Max 1,000 protesters at Jantar Mantar, 100 at Boat Club, suggests Delhi Police

A maximum of 1,000 people will be allowed to protest at the Jantar Mantar, 2,000 at Parliament Street and 100 at Boat Club, according to the draft guidelines prepared by the Delhi Police on the direction of the Supreme Court.

The guidelines propose a ban on carrying lathis, firearms, spears, swords and other such weapons at these protest venues as also on burning effigies or documents, cooking and littering.

According to the draft prepared by the police, only two protests a day will be allowed at Jantar Mantar and the total number of protesters will be limited to 1,000.

A maximum of 2,000 protesters will be allowed to assemble on Parliament Street, the draft states, adding that if the agitators obtain permission from the competent authority, they will be allowed to use loudspeakers between 11 am and 4 pm.

No vehicle with a public address system will be allowed at the protest site and only one protest will be permitted a day, states the draft.

A maximum of 100 people will be allowed to stage protest at Boat Club, where agitations were stopped after a farmers' rally in 1993. The police have suggested that only programmes related to social and educational awareness should be allowed at Boat Club.

According to the draft guidelines, no demonstration prompted by tragic incidents will be allowed as it generates massive emotional outbursts, resulting in huge spontaneous, leaderless and directionless crowds, with a possibility of damage to public or private institutions.

If the number of protesters crosses the maximum limit, the venue of the agitation may be the Ramlila ground, which can accommodate up to 50,000 people.

The guidelines have to be submitted to the Supreme Court within this month.

However, a meeting was held on Wednesday to finalise the recommendations, a senior official said, adding that the deliberations were still going on.

On July 23, the Supreme Court had lifted a blanket ban on rallies, dharnas and sit-ins at Jantar Mantar and Boat Club.