‘Don’t Waste Our Time’: Supreme Court Rebuffs Lawyer on NEET Protests
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a lawyer’s attempt to bring the ongoing Delhi protests over alleged NEET paper leaks to its attention. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant told the lawyer not to waste the court’s time, refusing to view videos of the demonstrations.
The lawyer, appearing before a three-judge bench led by the Chief Justice, said: “The protest is already going on at Jantar Mantar. The police are already taking brutal actions, using tear gas.” He urged the court to take note of the situation.
“Don’t waste our time and your time. Your time is more valuable than ours,” the Chief Justice responded, indicating that the matter was not on the judicial side and could not be raised in that manner.
The exchange took place during a hearing related to the NEET-UG exam controversy. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) for medical admissions has been marred by allegations of paper leaks in several states, leading to widespread protests by students and parents. The central government has ordered a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities, and the Supreme Court is already hearing petitions related to the conduct of the exam.
On June 20, the court had directed the CBI to file a status report on its investigation and listed the matter for further hearing. The protests at Jantar Mantar have been ongoing, with demonstrators demanding a thorough investigation and cancellation of the exam.
The lawyer’s attempt to raise the protest issue was not part of the listed matters, leading to the Chief Justice’s remark. The bench did not entertain any further submissions on the protests.
The Supreme Court has consistently maintained that it will hear only those matters that are properly brought before it through the usual judicial process. The Chief Justice’s comment underscores the court’s focus on its own procedures and the need for lawyers to adhere to them.
The NEET-UG paper leak allegations have sparked political debate, with opposition parties demanding a parliamentary inquiry and the resignation of the Education Minister. The government has defended its handling of the exam and assured that the investigation will be fair.
