No permission for Jantar Mantar protest, Delhi Police say CJP's intimation came 'too late'

Delhi Police said on Friday that no permission has been granted for protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10 where pressure group Cockroach Janta Party has announced an agitation to demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.

This comes two days after CJP co-convener Saurav Das formally intimated the Delhi Police on Wednesday about the proposed October 10 protest and urged people to turn up in huge numbers.

Acknowledging the intimation submitted by the CJP, Delhi police said that it was given in a very short span of time and should have been given 10 days prior to the proposed date of protest as per the prescribed guidelines.

“We have received an application from Saurav Das, co-convener of Cockroach Janta Party. The application is regarding an intimation for a protest on 10th October at Jantar Mantar. The protest was regarding the accountability of the CEC. This intimation was considered, and it was found that the intimation was given in a very short span of time, whereas as per the prescribed guideline, the intimation has to be received 10 days prior to the protest that is planned,” Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police Nupur Prasad said on Friday while addressing the press.

She also invoked CJP's last protest at Jantar Mantar and said that the pressure group did not follow lawful directions their own undertakings after permission was granted at the time.

“Therefore, because of not following the legal directions, their own undertaking, and the prevalent law and order situation, and to maintain public safety, law and order, and traffic regulation, this time the permission is rejected; it is not approved,” she added.

Delhi police said that prohibitory orders have been imposed in New Delhi district and has asked DMRC to close entry, exit gates of 57 metro stations from Friday night till Saturday. These metro stations include Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Janpath, New Delhi, Mandi House, ITO, Supreme Court, Indraprastha, Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh, INA, Hauz Khas, Lajpat Nagar, Jamia Millia Islamia, Seelampur, Welcome, Shahdara, Rithala, Rohini East and Rohini West, among others.