Questions over publicly unavailable prohibitory orders amid Delhi protest detentions

The detention of protesters across the national capital this week, while demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities, has raised questions over the Delhi Police’s failure to make publicly available Section 163 prohibitory orders that it says are in force. The provision empowers an Executive Magistrate to issue written orders when “immediate prevention or a speedy remedy” is necessary to prevent danger to human life or safety, disturbance of public tranquillity, or other specified threats.

Follow the updates of the Anti-CEC protests on October 14, 2026