Central Park in Connaught Place will remain closed on Friday and Saturday as security is tightened in central Delhi ahead of a proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march called by Citizens’ Justice Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, the New Delhi Municipal Council said on Thursday.
The NDMC cited administrative reasons for the two-day closure, while police preparations have intensified around Connaught Place. Police sources said several companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the national capital, with personnel placed at strategic locations and barricades installed to regulate movement.
Dipke has called for people to gather at Central Park at 5pm on Friday with the national flag. The proposed protest follows the arrests of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, along with CJP activist Ajinkya Shinde. Dipke has also appealed to supporters in other cities to organise parallel Tiranga marches at the same time.
In a video posted on X, Dipke said that waving the national flag was not a crime and said he would not be deterred by the possibility of his own arrest. The protest is linked to CJP’s agitation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
A senior Delhi Police officer said Connaught Place is not a designated protest site. Jantar Mantar, which has traditionally hosted demonstrations in the capital, has also been denotified as a designated venue for protests, according to the officer.
The officer said demonstrations could instead be held at Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground or CBD Ground after obtaining the required permission. The clarification places the proposed march within Delhi’s broader system of regulating public gatherings, where venue permissions and crowd-control arrangements determine how protests can be conducted in busy commercial and public areas.
The arrests of Das, Ranka and Shinde followed their alleged entry into Jantar Mantar without authorisation and the raising of slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Das and Ranka were subsequently sent to five days of judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to restrain the CJP from holding the proposed protest. The court recorded an assurance from Delhi Police that it would take all possible steps in accordance with the law to regulate the gathering.
The closure of Central Park and the deployment of security personnel are expected to affect access and movement in Connaught Place during the protest period. Police and civic authorities have not announced any further public advisory on the extent of traffic restrictions or the specific routes that may be affected. The proposed march is scheduled for 5pm on Friday.
