Delhi Police denotifies Jantar Mantar as designated protest site and names three alternative venues

Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued a standing order on 11 October that denotifies Jantar Mantar as a designated site for protests and demonstrations. The order names Ramlila Ground in Central Delhi, Burari Ground in North Delhi and CBD Ground in East Delhi as the three new venues. A revised standard operating procedure for the new sites will be issued separately. The order partially modifies Standing Order No. L&O/48/22 dated 28 April 2022.

The change follows recommendations from a committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to examine alternative venues where citizens can exercise the right to organise protests. The standing order states that the committee’s recommendations led to the denotification of Jantar Mantar and the designation of the three new grounds.

Jantar Mantar has been one of the capital’s best-known protest locations for years. Its proximity to Connaught Place and central government offices made it convenient for demonstrators but also a source of traffic disruption in a high-security area. The new sites lie farther away. Ramlila Ground is about 4 km from Jantar Mantar, CBD Ground is 12 to 13 km away, and Burari Ground is nearly 21 km away.

Ramlila Ground, which can hold about 50,000 people, is already booked through late December. Officials said the next available dates are 29, 30 and 31 December. The booking rate is Rs 50,000 per day plus a Rs 55,000 refundable security deposit. The initial outlay, including taxes, comes to about Rs 1.21 lakh for one day.

Traders near Connaught Place expressed mixed views. The New Delhi Traders Association said the shift brings relief during the festive season. The Chamber of Trade and Industry and the All India Motor and Goods Transport Association asked the government and Delhi Police to exclude Ramlila Maidan from the list, citing possible disruption to wholesale markets, transport and emergency services.

Opposition groups criticised the move. Cockroach Janta Party co-convener Saurav Das called the decision unacceptable and an assault on the fundamental right to protest and peaceful assembly. He asked why the Ministry of Home Affairs had not consulted stakeholders. The denotification occurred while the INDIA bloc and other groups were organising protests in central Delhi over electoral roll revisions.

The order does not ban protests. It relocates the designated sites where police will process permissions under the revised SOP. Organisers who previously used Jantar Mantar will now need to book one of the three new grounds and follow the forthcoming procedures. The practical effect is that large demonstrations will take place farther from the heart of the government district, with higher logistical costs for some organisers.

Delhi Police has not yet published the detailed SOP. Until it appears, the exact permission process, capacity limits and security requirements at the three new venues remain unclear. The change takes effect under the 11 October standing order.