Jantar Mantar denotified as protest site after 33 years; Ramlila costs Rs 1.21 lakh a day

By Shamyak

Published

Bar chart: Delhi's new protest grounds are about 4 km (Ramlila), 12-13 km (CBD) and 21 km (Burari) from Jantar Mantar

Delhi Police moved protests to three grounds up to 21 km away, eight years after the Supreme Court ruled out a complete ban. Whether Jantar Mantar protests are now illegal is still not clear.

Original report

On 11 October 2026, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued a standing order that denotified Jantar Mantar as the city's designated protest site, PTI reported on 12 October (PTI, 2026). Protests are pointed instead to three grounds: Ramlila Ground, about 4 km away, CBD Ground in East Delhi, 12 to 13 km away, and Burari Ground in North Delhi, about 21 km away (The Tribune, 2026).

Eight years ago the Supreme Court ruled there could be no "complete ban" on protests at Jantar Mantar (SabrangIndia, 2018). The site has served as a protest venue for 33 years, since 1993, and its local police station, Parliament Street, receives more than 24,000 permission requests a year (Hindustan Times, 2026).

What Jantar Mantar being denotified means

The site loses its official police designation as a place to protest (The Quint, 2026). The right to protest itself comes from Article 19(1)(a) and (b) of the Constitution, on free speech and peaceful assembly, which allow reasonable restrictions (SabrangIndia, 2018). No source we read says whether protesting at Jantar Mantar is now illegal.

The order rests on a Ministry of Home Affairs committee set up "to examine alternative proper venues". It partly modifies Standing Order L&O/48/22 of 28 April 2022 (PTI, 2026). A revised procedure for protests at the three new venues will be issued separately, with no date given (PTI, 2026). The order caps a fight over the site that began decades ago.

How Jantar Mantar became Delhi's protest address

The key dates, as reported by The Tribune, Hindustan Times and SabrangIndia (The Tribune, 2026; Hindustan Times, 2026; SabrangIndia, 2018):

For several days before the order, the site stayed inaccessible to the INDIA bloc and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), amid heavy security in the capital (The Tribune, 2026; PTI, 2026). We found no published count of protests the site has hosted. The new venues come with a price tag.

What protesting at the new grounds will cost

Ramlila Maidan covers 12 acres and holds 50,000 people. It costs Rs 50,000 a day plus a refundable Rs 55,000 deposit, or Rs 1.21 lakh with taxes, The Tribune reported on 13 October (The Tribune, 2026). That is Rs 1,21,000 (121,000 rupees) for one day.

It is free only from 29 to 31 December, and the free portion holds 150 people (The Tribune, 2026). The other two grounds are about three and five times as far from Jantar Mantar as Ramlila. Residents and activists read that distance very differently.

What residents, activists and police said

Varun Seth, a local resident who petitioned against protests in 2016 and 2017, says noise, barricades and garbage disrupt homes, and welcomed the order (Hindustan Times, 2026). CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said: "Jantar Mantar is not just a location but a spirit of resistance" (Hindustan Times, 2026).

City chronicler Sohail Hashmi asked: "Why should we be moving people away to Burari, CBD ground" (Hindustan Times, 2026). Beyond the order itself and its legal basis, we found no further statement from Delhi Police. The four outlets we read each chose a different frame.

How the coverage split

See how every outlet covered it

Earlier on this story: Jantar Mantar protests: CJP leaders freed on ₹50,000 bond to keep the peace for a year.

What happens next

The revised procedure for the three venues is due, with no date given (PTI, 2026). The earliest free dates at Ramlila Maidan are 29 to 31 December 2026 (The Tribune, 2026). Who sat on the Home Ministry committee, what its report says, and whether anyone will challenge the order in court are not yet known.

Questions people are asking

Can people still protest at Jantar Mantar?

Not yet known. No source we read says protests there are now banned or allowed; the revised procedure for protests is still to be issued (PTI, 2026).

What are the three new protest grounds and how far are they?

Ramlila Ground in Central Delhi is about 4 km from Jantar Mantar, CBD Ground in East Delhi 12 to 13 km, and Burari Ground in North Delhi about 21 km (The Tribune, 2026).

Is this legal after the 2018 Supreme Court ruling?

Not yet known: no source we read has tested the order against that ruling. In July 2018 the court said there could be no "complete ban" on protests at places like Jantar Mantar and asked the Centre for guidelines (SabrangIndia, 2018).

Can the order be challenged?

Not yet known. No source we read reports a court challenge or explains how one would be brought.

What will it cost to protest at Ramlila Maidan?

Rs 1.21 lakh for one day, including Rs 50,000 rent, a Rs 55,000 refundable deposit and taxes; the only free dates are 29 to 31 December (The Tribune, 2026).

More on this story

References

How we did this

We compared how The Tribune, Hindustan Times, The Hindu BusinessLine, The Quint and mid-day reported the order on 12 and 13 October 2026, alongside our own coverage page for the story. We built the timeline from those reports and from SabrangIndia's report of the 2018 Supreme Court ruling. The day rate in full rupees and the distance comparison are our arithmetic on The Tribune's figures. Reader questions came from public discussion on Reddit and X; every answer comes from the sources listed above.

This story was produced, reviewed, edited and verified by the reporter before publication, with AI assistance where required.

Covered by 6 outlets across the spectrum: 33% left, 67% center, 0% right.

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