Delhi police registered more than 20 first information reports over attempts to hold a demonstration at the capital's Jantar Mantar despite strict prohibitions issued by authorities, according to senior law enforcement officials.
The legal actions followed incidents involving alleged attacks on police personnel during the demonstrations, with officers citing deliberate efforts to disrupt public order and obstruct government officials from executing their official duties.
The enforcement measures unfolded amid heightened security throughout the national capital, particularly surrounding the Jantar Mantar area where police had formally denied permission for the proposed gathering. Law enforcement justified the limitations by pointing to security concerns, the sensitivity of the location, and the close proximity of vital constitutional institutions and government offices.
Ahead of the weekend, police issued warnings that any assembly violating the restrictions, blocking public movement, or resulting in violence would face immediate legal consequences. Heavy security deployments, including barricades, police vehicles, and extra personnel, were positioned at critical roadways and intersections to block protesters from gaining access to the zone.
Authorities explained that the restrictions were put in place to avert a recurrence of the violence seen during an earlier July protest organized by the Cockroach Janta Party opposing National Eligibility cum Entrance Test irregularities, an event that officials state left over 200 police personnel injured. Officials additionally highlighted overcrowding risks at Jantar Mantar, noting the site maintains a safe capacity limit of approximately 1,000 individuals.
The Saturday demonstration was organized by the CJP alongside allied student groups to demand the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding alleged flaws in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Police noted that event organizers submitted their notification for the gathering on October 7, failing to meet the mandate requiring protest applications for Jantar Mantar to be filed at least ten days in advance. In response, authorities instituted prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, warning that any unauthorized assemblies would face strict legal measures.