DELHI Police has denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated site for protests and named three new spots for holding such demonstrations, a development that comes after a series of agitations over recent months left New Delhi district, the administrative nerve centre of the Government, paralysed. Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued the standing order on October 11, naming Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as the new designated sites for protests and demonstrations. While Ramlila Ground, in Central District, is four km away from the current site, the CBD Ground in East District is 12 to 13 km and Burari Ground in North District is nearly 21 km away. “Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, had constituted a committee to examine alternative proper venues for citizens’ right to organise protest/demonstrations in place of the existing ‘designated site’,” the order read. Based on the committee’s recommendations, Jantar Mantar as a protest venue has been denotified, it said.

 

“Three new venues viz Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground, East Delhi have been designated as new venues for organising protest/demonstrations,” it said. Further, it said that a detailed and revised SOP for organising protests and demonstrations at these three venues will be issued separately.” This is in partial modification of earlier Standing Order No. L&O/48/22 dated 28.04.2022,” the standing order issued by Delhi CP said. The move comes amid heightened security arrangements in the national capital, following calls for protests at Jantar Mantar by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and Opposition leaders. Meanwhile, Trade and transport bodies on Monday opposed the designation of Ramlila Maidan as a protest site in Delhi, citing its proximity to major wholesale markets in Old Delhi and the potential disruption to the movement of goods and commercial activities.