Delhi Police has deployed additional personnel across parts of New Delhi and instructed its force to exercise maximum restraint ahead of a planned protest at Jantar Mantar that officials expect could draw around 7,000 people on October 10, 2026.
According to officials cited in a report by The Hindu, personnel were told during a briefing not to react to provocative acts and to handle the operation professionally. Senior officers will remain at the site and take decisions depending on the situation, the report said.
Police have also made it clear that no unauthorised gathering will be allowed. Personnel have been directed to detain people arriving to participate in the protest and move them to designated detention centres, according to sources cited in the report.
The planned demonstration has been organised by the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Heavy police deployment and entry restrictions were reported opposite the Jeevan Bharati Building at Connaught Place Outer Circle as authorities prepared for the expected mobilisation.
The arrangements place central Delhi’s public spaces and transport access under heightened security management. Jantar Mantar is a designated location for demonstrations, but gatherings remain subject to permission and operational restrictions imposed by the authorities. Police said no application seeking permission to shift the protest to Ramlila Maidan had been received so far.
Officials clarified that a formal application would have to be submitted to the authorities concerned before any decision could be taken on holding the demonstration at Ramlila Maidan. Until then, police arrangements will continue to be based on the planned protest at Jantar Mantar and the possibility of participants arriving in large numbers.
Police personnel were also told to maintain discipline throughout the operation and to ensure that the force functions in a professional manner. Sources said action could be taken against people claiming to be independent journalists if they attempted to provoke police personnel or create a confrontation, depending on the circumstances.
The police response reflects the administrative challenge of managing demonstrations in central Delhi, where protest activity can affect access to government offices, commercial areas and major roads. The authorities have not announced any change to the planned demonstration’s schedule in the information available.
Delhi Police’s next steps will depend on the number of participants arriving, whether the gathering remains within authorised arrangements and whether authorities receive a formal request to use Ramlila Maidan. Senior officers are expected to remain at the spot while the operation continues.
