Delhi Police has not yet granted permission for a proposed Jantar Mantar protest on October 2 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while barricades have been placed on roads leading to the central Delhi protest venue, according to police sources cited by ANI and reported by the Times of India.
The demonstration has been called by social activists and student groups over concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The protest is scheduled for Gandhi Jayanti, with organisers calling for action against Kumar.
Police sources said permission for the proposed gathering had not been granted so far. The report did not specify whether the application remained under consideration, whether organisers had been asked to modify their plans or what conditions would be required for approval.
The barricading around roads leading to Jantar Mantar indicates that police are preparing to regulate access and movement in the area amid the protest call. Jantar Mantar is Delhi’s designated demonstration zone and has frequently been used for public gatherings, political protests and campaigns on national issues.
AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj made a public appeal on Monday asking people to join the protest. Other opposition groups are also likely to participate or organise parallel demonstrations, ANI reported. The report did not provide details of the expected number of participants or any additional restrictions announced by the police.
The Delhi protest is part of a wider mobilisation announced against Kumar. Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party movement, has announced a parallel “Jail Bharo Andolan” at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park at 4pm on October 2. The proposed Mumbai action follows an earlier dispute over permission for a protest against the chief election commissioner.
Mumbai Police clarified that it was not empowered to grant permission for a gathering at Shivaji Park because of a 2013 Bombay High Court order. The police described the area as a silence zone and said applicant Ajinkya Shinde had been advised to identify an alternative venue and seek permission, which would be considered appropriately, according to ANI.
The Cockroach Janta Party had originally planned to launch a nationwide protest from Mumbai on October 2 if Kumar did not resign. On September 25, Dipke said the movement would begin its nationwide protest from Mumbai and take it to cities across India if the resignation did not occur.
The immediate arrangements in Delhi will determine whether the proposed Jantar Mantar gathering proceeds, shifts in format or faces further restrictions. Delhi Police had not granted permission for the protest at the time of the report.
