Jantar Mantar

Delhi Police de-notifies Jantar Mantar as protest site, names 3 new spots

Opposition parties criticise the move to shift protests away from Jantar Mantar, while leaders march to the Supreme Court against the Election Commission's SIR exercise

Supreme Court Bar Association, Opposition move court on detentions, SIR

Supreme Court to hear pleas over alleged police excesses during Delhi protests, while Rahul Gandhi and 10 other Opposition leaders challenge irregularities in the SIR exercise.

Protesting at Ramlila Maidan may cost over ₹1 lakh, bookings full

Protesting at Ramlila Maidan, one of the three new demonstration sites in Delhi, can become a distant as well as costly affair, as the site has no free dates for the next two and a half months and even then, the booking amount can soar to upwards of Rs 1 lakh. Officials in the know said the 12-acre ground, which can accommodate 50,000 people, can now be booked only for December 29, 30 and 31 this year. "The booking rate for the ground is Rs 50,000 per day, plus a Rs 55,000 security deposit that is refundable. The initial outlay including taxes comes to Rs 1.21 lakh for a day's booking," an official said. Civic officials clarified that a small portion of the ground is free for protests and gatherings, but it has a capacity of only 150 people. The ground is booked through the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's horticulture department, which grants the permission. A no-objection certificate from Delhi Police is mandatory before the civic body clears an application. Delhi Police ...

Jantar Mantar de-notified as protest site: A history of Delhi's dissent hub

After over 3 decades as a hub for dissent, Jantar Mantar has been de-notified as a protest venue, with Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground designated as alternative sites for demonstrations

PM will denotify democracy next: Dipke on Jantar Mantar denotification

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Monday slammed the decision to denotify Jantar Mantar in Delhi as a designated protest site and warned "ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega" (entire nation will turn into Jantar Mantar). A standing order issued on October 11 by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar named Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi as the new designated sites for protests and demonstrations. "They have removed Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Yes, it's no a longer protest site as anyway it was turned into a war zone by the coward dictator. Ab poora desh Jantar Mantar banega!," Dipke said in a post on X. In another post, Dipke said Prime Minister Narendra Modi could "denotify democracy" next. "Today, Modi denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. Tomorrow, he will denotify democracy itself. The dictator's problem was never the protest site. It was the very idea of people protesting," Dipke said on social media.

Explained: What the law states about internet shutdown orders in India

Delhi's internet shutdown has brought the 2024 Telecom Rules into focus. The rules specify who can order a shutdown, what the order must contain and how long restrictions can remain in force

Delhi Police 'mentally tortured' me, family, claims CJP's Abhijeet Dipke

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Monday alleged that Delhi police subjected him and his family to "mental torture", adding that his kin and lawyer were unaware about his whereabouts during detention on October 10 ahead of the outfit's stir at Jantar Mantar. Dipke, who was in Santuk Pimpri in Hingoli after the passing away of his grandmother a couple of days ago, told reporters he was detained from the aircraft when his flight landed in Delhi and that the police did not inform his parents or lawyers about his whereabouts. Dipke said he was not allowed to retrieve the number of his cousin, who stayed with his deceased grandmother, either. He also hit out at Delhi police over the chain of events following the death of his grandmother. Delhi police have released a video to refute the CJP's claim that Dipke was not informed about his grandmother's death while in custody on October 10. The police have claimed the news was conveyed with due sensitivity and assistance was ..

'Unacceptable': CJP on Jantar Mantar being denotified as protest site

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convener Saurav Das on Monday said the government's decision to denotify Jantar Mantar as a protest site is "unacceptable", and they "do not accept this arbitrary decision". The remarks came as Delhi Police denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated site for protests and named three new spots for holding such demonstrations, according to an official order. "Unacceptable. Why is Narendra Modi scared of Jantar Mantar?" Das said in a post on X. "The Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. Did the Ministry of Home Affairs consult with the people of India? Were any stakeholders consulted? Were any organisations consulted?" he said. Attacking the prime minister, he said that said soon the government would denotify India as a democracy. "Take it in writing -- just how they are denotifying people's Jantar Mantar, the prime minister will soon denotify democracy in India. This move is a step towards that," Das said. "We do not accept this arbitrary decisi

Delhi Police de-notify Jantar Mantar as protest venue, name three sites

The police have designated Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi as venues for organising protests

Govt protecting Gyanesh Kumar, turning Delhi into a prison: Rahul Gandhi

The Leader of Opposition said INDIA bloc leaders would approach the Supreme Court over alleged vote theft and demand action against the Chief Election Commissioner

CJP seeks Delhi Police nod for Jantar Mantar protest, gives 24-hr ultimatum

CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das went to Parliament Street police station on Monday to seek a date for a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar. Speaking to the media outside the police station, the CJP leaders said they will give the police a 24-hour ultimatum, or they will issue another call to protest. Police tightened security in the area and the road outside the police station was closed as the two leaders arrived. A public announcement was made outside the police station, asking people to comply with security restrictions and prohibitory orders, maintain peace and avoid unauthorised gatherings. "We are going to ask Delhi Police for a date to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar. We hope the police will give us a date. If they do not, we will make another call within 24 hours," Ranka said. Criticising the security restrictions in the national capital, Ranka said the arrangements affected residents and businesses, particularly with festivals approaching. "The way Delhi Police

