Delhi Police Removes Jantar Mantar as Protest Site Following Supreme Court Order

Delhi Police de-notified central Delhi's Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site on October 12, 2026, acting just three days after a Supreme Court Bench urged the Union government to find a more spacious and open alternative venue. The decision follows a four-page court order issued on October 9 by a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, which noted that central Delhi was too cramped and lacked basic amenities like washrooms, drinking water, and medical facilities for demonstrators.

Background

The October 9 order came during a hearing on petitions challenging movement restrictions in the capital ahead of youth protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The court order recorded that all parties agreed on the need for alternative sites with proper infrastructure. Previously in August, the court heard a petition by Satish Chand Kaushik, represented by advocate Aakarshan Aditya, seeking to shift protests to Ramlila Maidan or another secure ground. Following the new order, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued a Standing Order designating Ramlila Maidan, Burari ground in north Delhi, and CBD ground in east Delhi as the new protest venues.

Context

Supreme Court rulings from 2018 and the 2020 Shaheen Bagh case established that while democracy requires the right to dissent, it must be balanced with the public's right to live peacefully and commute without disruption. Designating specific grounds aims to manage large gatherings while minimizing inconvenience to ordinary residents.