New Delhi, October 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
BJP MP from Chandni Chowk and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal on Sunday expressed concern over the growing impact of ongoing protests in Delhi on traders and businesses, warning that disruptions could put commercial transactions worth up to Rs 4,000 crore at risk over 10 days.
Khandelwal said business activity worth more than Rs 400 crore could be affected daily if the disruptions continue, with the cumulative impact potentially approaching Rs 4,000 crore over the period.
The warning comes as the Congress-led INDIA bloc, Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), student activists and other groups organise separate protests in the national capital against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Review (SIR) procedure for electoral rolls.
Security restrictions have been imposed at several locations amid the demonstrations, while market closures and road blockades have disrupted movement and commercial activity. The situation has raised concerns among traders as the country enters one of its busiest business periods of the year.
Khandelwal said Delhi’s estimated average daily business turnover of around Rs 2,200 crore makes its commercial ecosystem particularly vulnerable to prolonged disruptions. According to his estimates, a 10 per cent decline in business activity would put transactions worth Rs 220 crore at risk each day. The figure would rise to Rs 330 crore with a 15 per cent decline and Rs 440 crore with a 20 per cent decline.
“Based on these indicative estimates, the potential impact over ten days could approach Rs 4,000 crore if disruptions persist at the higher end of this range,” he said, clarifying that the figures represent an estimate of business activity at risk and not a verified accounting of actual losses.
Highlighting the constitutional dimensions of the issue, Khandelwal said Article 19(1)(a) protects freedom of speech and expression, while Article 19(1)(b) guarantees the right to assemble peacefully and without arms. He added that Article 19(1)(g) protects the right to practise a profession or carry on an occupation, trade or business, subject to reasonable restrictions permitted by the Constitution.
The CAIT Secretary General said democratic rights must coexist with the rights and legitimate interests of other citizens.
“The exercise of one fundamental right should not be viewed in isolation from its impact on the lawful activities, economic security and livelihoods of others. The objective should be to preserve the right to peaceful democratic expression while ensuring that ordinary citizens, traders, employees and workers are not made to bear an avoidable economic burden,” he said.
Khandelwal observed that the economic consequences of protests can extend well beyond the locations where demonstrations take place. Traffic congestion, reduced customer footfall, disrupted transportation and logistics, and restricted access to markets have shortened business hours and delayed the movement of goods, affecting Delhi’s interconnected commercial network, he said.
Small traders and businesses are particularly vulnerable because they must continue meeting fixed expenses even when sales decline, including shop rentals, employee salaries, electricity bills, loan instalments and other operating costs.
“Business lost during critical trading days cannot necessarily be recovered later, making prolonged disruptions particularly damaging during the festive and wedding season,” he said.
Khandelwal added that the impact extends beyond retail and wholesale trade to transporters, logistics operators, warehouses, restaurants, hotels, street vendors, delivery services and other ancillary businesses. Reduced activity in these sectors, he said, threatens employment, daily earnings and the livelihoods of people who depend directly or indirectly on Delhi’s commercial economy.
Emphasising the importance of the trading calendar, he said October to January is among the most crucial periods for India’s trading community, covering major festivals, wedding-related purchases and increased consumer spending.
“Disruptions during these months can have consequences extending well beyond individual markets, affecting seasonal incomes, employment, business confidence and the broader economic cycle,” he said.
Khandelwal said Delhi is one of India’s key centres for wholesale distribution, retail trade and commercial activity, with markets connecting manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers across the country. Prolonged disruptions in the capital could therefore affect supply chains, commercial transactions and livelihoods beyond the city, he added.
The CAIT Secretary General urged all concerned to ensure that democratic expression does not unnecessarily disrupt normal public life and economic activity, particularly during the crucial trading season. He called for a balanced approach that respects peaceful protest while safeguarding access to markets, the movement of goods and citizens’ ability to earn their livelihoods.
“The right to protest and the right to trade are both integral to a functioning democracy. Protecting one should not mean disregarding the other. The larger public interest demands a responsible approach in which democratic expression, the rule of law, economic activity and the livelihood of millions of people are all duly respected,” Khandelwal added.
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