Delhi Police has deployed additional personnel across parts of New Delhi as it expects around 7,000 protesters to arrive for a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, with senior officers instructing the force to exercise maximum restraint and maintain professional conduct.
The police briefing was held ahead of the planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Officers were told not to react to provocative acts and to remain calm while managing the gathering and maintaining law and order.
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 instructions indicate that the immediate response will focus on preventing an unapproved assembly rather than allowing the crowd to gather and dispersing it later.
The deployment has affected the area around Connaught Place. Heavy security and entry restrictions were reported opposite the Jeevan Bharati Building at the Connaught Place Outer Circle, where personnel were positioned as part of the arrangements. Senior police officers are expected to remain at the spot and take decisions according to developments during the operation.
Police have also issued instructions concerning individuals claiming to be independent journalists. Action may be taken against them if, depending on the circumstances, they attempt to provoke police personnel or create a confrontation, the report said. The instruction places responsibility on officers to distinguish between legitimate journalistic activity and conduct that authorities view as an attempt to disrupt the security operation.
The possibility of shifting protesters to Ramlila Maidan has also been discussed, but police said no application seeking permission to hold a demonstration there had been received. Any proposal to use the ground would require a formal application to be submitted to the authorities concerned, after which a decision would be taken.
The arrangements highlight the administrative challenge of managing large political gatherings in central Delhi, where protest sites, commercial areas, transport links and high-security zones are located close to one another. For residents and visitors, the police deployment and entry restrictions could affect movement around Jantar Mantar and the Connaught Place area while the demonstration is being handled.
Senior officers have directed the force to function in a disciplined and professional manner throughout the operation. The police response, including any detentions and decisions on the location of the gathering, will depend on developments at the site and on whether the protesters have the required permission.
