New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to restrain the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, from holding a proposed protest at Central Park in Connaught Place on October 16. The court recorded the Delhi Police’s assurance that it would take “all possible measures” to maintain order and manage the situation during the planned demonstration.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Anil Kumar Gupta, a licensed street vendor at Palika Bazar, who raised concerns that the proposed gathering could disrupt commercial activity and affect traders, workers and visitors in the busy Connaught Place area.
The Delhi Police assured the court that it would take appropriate steps in view of the concerns raised by the petitioner. The matter has been listed for further consideration on November 3.
Dipke has called for a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Central Park at 5 pm on Friday, urging participants to carry the national flag. He has described the proposed gathering as a protest against the arrests of CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were sent to judicial custody earlier this week.
Why the petition sought to stop the march
The petition argued that Central Park was not a designated venue for protests and that a large gathering could affect traffic movement, public access and business activity around Connaught Place.
Gupta, who operates as a licensed street vendor at Palika Bazar, expressed apprehension that the demonstration could disrupt the daily activities of traders and others working in the area.
The concerns also included the potential impact on visitors to Connaught Place during the festive season, when commercial areas can experience increased footfall.
During Thursday’s hearing, the Delhi Police assured the High Court that it would take steps to address the apprehensions. The court declined to issue an order restraining Dipke and the CJP from holding the proposed gathering.
The order, as described in reports of the hearing, records the police assurance rather than a blanket authorisation for every aspect of the proposed event. The police will remain responsible for managing public order and taking appropriate measures during the gathering.
CJP calls for Tiranga march over arrests
Dipke has urged people to assemble at Central Park on October 16 at 5 pm with the national flag for what he has called a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ demonstration.
He has also appealed to people in other cities to organise similar gatherings, arguing that waving the Tricolour should not be treated as a crime.
The protest call follows the arrests of CJP members Das and Ranka, who were taken into custody along with activist Ajinkya Shinde after allegedly entering Jantar Mantar.
In a social media appeal, Dipke described the arrests as illegal and said the two activists had given up comfortable lives to work for change. He also suggested that he could face arrest over the proposed demonstration.
These statements reflect Dipke’s position on the arrests. The allegations surrounding the police action and the activists’ conduct remain subject to the relevant legal proceedings.
How the Jantar Mantar arrests unfolded
The arrests followed a demonstration in which CJP members allegedly raised slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
According to reports, the activists were arrested after allegedly entering Jantar Mantar a day after the Delhi Police removed the site from the list of designated protest venues.
Police cited alleged trespassing, violations of prohibitory orders and breaches of peace-bond conditions in connection with the action against the activists.
Das and Ranka were subsequently sent to five days of judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail. Shinde was also arrested in connection with the incident.
The developments triggered further protests and renewed debate over where demonstrations can be held in the national capital.
Delhi Police identifies alternative protest venues
The proposed Connaught Place march comes after the Delhi Police removed Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest sites.
The police identified Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as alternative venues for demonstrations, according to earlier reports.
The change has become a point of contention among protesters who have traditionally used Jantar Mantar for rallies, sit-ins and demonstrations over political and public-interest issues.
The dispute over the available venues has also raised questions about access to public spaces and the practical arrangements required to balance the right to protest with traffic management, public safety and the functioning of commercial areas.
The petition against the CJP’s proposed march specifically cited the location of Central Park and the possible consequences of holding a demonstration there.
Protests target Chief Election Commissioner
The proposed march is part of a wider series of demonstrations in Delhi and other cities against Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Opposition parties, the CJP, the All India Students’ Association (AISA), activists and farmers’ organisations have participated in protests related to the controversy.
The Election Commission has rejected allegations that the electoral-roll revision exercise was intended to favour the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The controversy intensified after an Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections to several decisions relating to the SIR process.
The allegations and the Election Commission’s response have become part of a broader political dispute over the revision of electoral rolls and the functioning of the poll body.
The protests have included calls for Kumar’s resignation and criticism of the manner in which the electoral-roll exercise is being conducted.
Neha Bora and Opposition leaders detained
On October 10, AISA national president Neha Bora was detained near INA Market while leading a march towards Dilli Haat after protesters were prevented from reaching Jantar Mantar.
Several Opposition leaders and activists were also detained during demonstrations, including former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, advocate Prashant Bhushan and activist Yogendra Yadav.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was also reported to have been taken from his home, while CJP leaders Dipke, Das and Ranka were detained after arriving in Delhi on October 10.
Reports described a wider police operation in which thousands of protesters and journalists were detained across the capital. The police action and the restrictions on protest locations have since remained central to the dispute.
What happens next?
The immediate focus is now on the proposed October 16 gathering at Central Park and the measures the Delhi Police will take to manage it.
The High Court has declined to restrain the event at this stage after recording the police assurance that it would take all possible measures to control the situation. The petition will come up for further consideration on November 3.
The planned march is also linked to the continuing protests over the arrests of CJP members and the wider controversy surrounding the SIR electoral-roll revision.
The developments bring together questions about public order, access to protest venues and the right to demonstrate. The police will have to address the concerns raised by traders and other people working in Connaught Place while responding to the proposed gathering.
For now, the court has not issued the requested restraint order, and the Delhi Police has assured it that appropriate measures will be taken to manage the situation.