“Why is Gyanesh Kumar so important to Narendra Modi? Why should we not believe that Gyanesh Kumar is helping Narendra Modi win elections?,” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke asks during a press conference in New Delhi.

“If he is not helping him win elections, why is Narendra Modi providing him with so much protection?”, he asked.

PTI

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke at a press conference says, “You have called unfurling the Tricolour a violation of law. For whom? For Gyanesh Kumar? What is Gyanesh Kumar giving Narendra Modi? You have brought Delhi to a standstill, shut down the Railways, shut down the Metro and turned Delhi into a border, like the India-Pakistan border. You have called in all the forces to Delhi.”

“Student organisations have been dragged, the Opposition has been dragged, and former Chief Ministers have been dragged through the streets,” said Mr. Dipke

PTI

Actor Imran Khan will move the Bombay High Court, challenging the notice issued to him to leave the country by October 28 for allegedly violating provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act by participating in a protest in solidarity with the agitation in Delhi against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

Mr. Khan, a U.S. national, is likely to file a petition in the High Court by Friday (October 16, 2026) or Monday (October 19, 2026) through his advocate Zulfikar Memon from MZM Legal.

As per the plea, no provision of the law or any rule prohibits an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholder from participating in a protest.

PTI

Heavy security will be in place in and around Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar ahead of the CJP’s proposed protest on October 16, with several companies of paramilitary forces already stationed in the national capital, police sources said.

Police will deploy personnel at strategic locations, erect barricades and regulate the movement of protesters and commuters to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident, a source said.

PTI

Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

“We have issued notices on all the petitions. Union government would file its counter affidavit.

We have sought from the Union government the reasons and circumstances behind the prohibitory orders under S. 163 BNSS

We have sought union government’s response to petitions alleging police assault on people, particularly protesters, lawyers and journalists.

As far as the Delhi Union of Journalists’ petition on seizure of journalists’ devices, the SG has said there were no such seizures. We have asked him to make good this statement in the counter affidavit.

Bench has risen.”

Krishnadas Rajagopal

CJI tells lawyers’ bodies SCBA, SCAORA can bring on record any fact that belittles the dignity of this court.

The counsel for the lawyers allege brutal action by the police. They said that the Police Commissioner must apologise to the lawyers.

Krishnadas Rajagopal

Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia submitted that a pregnant woman journalist had been pushed by Rahul Gandhi himself, accusing the petitioners of selective outrage. He questioned why senior advocate Indira Jaising had not taken cognisance of the incident.

Ms. Jaising said Mr. Bhatia was bringing politics into the courtroom.

Mr. Bhatia alleged that women police officers had been “manhandled”.

Senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan described the petition as a “counter-blast”.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

The Delhi Union of Journalists, represented by senior advocate C.U. Singh, told the Supreme Court that journalists’ devices had been seized and sought their release, noting that the devices were essential to their livelihood.

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta denied that any devices had been seized.

Justice J Bagchi said there should be no unauthorised seizure of devices.

The Supreme Court issued notice on the petition.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the instances of harassment cited by the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) should be investigated. Senior advocate Indira Jaising argued that the police could not investigate themselves.

The Supreme Court said no coercive action should be taken against the woman journalist booked by the Delhi Police following allegations that she publicly humiliated police officers and used casteist slurs against them.

J Bagchi said the court would examine whether freedom of expression meant that every person could claim to be a journalist. He noted that there were accredited journalists and those employed by recognised media organisations, adding that the law provided different levels of protection.

The court said it would examine the issue.

“Everybody acting as journalists will create problems,” the Chief Justice observed.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, supported by senior advocates Gaurav Bhatia and Mahesh Jethmalani, accused the petitioners of disrupting courtroom decorum, saying they were creating a ruckus “as if they are on the streets”.

He urged the court to grant him time to respond to senior advocate Indira Jaising’s petition. Mr. Mehta said some people claimed to be freelance journalists while recording videos and making reels. “We do not know who is a reel-maker or a freelance journalist, but no woman must be harassed,” he said, adding that women police officers had also been harassed.

