Delhi Police has removed Jantar Mantar from the list of legal protest venues in the national capital and designated Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi as alternative locations for demonstrations.
The police announced the decision on October 12, 2026, citing recommendations from a committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to examine suitable alternative venues for protests. The move changes the operating framework for demonstrations in central Delhi, where Jantar Mantar has long been used for public gatherings and political protests.
In a statement, Delhi Police said that “three new venues viz Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground, East Delhi have been designated as new venues for organizing protest/demonstrations”. The police added that a detailed and revised standard operating procedure for organising demonstrations at the three locations would be issued separately.
The notification partially modifies Standing Order No. L&O/48/22, dated April 28, 2022, which had governed the earlier arrangement for protest venues. The police did not provide details in the announcement on when the revised SOP would take effect or how existing permissions and applications for demonstrations would be handled.
The decision comes amid heightened security arrangements in the national capital following calls for protesters to gather at Jantar Mantar. By de-notifying the site, Delhi Police has shifted the designated locations for demonstrations away from the established central Delhi venue and placed the responsibility for future protests across three separate grounds.
Ramlila Ground is a major public gathering space in central Delhi, while Burari Ground and CBD Ground are located in other parts of the city. The designation of venues in different areas will affect how protest organisers, participants, police personnel and nearby communities access and manage demonstrations. The police statement, however, did not specify the expected capacity, permitted timings, traffic arrangements or public-facility provisions at the three sites.
The announcement also leaves the forthcoming SOP as the next key administrative document governing demonstrations at the newly designated venues. Its provisions are expected to clarify the permission process and operational arrangements, but Delhi Police has not yet released those details.
The police statement did not mention whether Jantar Mantar could be reconsidered as a protest venue in the future. For now, demonstrations organised under the revised arrangement will be directed to Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground or CBD Ground, East Delhi, subject to the procedures to be set out in the new SOP.
