The Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march in central Delhi has been barred by police, with founder Abhijeet Dipke receiving a formal notice hours before the event was scheduled to begin at 5 pm on Friday.
More than 20 police personnel visited Dipke’s residence to deliver the notice, which prohibits him from organising a demonstration, procession or rally in the Connaught Place area. Authorities cited the absence of permission, existing restrictions on public gatherings and the potential consequences for public safety.
The proposed march was to take place at Central Park in Connaught Place. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has separately announced that the park will remain closed on Friday and Saturday for administrative reasons.
The restrictions come amid an extensive security deployment across New Delhi, with more than 6,000 police personnel and 220 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) stationed in the area. Each CAPF company comprises 100 personnel, and the deployment is intended to prevent law and order problems.
Police have invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), under which mass gatherings are prohibited in Connaught Place and adjoining areas. Authorities have offered to facilitate a smaller group of demonstrators wishing to wave the national flag at an alternative location.
The notice issued by the Connaught Place Station House Officer (SHO) identifies the proposed demonstration on October 16 as an unlawful assembly. It refers to Delhi High Court directions and Dipke’s public statements and social media appeals asking people to assemble at 5 pm without obtaining the necessary authorisation.
According to the notice, Connaught Place’s layout makes large gatherings particularly difficult to manage. Its interconnected circular roads and limited access and exit points mean that congestion in one section could spread to other parts of the commercial district, complicating evacuation and crowd control.
Police also cited the economic importance of the area, which houses showrooms, restaurants, hotels, banks, offices and street vendors. The notice warned that disruption during evening hours, weekends and the peak festival season could affect businesses and those dependent on them for their livelihoods.
It stated that more than 15 lakh traders and their employees relied on the area’s peaceful and orderly functioning to exercise their fundamental rights.
The notice also highlighted the pressure an unauthorised gathering could place on Rajiv Chowk Metro station. The station connects the Blue and Yellow lines and handles an average of two lakh commuters daily. Police warned that a sudden increase in crowd numbers could cause severe congestion and create a stampede risk.
Authorities said a protest at Connaught Place could affect traffic well beyond the immediate demonstration site. Several major roads pass through the area and are important for movement across central Delhi. Blocking them, the notice said, could cause widespread disruption and delays for commuters.
Police cited the Supreme Court’s directions in Amit Saini v. Commissioner of Police, which require consideration of the inconvenience public gatherings may cause to people using roads.
The notice also raised concerns about the district’s proximity to Parliament, the Central Secretariat and diplomatic precincts, warning that crowds could spill into protected areas and pose risks to public order.
Emergency access was another reason cited for the restriction. Older buildings and narrow service lanes in Connaught Place can limit the movement of fire engines and ambulances. Police said additional, uncontrolled footfall could obstruct routes used by ambulances serving several nearby hospitals and compromise emergency response operations.
On these grounds, the notice said the prohibitory order under Section 163 of the BNSS remained in force. It warned that anyone violating the restrictions could face action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with disobedience to an order lawfully issued by a public servant, as well as other applicable provisions.
The notice also referred to earlier CJP demonstrations, alleging that they had caused breaches of peace and serious disruptions to public order. Police claimed that previous protests had violated the conditions attached to the permissions granted for them.
It further alleged that unauthorised calls by the party to march towards Parliament had resulted in violence and damage to public and private property.
Citing Sections 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 of the Delhi Police Act, 1978, among other provisions, the notice directed Dipke not to organise demonstrations, processions or rallies around Connaught Place.
It also instructed him to refrain from activities that could affect the rights of traders, commuters, patients and other members of the public, particularly their ability to earn a livelihood, move freely and remain safe. The restrictions additionally cover the carrying of instruments that could be used as weapons and the use of loudspeakers, among other activities.
To support its position on public demonstrations, the notice referred to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan v. Union of India (AIR 2018 SC 3476). The judgment was cited in connection with the requirement for prior written permission and the need to assess possible traffic obstruction, threats to human safety and disturbances to public tranquillity.
Police maintained that no permission had been sought for the proposed CJP gathering and that proceeding without authorisation could jeopardise these considerations.
The notice also stated that Connaught Place is not a designated protest venue. Demonstrations may instead be held at designated locations, provided organisers obtain the required permission.
Dipke was directed to comply with the law. (with inputs from PTI)