Delhi High Court declines to restrain CJP protest; police assures lawful regulation

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to restrain the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) from holding a protest at Central Park in Connaught Place on October 16, while recording the Delhi Police's assurance that all possible steps would be taken in accordance with law to regulate the gathering. A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma was hearing a petition filed by Anil Kumar Gupta, a street vendor at Palika Bazar, who sought restrictions on protests at Central Park and other locations in central Delhi that are not designated protest venues. The petitioner cited concerns over disruption to business, traffic and the livelihoods of traders and vendors.

The petitioner's counsel argued that holding a demonstration at Central Park, in the heart of Connaught Place, would adversely affect traders in the area. He also contended that closures and restrictions during the Dussehra trading season would harm businesses. The court recorded the police assurance that the authorities would take all possible measures in accordance with law to regulate the CJP's activities. It declined to issue the specific restraint sought against the party and its founder, Abhijeet Dipke. The decision did not amount to an unconditional endorsement of the demonstration.

The proposed protest follows a series of demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CJP had called for a protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10, amid a wider police crackdown in Delhi. The Indian Express reported that more than 7,500 protesters were detained across the capital over the October 10–11 weekend. That figure relates to the wider crackdown and should not be interpreted as the number detained at a single CJP demonstration. Dipke subsequently announced another demonstration at Central Park under the slogan “Lehra Do Tiranga”, calling for the national flag to be carried during the protest. The announcement followed the detention of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, according to reports on the party's planned demonstration.

Opposition parties, including the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the Aam Aadmi Party, have expressed support for protests against the BJP-led Union government over the controversy surrounding electoral rolls and the Election Commission. However, their participation in the specific October 16 gathering could not be independently confirmed from the reports reviewed.

At a press conference on Thursday, October 15, Dipke alleged that students and young people had been forcibly removed from Delhi's streets and detained during the preceding two weeks. He also claimed that opposition leaders who joined the protests had been taken into custody. Dipke further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was attempting to protect Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and that this was behind the action against protesters. These claims remain allegations attributed to Dipke and have not been independently established by the reports reviewed.