Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 22: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant an urgent hearing to a petition alleging police excesses against students during the CJP-led 'Sansad Chalo' protest in the national capital. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant observed that the matter did not warrant immediate listing and advised the petitioner's counsel against consuming the court's valuable time.
A Bench comprising CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana was hearing an oral request for urgent listing when the petitioner's lawyer claimed that students protesting at Jantar Mantar had been subjected to police brutality.
Responding to the request, the Chief Justice remarked, "Please don't waste our time and don't waste yours. Your time is more valuable than ours."
The counsel argued that the demonstration focused on significant public concerns, including ensuring transparency in the NEET examination process and demanding structural reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA), with some protesters calling for its dissolution following repeated allegations of examination paper leaks.
However, the Bench declined to entertain the submissions further. When the lawyer referred to videos allegedly showing police excesses and requested an urgent hearing, the Chief Justice stated that the court was not interested in viewing such footage and refused to accord priority to the plea.
The petition stems from the events surrounding the 'Sansad Chalo' march, where students and other demonstrators attempted to move from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament. Delhi Police had erected barricades and imposed restrictions to prevent the march from proceeding beyond the designated protest area.
Following the demonstration, police registered multiple FIRs across central Delhi in connection with various incidents linked to the protest and law-and-order management.
According to Delhi Police, four FIRs were filed at Parliament Street Police Station, three at Connaught Place Police Station, and one each at Mandir Marg, Barakhamba Road and Kartavya Path police stations. Authorities said investigations into all the cases are currently in progress.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police rejected social media claims alleging stone-pelting and excessive police action, describing the circulating videos as misleading and inaccurate. In a post on X, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) appealed to the public not to circulate unverified content and urged people to rely solely on official sources for authentic information.
The incident also drew reactions from legal bodies. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) separately expressed concern over the alleged use of force against students and lawyers.
In a resolution adopted on Wednesday, the SCBA condemned the reported lathi charge, demanded a prompt, impartial and time-bound inquiry into the incident, and called for immediate medical treatment for those who were injured.
SCAORA, in its statement, reiterated that the right to peaceful protest is protected under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution. Citing established Supreme Court rulings, it said any restriction on peaceful assemblies must satisfy the constitutional principles of legality, necessity and proportionality. The association also urged an independent and unbiased investigation into allegations of excessive use of force during the protest.