Jantar Mantar is no longer an officially notified protest site in Delhi, following an order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar on October 11. The order identifies Ramlila Maidan, Burari Maidan and the CBD Maidan in east Delhi as the designated locations for protests instead.
The change comes after several demonstrations in and around the Lutyens’ Delhi area in recent months. On July 20, protesters reportedly moved close to Parliament during a march, prompting renewed discussion about whether demonstrations should continue at Jantar Mantar, which is located near Parliament House and Connaught Place.
The police order changes the administrative status of Jantar Mantar but the report does not specify whether existing permissions, court directions or any transitional arrangements will apply to demonstrations already planned at the site. It also does not provide details on the capacity, access arrangements or operating procedures for the three newly notified venues.
The decision follows an earlier dispute over protests at Jantar Mantar. In October 2017, the National Green Tribunal had ordered restrictions on demonstrations around the site after complaints from nearby residents. The order was later challenged in the Supreme Court. Following directions from the Supreme Court, Delhi Police framed guidelines for protests at Jantar Mantar, including rules intended to allow demonstrations of limited size while reducing inconvenience to local residents.
Retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi had renewed the demand to shift the official protest venue after the July march near Parliament. On July 30, she advised the government through the media to designate Ramlila Maidan instead of Jantar Mantar as the principal venue for demonstrations.
Bedi cited Parliament security, the proximity of protest activity to key government buildings and the effect on businesses in Connaught Place. She argued that Ramlila Maidan had more space and could accommodate peaceful demonstrations if organisers gave an assurance that the protest would remain non-violent. She also said that demonstrations at Jantar Mantar could lead to shops being closed and affect business activity in the surrounding commercial area.
The new arrangement places three grounds across different parts of Delhi at the centre of the city’s protest-management system. Ramlila Maidan is located near central Delhi, Burari Maidan serves the northwestern side of the capital, and the CBD Maidan is in east Delhi. The order, as reported, does not explain how venue allocation will be decided or whether the sites will be assigned according to the location, size or nature of each demonstration.
The change also shifts the balance between public access to protest spaces and the management of security, traffic and neighbourhood disruption. Jantar Mantar has historically been associated with public demonstrations because of its central location and visibility. Moving official protests to larger grounds could reduce pressure on the Parliament and Connaught Place areas, but the immediate impact will depend on permissions, public transport access, policing and the facilities available at the replacement venues.
Delhi Police’s October 11 order is the next formal step in the administration of protest locations. Further clarity is expected from the implementation of the notification, including how future applications for demonstrations will be processed and how the three designated grounds will be managed.
