Police designate three alternative venues farther from political centre amid ongoing demonstrations over electoral rolls.
Authorities in India’s capital have officially removed the historic Jantar Mantar from the list of designated venues for public protests and demonstrations, shifting organised dissent to three alternative sites located farther from the heart of the city’s political and administrative core.
In a standing order issued on 11 October by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, Jantar Mantar Road-long one of the most recognisable locations for political gatherings, dharnas and campaigns in the national capital-was de-notified as an approved protest site. The decision followed recommendations from a committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to examine alternative locations where citizens could exercise their right to organise protests.
Delhi Moves Protests Away from Jantar Mantar:
The three newly designated venues are Ramlila Ground (also known as Ramlila Maidan) in Central Delhi, Burari Ground in North Delhi, and CBD Ground in East Delhi (Shahdara). A revised standard operating procedure for demonstrations at these sites is expected to be issued separately. The order partially modifies an earlier standing order from April 2022 that had formalised Jantar Mantar’s status.
Jantar Mantar, adjacent to an 18th-century astronomical observatory, has for more than three decades served as a focal point for public dissent in New Delhi. Its proximity to Parliament, key government offices and media hubs made it a preferred location for farmers, students, opposition parties, trade unions and civil society groups seeking visibility. Previous attempts to restrict or ban protests there-including a National Green Tribunal order in 2017 that was later set aside by the Supreme Court-have repeatedly sparked debate over the balance between the right to peaceful assembly and concerns about traffic, security and residential disruption.
The latest move comes against the backdrop of recent protests in central Delhi by the opposition INDIA bloc and the satirical political group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Demonstrators have been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Police have imposed heightened security measures, including extended paramilitary deployment, and have dispersed or detained some protesters in the area.
Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Protest Ban Faces Legal Challenge:
Critics argue that relocating protests to sites several kilometres away-Ramlila Ground is approximately 3–6 km from the former venue, CBD Ground around 12 km, and Burari Ground nearly 21 km-will reduce the political impact of demonstrations by distancing them from decision-makers and media attention. Opposition voices and protest organisers have described the change as an attempt to dilute the visibility and effectiveness of public dissent. Some groups have responded by saying “the whole country is becoming Jantar Mantar,” signalling plans to continue mobilising elsewhere.
Authorities maintain that the decision aims to facilitate orderly protests while managing security and logistical challenges in the heavily restricted Central Vista area. Peaceful assembly remains constitutionally protected, though organisers must now seek permissions for the newly designated grounds and adhere to any temporary prohibitory orders. Protests remain barred in sensitive zones around India Gate and other parts of the Central Vista.
A petition challenging the de-notification is scheduled for hearing in the Delhi High Court. As demonstrations continue over electoral issues and other grievances, the shift away from Jantar Mantar marks another chapter in Delhi’s long-running negotiation between the right to protest and the state’s management of public space in the national capital.