No permission for CJP protest in Jantar Mantar — Delhi Police cites ‘serious’ law and order concerns

Citing the possibility of "serious" law and order concerns as well as inconvenience to local residents and citizens, the Delhi Police has denied permission to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) for its planned October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar.

In a formal communication addressed to CJP co-convenor Saurav Das and joint secretary Balkrishna, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi district) noted that permitting the demonstration could trigger serious law-and-order issues, PTI reported.

"In the larger public interest, the permission sought cannot be granted and is hereby denied," the letter stated.

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Police cited serious law-and-order concerns, possible inconvenience to residents and citizens, and alleged violations of protest conditions during an earlier gathering. It also said the communication received was an intimation rather than a formal permission application.

Applications to hold programmes at Jantar Mantar must be submitted at least 10 days before the event. The CJP application was submitted on October 7, three days before the proposed October 10 protest.

The CJP planned to protest against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The party cited alleged irregularities in the voter-list revision.

Around 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across Delhi, with more than 120 companies of Central Armed Police Forces slated to assist. The New Delhi district was divided into 20 zones, and police increased checks at sensitive locations.

Entry and exit gates at 45 Metro stations were restricted, and traffic diversions were possible at 30 locations. Commuters were advised to check official updates, allow extra travel time and avoid non-essential journeys through New Delhi and central Delhi.

The police highlighted that the communication sent by the CJP served merely as an intimation rather than a duly submitted application requesting permission.

Under established guidelines, applications to hold programmes at Jantar Mantar must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the proposed event date.

Additionally, authorities pointed to past instances where protest conditions were allegedly violated, including gatherings exceeding stipulated time limits and creating subsequent law and order complications.

Security beefed up in Delhi

Delhi has been placed under an unprecedented security blanket, with roughly 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel stationed across the capital in light of the planned CJP demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, according to PTI.

To aid the Delhi Police in maintaining security, more than 120 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces are slated for deployment. Forces have been positioned at key strategic locations, and mock drills were carried out across multiple spots to evaluate response readiness.

For strict oversight, the New Delhi district has been organised into 20 zones supervised by senior officers, including joint commissioners, deputy commissioners, and additional deputy commissioners, while special commissioners heading various wings are closely tracking updates.

Extensive contingents of police personnel have taken up positions across the city, managing barricades and monitoring vehicular traffic as security tightens ahead of the protest.

Visuals from early morning revealed a dense security presence surrounding the protest site, alongside officers posted along routes and checkpoints citywide.

Traffic continued to move smoothly as police kept a close watch on vehicles entering and leaving the area, stopping and checking some cars, PTI said.

Entry and exit restrictions have been placed on 45 metro stations, alongside heightened surveillance across Delhi's border points, railway stations, bus terminals, and other sensitive pockets.

Commuters have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel, build extra travel time into their schedules, and plan ahead if heading to airports, railway stations, or inter-state bus terminals via New Delhi and central Delhi.

The traffic police stated that restrictions remain subject to real-time adjustments and may be eased or tightened depending on the situation.

Why is the CJP protesting?

The CJP’s October 10 demonstration at Jantar Mantar is being held against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with groups pressing for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Kumar is confronting allegations of tampering with voter lists under the pretext of the SIR exercise, as well as sidestepping his two colleagues to modify Form 6, the vital document used for voter registration.