Delhi Police has removed Jantar Mantar from its list of designated protest sites and announced three new venues for demonstrations, a decision announced on October 11 by Commissioner Anurag Kumar. The order names Ramlila Maidan in Central District, Burari Ground in North District, and CBD Ground in East District as the new locations for public gatherings.
The standing order cites a committee established by the Ministry of Home Affairs that evaluated alternative venues for citizens’ right to protest. Based on the committee’s recommendations, Jantar Mantar was denotified, and the three new sites were designated. The order also states that a detailed and revised standard operating procedure for organising protests at these venues will be issued separately. The change partially modifies Standing Order No. L&O/48/22 dated 28 April 2022.
The move follows a series of agitations that have left the New Delhi district, home to Parliament and other key government offices, virtually in lockdown. Calls for protests at Jantar Mantar by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition leaders, including a visit by CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das to the Parliament Street police station, prompted the police to tighten restrictions. The resulting road closures and traffic diversions have disrupted commuters, office workers and passengers at the New Delhi Railway Station.
Security challenges in the district are significant due to the concentration of vital establishments and restricted areas. Police must deploy additional personnel, erect barricades, regulate vehicular movement, and coordinate with traffic and other security agencies. The July 20 clashes, which escalated from a small CJP gathering into a major law‑and‑order incident, highlighted the risks of large‑scale protests in the area.
