The Delhi Police have removed Jantar Mantar from its list of designated protest venues, marking a significant change for a site that has served as one of India’s most recognisable platforms for public dissent for more than three decades.
In an order made public on Monday, Delhi Police said Jantar Mantar had been de-notified as a protest venue and that Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi would serve as alternative sites for demonstrations.
The move came after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and several other organisations had called for demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and other locations across Central Delhi, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In a notice, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had constituted a committee to examine alternative venues. “Based on the Committee’s recommendations, Jantar Mantar as a protest venue has been de-notified,” the notice said.
How Jantar Mantar became Delhi’s protest hub
Built in 1724 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur, Delhi’s Jantar Mantar was designed for astronomical research, with large masonry instruments used to observe celestial movements and measure time. It was the first of five observatories built by the ruler. The others were in Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura, though the Mathura observatory no longer exists.
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Before Jantar Mantar became a protest hub, the Boat Club lawns along Rajpath, now Kartavya Path, near India Gate, were a preferred venue for demonstrations. Close to Parliament and key government offices, the site offered protesters a prominent platform to draw the government’s attention.
In October 1988, an estimated five lakh farmers led by Mahendra Singh Tikait occupied the Boat Club lawns for almost a week. Mobilised under the Bharatiya Kisan Union, they demanded concessions on agricultural issues, including relief from rising input costs and better returns for their produce.
As the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute intensified, the government banned gatherings at the Boat Club in the early 1990s, citing security concerns.
The shift towards Jantar Mantar followed. Located close to Parliament and government offices, it offered a more manageable space for demonstrations. Its relatively limited capacity and few access points also made it easier for the police to regulate crowds.
Jantar Mantar emerged as a protest venue in 1993 without an initial formal notification. Over time, it became an established site for demonstrations and was recognised under a Delhi Police standing order issued in April 2022. The protests were typically held along Jantar Mantar Road, near the observatory, rather than inside the monument complex itself.
Major protests at Jantar Mantar
On April 5, 2011, social activist Anna Hazare began a hunger strike demanding a strong Jan Lokpal Bill to tackle corruption. The protest grew into a nationwide anti-corruption movement, drawing prominent activists such as Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan. It also helped pave the way for the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party.
In 2012, the site became a rallying point for protests following the gang rape and death of the Delhi woman widely known as Nirbhaya, triggering a nationwide outcry over women’s safety.
In 2014, demonstrations were held following the death of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania.
In 2015, ex-servicemen gathered at Jantar Mantar to press for the implementation of One Rank One Pension.
In 2017, farmers from Tamil Nadu staged a 40-day protest at the site, demanding drought relief, a loan waiver and the establishment of the Cauvery Management Board. In December 2019, demonstrators gathered there to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act.
In 2023, prominent wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, protested against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment and demanding his arrest.
Jantar Mantar returned to the spotlight this year when the CJP led student protests over the NEET-UG paper leak, demanding accountability for alleged examination irregularities. The protests were followed by the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Legal battles over the protest site
Despite its prominence, Jantar Mantar’s status as a protest venue has remained contested.
In October 2017, the National Green Tribunal directed authorities to stop protests at the site and shift demonstrators to Ramlila Maidan. It cited complaints about noise pollution and unhygienic surroundings, the absence of an executive order formally designating the area for protests, and the Delhi Master Plan’s classification of the area as residential.
In July 2018, however, the Supreme Court ruled against a blanket ban on protests at Jantar Mantar and the Boat Club area. The court said the right to protest peacefully had to be balanced with the rights of residents, and allowed demonstrations subject to regulations on their conduct and the number of people attending.
The ruling made clear that while citizens have a fundamental right to protest, that does not amount to an unrestricted right to hold demonstrations at any location of their choice. Authorities may regulate venues and conditions, subject to the law.