Centre Grants Delhi Police Chief Preventive Detention Powers Under NSA Amid CJP Protests

Last Updated:July 23, 2026, 13:44 IST

CJP Protest: However, Delhi Police clarified that the order was not issued in response to the ongoing protests.

CJP Protest: Amid intensifying students’ protest against alleged paper leaks, the Centre has authorised Delhi Police Commissioner to exercise preventive detention powers under the National Security Act (NSA), for a three-month period from July 19 to October 18.

The order, issued under Section 3(3) of the NSA, empowers the Delhi Police Commissioner to issue preventive detention orders against individuals whose activities are considered prejudicial to national security, public order or the maintenance of essential supplies and services.

Under the NSA, authorities can detain individuals preventively without formal charges for a specified period, subject to the provisions and review mechanisms under the Act.

The extension has gained attention amid the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-backed student protests in Delhi, where demonstrators have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and other competitive entrance tests.

What Police Said

However, Delhi Police clarified that the order was not issued in response to the ongoing protests. In a statement, the police said that the extension was a routine administrative exercise carried out every three months.

“It is clarified that the said order is a routine extension/renewal of powers under the NSA, which is issued every three months. The present renewal was issued on July 7, 2026, for the period July 19 to October 18, well before the commencement of the CJP protests," Delhi Police said.

The police further stated that no specific request had been made in connection with the protests and alleged that some media reports had interpreted the order out of context.

What’s Happening In Delhi

Students from across the country and activists of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an online satirical collective, have been protesting at Jantar Mantar and others parts of Central Delhi demanding accountability for repeated examination paper leaks and also seeking resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The protestors had planned to march to the parliament house on Monday but the Delhi Police intervened and prevented the same.

The protest witnessed clashes, tear gas shelling, allegations of excessive force by police, counter-allegations of violence by protesters, detentions, and widespread disruption across central Delhi.

Police said the crowd turned violent, leading to stone-pelting, attacks on police personnel and damage to public property. According to Delhi Police, 178 people were injured in the clashes, including 118 police personnel and around 60 protesters. On the other hand, the CJP claimed that police resorted to lathi-charge and tear gas against peaceful demonstrators, resulting in injuries to hundreds of protesters.

About the Author

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre...Read More

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