Delhi Police has asked the Union Home Ministry to extend the deployment of 273 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in the national capital until October 20, warning that intelligence inputs point to the possibility of prolonged protests and law-and-order challenges across the city.
The request was made in a letter dated October 12, 2026, sent by the Office of the Special Commissioner of Police, Operations, Delhi, to the Joint Secretary of the Police-II Division in the Ministry of Home Affairs, News18 reported on Tuesday morning. The letter asks that the deployment be extended beyond the existing deadline of October 12 so the capital keeps adequate force strength for rapid response.
It is important to be clear about one thing: the letter records a request. It does not establish whether the Home Ministry has approved it.
What the letter says: Delhi Police CAPF extension request in numbers
According to the letter, the Home Ministry had provided Delhi Police with 301 CAPF companies until October 12. Of these, 221 companies were sanctioned under a ministry communication dated October 6, while another 80 companies were approved on October 8.
Delhi Police is now asking to retain 273 of those 301 companies for eight more days, until October 20, to manage any potential escalation in protests.
The letter also reveals a gap in the deployment. Of the 80 additional companies sanctioned on October 8, 28 had still not reported to Delhi Police as of October 12. News18's headline puts that figure at roughly 2,800 personnel yet to arrive.
Why Delhi Police fears prolonged protests
The letter points to intelligence inputs suggesting further escalation in marches and protests by activists associated with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other organisations. The agitation is linked to demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls — the same dispute that led opposition leaders to march to the Supreme Court and file a joint petition on Monday.
The possible targets listed in the letter read like a map of central Delhi's most sensitive sites: Jantar Mantar and the Election Commission of India headquarters, Parliament House, India Gate, and the offices and residences of ministers. Delhi Police warned that protesters could assemble in large numbers at these locations, creating serious law-and-order challenges.
The letter also flags the possibility of participation by activists from other political groups, including the Bhim Army and student unions, along with demonstrations by groups it describes as anti-social elements.
One of the largest Delhi force build-ups since 2020
The numbers behind this deployment underline how seriously the authorities are taking the situation. The Hindustan Times reported on Monday that the additional deployment took the total number of CAPF companies in Delhi to around 221, including 111 already stationed in the city. Of the 110 additional companies drawn from across the country — including Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal — 85 were from the Central Reserve Police Force, 10 from the Sashastra Seema Bal, seven from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and one from the Central Industrial Security Force.
Each company has a sanctioned strength of 120 to 130 personnel, of whom around 75 to 80 are generally deployed on the ground.
The Hindustan Times noted that the scale of the deployment is among the largest in the capital since February 2020, when the city was gripped by the Assembly elections, then-US President Donald Trump's visit and the northeast Delhi riots.
Separately, ETV Bharat reported on Monday evening that the Centre had decided to retain around 221 CAPF companies — roughly 26,000 personnel — for 30 more days, citing the security situation and the upcoming festival season. That decision, described as one of the largest central-force mobilisations for protest duties in recent years, came out of a review meeting in the Home Ministry.
The timing is worth noting. The Delhi Police letter of October 12 goes further than that Monday decision in one respect: it seeks a specific, written extension of a defined number of companies until a defined date — October 20.
CJP signals it is not done yet
The INDIA bloc's march and court filing may have cooled one part of the agitation, but the CJP appears ready to return. The Daily Jagran reported that CJP members Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das went to the Parliament Street police station on Monday and sought a fresh date for a peaceful protest. They warned that if no permission is granted within 24 hours, the party would hold another massive peaceful demonstration.
The Delhi Police letter itself refers to statements attributed to prominent CJP members indicating that the government should be prepared for a prolonged agitation. The force told the Home Ministry that maintaining sufficient CAPF strength alongside its own personnel was essential to enable rapid deployment at short notice and respond to emerging security requirements.
Why it matters
This is no longer just a protest story; it is a test of how long India's capital can sustain a security posture normally reserved for elections or major events. Keeping roughly 27,000 additional paramilitary personnel in Delhi comes with real costs — in logistics, fatigue and public inconvenience — and the decision signals that the government expects the SIR agitation to continue well past the festive season's start.
