NEW DELHI — In a major administrative shift, the Delhi Police on Monday, October 12, 2026, officially denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated site for public demonstrations and protests. The decision, issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, redirects all future public assemblies to three alternative venues: Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground in East Delhi. The move has sparked fierce pushback from youth political activists, notably the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), who accuse the central government of curbing the fundamental right to dissent.
MHA Committee Recommends Relocation Following Safety and Logistic Review
The official notification modifies the earlier Standing Order No. L&O/48/22 issued on April 28, 2022. According to police officials, the action follows binding recommendations from a high-level committee set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to examine viable alternative venues for public gatherings.
The MHA review was prompted by growing civic, infrastructural, and security challenges around the historic 18th-century observatory. Recent legal filings and Supreme Court hearings highlighted severe issues regarding public ingress and egress, emergency medical access, and lack of basic amenities like sanitation and water for long-term demonstrators. Security concerns had escalated following high-profile clashes during the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” march and ongoing demonstrations near Parliament Street.
“Based on the Committee’s recommendations, Jantar Mantar as a protest venue has been de-notified. Three new venues viz Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground, East Delhi have been designated as new venues for organizing protest/demonstrations,” reads the official order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar.
Delhi Police confirmed that a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) governing logistics, permissions, and crowd control at the three new venues will be published separately.
Opposition and CJP Leaders Condemn Decision
The decision triggered immediate outrage from opposition figures and youth political organizations. Abhijeet Dipke, founder and National Convenor of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)—a youth-led movement that gained massive traction following protests over educational and electoral roll revisions—harshly criticized the order on social media platform X.
“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… Ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega!” wrote Abhijeet Dipke.
In a subsequent post, Dipke directly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating:
“Today, Modi denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Tomorrow, he will denotify democracy itself. The dictator’s problem was never the protest site. It was the very idea of people protesting.”
Other key CJP figures joined the critique. CJP Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das questioned whether the MHA had consulted citizens, civic organizations, or key stakeholders before taking the decision, calling the order an arbitrary blow to peaceful assembly. Meanwhile, CJP policy strategist Ashutosh Ranka sarcastically asked on X: “Why not declare Mt Everest as the designated protest site?”
Heightened Tensions and Context Behind the Movement
The denotification comes against a backdrop of escalating political friction in the national capital. Over the weekend, Delhi Police executed preventive arrests of key CJP figures—including Dipke, Das, and Ranka—upon their arrival in Delhi ahead of planned demonstrations.
The protests had intensified following opposition allegations regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Critics contend that shifting protests away from Central Delhi to distant grounds like Burari or East Delhi reduces the visibility and immediate political impact of citizen-led movements.
Strategic Significance & Long-Term Implications
For decades, Jantar Mantar served as India’s premier protest hub due to its proximity to Parliament, central government ministries, and national news bureaus. By shifting demonstrations to peripheral venues like Burari Ground in North Delhi and CBD Ground in East Delhi, law enforcement aims to insulate VIP corridors and daily commuters from severe traffic gridlocks.
However, civil rights advocates argue that isolating public demonstrations to distant, designated zones undermines the spirit of constitutional protest protected under Article 19(1)(b) of the Constitution of India. As civil society groups prepare legal challenges against the police order, public demonstrations are expected to spill over into decentralized digital and regional protests across the country.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why was Jantar Mantar denotified as a protest site?
Delhi Police denotified Jantar Mantar based on recommendations from a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) committee citing severe traffic congestion, security risks, lack of sanitation amenities, and safety hazards near Parliament Street.
What are the new designated protest sites in Delhi?
The three newly designated protest venues in Delhi are Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground in East Delhi.
Who issued the order removing Jantar Mantar as a protest venue?
The order was issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar under a partial modification of Standing Order No. L&O/48/22.
What was the reaction of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)?
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and spokespersons condemned the decision as an assault on democratic rights, declaring “Ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega” in response to the move.
Are protests completely banned in New Delhi?
Protests are not completely banned; however, public demonstrations and sit-in protests must now strictly take place at the three newly designated alternative grounds subject to revised Delhi Police SOPs.
Manish Kumar began his professional journey in digital marketing and performance marketing, and currently works as a Digital Marketing Excutive and SEO expert. With over 3 years of professional experience, he handles both strategy and execution. Currently, he manages digital marketing and performance marketing at ‘Shabd Sanchi’ (shabdsanchi.com).
