Delhi Police Enforces Ban on Public Gatherings

New Delhi: Citing law and order issues, including protest calls given by various organisations, the Delhi police on Monday banned the gathering of five or more persons, carrying banners or placards in the central part and bordering areas for the next six days in the national capital. The prohibitory orders will remain in effect till October 5.

Under the order , police commissioner Sanjay Arora has directed the imposition of Section 163 BNSS (earlier Section 144 CrPC) in the districts of New Delhi, north and central Delhi and all police stations jurisdictions sharing its borders with other states.

“The general atmosphere in Delhi is sensitive from a law and order point of view due to various current issues like the prevailing communal atmosphere in view of the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill and issue of Shahi Idgah in Sadar Bazar area, the politically surcharged issue of MCD standing committee elections and the pending declaration of results of the DUSU election, etc,” the order stated.

“There will be heavy movement of VVIPs and dignitaries in the areas of New Delhi and Central District on October 2, on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi,” it said.

It further stated that the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana Assembly elections are underway and, thus, there was a need to have continuous checks on the movement of persons and vehicles from the Delhi borders.

“The order stated that the aforesaid elections, the pockets inhabited by migrants from the states may become particularly vulnerable on account of infiltration and instigations at the behest of anti-social and elements having a vested interests in creating public order disturbances in the national capital,” it said.

Under the order, the carrying of firearms, banners, placards, lathis, spears, swords, sticks, brickbats and the holding of dharnas in any public area has been prohibited and doing so shall be punishable under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (earlier Section 188 IPC), it added.