The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on July 27 two petitions alleging excessive use of force by police against students during protests over examination paper leaks at Jantar Mantar and other locations across the country.
The matter was mentioned before a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who sought urgent listing of the petitions.
Sankaranarayanan informed the court that the petitions relate to incidents of alleged police violence against students participating in demonstrations and involve multiple states as parties. He said the matters had not been mentioned earlier because they were awaiting diary numbers.
Highlighting the urgency of the issue, the senior counsel submitted that reports of police excesses against student protesters were continuing and required immediate judicial intervention.
“The police is using excessive force against children. It is continuing unabated. Some controls are necessary. The Court stands between us and the police,” Sankaranarayanan told the Bench while seeking an early hearing.
Taking note of the submissions, the Chief Justice agreed to entertain the petitions and directed that they be listed for hearing on Monday, July 27.
“Let it be listed; we will entertain,” the CJI said.
The petitions arise in the backdrop of the July 20 Parliament march organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), following weeks of protests and a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar over alleged examination paper leaks and demands for reforms in the examination system. Thousands of students participated in the march and attempted to proceed towards Parliament, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and greater accountability over the alleged leaks. As protesters tried to cross police barricades in central Delhi, security personnel used tear gas shells and carried out a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. Several videos circulated on social media purportedly showed protesters being manhandled by police, drawing criticism from various quarters.
The Delhi Police, however, defended its action, stating that force was used only after sections of the crowd allegedly turned violent and resorted to stone-pelting during the protest. Police maintained that necessary measures were taken to restore law and order.
The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the petitions is expected to bring judicial scrutiny to the allegations of police excesses during the demonstrations. The Bench will consider the pleas on July 27, when it is likely to examine the allegations raised by the petitioners as well as the response of the authorities.
