Delhi Police has appealed to the public not to join the Tiranga march called by CJP at Connaught Place on October 16, while permitting only a group of 11 people to carry the national flag and sing the national anthem at the designated location in Central Park. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has also ordered the park’s closure for October 16 and 17.
The police advisory comes after the Delhi High Court declined to stay a petition seeking to prevent CJP from holding a protest in the centre of the capital. The court recorded an assurance from the police that it would regulate and control the gathering.
Police said restrictive orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are in force in Connaught Place and nearby areas. Authorities warned that people violating the orders could face appropriate legal action. The provision allows authorities to issue preventive directions in situations involving possible public-order concerns.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had asked people to assemble at Central Park at 5 pm on October 16 with the national flag. In a post on X on Thursday evening, Dipke questioned whether the government could close 100 locations if organisers announced gatherings at 100 places. The police also said that the Aam Aadmi Party had appealed to people to join the protest and arrive in large numbers.
According to Delhi Police, NDMC informed it that Central Park would remain closed for administrative reasons on October 16 and 17. The civic body also told the police that crowds would not be allowed to gather around the park. The closure affects one of Connaught Place’s most prominent public spaces during the festive season, when the commercial district typically experiences increased footfall.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Neha Yadav said NDMC had informed the police that the park would remain closed on both days and that no crowd should gather in its vicinity. Police also referred to complaints from traders’ organisations in Connaught Place and surrounding markets. These groups said disorderly crowds and illegal gatherings could affect business, with particular concern during the festive period.
The police’s decision places the march within the wider administrative challenge of managing political assemblies in a high-footfall commercial and public-space district. Connaught Place combines retail activity, offices, public transport access and open spaces, meaning crowd-control decisions can affect both public order and routine movement through the area.
For October 16, the stated official position is that the Central Park gathering is restricted to 11 people carrying flags at the permitted location, while the general public has been asked not to participate. Delhi Police has said violations of the preventive orders will invite legal action, and the NDMC closure is scheduled to remain in effect through October 17.
