Delhi Police invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prohibit the Cockroach Janta Party’s planned ‘Chalo Sansad’ march [1].
The move restricts the ability of activists to protest directly at the seat of government during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. This escalation highlights the tension between state security measures and the right to public assembly during critical legislative windows.
Crowds gathered at Jantar Mantar as the police implemented the legal provision across the New Delhi district [1]. The restriction was enacted to prevent unauthorized protests from disrupting the upcoming parliamentary session [2].
Amidst the crackdown on the march, activist Sonam Wangchuk has remained on a hunger strike. His efforts are focused on pushing the government to address education-accountability issues during the current legislative session.
Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, provided a specific condition for the end of the protest. "He will end his hunger strike on Monday if political leaders meet him at Safdarjung Hospital and assure him that the issue of education accountability will be raised in the Monsoon Session of Parliament," Angmo said [1].
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) organized the march to amplify these demands. However, the invocation of the BNSS provision effectively bars the group from proceeding with the planned demonstration toward Parliament [2].
Police maintained a presence at Jantar Mantar and around Safdarjung Hospital to manage the gathering crowds and ensure the prohibition remained in effect [1]. The use of Section 163 allows authorities to issue orders in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger.
“Delhi Police invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prohibit the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march.”
The use of Section 163 of the BNSS demonstrates a strict application of public order laws to prevent political demonstrations during parliamentary sessions. By blocking the 'Chalo Sansad' march, the Delhi Police have prioritized the security and functionality of the legislative process over the visibility of the Cockroach Janta Party's education-accountability campaign, shifting the focus of the protest from a public march to the individual health crisis of Sonam Wangchuk at Safdarjung Hospital.
