Delhi Police have registered four FIRs after an INDIA bloc march towards the Supreme Court, while two leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party were detained at Jantar Mantar amid an expanding dispute over protest restrictions in the national capital.
The developments followed a demonstration led by Opposition leaders on Monday over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission. Police stopped the march on Bhagwan Das Road, about 600 metres from the Supreme Court. Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders later reached the court, where their legal team completed formalities for filing a petition.
Gandhi is the lead petitioner in the case, along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and representatives of other INDIA bloc parties. The petition seeks judicial scrutiny of electoral roll deletions during the SIR exercise, access to relevant Election Commission records and an independent investigation into the disputed decisions. The allegations of electoral manipulation have not been established by a judicial finding.
The FIRs and detentions have brought the status of Jantar Mantar back to the centre of the confrontation. Delhi Police announced on Monday that the location would no longer function as a designated protest site. The authorities have identified Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi as alternative venues for demonstrations.
CJP co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained after entering Jantar Mantar on Tuesday. The two had approached Parliament Street Police Station a day earlier seeking permission and a date for another demonstration at the site. They gave the police 24 hours to respond, according to the report, before entering the restricted area. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said through a video shared online that administrative restrictions would not eliminate public resistance.
The dispute reflects the practical consequences of moving demonstrations away from central Delhi. Protesters opposing the decision have argued that alternative venues would reduce the visibility of their demands and make it more difficult to communicate with institutions located in the central administrative district. The police have not been reported as withdrawing the alternative locations.
The Supreme Court and Delhi High Court were also scheduled to hear matters connected with the protests and restrictions on demonstrations. The Supreme Court matters concern the disruption of court proceedings and allegations of mistreatment of lawyers and demonstrators during police action on October 10 and 11. One plea was filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association, while another was mentioned by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan. The cases raise concerns about lawyers’ movement and alleged assaults during the police response.
Chief Justice Surya Kant had earlier emphasised that access to courts and the functioning of judicial institutions must not be obstructed. The Delhi High Court was expected to consider other protest-related grievances, including challenges connected with restrictions on demonstrations in the capital.
Security arrangements have continued in central Delhi. Delhi Police have sought an extension of the deployment of 273 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces until October 20, citing the possibility of further demonstrations by the CJP and other organisations. Officials familiar with the arrangements said approximately 11,000 paramilitary personnel from 110 companies had been directed to remain in the capital until further orders. The forces had originally been scheduled to leave on October 12.
Barricades and security personnel remained in parts of central Delhi on Tuesday, while traffic police issued warnings connected with the protests. The next developments will depend on the court hearings, the police response to requests for demonstrations and whether the security deployment is extended beyond October 20.
