Delhi removes Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue

Delhi Police has removed Jantar Mantar in central Delhi from its list of designated protest venues.

Demonstrations are now designated to take place at Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in Shahdara, which are spread across the city.

Jantar Mantar had become a major protest site from around 1993, offering demonstrators a visible location near Parliament and government offices.

Residents later raised concerns about prolonged protests, noise, pollution, sanitation and disruption to daily life.

In 2018, the Supreme Court overturned a blanket ban on protests there, saying peaceful demonstrations are a fundamental right but can be subject to reasonable restrictions.

The latest change follows a Supreme Court call for authorities to consider better-equipped alternatives.

The change raises the question of how authorities can manage protests while preserving a practical space for peaceful dissent; no further steps are specified.