CJI Refutes 'Reckless' Media Reports, Says No Petition Filed on Protest Police Action
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday dismissed media reports that he had denied an urgent hearing on a plea challenging the July 20 police action against protestors, clarifying that no such petition was filed.
Addressing lawyers during urgent mentioning of cases, the CJI stated that the matter was only a representation sent by an advocate, not a formal writ petition. He described the media coverage as 'reckless' and lacking responsibility.
'In the last two days, a completely false statement was made that a matter was filed, and the media is absolutely free from all responsibility and falsely reporting that the Chief Justice refused to list the matter,' the CJI said.
On July 22, a lawyer had sought an urgent hearing regarding the police action against students during a protest march in New Delhi on July 20. The lawyer claimed to have video evidence of police brutality and requested the court to list the matter. The CJI declined the request, stating that the bench was not inclined to examine video footage at the mentioning stage.
'We are not interested in videos, we don't have time to watch... We don't want to watch videos,' the CJI had said. When the counsel reiterated the allegations, the CJI added, 'Don't waste our time. We don't want to watch any videos.'
The protest, led by a group called the Cockroach Janta Party, saw clashes between demonstrators and security personnel. Police used lathis and tear gas to disperse the crowd as they attempted to march towards Parliament. The protestors were demanding the resignation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET exam leak issue.
The CJI's remarks highlight the importance of proper legal procedures and the distinction between a representation and a petition. No further hearing on the matter has been scheduled.
