actions. Protest organisers, however, have questioned why the exercise of political dissent and the unfurling of the national flag have been met with preventive detention and restrictions.
Neha Bora challenges police notice before Delhi High Court
Bora’s case has emerged as a significant part of the aftermath of the rally. According to LiveLaw in its October 19 report, the AISA president has approached the Delhi High Court seeking an urgent hearing, a stay on the police notices and its withdrawal.
Bora was detained on October 16 while marching from Mandi House with AISA members towards the planned gathering at Connaught Place. Bora was released early the following morning, after nearly 12 hours in detention. The police told LiveLaw that her release followed the completion of formalities under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act, 1978.
Her subsequent legal challenge concerns a separate notice issued on October 18. Issued under Sections 126 and 130, read with Section 135(3), of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the notice directed Bora to appear before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM), New Delhi District, on October 19 and execute a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety to maintain peace during the inquiry.
In its statement, AISA said the notice was prima facie ambiguous, factually incorrect and violative of Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution, which respectively protect freedoms including speech and peaceful assembly, and the right to life and personal liberty. Bora’s legal team, led by Abhik Chimni, Pranjal Abrol and Moksha, among others, said it would seek an urgent hearing before the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court and respond to the notice before the SEM.
AISA has also alleged that plainclothes police personnel have been following Bora since their release on October 17. The association has questioned whether this is routine police procedure or an attempt to intimidate Bora.
The legal challenge raises questions about the grounds on which a person who has already been released from detention can subsequently be required to furnish a peace bond, the factual basis for the notice and the constitutional safeguards applicable to preventive proceedings. These questions are now before the High Court; the allegations in the petition are not yet judicial findings.
Bora’s detention took place alongside that of Dipke, but the legal routes subsequently taken by the two differ. Dipke was held under Sections 126 and 170 of the BNSS and released on October 17 after proceedings before an SEM, subject to a peace bond requiring him to maintain peace for a year. Bora, by contrast, was released after action under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act and has now challenged the separate notice requiring her to furnish a bond.
Delhi’s planned rally was stopped, but protests continued
The events in Delhi on October 16 unfolded amid extensive security arrangements and restrictions on gatherings in Connaught Place. Hours before the scheduled 5 pm rally at Central Park, Delhi Police visited Dipke’s residence in Jhandewalan and served him a notice prohibiting the march. The police cited his public statements, and social media calls for people to assemble without the required permission. The New Delhi Municipal Council also announced that Central Park would remain closed on October 16 and 17. Despite these measures, the demonstration did not simply disappear when its organisers were detained.
According to The Indian Express, Dipke was detained while on his way to Connaught Place, while Bora was detained at Mandi House. More than 100 protesters were detained, with several reports putting the total at around 150. Hundreds of supporters and student activists nevertheless gathered at different points in central Delhi, carrying the national flag and raising slogans.
ThePrint reported that, within minutes of the organisers’ detention, people gathered at Connaught Place, unfurled a large national flag and marched around the inner circle. Protesters regrouped at different locations even as police attempted to disperse the gatherings.
AISA members also held a separate demonstration near Mandi House, demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, a rollback of the SIR exercise and the withdrawal of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. Minor scuffles were reported as police attempted to disperse crowds.
The Aam Aadmi Party also held a Tiranga march near Rashtrapati Bhavan and its central Delhi headquarters, according to The New Indian Express. Party workers carrying national flags raised slogans including “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”.
The police response extended beyond the detentions. In its October 18 report, The Indian Express reported that Delhi Police had registered multiple FIRs following the demonstrations, including cases concerning alleged violations of prohibitory orders. Police were also investigating social media posts and taking action against at least 17 handles over content they alleged included misleading or fabricated videos and abusive material.
What happened in Mumbai and Bengaluru?
The October 16 call was not confined to Delhi. CJP supporters and allied groups also mobilised in Mumbai and Bengaluru, although the demonstrations proceeded under different local conditions. In Mumbai, police granted permission for a one-day protest at Azad Maidan from 10 am to 5 pm. The gathering was organised in solidarity with Das and Ranka and called for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
According to PTI, on October 16, social activist Anjali Damania addressed the gathering and sought accountability for what she described as police brutality against protesters in Delhi. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Sandip Deshpande also attended, while CJP supporters and members of student organisations carried the national flag and raised slogans.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Following a call by the CJP to hold a ‘Tiranga March’ on Carter Road in Bandra, the police took action. The Mumbai Police had not granted permission for the march; nevertheless, several CJP supporters arrived at Carter Road to participate. Subsequently, the police began taking the protesters into custody. During this process, actor Amin Hajee was also detained by the police; he had arrived at Carter Road to join the demonstration. Several others were also taken into custody by the police
— IANS (@ians_india) October 18, 2026
The Free Press Journal reported that the Mumbai demonstration drew an estimated 50 to 100 participants at different times during the day. The protesters called for the scrapping of the SIR exercise, an impartial investigation into alleged voter deletions and the replacement of electronic voting machines with ballot papers. The demonstration concluded peacefully with the national anthem.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Actor Amin Hajee says, “I will not say anything. I have just one request for you. You had taken an oath to provide us with protection—so, this is your oath…” https://t.co/kI9SYP25X5
— IANS (@ians_india) October 18, 2026
In Bengaluru, a peaceful Tiranga march was permitted, subject to conditions and security arrangements. The Indian Express reported that the Bengaluru mobilisation began at 5 pm on October 16 and formed part of CJP’s nationwide campaign against alleged irregularities in the SIR and its demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Reporting by Reuters on October 16 also recorded smaller demonstrations in Patna, alongside the protests in Mumbai and Bengaluru. In Delhi, the flag-waving gatherings continued despite the detention of the principal organisers.
Dipke released, but Das and Ranka remain in custody
The dispute over the protest has continued through the proceedings concerning the two CJP convenors. Das and Ranka were detained on October 13 after allegedly scaling the locked gates of Jantar Mantar and entering the premises to unfurl the national flag and raise slogans. Police said the two had violated peace bonds executed after earlier detentions and argued that their release could lead to further breaches of public order.
In an order dated October 14, the SEM remanded them to five days of judicial custody, stating that adequate surety had not been furnished at that stage. Both were sent to Tihar Jail. Dipke, who was detained separately on October 16, was released the following day after executing a peace bond. The release proceedings for Das and Ranka, however, have remained contentious.
According to Hindustan Times, CJP representatives spent nearly five hours at Mandir Marg police station on October 18 awaiting proceedings before the SEM. The hearing reportedly lasted only eight to ten minutes before being deferred. The party alleged that officials had repeatedly rejected surety documents on different grounds, including objections to fixed deposit receipts and the addresses of people standing surety.
CJP legal head Ratna Singh questioned why the proceedings shifted towards a reported threat received by the SEM instead of addressing the merits of the release request. The police said the magistrate had reported receiving threatening messages, following which a report was registered against unidentified persons. The authorities have denied deliberately delaying the release process and maintained that the surety documents submitted by the party were faulty.
The Indian Express reported on October 19 that the police were expected to seek an extension of the duo’s custody, citing apprehensions that their release could disturb public peace.
We are still at SEM court, waiting for court to dictate order.
There is no reason to extend judicial custody. Today also no argument presented by PP on law. All his arguments were mere assumptions. Absolute waste of time of SEM court.
Saurav and Ashutosh must be released.
— Ratna Singh (@whattalawyer) October 19, 2026
Detailed reports on protests against ECI may be read here, here, here and here.
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