• Two leaders from India's Cockroach Janta Party jailed for five days for trespassing during a protest.
• The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on protests against the Election Commission.
• Protesters are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
• More than 133 million names have been removed from electoral rolls, raising concerns of disenfranchisement.
• Human rights advocates criticize the government's actions, urging protection for peaceful protests.

On October 14, two prominent leaders of India's Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, were sentenced to five days in jail for alleged trespassing during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The duo was detained for climbing over barricades to enter the site, which had been declared off-limits for protests by the Delhi Police. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke expressed that their act of waving the national flag should not be criminalized, stating they were merely reclaiming public space, a sentiment echoed by many supporters, according to Channel News Asia and Los Angeles Times.

The arrests occurred amid heightened tensions as protests intensified against accusations that the Election Commission is manipulating voter rolls to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Critics, including opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, argued that the removal of over 133 million names from electoral rolls since last year disproportionately affects marginalized groups, particularly Muslims. Gandhi and other leaders condemned the penal actions against Ranka and Das as "an act of cowardice," highlighting the ongoing struggle for electoral fairness, as reported by Le Monde and Channel News Asia.

Further complicating matters, police categorically stated that Ranka and Das were involved in repeated attempts to instigate public disorder during the protest. While the CJP calls for peaceful demonstrations and rallies, officials have enacted strict measures to quell dissent, raising alarm among human rights advocates. Organizations like Human Rights Watch have urged the Indian government to allow peaceful protests and engage with the youth instead of resorting to punitive measures, according to Los Angeles Times and Le Monde.