Lawyers across all seven district courts in Delhi abstained from work on Monday (September 22, 2026) in protest against changes to the traffic challan system, particularly the requirement to deposit 50% of the penalty before a person can approach a court.

The day-long protest was called by the Coordination Committee of all district court Bar Associations over amendments to Rule 167 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.

Advocates assembled at the district court complexes and raised slogans demanding that the Delhi government withdraw the amendment.

Under the revised mechanism, a person issued a challan can either accept it and make the payment or contest it through the prescribed portal before an authority designated by the state government. Such a challenge has to be filed within 45 days.

The lawyers have opposed the provision allowing a person to approach a competent court against an order of the designated authority only after making the mandatory pre-deposit.

The lawyers have also questioned the role given to the Executive in deciding a challenge before the matter can be taken to court, arguing that determining a dispute over a traffic violation is essentially a judicial function.

They said the mandatory pre-deposit could place an additional financial burden on those contesting a challan and potentially discourage them from seeking judicial redress.

The advocates also raised concerns about the digital nature of the new mechanism, pointing to difficulties it could create for people unfamiliar with online systems, including commercial and truck drivers.

They further contended that the procedure could leave limited opportunity for a person to place the circumstances surrounding an alleged traffic violation before approaching a court.

The district court Bar Associations flagged the amendments to Rule 167 in a circular issued on September 20, 2026.

A heated exchange broke out in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) after Opposition members demanded a discussion on alleged police excesses during the July 20 protest in Delhi, including the alleged use of pellet guns.

The committee, chaired by BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, was meeting to deliberate on the subject of ‘Crime Against Children’, with officials from four Ministries present for the discussion. However, minutes after the meeting commenced at 11 a.m., senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken raised a letter he had written to the chairperson earlier, seeking that all other agenda items be set aside to discuss what he described as the “excessive use of force” by the Delhi Police during last month’s youth-led protests in Jantar Mantar.

Summarising the contents of his letter, Mr. Maken said that security personnel had used pellet guns, deployed barricades that delivered electric shocks, and resorted to lathi-charge against protesters. He further claimed that a truck loaded with stones had been parked near Jantar Mantar to implicate demonstrators, and alleged that several police personnel were operating without name tags while some individuals in civilian clothes were seen using lathis against protesters.

Mr. Agarwal rejected the request, saying that the matter was sub judice and therefore could not be taken up by the committee under parliamentary rules. He also referred to directions issued by the Supreme Court and noted that a committee appointed by the apex court is already examining the issues. 

The ruling prompted strong objections from Opposition members, including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, TMC leader Derek O’Brien, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, among others, who argued that the committee should discuss the allegations given their public significance.

Political slugfest

The debate, according to sources, then widened into a political slugfest between members of the ruling and Opposition parties. BJP MP Tarun Chugh referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and argued that allegations of police excesses from that period had never been adequately investigated. Congress member Jai Prakash countered that if State-related issues were being discussed, instances of alleged fake police encounters under BJP governments, including in Haryana, should also be examined.

The two members then engaged in a shouting match, prompting intervention by the chairperson.

Seeking to restore order, Mr. Agarwal proposed that the committee could, at a later stage, consider discussing the framing of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) governing police action during protests. Opposition members agreed to the suggestion. 

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday (July 25, 2026) said he had been diagnosed with typhoid, adding that he was undergoing treatment and receiving intravenous medication.

Earlier, he vowed that his illness would not slow the movement seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation (Mr. Pradhan has resigned as Union Education Minister).

In a video message shared on social media, Mr. Dipke said he had been unwell for the past few days and was currently undergoing treatment.

Despite his illness, he thanked CJP supporters for keeping the protests alive across the country and said that the movement would achieve its objective.

“As you know, I have been unwell for the last few days. The reports are out and I have been diagnosed with typhoid,” he said.

“The treatment is going on. I am getting IV drips every day. But I want to thank all the cockroaches who are protesting peacefully across the country,” he said.

“Congratulations to all of you for making this movement such a big success. I am very sure that if we continue protesting like this, we will get Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation,” he said earlier.

The CJP-led agitation, launched over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, has been demanding accountability in the examination system, reforms in recruitment and entrance tests, and Mr. Pradhan’s resignation.

The protest gathered support from several public figures, including activist Sonam Wangchuk, who joined the agitation on June 28 and observed a 26-day hunger strike.

Mr. Wangchuk ended his fast earlier this week after the Centre gave written assurances that no cases would be registered against peaceful protesters, Parliament would discuss examination reforms and accountability, and compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak would be positively considered.

Despite Mr. Wangchuk ending his fast, the CJP has maintained that its protest at Jantar Mantar will continue until Mr. Pradhan steps down from his position.

The Delhi police on Tuesday registered four FIRs against unknown individuals for rioting, assault on public servants, damage to public property and other offences during Monday’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Anand Kumar Mishra said there is an ongoing investigation into whether the entire violence was “premeditated and executed in an organised, coordinated” manner. “We have documented the protest through videography and are examining CCTV footage, mobile phone recordings, drone images and footage from body-worn cameras to identify those involved,” Mr. Mishra told mediapersons.

Seeking clarity on the action taken by Delhi Police, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal wrote to Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma demanding that a list of FIRs and the names of people detained be made public immediately.

Comparing what transpired at Jantar Mantar on Monday to the action taken by General Dyer at Jallianwala Bagh in 1919, Mr. Kejriwal while addressing a press conference said, “The police have brutally beaten students without any provocation and fired tear-gas shells. Such brutality was not even unleashed by the British against freedom fighters.”

Later addressing those who continued to protest at Jantar Mantar, the former Chief Minister said the police have foisted false cases against students. “[Prime Minister Narendra] Modi is trying to call protesters terrorists. I want to tell you that the biggest terrorist is Modi. Modi is calling you anti-national but the biggest anti-national is Modi, for playing with the future of students,” he said.

Mr. Kejriwal’s demand for a list of those detained gains significance, with several people frantically looking for their friends and family members a day after the police thwarted the march to Parliament by resorting to lathi-charge and tear gas to disperse those gathered.

‘Lathi charge, tear gas’

Sharing details of what transpired, All India Students’ Association (AISA) said at a press conference that thousands of slippers, torn clothes and blood spatter could be seen across Jantar Mantar. The panel included Neha, Ameen and Manish who fasted for 23 days, as well as protesters who were injured during Monday’s protest.

Anjali, Delhi University AISA unit secretary, said, “Yesterday, across central Delhi – Sansad Marg, Connaught Place, Palika Bazaar – there were barricades every 200 to 250 metres. Protesters were trapped in cramped spaces with barricades on both sides. They then [police] lobbed tear gas shells and beat protesters with lathis.”

Tanvi, a student and AISA activist, said, “Not only college students but also parents and school students who joined the protest in their uniforms were beaten.” She added, “The march itself was peaceful. The ruckus was created.”

with inputs from Ashna Butani