The Delhi Police has denied permission for a protest planned at Jantar Mantar on October 10 by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the All India Students’ Association (AISA), while preparing for a turnout of more than 50,000 people from Delhi and neighbouring states. Prohibitory orders are in force across Central Delhi and extensive restrictions have been announced to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar and other sensitive areas.
The protest has been called against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with several Opposition parties also expected to participate, according to police officials cited by The Indian Express. The Delhi Police said CJP submitted its intimation letter on October 7, three days before the planned gathering, whereas applications for such events should be filed at least 15 days in advance.
Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Nupur Prasad said the decision was also based on the organisers’ previous conduct. “The last time CJP was given permission, they didn’t follow lawful directions, despite signing undertakings that they would comply. They didn’t follow any of them,” Prasad said.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke disputed the requirement for police permission, saying Jantar Mantar is a designated protest site. “Jantar Mantar is a designated site to protest, police permission is not needed,” he said.
The police has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita across Central Delhi. The restrictions are intended to regulate the movement and assembly of people in areas that include Jantar Mantar and other sensitive parts of the capital, although the supplied report does not specify the full geographical limits or duration of the order.
As part of the security arrangements, liquor shops have been asked to remain closed. Police are also coordinating with cab aggregators, including Ola and Uber, to regulate movement towards Lutyens’ Delhi. Hotels, guest houses and other accommodation facilities in and around Central Delhi have been asked to remain shut or restrict fresh bookings for a specified period, police officials said.
The restrictions will also affect public transport. All Delhi Metro stations are scheduled to remain closed from 9 pm on October 9 until the situation returns to normal, according to the report. The supplied information does not specify whether trains will continue to pass through affected stations or how long the closure will last.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has made 221 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces, comprising around 23,000 personnel, available to the Delhi Police from October 8 to 12. The companies are being brought in from Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
The deployment is expected to rise to around 26,000 CAPF personnel after the addition of 450 to 500 women paramilitary personnel. Police officials said the additional women personnel were being arranged in anticipation of a large turnout of women protesters.
The police preparations are focused on preventing the gathering from reaching Jantar Mantar and other sensitive areas of Central Delhi. The planned protest, the permission dispute and the associated restrictions are scheduled to remain subject to police arrangements through October 12, based on the period for which the additional CAPF companies have been made available.
