kabarsula India: Delhi police must facilitate right to peaceful protest amid lockdown-like restrictions in capital  bandar SLOT INDONESIA

Responding to the sweeping and disproportionate restrictions imposed by the Delhi Police and the Government of India ahead of planned protests in the capital on Saturday 10 October, Aakar Patel, Chair of Board, Amnesty International India, said: 

“Peaceful protesters must be able to demand accountability from those in power without facing intimidation, arbitrary detention, or sweeping restrictions on their freedoms. 

“From denying permission for a peaceful demonstration, halting all Delhi-bound trains, and sealing the city’s borders, to issuing an internet suspension order near the protest site, and pre-emptively arresting activists – India’s authorities are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to prevent this march from happening. The right to protest is protected in India’s constitution. The authorities must immediately lift all these arbitrary restrictions, which violate India’s obligations under international law. Demonstrations should not depend on obtaining prior permission from the police. At most, organizers may be expected to notify the authorities of their plans. 

Peaceful protesters must be able to demand accountability from those in power without facing intimidation, arbitrary detention, or sweeping restrictions on their freedoms

Aakar Patel, Chair of Board, Amnesty International India

“With more than 30,000 security personnel reportedly being deployed in the city, it is critical that police protect the public, not punish people for exercising their rights. Security measures are there to protect people, not punish them for exercising their fundamental rights. We urge the authorities to exercise the utmost restraint and take all necessary steps to protect and facilitate the right of peaceful assembly.” 

Background

The protesters, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, student unions and opposition parties, have been protesting since 2 October to demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation amid controversy over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. More than 130 million people have been deleted from electoral rolls since 2025. 

The Delhi Police stated that permission to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar on 10 October had not been granted.   

Student union members and activists associated with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) have been detained, placed under house arrest outside Delhi or intercepted and detained while travelling to the capital by road and rail. 

Restrictions on travel into Delhi will reportedly be put in place from the night of 9 October to the early hours of 11 October, with Delhi Metro stations scheduled to close, bus services set to be suspended, and the capital’s borders to be sealed to buses, trucks, tractors and other large transport vehicles.  

A 24-hour mobile internet shutdown has been ordered in central Delhi from Friday night. The suspension will cover a 4km radius around the protest sites, according to a notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police’s Special Cell. 

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday provided partial relief by directing the Government of India not to completely suspend train services to Delhi or shut down Delhi Metro stations. The court directed the government to regulate these services in accordance with the principle of proportionality, ensuring that public transport remains accessible, and commuters are not inconvenienced. The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to consider designating an alternative venue to Jantar Mantar for peaceful protests, emphasizing the need for a location equipped with adequate facilities and amenities for protesters. 

Approximately 22,000-armed personnel from across the country have reportedly been brought to Delhi, in addition to more than 10,000 Delhi Police officers expected to be deployed.