The satirical political protest proposed by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on June 6 faces a procedural hurdle even before it begins, as the organization is yet to apply for police permission for the demonstration.
The protest, announced by CJP founder Abhijit Debki, seeks the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET papers leak controversy. However, under current rules, applications seeking permission for public protests generally must be submitted at least seven days in advance, excluding the day of the event.
Although the event was publicly announced days ago, the CJP says it will only seek permission on June 6, the day the protest is scheduled to be held.
Explaining why the party did not apply for prior permission, newly appointed CJP spokesperson Vijita Dahiya said the decision was part of the organisation’s “strategy”.
“People’s sentiments are driving the protest and currently they are attached to Abhijeet (Deepki), that’s why we received a call that Abhijeet will seek permission from the police personally on June 6,” Vijita told HT.
He added that the party remained “optimistic that the authorities will grant the Justice and Development Party the required permit to organize the peaceful demonstration.”
So after landing in Delhi
Debke, whose political satire group, CJP, has more than 22 million followers on Instagram, announced he would return from the United States on Saturday to personally lead the campaign.
“Meet me at the airport,” he said in a video message to his supporters.
According to the party’s statement, Debaki is scheduled to land at Delhi airport at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and will be received by activist Sonam Wangchuk and other supporters. The delegation will then proceed to the Parliament Street Police Station to formally obtain permission for the Jantar Mantar protest.
An earlier statement issued by the CJP said the group “will hold a peaceful and democratic protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on Saturday, June 6, 2026, to demand the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for failing to prevent NEET paper leak and ensure accountability thereafter.”
Why does police permission matter?
The right to peaceful assembly is protected under Article 19 of the Constitution, which states that “all citizens have the right to peaceful assembly without arms.”
However, organizers are generally required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) or permission from the police station within whose jurisdiction the gathering is planned.
Authorities assessing such requests must balance the constitutional right to protest with concerns about public order, traffic management and the interests of local residents.
If permission is refused or withdrawn, authorities must provide specific reasons, including details of any potential threat or danger associated with the assembly.
For protests in Delhi, applications are generally required to be submitted at least seven days before the proposed event, excluding the day the protest is scheduled.
