The ruling came in response to an urgent petition filed by a licensed stall owner at Connaught Place. The petitioner's counsel argued that a large gathering at Central Park would cause severe hardship to traders during the festive season. "If another weekend is shut down due to a protest, the shopkeepers will be on the streets," the lawyer told the court. He further contended that Central Park "is not a proper place for protest," especially over the Dussehra weekend, and that the situation "has to be stopped."
However, the division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma was not persuaded. The court recorded the assurance given by Delhi Police that it would take "all possible steps permissible under the law" to regulate and manage the gathering. When the petitioner's senior counsel pressed for a specific restraining order, the bench responded firmly: "No need to insist. We have passed the order."
The CJP's central demand targets the Election Commission of India and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling for Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Election Commission has denied allegations of bias toward any political party, but the controversy has been building for months.
On October 10, a large-scale CJP protest in Delhi led to thousands of detentions, with the Jantar Mantar area sealed off, metro stations closed, and internet services restricted in some pockets. Since then, tensions have only escalated.
That arrest directly triggered Dipke's latest protest call. In a social media video, he urged "all patriots" to gather at Central Park, Connaught Place, at 5 PM on October 16 — with the tricolour in hand. "Saurav and Ashutosh were sent to jail merely for waving the Tricolour," he said. "We will wave the Tricolour there and prove that waving the national flag is not a crime."
Dipke framed the action as a symbolic stand against what he called authoritarianism. "My Tricolour is my pride, and I will wave it at any cost," he declared. He also called on those unable to reach Delhi to hold similar Tiranga marches in their own neighbourhoods.
The security deployment is substantial. More than 6,000 personnel are being deployed across Lutyens' Delhi, with an additional 5,000 reinforcements on standby from other districts. As many as 220 central armed police force companies have been kept in reserve for the New Delhi district, with 30 companies deployed per shift. Over a dozen CCTV cameras have been installed around Central Park and Rajiv Chowk, and barricades have been placed on multiple roads.
Police have indicated they may consider permitting a "few protesters" to hold a Tiranga march at a "suitable location" elsewhere. The CJP has not yet responded to that suggestion.
At a press conference on October 15, the CJP reiterated three core demands: the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar; the release of Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das, and all detained peaceful protesters; and an end to police action, along with the restoration of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site.
Dipke aimed his sharpest remarks at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "If Gyanesh Kumar is not helping Modi win elections, why is Modi giving him so much protection?" he asked. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also weighed in on social media, calling the jailing of young people a "cowardly act."
For the CJP, Central Park carries powerful symbolic weight. It sits at the heart of Delhi's commercial centre, next to Rajiv Chowk metro station, and any sizable gathering there is impossible to ignore. For the police, managing a Tricolour march that could draw tens of thousands on a festive weekend is a serious law-and-order challenge.
For observers, the contest over a single flag reflects a deepening tension between India's youth movements and established power structures. At 5 PM on October 16, Connaught Place will become a live test of restraint and strategy on all sides.
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