Delhi Police has denied permission for the CJP’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar on 10 October, citing serious law-and-order concerns and possible inconvenience to the public, while separately issuing an open letter urging citizens to view police personnel as people with families and rights of their own.
The open letter was published on X amid recent incidents of violence and alleged assaults on police personnel during demonstrations. The police said citizens have the right to raise their voices, but stressed that the person standing behind the khaki uniform is also an ordinary human being with a family and a sense of humanity.
“Your voice is your right, but your safety is our duty,” the Delhi Police said in the letter addressed to citizens. It added that police personnel deployed during demonstrations are, like other residents, members of families and individuals with human concerns. The message placed the appeal for restraint within a broader statement that all people remain human regardless of uniform, opinion, disagreement or political position.
The proposed protest was linked to the CJP. According to a report by PTI-Bhasha cited by Live Hindustan, the New Delhi district police denied permission after assessing that allowing the gathering could create serious law-and-order problems. The decision was communicated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi district, to CJP co-convener Saurabh Das and joint secretary Balkrishna.
The police letter stated that permission could not be granted in the wider public interest and that the request was rejected. It also said the communication received from the CJP about the proposed event was only an intimation and did not constitute a formal application seeking permission under the prescribed procedure.
Under the guidelines for organising programmes at Jantar Mantar, an application must be submitted at least 10 days before the proposed date, the police said. The distinction between informing the authorities about a proposed gathering and submitting a permission application is central to the decision communicated to the organisers.
Delhi Police Public Relations Officer and Additional Commissioner of Police Rajiv Ranjan said peaceful protest is an important right. However, he said New Delhi contains important offices and establishments of constitutional authorities, making public safety and the maintenance of law and order necessary considerations before permission is granted for any gathering.
Ranjan referred to previous experiences involving demonstrations while explaining the need for adequate arrangements before approving a public assembly. The police position, as reported, is that security planning and crowd-management requirements must be assessed in advance, particularly for gatherings in an area that hosts major government institutions and receives substantial public movement.
The decision leaves the proposed 10 October event without permission at Jantar Mantar. The police communication to the organisers and the open letter to citizens together set out the authority’s stated position: demonstrations must be managed within the prescribed application process, while public safety and the protection of police personnel remain part of the law-and-order assessment.
