Jantar Mantar No Longer A Protest Venue, Delhi Police Designates 3 New Sites

New Delhi: Jantar Mantar, a longstanding venue for demonstrations in the national capital, will no longer be a designated protest site under a fresh Delhi Police order that identifies three alternative locations for public gatherings and protests.

The order, dated October 11, 2026, and signed by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, names Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi as the new venues for organising protests and demonstrations. The decision follows recommendations by a committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to examine alternative locations for citizens to exercise their right to protest. 

The police said detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for organising demonstrations at the three locations would be issued separately. The latest order partially modifies Standing Order No. L&O/48/22, dated April 28, 2022, which governed the existing arrangements.

Why Has Delhi Moved Protests Away From Jantar Mantar?

The change comes days after the Supreme Court asked the Centre and Delhi authorities to identify an alternative protest venue that could offer better facilities to demonstrators.

During a hearing on October 9, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, called for a rethink of the decades-old arrangement at Jantar Mantar.

The bench said an alternative location should provide basic amenities, including drinking water, toilets, medical facilities and other necessary infrastructure. It also stressed that the venue should allow citizens to exercise their democratic rights while protecting public safety, emergency access and the interests of other residents.

“Why don’t you find an alternative space where you can also provide better facilities?" the bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre and Delhi Police. Mehta said he would convey the court’s observations to the appropriate authorities.

The three venues named in the new police order are Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi. Ramlila Ground has hosted major political rallies and public gatherings, while the other two locations will now be among the designated spaces for demonstrations under the revised arrangements.

CJP Protest, IYC Plea Put Jantar Mantar In Focus

The decision comes amid recent disputes over permission to hold protests at Jantar Mantar. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had announced a demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Delhi Police denied permission for the proposed October 10 protest, citing security reasons. The police also cited the failure to apply within the stipulated timeframe. On Monday, CJP activists approached Parliament Street Police Station to seek permission for a demonstration and issued a 24-hour ultimatum, asking the police to specify a date and time for the proposed protest.

Meanwhile, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) has challenged the police's refusal to allow its demonstration at Jantar Mantar. The organisation, through its national president Uday Bhanu Chib, approached the Delhi High Court over a communication issued by the police on October 1. The court has given the city police time until October 13 to respond to the plea.

The change in designated protest venues also comes against the backdrop of the Opposition's campaign over alleged electoral irregularities and the SIR exercise.

Delhi High Court To Hear Pleas Over Protest Restrictions

The Delhi High Court is also scheduled to hear a petition on Tuesday concerning the closure of Jantar Mantar as a protest venue.

The matter was mentioned before a bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma on Monday. A lawyer argued that peaceful protests were being curtailed because authorities had not identified an alternative location for demonstrations.

The court agreed to hear the matter on Tuesday. It also agreed to take up another petition alleging that outsiders had entered a protest held over the weekend and harassed demonstrators. When the counsel sought an urgent hearing on the protest-site issue on Monday, the bench observed that the matter was also being examined by the Supreme Court.

With three new venues now designated by Delhi Police, the arrangements for demonstrations in the capital are set to change. The detailed SOPs for the new locations are awaited, while the pending court proceedings will address questions surrounding access to protest spaces and the conditions under which demonstrations can be held.