CJP Chappal Protest in Bengaluru: What Happened at Freedom Park on October 8
CJP held a People's Tribunal and Chappal Protest at Bengaluru's Freedom Park against the SIR of voter rolls. Demands, speakers and what comes next.
Why the CJP protest came to Bengaluru
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) brought its campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to Bengaluru on Thursday, October 8, holding a day-long programme at Freedom Park. After earlier demonstrations in Delhi and Mumbai, Bengaluru became the third major city on the group's protest map, according to The Times of India's live coverage.
The event opened at about 10.30 am with a "Janata Nyayalaya", or People's Tribunal. Organisers said residents of Karnataka who believe their names were wrongly removed from voter lists during the SIR exercise would describe their experiences in public. The tribunal was followed by what the group called a "Chappal Protest".
The demands on the stage
Speakers repeated two central demands: that deletions made during the SIR be reversed and that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar step down. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke told the crowd that the group would keep up its agitation until the CEC resigns. Slogans such as "Don't erase us, hear us" and "Grand Theft Democracy" were reported from the venue.
Actor-activist Prakash Raj and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee joined Dipke, spokesperson Saurav Das and co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka on stage. Representatives of student bodies and civil society groups also attended.
Why the protest is called a 'Chappal Protest'
Organisers linked the Bengaluru action to complaints by three women journalists who alleged harassment by police officers while covering the CJP protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on October 3. Delhi Police has said those complaints were transferred to its Crime Branch for inquiry. The allegations have not been independently verified.
What the Election Commission says
The Election Commission has defended the SIR as a clean-up drive meant to remove duplicate, dead and ineligible voters. The protesters dispute that the process was transparent. Both claims are part of an ongoing political and legal argument, and individual voters can check their status through the official electoral search service or their Booth Level Officer.
What happens next
The group has announced a return to Jantar Mantar in Delhi from October 10. Whether the Bengaluru turnout translates into wider support, and how authorities respond in Delhi, will be the next test for the movement.
Quick facts
- Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
- Venue: Freedom Park, Bengaluru
- Format: People's Tribunal followed by Chappal Protest
- Next stop: Jantar Mantar, Delhi, from October 10
Frequently asked questions
Where was the CJP protest in Bengaluru held?
At Freedom Park, Bengaluru's designated protest venue, on October 8, 2026.
What does CJP demand?
Reversal of voter deletions made during the SIR and the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Sources
Independently written from reporting by the outlets below. Allegations are attributed and have not been independently verified by EngBen. Details may change.