New Delhi, July 23 — Delhi Police on Thursday dismissed reports suggesting that it had been granted powers under the National Security Act (NSA) to detain protesters participating in ongoing demonstrations over exam paper leaks in the national capital, clarifying that the order is a routine administrative renewal that has been in force for years.
Significantly, the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi had issued an order on July 15, under Section 3(3) of the National Security Act (NSA), 1980. The order empowered the Delhi Police Commissioner to exercise powers under the NSA from July 19, 2026, to October 18, 2026.
This means that during this period, the Delhi Police Commissioner can, under Section 3(2) of the NSA, issue preventive detention orders against individuals if deemed necessary in the interest of national security or public order.
The Delhi Police have clarified that this is not a new order. It has been in effect for a long time and is renewed every three months as part of the standard administrative process, officials said.
An official statement said that several media houses have reported that, to quell the protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, has been granted powers of detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
"In this regard, 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 07.07.2026 for the period 19.07.2026 to 18.10.2026, well before the commencement of the CJP protests," the statement read.
Further, the Delhi Police clarified that no specific request was made in the present context of the agitation in the national capital.
The force reiterated that the renewal of the NSA order is a routine administrative exercise and has been interpreted out of context by certain media reports.
Delhi Police came under fire after many protestors were lathi-charged and tear-gassed during the 'Sansad Chalo' march on July 20. The Cockroach Janta Party claimed that several people were badly injured and left bleeding after the action by the security forces.
The police force, on the other hand, accused the protesters of displaying "unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour".
It claimed that several personnel were attacked with stones by the agitators and police vehicles were vandalised. The force said 118 police personnel were injured during the violent protest, including senior officers.