The Delhi Police on Thursday issued an official clarification dismissing reports that the Commissioner of Police had been specially granted powers of preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, to deal with the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in the national capital. The police clarified that it is a routine order renewed every three months, and is not linked to the ongoing CJP protests.
Earlier in the day, several media reports had claimed that the Centre had authorised Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar to exercise detention powers under the NSA specifically to quell or suppress the CJP demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and related agitations over alleged irregularities in the 2026 NEET examination. These reports noted that the order allowed preventive detention without formal charges for periods ranging from 12 days up to a maximum of 12 months, and stated that the powers would remain in force for three months from July 19 to October 18. Some reports linked the notification published in the Delhi Gazette on Wednesday directly to the recent escalation in student-led protests, including reports of clashes, vandalism and attempts to march towards Parliament.
In a statement posted on its official social media handle, the Delhi Police said misleading information was circulating claiming that the powers had been granted specifically to suppress the CJP protests. The force clarified that the order in question is a routine, quarterly extension of powers under the NSA, which is conventionally renewed every three months as a standard administrative procedure. According to the clarification, the current renewal was issued on July 7, 2026, for the period effective from July 19 to October 18, 2026, and therefore predated the commencement of the CJP protests.
Misleading information is circulating on social media claiming that the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, has been granted detention powers under the National Security Act (NSA) specifically to suppress the ongoing CJP protests.
— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) July 23, 2026
In this regard, it is officially clarified that the…
No specific request was initiated for this order in relation to recent events, the statement added, emphasising that the renewal had been misinterpreted out of context. The Delhi Police further advised citizens to rely only on official information and avoid sharing misinformation on the matter.
The authorisation empowers the Delhi Police Commissioner to issue preventive detention orders under the provisions of the NSA during the specified period. The order will remain in force until October 18, which will be further renewed for three months, unless modified or withdrawn earlier.
The National Security Act allows for preventive detention of individuals considered a threat to national security, public order or essential supplies, and such delegations of authority to the Delhi Police Commissioner have been a recurring administrative practice over the years.
