The Delhi Police on Sunday agreed to grant permission to the Delhi Government’s open Cabinet meet after the District Magistrate of New Delhi wrote a letter to the former seeking permission to hold the function at Central Park in Connaught Place. Earlier, Delhi Police senior police officials had said that the gathering would not be allowed as it may affect the general law and order in the highly sensitive New Delhi district.
Thousands of AAP supporters are expected to throng the venue. Delhi Police may invoke Section 144 of the CrPC in the area if there was any issue pertaining to the law and order arrangements.
Special Commissioner of Police (law and order) Deepak Mishra told The Pioneer that the no-objection certificate (NOC) has been issued to the organiser of the event. “It is compulsory from the Government’s side to take NOC from the police before holding any such gathering. District Magistrate of New Delhi District wrote to us and we have issued the NOC,” said Mishra.
The Delhi Government has planned a mega event where the entire Delhi Cabinet will be present and the Government will highlight its achievements before the public. The function is expected to begin at 6 pm. Thousands of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters are expected to throng the venue. Social media has been flooded with the invitation messages probably from the AAP volunteers or supporters to reach out to more people.
The faceoff between the Delhi Government and the Delhi Police began after the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Vijay Singh had objected and raised some queries over the NOC sought by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) from the Delhi Government’s side to hold event at Connaught Place inner circle. Sources said the police had objected to NDMC’s intervention and cited that some State Government authority should come forward to seek the NOC.
On this the NDMC official wrote another letter to the DCP which was not considered as the permission letter from the Delhi Government, said sources. On Sunday late evening, the Government asked the district magistrate to seek the permission from Delhi Police.