The letter also shows where the battle lines are drawn. Jantar Mantar, denotified as a protest site earlier this week, remains the symbolic heart of the agitation, but the police are equally worried about the Election Commission's headquarters, Parliament House and India Gate. The mention of ministers' offices and residences widens the security perimeter considerably.
What happens next
Three things will shape the coming days. First, the Home Ministry's response to the October 12 letter — whether it approves the October 20 extension, modifies it or asks for a review. Second, the Supreme Court's hearings on Tuesday on petitions connected to the Delhi protests, including the closure of metro stations, which could change the legal landscape for demonstrators. Third, the CJP's 24-hour deadline at the Parliament Street police station, which could bring protesters back onto the streets even before the courts rule.
If the protests intensify, the government has already indicated it may send further reinforcements. If they fade, Delhi Police will face questions about why such a massive deployment was needed at all. Either way, the national capital is bracing for a week that will test both its security apparatus and the protesters' staying power.
Key Takeaways
- Delhi Police wrote to the Home Ministry on October 12 seeking an extension of 273 of the 301 CAPF companies in the capital until October 20.
- The letter cites intelligence inputs warning of escalating protests by CJP activists and other groups demanding the Election Commissioner's resignation.
- Named flashpoints include Jantar Mantar, the ECI headquarters, Parliament House, India Gate and ministers' offices and residences.
- 28 of the 80 additional companies sanctioned on October 8 had not reported as of October 12.
- The current build-up is among Delhi's largest since February 2020, with around 26,000 central personnel on the ground.
- The letter records a request, not an approval — the Home Ministry's decision is still awaited.
FAQs
Why does Delhi Police want to extend the CAPF deployment?
Delhi Police cited intelligence inputs suggesting that protests linked to demands for the Election Commissioner's resignation could escalate. The letter warns of possible large gatherings at sensitive sites including Jantar Mantar, the ECI headquarters, Parliament House and India Gate, requiring rapid-response capability.
How many CAPF companies are currently deployed in Delhi?
The Home Ministry provided 301 CAPF companies until October 12 — 221 sanctioned on October 6 and 80 more on October 8. Separately, the Hindustan Times put the total at around 221 companies including 111 already stationed in the city. Each company has a sanctioned strength of 120 to 130 personnel.
Has the Home Ministry approved the extension until October 20?
Not yet, as far as the reporting goes. The News18 report is explicit that the October 12 letter records a request and does not establish approval. On October 12, the Centre separately extended around 110 companies "until further orders" and decided to retain about 221 companies for 30 days.
What is the SIR protest about?
The agitation concerns the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Cockroach Janta Party led days of protests in Delhi, and on Monday the INDIA bloc marched to the Supreme Court and filed a joint petition challenging the Election Commission.
Which groups might join future protests?
Besides the CJP, the Delhi Police letter mentions possible participation by activists from other political groups and organisations, including the Bhim Army and student unions, along with what it calls anti-social elements.
Is this the largest CAPF deployment in Delhi in recent years?
The Hindustan Times described it as among the largest since February 2020, when Delhi saw the Assembly elections, then-US President Donald Trump's visit and the northeast Delhi riots. ETV Bharat called it one of the largest central-force mobilisations for protest duties in recent years.
What happens if protests escalate further?
People aware of the matter told the Hindustan Times that the government may deploy further reinforcements if the law-and-order situation deteriorates. Key dates ahead include the Supreme Court hearings on Tuesday and the CJP's renewed protest threat at the Parliament Street police station.
Sources
- News18 (CNN-News18), October 13, 2026 — "Delhi Police Seeks Extension Of 27,000 CAPF Jawans Amid Fears Of Prolonged Protests; 2,800 Troops Yet To Report": news18.com
- Hindustan Times, October 12, 2026 — "11,000 CAPF personnel to stay on in Delhi as deployment extended": hindustantimes.com
- Moneycontrol, October 13, 2026 — "Delhi Police seeks extension of 273 CAPF companies till Oct 20" (citing CNN-News18): moneycontrol.com
- ETV Bharat, October 12, 2026 — "Centre To Retain 221 Companies Of CAPF For Next 30 Days In National Capital": etvbharat.com
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Byline: GlobalDeskNews Staff