Delhi Police Act, 1978 | Section 30

Section 30 Delhi Police Act: Power to Prohibit Certain Acts for Prevention of Disorder

Section 30 authorises the Commissioner of Police to issue specified prohibitions for public peace, public safety and public order in Delhi. It addresses weapons and other potentially dangerous articles, certain public activities, and assemblies or processions, subject to statutory conditions and time limits.

Key point: Section 30 does not itself impose a blanket ban on all gatherings. The scope and duration of a particular restriction depend on the notification issued under the relevant subsection.

Section 30: Statutory provisions

The following reproduces the substance and wording of Section 30 of the Delhi Police Act, 1978, arranged for easier reading. Consult the official Act for authoritative text.

Section 30(1): Prohibitions for public peace or safety

(1) The Commissioner of Police may, whenever and for such time as he shall consider necessary for the preservation of public peace or public safety, by notification publicly promulgated or addressed to individuals, prohibit, in relation to the whole of Delhi or any part thereof,-

(a) the carrying of arms, cudgels, swords, spears, bludgeons, guns, knives, sticks or lathis, or any other article, which is capable of being used for causing physical violence;
(b) the carrying of any corrosive substance or explosives;
(c) the carrying, collection or preparation of stones or other missiles or instruments or means of casting or impelling missiles;
(d) the exhibition of persons or corpses;
(e) the public utterance of cries, singing of songs or playing of music; or
(f) the delivery of harangues, the use of gestures or mimetic representations, and the preparation, exhibition or dissemination of pictures, symbols, placards or any other subject or thing which may, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Police, offend against decency or morality or undermine the security of the State.

Section 30(2): Seizure of prohibited articles

(2) If any person goes armed with any such article as is referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (1) or carries any corrosive substance or explosive or missile or instrument in contravention of any prohibition under that sub-section, the article, corrosive substance or explosive or missile shall be liable to be seized from him by any police officer.

Section 30(3): Assemblies and processions

(3) The Commissioner of Police may, by notification publicly promulgated, prohibit any assembly or procession whenever and for such time as he considers such prohibition to be necessary for the preservation of the public order.

Section 30(4): Duration and extension

(4) No notification promulgated under sub-section (3) shall remain in force for more than fifteen days from the promulgation thereof:

Provided that if the Administrator considers it necessary so to do for the preservation of the public order, he may, by order published in the Official Gazette, direct that such notification shall remain in force for such further period not exceeding six months from the date on which it would have, but for such order, expired as he may specify in the said order.

Meaning of Section 30: What powers does it confer?

1. Prohibitions on specified articles and conduct

Under Section 30(1)(a)-(f), the Commissioner may restrict the carrying of weapons or dangerous articles, corrosive substances, explosives and missiles, as well as the specified displays, utterances and communications, where the statutory public peace or public safety requirement is met. A notification can cover all Delhi, a defined part of Delhi, or be addressed to individuals.

2. Police seizure powers

Section 30(2) provides for seizure by a police officer of the specified articles when carried in breach of a prohibition under Section 30(1). The subsection does not confer a general power to confiscate every item possessed at a public gathering.

3. Restrictions on assemblies and processions

Section 30(3) permits a publicly promulgated notification prohibiting an assembly or procession when necessary for preservation of public order. It should be distinguished from Section 29, which concerns directions governing the conduct and routes of processions and assemblies, and from Section 28, which authorises regulations on traffic and public places.

4. Constitutional and legal limits

Orders made under Section 30 remain subject to applicable law and constitutional protections, including freedom of speech and peaceful assembly under Article 19 of the Constitution of India, subject to constitutionally permitted restrictions. Whether a particular order is valid depends on its legal basis, necessity, scope, duration and the surrounding facts.

How long can a Section 30 prohibition remain in force?

The express 15-day limit in Section 30(4) applies to notifications prohibiting assemblies or processions under Section 30(3). It should not automatically be read as a universal 15-day limit on every notification under Section 30(1).

The Administrator may extend a Section 30(3) notification through an order published in the Official Gazette for a further period of up to six months from the date the original notification would otherwise expire. An extension is not automatic and must satisfy the statutory conditions.

Practical considerations for residents and organisers

To understand whether an activity is restricted, check the actual police notification: its issuing authority, statutory subsection, geographical coverage, prohibited conduct, commencement date, expiry date and any Gazette-published extension. A news report about a prohibition is not a substitute for the operative order.

Organisers of public meetings and processions should also consider any applicable directions under Section 29 and regulations under Section 28. Alleged violations may attract consequences under other provisions, including Section 113 of the Delhi Police Act, depending on the facts and the applicable order.

Frequently asked questions

Who can issue a prohibition under Section 30?

The Commissioner of Police may issue a prohibition under Section 30, subject to its statutory conditions.

How long can an assembly or procession ban last?

A notification under Section 30(3) ordinarily lasts no longer than 15 days. The Administrator may extend it by an Official Gazette order for a further period not exceeding six months from its original expiry.

Can police seize weapons carried in breach of a Section 30 order?

Section 30(2) permits seizure of specified articles carried in contravention of a prohibition under Section 30(1).

Does Section 30 automatically prohibit all public gatherings?

No. A prohibition depends on a relevant notification under Section 30(3), its geographic scope and its validity period.

Official legal sources and further reading

Legal information updated for editorial clarity on 19 October 2026. Check current notifications, subsequent amendments and applicable court decisions before relying on a particular prohibition.