The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear two fresh petitions on July 27 regarding alleged police excesses during student protests linked to the NEET exam controversy. The decision comes after the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, clarified that no formal writ petition had previously been filed in the court over the July 20 crackdown on protesters in Delhi. The court’s bench, consisting of Justice Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana, accepted the petitions, which allege that security forces used excessive force against students demonstrating against alleged examination paper leaks and educational reforms. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan informed the bench that the petitions had been officially filed and assigned diary numbers. He emphasized the ongoing nature of the issue, stating that police continued to use excessive force against minors, urging the court to intervene. The CJI acknowledged the urgency and directed that the petitions be listed for hearing on July 27. This follows a previous clarification from the CJI, who refuted media reports suggesting the court had rejected pleas over the incident. The CJI stated that no petition had been filed until then, and that the court had only received representations, which are not equivalent to legal petitions. Earlier in the day, the CJI criticized misleading media reports that claimed the court had refused to entertain pleas regarding the July 20 police action. He noted that the registry confirmed no pages had been filed in the Supreme Court, and that the matter had been raised as a representation rather than a formal petition. The CJI expressed concern over the accuracy of such reports, emphasizing that the media bears responsibility for ensuring factual integrity. His remarks referred to Wednesday’s proceedings, where Advocate Narendra Mishra had sought suo motu cognisance of alleged police brutality during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led march. The bench had denied the request, noting that no petition had been filed and that it was not interested in videos unless accompanied by a formal petition. The CJP-led march on July 20, which followed weeks of protests and a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, saw thousands of demonstrators attempt to reach Parliament. They demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination paper leaks and calls for reform in the examination system. As protesters tried to cross multiple barricades, clashes erupted between demonstrators and security personnel, resulting in the use of lathis and tear gas to disperse the crowd. The situation escalated, leading to widespread concerns about the use of force by law enforcement. In response to the ongoing unrest, the Supreme Court has directed Delhi and all state governments to release all arrested or detained protesters under the age of 18 with no criminal records. The court has also ordered the preservation of all digital evidence, including CCTV footage, facial recognition data, and drone recordings. These materials, along with personal data of protesters, must remain confidential and not be disclosed publicly. The court emphasized the need for a fair and independent probe into all allegations of police excesses against NEET students, stressing that the law must address violations of established protocols. The court has also mandated that states provide responses by Monday regarding incidents of violence during the protests. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta defended the actions of the police, asserting that students generally do not engage in violence against law enforcement. However, he acknowledged that some individuals with criminal backgrounds, including those involved in murder, rape, and drug-related offenses, may have infiltrated the protests and contributed to the violence. The court has instructed that investigations be conducted to determine whether the attacks on 250 police personnel were carried out by students or by others. Justice Joymalya Bagchi cautioned against attributing violence to an entire movement, highlighting that there are always individuals who seek to discredit peaceful gatherings. The court has also directed that the findings of the inquiry should help establish a protocol for managing similar situations in the future. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has instructed that a Special Investigation Team may be formed to conduct a thorough and transparent probe into all incidents of violence during the protests. The team will be tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged police excesses and determining accountability.
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