Delhi Police has divided the New Delhi district into 20 zones and increased security preparations ahead of a protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, according to officials cited by Live Hindustan – NCR. The police have also denied permission for the demonstration, citing a late application and alleged rule violations during the party’s previous protest.
Each of the 20 zones will be monitored by a joint commissioner, a deputy commissioner and an additional deputy commissioner, officials said on Friday. The arrangement is intended to enable closer supervision of law-and-order conditions across the district during the proposed gathering.
A police source cited in the report said the heads of different units, who are special commissioners, would also closely monitor the zones. They would coordinate with senior officers if any situation requiring a law-and-order response arose. The report did not provide details of the total number of personnel expected to be deployed or identify the specific areas covered by each zone.
Additional closed-circuit television cameras have been installed at important locations in the New Delhi, Central Delhi and North Delhi districts, according to the police source. The expansion of surveillance has been described as part of the security arrangements being reviewed ahead of the protest call.
The CJP has called the demonstration over alleged irregularities in the SIR process and is seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the report said. These are the stated demands of the protest organisers; the report does not provide an independent assessment of the allegations.
A meeting of senior Delhi Police officers was held at police headquarters on Friday to review the arrangements. Officials discussed coordination between police units and the measures required to prevent any disruption to law and order, according to the report. The meeting is significant because Jantar Mantar is a designated protest location in central Delhi, where large public gatherings can affect security planning and movement around surrounding government and commercial areas.
The police said permission for Saturday’s protest was refused because the application was submitted late and because rules had allegedly been violated during the CJP’s previous demonstration. A senior police officer cited by Live Hindustan – NCR said applicants are required to provide information 10 days before a protest under the prescribed procedure.
Further security review meetings were scheduled for 4 am, 6 am and 7 am on Saturday, according to the report. The police have not disclosed the expected size of the gathering, possible traffic restrictions or whether any changes to public access around Jantar Mantar will be announced before the event.
