On Tuesday, Delhi Police informed the Delhi High Court that it had removed Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest sites and had identified three new locations in compliance with a recent Supreme Court directive to facilitate peaceful demonstrations. The police presented their decision to a single‑judge bench presided over by Justice Amit Mahajan, citing the apex court’s order issued last week.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma argued that the police had acted in accordance with the Supreme Court’s mandate that suitable sites be designated. He noted that the court had directed authorities to establish areas equipped with basic amenities for lawful protests. The submission came while the court was hearing a plea from Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib, who had challenged the police’s refusal to allow a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar.
Because Jantar Mantar had been de‑notified, Sharma maintained that the petition was no longer viable. The police identified the Ramlila Group, Burari Ground and the CBD Ground in east Delhi as the new designated protest sites. However, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing Chib, contended that other points raised in the petition remained actionable and requested that notice be issued on them. The police counsel opposed the issuance of notice, but Justice Mahajan ultimately issued notice on three of the petitions’ prayers.
The developments follow a Supreme Court order dated October 9 in which Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana observed that it was “high time” basic amenities be provided for participants in peaceful demonstrations. The court had directed authorities to identify and designate suitable alternative locations capable of accommodating necessary infrastructure. The IYC petition stemmed from the police’s rejection of a request submitted on September 25 for a demonstration of 100 to 150 people on October 1, part of the INDIA Bloc’s protests against the CEC over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
