Supreme Court Refuses Urgent Hearing on Police Action Against Student Protesters
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined an urgent request to take suo motu cognisance of alleged police action against students participating in a protest march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in New Delhi. A bench led by Chief Justice of India declined to examine video footage or entertain the plea at the mentioning stage, stating, "Don't waste our time and yours."
The petition, filed by lawyer Narendra Mishra, sought the court's intervention over what it termed "police brutality" during the July 18 march. Thousands of students had gathered to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing irregularities in major examinations. Police used batons and riot gear to disperse protesters near Parliament, leading to injuries and allegations of excessive force.
The Chief Justice made clear that the bench was not inclined to review video evidence at this stage. "We are not interested in videos, we don't have time to watch... We don't want to watch videos," he said.
The plea alleged violations of fundamental rights and non-compliance with earlier court judgments concerning peaceful protests. It called for an independent judicial inquiry and registration of FIRs against Delhi Police officials. The petitioner argued that the police action had a chilling effect on democratic dissent.
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court had also refused to urgently list a related petition, with a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia telling the petitioner, "Don't drag the court into all this." The High Court scheduled the matter for hearing on Wednesday.
The protest had been ongoing since June 28, initiated by activist Sonam Wangchuk and others at Jantar Mantar, demanding reforms in the education system and action over alleged NEET paper leaks. According to the petition, the protest remained peaceful until July 18, when police entered the site on the 21st day of a hunger strike. Official statements said Wangchuk was moved to Safdarjung Hospital for medical reasons, but the petition alleges that the protest site was cleared and protesters were removed and detained against their will.
The petition contends that the police action raises serious constitutional questions about the limits of police powers in dispersing peaceful assemblies. It stresses that the plea is not for any individual but to protect constitutional freedoms available to every citizen. Among its key prayers, it seeks an independent and time-bound inquiry into the events of July 18, particularly the alleged use of force.
