14, 2026. (PTI Photo) (PTI10_14_2026_000321B) Bengaluru: Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) members stage a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and condemning alleged police brutality in Delhi, at Freedom Park, in Bengaluru, Wednesday, Oct.
Activists from Campaign for the Right to Protest have urged the govt to withdraw the 2021 police licensing order and restore the 2009 framework. As reported by TOI on Oct 14, they have written a letter to Shivakumar and home minister Priyank Kharge, arguing that centralising demonstrations at Freedom Park has restricted marginalised groups’ ability to engage directly with authorities.
He said concentrating demonstrations in the central business district (CBD) disrupts traffic and prevents customers and workers from reaching commercial establishments, imposing financial hardship on small merchants, street vendors and transport workers. Kalaram Choudhury, president of Karnataka Stainless Steel Trade and Industry Association, said: “Peaceful protests are the backbone of democracy and must be respected. Bengaluru: The demand to move protests beyond Freedom Park is gathering momentum, with activists pushing for the right to hold demonstrations closer to the communities and institutions their grievances concern, while traders are seeking designated venues across Bengaluru to protect commercial activity. Sajjan Raj Mehta, a trade activist, has written to the chief minister proposing five protest hubs across the city. The letter to the CM proposes zone-wise designated protest hubs in each of GBA’s five divisions, seeking advance public notifications and clear traffic-management protocols for permitted rallies. We request both the Centre and the state govt to provide designated protest venues outside city centres to protect public convenience, traffic, trade, and MSMEs without affecting democratic rights. They cited protests by workers, farmers, Dalit activists and residents over local civic issues, saying demonstrations should take place where grievances can be addressed — outside labour offices, the chief electoral officer’s office or other relevant institutions.