No more protests at Jantar Mantar, government designates 3 other sites in Delhi

The order comes amid a standoff between the Cockroach Janta Party and Delhi Police over permission to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar. CJP leaders walked out of Parliament Street police station on Monday, reiterating their demand for a protest date and seeking an explanation for the denial of permission.

In Short

• Three new sites named: Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, CBD Ground
• CJP demands protest date, warns of march if request ignored
• Delhi High Court to hear plea on Jantar Mantar closure October 13

The Delhi Police has denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated venue for protests and demonstrations, naming three alternative sites for such gatherings. The move comes amid a standoff with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over permission to hold a peaceful protest and heightened security in the capital ahead of the INDIA bloc's planned march to the Supreme Court.

According to a standing order dated October 11, 2026, the three newly designated venues are Ramlila Ground in Old Delhi, CBD Ground in East Delhi and Burari Ground in North Delhi. Notably, these three sites are 3 kms, 13.5 kms, and 44 kms away from Jantar Mantar located in Central Delhi respectively.

The order, signed by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, partially modifies an earlier standing order dated April 28, 2022, which had designated Jantar Mantar as a protest venue. The police said detailed, revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) governing the organisation of protests and demonstrations at the three new venues would be issued separately.

CJP SEEKS DATE FOR PEACEFUL PROTEST

The order comes amid a standoff between the CJP and Delhi Police over permission to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar. CJP leaders stepped out of Parliament Street police station on Monday, reiterating their demand for a date to hold the demonstration and seeking an explanation for the denial of permission.

CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the party had formally informed the police of its intention to protest peacefully and that the police had accepted the intimation. However, he said, no date had been given for the protest and the party had not received an explanation for the restrictions.

“We have given them 24 hours to give us a date,” Das said, warning that the CJP would announce a march if the police failed to respond within the deadline.

Das also accused the police of excessive force during the recent crackdown on protesters, claiming that demonstrators had been beaten inside buses. He alleged that the Deputy Commissioner of Police and Additional DCP had avoided speaking to the CJP delegation.

“The Government of India is waging a war on its own citizens,” Das said, adding that the party would continue to protest peacefully.

MOVE COMES AMID INDIA BLOC'S PLANNED MARCH

The denotification also comes amid heightened security in Delhi over the INDIA bloc's planned march to the Supreme Court against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities in the SIR process. Opposition leaders have questioned the scale of the security deployment and restrictions on public movement ahead of the march.

While the police order cites the recommendations of a committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs as the basis for the change, it does not explicitly link the decision to the CJP's demand or the INDIA bloc's planned protest. The move, however, comes amid mounting tensions over demonstrations and the availability of designated protest sites in the capital.

HIGH COURT TO HEAR PLEA ON JANTAR MANTAR CLOSURE

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear on Tuesday, October 13, a plea challenging the closure of Jantar Mantar for peaceful protests. Counsel for the petitioner had argued that no alternative site had been earmarked for demonstrations.

The court also listed a separate petition concerning protests held in Delhi on October 10 and 11 for Tuesday, but declined to grant an urgent hearing, noting that the Supreme Court was already seized of the matter and had sought affidavits from the Union government.

- Ends