New Delhi: The Delhi Police has granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the Indian National Congress to hold a major rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, 2026, as part of the opposition INDIA bloc's ongoing agitation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The NOC grants access to the venue from October 25 to November 3, allowing time for preparations at the newly designated protest site.

Speaking on the development, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said, “The Indian National Congress (INC) has planned a rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1 and had approached the Delhi Police for the requisite NOC. The NOC for holding the rally at the designated protest site has been issued for the period from October 25 to November 3.”

“The MCD stated that the venue would be available from October 25 to November 3. After receiving the venue availability certificate, the Congress party approached us. After interacting with them and understanding the security arrangements required, we decided to grant them the No Objection Certificate (NOC). We issued it today. They will now take the certificate back to the MCD, which is the owning agency responsible for the land, and then begin their preparations,” he added.

The Delhi Police confirmed it is actively coordinating with traffic authorities and other agencies to ensure smooth traffic flow, law and order, and safety during the event.

The planned rally originates from a decision finalised by the INDIA bloc on September 30, following Opposition demands for a rollback of the SIR process, the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and a return to paper ballots.

The row deepened after reports emerged that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised recorded objections at least 14 times over decisions issued without their prior consultation. Responding to the criticism, the Election Commission stated that differing internal views are routine and maintained that all its orders carry full legal sanction following statutory procedures.

The venue approval coincides with a shift in Delhi's protest regulations. Jantar Mantar was recently de-notified as a protest venue following demonstrations and police action involving activists, including members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) such as Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.

Delhi Police subsequently designated three alternative sites for public demonstrations – Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and the CBD Ground in East Delhi.
(Agencies)