Delhi Police has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the law and order perspective for the Congress rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, subject to prior permission from the land-owning authority and compliance with several conditions, including the rally’s conclusion by 5 pm and a ban on overnight stays at the venue.
In a letter, the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central District, informed Manish Chatrath, in-charge of the Party Headquarters and permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee, that the request for booking Ramlila Maidan from October 25 to November 3 had been considered.
The rally is scheduled to be held from 10 am to 5 pm on November 1.
According to the letter, the organisers have been directed to ensure adequate security arrangements, including the installation of high-definition CCTV cameras at strategic locations such as entry and exit gates, the stage, surrounding areas and seating enclosures. The arrangements must include recording facilities, monitoring systems with at least five screens and a dedicated CCTV control room.
The police have also asked the organisers to provide sufficient water tankers and toilet blocks, with separate facilities for female participants. Adequate volunteers must be deployed at the venue, wearing identical clothing or common badges to ensure their identification and facilitate the smooth conduct of the rally.
The organisers have been directed to ensure that the rally concludes by 5 pm on November 1, following which the dispersal of participants must begin. The event cannot be extended under any circumstances, and overnight stays by participants at Ramlila Maidan before or after the rally have been prohibited.
The letter further states that buses, cars, tempos and other vehicles must be parked at designated locations as advised by the Traffic Unit. The organisers have also been asked to ensure that the rally remains peaceful and that no unruly, rowdy or radical behaviour is permitted.
The police have directed the organisers to cooperate fully with the police department and comply with instructions issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Station House Officer of Kamla Market or senior police officers deployed on duty, in view of the local law and order situation.
The organisers have also been instructed to ensure that no speaker makes remarks concerning caste, creed or colour that could disturb public harmony, peace and tranquillity. In the event of any instigating or intimidating speech, the public address system must be switched off immediately, and the organisers must remove the speaker from the stage.
Further, no march will be permitted towards any location other than Ramlila Maidan.
The police have also sought the list of invitees and volunteers, a minute-to-minute programme of the rally, and details of the number of buses along with their registration numbers.
The letter states that the organisers must comply with all instructions and guidelines issued by the police authorities from time to time, failing which the permission may be revoked at any time.
Earlier in the day, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal alleged that the Delhi Police had stopped preparations for the Congress’s planned protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and concerns about voter deletions.
Venugopal had alleged that the police intervention in preparations for the event was directed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said Congress had secured permission to use Ramlila Maidan from October 25 to November 3, but police personnel stopped infrastructure work over the weekend.
He also alleged that the government was attempting to suppress democratic protests against the removal of genuine voters from electoral rolls.
Venugopal asserted that the INDIA bloc would continue its agitation until Gyanesh Kumar was removed from the post of Chief Election Commissioner and the electoral system was “purified”.
The protests have also seen police action, with more than 100 demonstrators detained amid heightened security in Central Delhi. Congress and its allies have maintained that their agitation will continue until accountability is established within the Election Commission of India.