The Solicitor-General urged the court not to pass any blanket order in the meantime. He also suggested that videos purportedly showing harassment could have been generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

Ms. Jaising submitted that a First Information Report (FIR) filed by a woman journalist had not been registered. However, a police officer had filed an FIR under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, for NWMI, said women journalists were arrested. She’s seeking some relief on this today. 

Ms. Jaising, for Network of Women in Media, said women journalists have a right to work. “They go to protest sites to work. They are particularly vulnerable to abuse, particularly by male policemen. Form a committee headed by a woman chairperson, may be a woman SC judge, in accordance with the Vishakha guidelines on sexual harassment at workplace,” she said. 

She added she can file a sealed cover document of women who are willing to come forward with their grievances. 

The CJI said prima facie the SC agrees with the formation of a committee exclusively having women members and chairperson. 

Ms. Jaising suggest names in a sealed document, the CJI added.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

The Supreme Court also issued a notice on a petition by Bhanu Sanoriya, represented by senior advocate ANS Nadkarni, who sought a direction that all who hold protests must take personal responsibility for the ills that fall on others.

Sankaranarayanan said the prayer must swing both ways, and the police must also be held accountable.

J. Bagchi says the Court wants to be “enlightened” about the prohibitory orders issued under S. 163 BNSS.

There cannot be S. 163 orders in contiguous areas. 

But you are referring to a “ghost” (prohibitive orders), J. Bagchi says.

These orders never made public, said Sibal.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal 

The SC Bench has directed the preservation of CCTV footage, including in the apex court premises. 

Mr. Bhatia urged the court to pass an interim order to preserve the CCTV footage of October 12 in the Supreme Court premises. 

Senior advocate Arundhati Katju said even lawyers were assaulted. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said CCTV footage should be given to the court.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

The Supreme court also issued a notice on a petition filed by Swaty Singh challenging the de-notification of Jantar Mantar.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan sought interim relief on the ground that the Centre is referring to an October 9 order of the apex court to base the denotification.

Senior advocate Mukta Gupta said protestors must be heard. Jantar Mantar is close to centres of power.

J. Bagchi says we have to keep in mind the advances in technology.

N. Hariharan responds that in that case “we can address the court from Kerala”.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

The Supreme Court has issued notices to Rahul Gandhi, Digvijaya Singh, and Asaduddin Owaisi petitions. 

A counsel appearing for a petitioner, Krishan Murari, said right to life and livelihood has been affected by the right to protest. Court issues notice on the petition, seeking compensation

The SC also issued notice on a petition filed by Digant Mishra seeking criminal contempt against Rahul Gandhi for leading a “political procession” into the Supreme Court. Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, representing the petition, said the attempt was to browbeat the judiciary.

CJI Surya Kant said “nobody can browbeat the judiciary. “They say something inside and something else outside”.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta says the authorities have submitted responses to the contempt notice of the court. He said the media has misconstrued the first paras of the authorities’ affidavits which offers an “unqualified apology”. This is usually a formality in a reply to a contempt notice. The affidavits go on to defend the preventive measures taken on October 10.

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, says, “In an interview yesterday, Neha Bora said that the movement was inspired by the Bangladesh protests and that they want the same thing to happen in India as happened in Bangladesh. Look carefully... these are Neha Bora’s words, but the ideology belongs to Rahul Gandhi. On the one hand, Rahul Gandhi is appropriating Neha Bora, while on the other, she is saying that they want an anarchic Gen Z movement in India similar to what happened in Bangladesh...” ​

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Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar has told the Supreme Court that “preventive measures” taken on October 10 were based on intelligence inputs, ever-changing ground situation, and with an objective of preventing any disturbance of public order.

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The Mumbai Police have issued a notice to Bollywood actor Imran Khan, an American national, directing him to leave India by October 28 for allegedly violating provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, officials said on Thursday (October 15, 2026).

The action follows the actor’s participation in an agitation at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan on October 10, where protesters demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Police had briefly detained Khan during the demonstration.

- PTI

The Delhi High Court agreed to hear on Thursday (October 15, 2026) a plea to stop a fresh protest called by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke at the Connaught Place Central Park on October 16.

