The Supreme Court declined to grant an expedited hearing on a petition contesting the New Delhi Municipal Council's (NDMC) decision to close Central Park ahead of a planned demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party, with Chief Justice Surya Kant expressing hope that all parties would approach the matter with restraint. Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that the right to protest and the need for law and order are interconnected concerns, while the bench indicated it would take up questions of commercial disruption only if and when they materialise. The petition is expected to be scheduled for hearing before the end of the month, with 26 or 27 October under consideration by the bench.
A traffic advisory issued by Delhi Police urged travellers moving through the area to avoid Connaught Place and surrounding routes from 3 pm onward, citing the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) Lehra Do Tiranga march scheduled in that vicinity. The department advised people to allow additional journey time, use public transport where possible, and follow directions from personnel on the ground. Officers noted that traffic redirections would be adjusted to reflect conditions as they developed.
Access to Central Park was restricted by the NDMC, with administrative grounds given as the basis for the decision. An NDMC administrative order placed Central Park out of bounds for the general public on 16 and 17 October, with police and other enforcement personnel posted to prevent unauthorised entry. The provisions of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which bar unauthorised public gatherings, remained active across Connaught Place and its surrounding areas. Residents were advised to keep away from the affected area and to use public transport where possible.
Abhijeet Dipke, who leads CJP, told reporters he believed police might take him into custody ahead of the Lehra Do Tiranga march, pointing to what he described as surveillance activity outside his residence. He added that participants intended to carry out a peaceful flag-waving event the following day. Dipke contended that those who treated the matter as a criminal one were themselves the true violators of trust, and stated that those involved were prepared to face arrest over displaying the national flag.
Dipke separately called for the removal of Gyanesh Kumar from his position as Chief Election Commissioner, framing the situation as an attempt by authorities to apply pressure. He put forward the view that peaceful protests do not cause harm to commercial activity, and argued that citywide shutdowns place the weight of disruption on ordinary residents. Dipke maintained that the movement draws its guiding philosophy from Gandhi, framing protest against injustice as an exercise in principled, non-violent dissent. He further argued that any government chosen through an electoral process carries an obligation to remain responsive to its citizens, describing such rights as foundational to democratic life.
A planned 5 pm march unfolded against the backdrop of an unresolved dispute between CJP and Delhi Police, with demonstrators calling for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over questions surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. Delhi Police spokesperson Neha Yadav stated that no authorisation for the planned march was in place. Yadav indicated that a limited number of demonstrators could receive authorisation for a flag march at an alternative venue, with police in a position to arrange a suitable site for carrying the national flag and performing the national anthem.
More than 6,000 Delhi Police personnel, 220 companies of Central Armed Police Forces, and an expanded network of surveillance cameras were positioned across the New Delhi area ahead of the Citizens for Justice and Peace's planned Lehra Do Tiranga procession at Central Park in Connaught Place. Patrol and access controls were put in place across Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar, Palika Bazaar, and Metro stations in the surrounding area. Barriers were erected at a number of locations across the city, among them Patel Chowk, ITO, and Sansad Marg, where officers established a physical cordon.
Surveillance equipment — more than ten cameras in total — was deployed by authorities at both Central Park and Rajiv Chowk. According to a statement from a police officer, around 5,000 personnel drawn from neighbouring districts had been positioned as a standby force. Planning for each rotation called for thirty CAPF companies to be on the ground, with numbers set to increase if attendance grew or the demonstration extended into overnight hours.
Judicial custody of five days was handed down to two individuals connected to CJP — Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka — over allegations of unlawful entry at Jantar Mantar and violations of peace bond terms.
Both Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi flagged the potential toll on small traders when the petition came before the Supreme Court on Friday, noting that judicial intervention remained an option should businesses sustain losses.
Dipke told those gathered that the procession would proceed without incident, adding that a commitment to peace and non-violence guided the organisation's approach. He stated that those who bore responsibility ought to face consequences for their actions.
India's press regulatory body issued detailed guidelines for reporters working at public demonstrations, calling on journalists to uphold impartiality and professional conduct while attending to their own physical safety. The Press Council of India's guidelines directed reporters to maintain distance from public gatherings, take no partisan position, avoid actions that might inflame tensions, and refrain from inserting themselves into active disputes. Those holding press credentials are required to carry identification and follow instructions from law enforcement officers acting within their authority. The body also directed journalists to leave tear-gas canisters, flash-bang devices, and smoke grenades untouched, and stressed that all information be independently verified before publication.
