On 12 October 2026, Jantar Mantar lost its standing as an authorised venue for public demonstrations in the capital, following a formal order issued by Delhi Police. The directive was attributed to Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar.

Three venues — Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground — have been identified as permitted protest sites in place of Jantar Mantar.

The order followed a period during which multiple gatherings and demonstrations took place across the capital in relation to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Gatherings drawing thousands of participants — among them student groups, youth bodies including the Cockroach Janta Party, and leaders aligned with the INDIA bloc — took place at Jantar Mantar and across Central Delhi, with authorities taking a large number of those present into custody on unlawful assembly grounds.

Objections to the removal of Jantar Mantar's designated protest status have been raised by civic groups and Opposition parties, who contend that the move places constraints on the public's constitutionally protected right to demonstrate. Protests organised under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party over an alleged NEET examination paper leak drew gatherings at Jantar Mantar during July 2026.

Sitting roughly 4 kilometres from Jantar Mantar, the open-air venue known as Ramlila Maidan — also referred to as Ramlila Ground — occupies a well-known stretch of central Delhi. Covering roughly 12 acres, the grounds have been woven into the nation's political story across multiple generations. Administration of the facility — covering both day-to-day management and reservation handling — falls under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee, widely cited as a foundational influence on what became the Bharatiya Janata Party, mounted a satyagraha at Ramlila Maidan in 1952 directed at Article 370, the constitutional provision that had conferred a temporary special status on Jammu and Kashmir at that point in time. Crowds gathered at the venue across two consecutive years — 1956 and then 1957 — to hear Nehru, who held the position of India's inaugural prime minister, deliver speeches from outdoor platforms. A fixed platform of considerable size was erected at ground level to mark a royal visit in 1962. Dussehra and Ramlila celebrations, both tied to the annual calendar, draw on this venue as a regular setting for their gatherings.

Nestled within one of Shahdara's busier commercial stretches, CBD Ground falls under the administrative care of the Delhi Development Authority. A distance of 13 km separates the location from Jantar Mantar. Spanning 12 acres in total, the site sits alongside Vikas Marg — an arterial thoroughfare running through East Delhi that carries traffic from the Trans-Yamuna area into Central Delhi by way of the ITO Bridge. Situated within a tightly built-up urban area, CBD Ground's proximity to residents and traders in its immediate surroundings has drawn attention in the context of hosting large gatherings there.

Of the three approved venues, the plot at Nirankari Ground — referred to by many as Burari Ground and situated in North-West Delhi — covers the most ground. Of the three, it stands at the greatest remove from Jantar Mantar, with a gap of 15 km between them. Operations at Burari Ground fall under the authority of the Delhi Development Authority, which holds responsibility for the venue's day-to-day administration. Spanning 50 acres, the site sits between Dr K. B. Hegdewar Marg along its southern edge and Shah Alam Band Marg running along its northern boundary. Cultural gatherings and political events are held at Burari Ground on a recurring basis.

Booking records show Ramlila Maidan is fully occupied through the next ten weeks, with no available slots during that stretch. Three dates at the end of the calendar year — the 29th, 30th, and 31st of December — remain available for reservations, officials have confirmed. Venue hire runs at ₹50,000 for each day of use, with a ₹55,000 deposit collected upfront and returned once the booking concludes. With taxes folded in, a single-day reservation carries a total upfront cost of ₹1.21 lakh.

According to municipal authorities, a portion of the grounds is available to the public at no charge, though gatherings there are capped at 150 attendees. Coverage from a broadcast outlet in 2017 documented the venue's policy of accommodating only one booking at any given time. Coordinating an open demonstration at Ramlila Maidan across groups with different organisational affiliations presents practical challenges. By contrast, entry to Jantar Mantar carried no fee and remained open without any advance reservation requirement.

In 2017, the National Green Tribunal recorded reservations about noise levels, vehicle congestion, and extended sit-in protests at Jantar Mantar, according to media reports. Following a Supreme Court ruling in July 2018 that a blanket prohibition on public demonstrations was not permissible, Delhi Police issued a standing order designating the location as a venue where gatherings of up to 1,000 people could assemble. A 2003 Standing Order from Delhi Police laid out a tiered venue framework: gatherings below 5,000 could be held at Jantar Mantar; those between 5,000 and 50,000 were directed to Ramlila Maidan; assemblies exceeding 50,000 were assigned to Burari Ground; and any larger turnout was routed toward Narela — details drawn from coverage published by a news outlet in 2026.

Three members of the Cockroach Janta Party — Saurav Das, Ajinkya Shinde, and Ashutosh Ranka — were taken into custody by authorities at Jantar Mantar on 13 October 2026, as the trio attempted to gain entry to the site. Writing on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke reported that a number of party leaders had also been taken into custody by Delhi Police.

Footage attributed to Dipke captured CJP protesters carrying a flag near Jantar Mantar. A Delhi Police officer told a news channel that the group had entered the area by threading through food stalls and eateries bordering the protest site. The officer noted that Jantar Mantar no longer holds designated protest-site status, meaning gatherings held there fall outside what the law permits, and that those present were taken into custody on the spot, with further proceedings set in motion.