Jantar Mantar is a public road, not a site, says Delhi Police chief
Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar told the Supreme Court that the State can move protest venues to other locations.
Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar submitted to the Supreme Court on Tuesday that Jantar Mantar is a public road rather than a designated site. According to The Hindu, Kumar argued that the location is a stretch intended for the free movement of the public and should not have been a permanent protest venue.
The Commissioner stated that the decision to de-notify the area followed a recommendation from a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) committee. The affidavit clarified that the MHA formed the committee on August 26 to examine the suitability of the area and received its report in September.
Kumar noted that the stretch sees nearly 1,300 protests annually, which makes emergency service access difficult and compromises security. He cited data from August 1 to August 17 this year, which included 250 distress calls, 109 theft-related FIRs, 10 motor vehicle theft FIRs, more than 250 property loss claims, and 23 FIRs for rioting and public order violations.
The Commissioner argued that the right to dissent must be balanced against the rights of other citizens, such as residents and businesses. He mentioned that the area contains 78 foreign embassies, 99 Central government offices, and 7,017 private residences, with a daily footfall of 1.46 lakh people.
The affidavit was filed in response to a petition by Swati Singh challenging the de-notification. Kumar maintained that while protest is a right, it does not grant an absolute right to use a specific location, especially given the proximity to the new Parliament premises.