New Delhi, October 12: The Delhi Police has withdrawn Jantar Mantar's status as a designated venue for protests and demonstrations in the national capital, naming three alternative locations for holding public gatherings.
According to a standing order dated October 11, 2026, the three designated venues are CBD Ground in East Delhi, Ramlila Ground and Burari Ground. The order states that revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) for organising protests at these locations will be issued separately.
The order, signed by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, modifies an earlier standing order issued on April 28, 2022, which had designated Jantar Mantar as a venue for protests and demonstrations.
The decision comes amid ongoing demonstrations in Delhi over demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Protesters have raised allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and questioned the conduct of the voter revision exercise.
Jantar Mantar has traditionally been a prominent location for demonstrations in Delhi, attracting political parties, activists, civil society groups and citizens seeking to draw attention to their demands. Its removal from the list of designated protest venues marks a change in the arrangements governing public demonstrations in the capital.
The decision is also likely to intensify the debate over access to public spaces for protests, particularly as opposition leaders and activists continue to raise concerns over electoral processes and the functioning of the Election Commission.
Reacting to the development, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke criticised the move and said the decision would not stop the protest movement. In a post on X, he wrote, “They have removed Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Yes, it’s no longer a protest site as anyway it was turned into a war zone by the coward dictator. Ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega!”
His statement, which translates to “Now the entire country will become Jantar Mantar”, signalled his intention to continue the campaign beyond the designated protest venue.
The new order does not name a replacement venue in central Delhi but identifies three alternative grounds for demonstrations. The revised SOPs, which are expected to outline the procedures for organising protests at these locations, are to be issued separately.
The development comes at a time of heightened political tension over the SIR exercise and demands for accountability from the Election Commission. The response of protest organisers to the revised arrangements, along with the implementation of the new guidelines, will be closely watched in the coming days.
Reader Comments 0