The deputy commissioner of Delhi Police ordered a 24‑hour cut‑off of mobile internet services within a 4‑km radius of the Janpath‑Kartavya Path crossing, effective 10 pm Friday 9 Oct 2026 until 10 pm Saturday 10 Oct 2026. The directive, issued under sub‑rule (1) of Rule 3 of the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024, was addressed to Airtel, Vodafone‑Idea, Jio and MTNL and cites Section 20(2)(b) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. It is intended to curb digital mobilisation ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The CJP has staged a similar disruption last July, shutting down internet for 72 hours within a 1.5‑km radius of Jantar Mantar after a leak of the NEET paper. That earlier clamp‑down stalled Gen‑Z protesters’ uploads and delayed mainstream coverage. By scaling the radius to 4 km, Delhi Police have effectively more than doubled the area of digital silence.
Police officials say the action is necessary to prevent “law‑and‑order” breakdowns during the protest, a stance echoed by the Union Home Secretary who urged telecom operators to implement the order immediately. The Supreme Court’s recent remark that “you can’t use a sledgehammer to kill a fly” has intensified scrutiny of the move, with critics arguing that it infringes on free‑speech rights.
Affected districts include Connaught Place, Mandi House, Pragati Maidan, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Barakhamba Road, Khan Market, Lodhi Road and Jangpura. A shopkeeper on Mandi House reports that the blackout has halted his mobile‑based delivery app, while a student activist on Pragati Maidan says the lack of data will cripple his protest‑organising network.
The suppression will take effect at 10 pm Friday, with telecoms expected to cut off data services across the 4‑km zone. The CJP protest is slated for Saturday morning, and authorities have warned that further restrictions may be imposed if crowd control measures fail.