Delhi Traders Seek Rs 11,000 Crore Compensation, Call For No-Protest Zone During Diwali

With Diwali approaching, Delhi’s traders have called for restrictions on demonstrations across key parts of Central Delhi, alongside compensation for business losses they say were caused by recent rallies and protests. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has urged the Delhi government and police to introduce new safeguards, including a law to recover damages from protest organisers.

The demands follow remarks by the Supreme Court that a protest site cannot be occupied indefinitely. The CTI has welcomed the court’s observations, saying the right to demonstrate must be balanced with the ability of businesses and workers to earn a living.

Traders Want Protests Shifted Away From Central Delhi

The CTI has proposed that Central Delhi be made a no-protest zone for 10 days around Diwali, through Bhaiya Dooj on November 11. It has named Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar, Ramlila Maidan, India Gate and Delhi Gate as areas where rallies, sit-ins and demonstrations should not be permitted during the period.

Instead, the organisation has suggested that protests be moved to Burari, Alipur, Jasola and Yamuna Khadar.

The proposed restrictions come as traders cite significant disruption from rallies. Before the Congress mega rally in Delhi, traders had projected losses of around Rs 12,000 crore. After the event, losses were estimated at approximately Rs 11,000 crore.

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CTI Cites Supreme Court Remarks On Jantar Mantar Occupation

The organisation has also raised concerns over the duration of demonstrations at Jantar Mantar. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that the site had been occupied for 17 days despite permission being granted for one day, according to the CTI.

The traders’ body said the alleged prolonged occupation had caused losses of Rs 3,000 crore to businesses in Delhi. It has called for a strict “one day, one demonstration” rule at Jantar Mantar, with organisers required to leave the site by 5 pm.

CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s observations had given voice to the concerns of Delhi’s two million traders and five million employees and daily-wage workers.

Goyal said the court had recognised that the rights of people staging protests should not come at the expense of others. The CTI, he added, had been making the same point for a month: people have a right to protest, but businesses and workers also have a right to earn.

Delhi Recovery Of Damages Law Among Key Demands

The CTI has asked the Delhi government to introduce a law that would allow recovery of losses caused by protests from those who organise, lead, plan or instigate them.

It cited similar laws in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tripura and Uttarakhand, which it said enable recovery for damage to private property, shops and businesses during demonstrations.

The organisation has proposed a “Delhi Recovery of Damages Act”, arguing that the losses claimed by traders, put at Rs 14,000 crore in its demand, should not be left uncompensated.

Compensation Fund Proposed For Workers And Traders

Beyond recovering damages from organisers, the CTI has sought a “Trade Disruption Insurance” mechanism and a compensation fund for people whose livelihoods are affected when protests interrupt business and transport.

The proposed coverage would include daily-wage labourers, hawkers, auto-rickshaw drivers, loaders and porters. The CTI said these groups lose income when shops close or transport services are halted because of rallies.

It suggested that a compensation arrangement similar to the claims tribunal mechanism for riot-related losses could be considered for protest-related disruption.

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NOC Sought For Rallies With More Than 10,000 People

The CTI has also proposed that large rallies in Central Delhi, those expected to attract more than 10,000 people, require a no-objection certificate from the Delhi Police, the CTI and the market association concerned.

It wants traffic and parking plans to be drawn up and publicly disclosed before such events are granted permission.

The five demands, the organisation said, are aimed at limiting disruption to commercial activity while setting clearer conditions for demonstrations in the capital.