The Delhi High Court has sought a response from Delhi Police on a plea by the Indian Youth Congress challenging the rejection of permission to hold a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The hearing has also brought the removal of Jantar Mantar from Delhi’s designated protest-site list into focus.
Delhi Police opposed the plea, arguing that it was substantially connected to holding the demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the police, told the court that the site had been removed from the list following directions from the Supreme Court.
According to the police submission, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to consider whether an alternative location should be identified for peaceful protests after Jantar Mantar was removed from the designated-site list. The police subsequently identified Ramlila Maidan, Burari Maidan and CBD Ground as locations for protests and rallies.
The Indian Youth Congress has asked the court to reconsider its request for permission and examine whether concerns related to security, traffic and law and order can be addressed through suitable conditions. The organisation has also challenged what it described as the arbitrary rejection of its earlier request.
A bench led by Justice Amit Mahajan issued notice to Delhi Police on three demands and listed the matter for hearing on November 17. The petition was filed on behalf of Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Chib, told the court that the organisation would modify its submissions based on a circular issued by Delhi Police a day earlier. The circular removed Jantar Mantar from the list of places designated for protests, according to the report.
The police argued that the petition could not be sustained unless the petitioners directly challenged the order de-notifying Jantar Mantar. Luthra, however, said the petitioners objected to the conditions imposed on the proposed demonstration and argued that the order had been issued without adequate reasons.
The dispute places Delhi’s system for managing public demonstrations at the intersection of civic access, traffic regulation and public safety. Jantar Mantar has traditionally functioned as a recognised protest location, while the newly identified sites will now form the basis of the police’s stated arrangement for rallies and demonstrations. The High Court’s next hearing is scheduled for November 17.
