SC to Hear Plea on 'Police Excesses' Against Students; Clarifies No Plea Related to CJP-Led Protests Filed

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on Monday (July 27) a plea concerning alleged police excesses against students protesting at Jantar Mantar.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana took note of the urgent mention made by Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan. The advocate informed the court that a petition had been filed with a diary number already generated and stressed the need for immediate intervention.

"We have filed a plea concerning the student protests. Diary number is generated. There is urgency. Police excess is going against students. Something has to be done... the Court is standing in between," Sankaranarayanan submitted. CJI Surya Kant responded, "We will hear on Monday."

Clarification on Earlier Media Reports

During the proceedings, CJI Surya Kant strongly dismissed media reports claiming he had denied an urgent hearing on a plea related to the July 20 police action. He clarified that no formal petition had been filed -- only a representation was received -- and described the reporting as “reckless.”

"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 observed. He added that till 10 a.m. that morning, not a single page of a petition had been filed.

On Wednesday, a lawyer had sought urgent listing of the matter citing videos of alleged police brutality during the protests. The CJI had declined, stating the Bench was not inclined to examine video footage at the mentioning stage.

About the Protests

The demonstrations at Jantar Mantar began last month on a call by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) to protest repeated national exam paper leaks and demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The movement gained significant attention after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk joined and undertook a hunger strike in solidarity. Wangchuk was removed from the site by Delhi Police due to deteriorating health and ended his 26-day fast at Medanta Hospital on July 23.

Tensions escalated when protesters attempted a “Sansad Chalo” march towards Parliament on July 20 without permission. Clashes broke out as large crowds gathered, leading to allegations of lathi charges and tear gas deployment by police against student protesters.

A related plea alleging police excesses is already pending before the Delhi High Court, which has sought a response from the government.

The Supreme Court’s decision to list the matter on Monday comes amid ongoing concerns over student safety and the handling of protests demanding accountability in the education system.