Ex‑bureaucrat files PIL to question massive CAPF deployment in Delhi

Former civil servant Ashish Joshi has filed a public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court challenging the massive deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in the capital. He argues that the deployment and its repeated extensions lack clear legal basis and may violate Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution. Reports show that 301 CAPF companies were initially approved, 273 were extended until 31 October 2026 and a further 270 were extended to 16 November 2026. The petition asks the court to order the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police to reveal the original orders, requisition letters, risk assessments and other records that justified the deployment. It also seeks a detailed, force‑wise and date‑wise list of approved companies, their sanctioned strength, the number of personnel actually sent to Delhi, how many reported for duty and how many were assigned to protest‑related tasks. Further relief includes an assessment of how the large deployment affects other security duties such as counter‑insurgency, border security, election preparedness and disaster response, and a written protocol for future large‑scale CAPF use in protests. ## Context The deployment comes amid a series of protests organized by groups like the Cockroach Janta Party, prompting authorities to use CAPFs to maintain order. The challenge highlights tension between maintaining public safety and protecting the constitutional right to peaceful assembly.