Senior Advocate Sacchin Puri mentioned the matter for urgent hearing before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma. 

- PTI

Leaders of parties that are part of the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu stage a demonstration in Egmore, Chennai, on Thursday (October 15, 2026), demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The Delhi Police’s move, on Monday, to de-notify Jantar Mantar as a designated venue for protests and demonstrations comes in the year when the site has witnessed perhaps the highest number of protests, at least since 2016. 

Read the full story below.

Those detained during Delhi protests on October 10, 11 and 12 have filed petitions in the Supreme Court alleging police excesses and appealing for an independent inquiry into the police action, preservation of CCTV footage and bodycams and return of their phones and other belongings. The detainees alleged they were dragged, slapped and assaulted by Delhi Police personnel.

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Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot, in an exclusive interview with PTI CEO and Editor-in-Chief Vijay Joshi, targets the Election Commission over alleged ‘vote chori’, demands Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and says police action will not silence young people protesting over the issue. 

Pilot compares elections to a cricket match without a fair umpire, backs Rahul Gandhi’s campaign on electoral irregularities and expresses faith in the Supreme Court. In a rapid-fire round, he describes Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “soon-to-be ex-prime minister”.

On American singer Mary Millben’s tweet, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari says, “...This is an old trick used by PM Modi and the BJP, whenever there is a movement, they orchestrate such statements. Is this the first time they’ve done this? They’ve done it with so many people...”​

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Telangana BJP President N. Ramchander Rao says, “Jantar Mantar is surrounded by very vital offices and government offices, Ministers’ quarters are there, so, it is vulnerable to many unlawful activities. Therefore, it has been shifted.”

American singer Mary Millben and Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday (October 14, 2026) exchanged barbs over the alleged foreign funding of the outfit spearheading protests in India.

Ms. Millben claimed in a post on X that the CJP is being “funded by donors” in the U.S. and called upon all “young patriots” in India to rise and peacefully protest the “disruptive spirit” of the Dipke-founded outfit.

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Kerala Police on Thursday (October 15, 2026) registered a zero FIR over the alleged assault on NSUI activist Athira Vijayan in Delhi during a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR exercise, officials said.

The zero FIR was registered at the Museum police station in Thiruvananthapuram following a complaint by Ms. Vijayan to the State police chief.

A Zero FIR is a case that is registered at any police station irrespective of the place where the crime occurred.

According to the FIR, the incident occurred at Connaught Place in Delhi on October 13 during a flash protest by the National Students Union of India (NSUI).

- PTI

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), in a post on X, said, “The RSS didn’t hoist the National Flag at their headquarters for 52 years! We will hoist it and wave it, everywhere! This is our country! Attack us, jail us. We will not stop!”

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of using police deployment to restrict access to Jantar Mantar, asserting that the Opposition would reclaim the protest site when it decides to. Referring to the October 12 Delhi Chalo march, Khera claimed the government was losing control of the situation.​

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YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has alleged that Delhi Police and Intelligence Bureau (IB) personnel are following him. In a video, Rathee points to vehicles he claims have been tailing him and questions how much taxpayer money is being spent on the alleged surveillance. He also asks whether the surveillance is legal. Watch his claims and the video as the allegations raise questions about surveillance and the use of public funds.

The Indian Youth Congress on Wednesday (October 14, 2026) approached the Delhi High Court challenging the de-notification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest and demonstration site. The Indian Youth Congress filed the application through its president, Uday Bhanu Chib, in a pending petition seeking permission to hold protests at the Jantar Mantar in central Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

- PTI

The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 15, 2026) is scheduled to hear a joint petition filed by Opposition leaders led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi seeking a full and complete disclosure of “files, agendas, minutes, notings and objections” recorded by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi on the special intensive revision (SIR), which has so far deleted about 13 crore voters across India.

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Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has called for a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ gathering at Central Park, Connaught Place, in Delhi, on October 16 at 5 p.m. The announcement comes after party leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were sent to five days of judicial custody for allegedly waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar.

The Congress party has shared a video on social media reiterating its resolve to continue the “fight to save democracy”. The post comes amid ongoing protests by the Opposition over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.