Delhi Police de-notifies Jantar Mantar as protest site; activists slam decision

The Delhi Police on Monday (October 12, 2026) de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated venue for protests and demonstrations, replacing one of the capital’s longest-established sites of public dissent with three alternative grounds farther from the seat of power. The move drew criticism from activists, who said relocating demonstrations would make it harder for citizens to draw the attention of political leaders and decision-makers to their demands.

Under a standing order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, Ramlila Ground, around 4 km from Jantar Mantar, Burari Ground, around 15 km away, and CBD Ground in East Delhi, around 13 km away, have been designated as protest venues.

The order follows recommendations from a committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to examine alternative venues where citizens could protest. The police said revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) for demonstrations at the three grounds would be issued separately.

The decision partially modifies Standing Order No. L&O/48/22, dated April 28, 2022, which laid down guidelines for organising protests, sit-ins and public demonstrations in Delhi. The earlier order identified Jantar Mantar as a designated site, with the stated aim of ensuring adequate space for demonstrations while minimising disruption to residents and traffic. It restricted protests to hours between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and did not permit a programme to continue for more than a day at a time.

For protesters who have used Jantar Mantar for years, its significance lay not merely in the availability of space to assemble, but in its proximity to Parliament, government offices and the media.

Bhim Kumar, who has been part of protests for more than 15 years, said the location had enabled demonstrators to bring their demands directly to elected representatives and those in power.

“Jantar Mantar is close to Parliament and the offices of those who are in a position to act on people’s demands. There was a possibility of getting a response and seeing the issue move forward. How do you exert that kind of pressure and make yourself heard from a venue so far away,” he asked.

Social activist Shabnam Hashmi, who has been part of protests since 1975, traced the significance of Jantar Mantar to the gradual narrowing of the space available for public demonstrations in the capital.

The Boat Club area near India Gate had once hosted large rallies, she said. Jantar Mantar emerged as a key protest site for public mobilisation after other locations were closed to demonstrations, in part because of its central location.

“Jantar Mantar was important because it was centrally located and accessible to people coming from different parts of the city. Its proximity to the Parliament and media offices was crucial too. During a protest, we could get MPs to come out, speak to demonstrators and receive representations,” Ms. Hashmi said.

She argued that the space available to protesters at Jantar Mantar had been curtailed through restrictions on the area and the hours during which demonstrations could be held. The latest decision, she said, was another step in that process.

“What was once an important place for people to gather and raise their concerns has been gradually diminished,” she said.

The de-notification comes amid a week of protests in the capital over the special intensive revision of electoral rolls and demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Over the weekend, extensive security arrangements were put in place to prevent student groups and other demonstrators from reaching Jantar Mantar, with thousands detained across the capital.

Ms. Hashmi said the decision to designate new venues would not necessarily stop people from mobilising or raising their concerns in public.

“They may notify and de-notify places, but given the mood in the country, people will now reclaim public spaces. Every place in Delhi could become Jantar Mantar,” she said.

The police have not yet issued the revised SOPs for the three new venues, leaving details of how demonstrations will be organised under the new arrangement to be clarified.