Delhi Police de-notifies Jantar Mantar as protest site amid CJP stir over Gyanesh Kumar

Alongside the de-notification of Jantar Mantar, the police have designated three other locations across the city as venues for protests.

The newly designated sites are Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in Shahdara.

Jantar Mantar loses designated protest site status

The de-notification of Jantar Mantar assumes significance as the site has been a prominent venue for demonstrations over the years.

Earlier this year, a prolonged sit-in by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over the alleged NEET paper leak at the site reportedly led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The latest move comes amid plans by the CJP to resume its protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.

CJP convener criticises move

CJP convener Abhijeet Dipke criticised the de-notification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site, alleging that the move undermined the right to protest.

In a post on X, Dipke linked the decision to broader concerns about democratic freedoms.

"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 wrote.

The decision comes amid heightened political tensions in Delhi, with Opposition leaders and CJP workers protesting over alleged electoral irregularities and demanding accountability from the Chief Election Commissioner.

Protests over CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Delhi remained the centre of demonstrations over the weekend, with Opposition leaders and CJP workers demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.

More than 3,000 protesters, including politicians, were detained on Saturday and released later that night.

Police imposed extensive security restrictions across the national capital to prevent demonstrators from gathering at Jantar Mantar.

The restrictions forced protesters to split into smaller groups and assemble at different locations across Delhi.

YouTube commentator Dhruv Rathee was among those released late on Saturday night. Known for his criticism of the NDA government, Rathee has also expressed support for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.