Delhi HC to hear plea against of Jantar Mantar closure as protest site

The Delhi High Court agreed to hear on Tuesday a petition regarding the alleged closure of Jantar Mantar as a protest site in the capital. A lawyer mentioned the matter before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma on Monday, stating that peaceful protests were being quelled as authorities had not earmarked an alternative site for them. The court also agreed to hear on Tuesday another petition alleging that "outsiders" had entered the protest held over the weekend and harassed the protesters. When the counsel urged the bench to urgently hear the petition regarding the protest site on Monday, the court observed that the issue was also being looked into by the Supreme Court. "Tomorrow. The Supreme Court is equally seized of the matter. Not only that, but the Supreme Court has called on the Union to file their affidavits also. Once the Supreme Court is seized of it, we have to see - to what extent we can look at it again. That's why let us have

Not my domain: CJI Surya Kant on Delhi protests against CEC, movement curbs

"Ye mera mudda nahin hai. (This matter doesn't pertain to my domain)," Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said on Monday, when asked about protests against the CEC in Delhi over the past few days and the associated restrictions. The CJI was interacting with reporters on the sidelines of an event to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) at Vigyan Bhawan here. The last few days have seen protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in different parts of Delhi. Over the weekend, the capital turned into a fortress, with massive deployment of security personnel, closure of 45 metro stations and intensive checks at the city's border points. Thousands of protesters, including Cockroach Janta Party leaders and former chief ministers, were detained. The CJI, when asked about these protests and the restrictions on movement, said the matter was related to law and order. "Ye mera mudda nahin hai," he said.

Modi govt waging war against citizens to protect CEC: Abhijeet Dipke

Cockroach Janta Party convenor Abhijeet Dipke on Monday accused the Narendra Modi government of waging a war against citizens to protect Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid growing demands for his resignation. The activist reached his native village, Santuk Pimpri, in Hingoli district of Maharashtra late last night, and visited the site where his grandmother's final rites were performed. In a sharp post on X, Dipke wrote, "Youth are being assaulted, journalists are being assaulted, even MPs are being assaulted by Delhi Police. What makes Gyanesh Kumar so indispensable to Modi that he is willing to wage war against everyone just to protect him?" Dipke, along with CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, were put under preventive arrest at the Delhi airport ahead of the Jantar Mantar protest on Saturday. They were released on Sunday on condition that they would not "breach peace" for a year. The CJP and opposition parties have been demanding the resignation of Chief ...

Prima facie contempt in Metro curbs during Oct 10 protests: Supreme Court

Issues notices to Union home secy, Delhi Police chief and DMRC chairperson

India leads world in demonstrations for fifth straight year: ACLED data

India recorded 18,074 demonstrations through September 2026, accounting for 17.5% of the global total, even as official data on agitations remains unavailable since 2016.

Delhi Police detains several protesters on second day of CJP protest

Several protesters were detained by security personnel while marching towards Jantar Mantar from Connaught Place's Inner Circle and Rajiv Chowk here, as the protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) entered its second day on Sunday. Visuals showed protesters marching towards Jantar Mantar and raising slogans of "Gyanesh Kumar isteefa do (resign Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar)". Security personnel moved in to detain them, and several protesters, despite offering resistance, were seen being dragged and pulled towards police buses. The area remained under an intense security arrangements to stop the protesters from going towards Jantar Mantar. The CJP had vowed to continue protests, announcing another demonstration at the protest site at 10 am on Sunday after the government thwarted their efforts on Saturday. Several protesters who were detained on Sunday alleged that they were manhandled during the detentions. Members of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) an

Four arrested for assaulting students, manhandling women during CJP protest

Four men claiming to be members of the right-wing Hindu Raksha Dal have been arrested for allegedly assaulting students and pushing and hitting women on Delhi's DDU Marg during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest on October 10, police said on Sunday. The arrests came a day after a purported video of the incident went viral on social media, showing them assaulting young students and physically manhandling women on a stretch of DDU Marg falling under the jurisdiction of Kamla Market police station The footage also shows a police personnel at the spot as the incident occurred. The assault came amid widespread detentions during the protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The accused have been identified as Raman Saini, 50, Vivekanand alias Vivek, 32, Kapil Kumar, 27, and Ravinder Singh alias Govind Hindu, 35, a senior police officer said. According to police sources, the footage began circulating in so

SC to hear all lawyers in plea over Delhi Metro curbs during CJP protest

In a special sitting, the Supreme Court on Sunday said it will grant hearing to all lawyers while dealing with a plea seeking contempt proceedings against authorities for alleged blatant violation of the court's direction to ensure that "complete prohibition" of metro and trains services should not be implemented in Delhi due to the CJP protest. A bench of justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said it will hear all parties and ensure no inconvenience is caused, saying the top court is always at the service of the nation. "We know you all are aggrieved by what happened yesterday. We are not here to trivialise what happened," the bench said. The top court is also hearing a habeas petition filed by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy against the detention of political leaders. The contempt plea, filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, has arrayed Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chairperson D Thara as ...

CJP leaders released by magistrate, told to maintain peace for one year

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were under preventive arrest following their detention at the Delhi airport ahead of the Jantar Mantar protest, but were later released after being produced before the executive magistrate on Sunday. They were released on condition that they would not "breach peace" for a year, CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh said. Earlier on Sunday morning, police said that the CJP leaders were put under preventive arrest after being detained by Delhi Police after their flight landed in the national capital and that they will be produced before the executive magistrate at Delhi Cantt Police Station. Section 126 (security for keeping peace) and 170 (arrest to prevent commission of cognisable offences) of the BNSS were invoked against the CJP leaders, according to sources. "Executive Magistrate court releases Abhijeet, Saurav and Ashutosh," Singh said in a post on X after the three leaders were produced before the .