Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has said the Supreme Court remains accessible to every citizen, seeking to reassure young protesters that legitimate grievances will be considered within the constitutional and legal framework.
The assurance came on Friday as the court agreed to hear a petition alleging excessive police action against students and other demonstrators at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. A three-judge bench headed by the CJI scheduled the matter for Monday, July 27, after being informed that the petition had been formally filed and assigned a diary number.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan told the bench that the case required urgent consideration because allegations of police excesses against students raised questions about the protection of peaceful protest and fundamental rights. The bench, which also included Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, agreed to take up the petition.
The intervention follows controversy over courtroom exchanges on Wednesday, when a lawyer attempted to raise allegations of brutality during the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” mobilisation. The CJI said on Friday that reports claiming he had refused to list a properly filed petition were incorrect because no case papers had been lodged with the Supreme Court registry at that stage.
He said the earlier approach had amounted only to an oral representation. The distinction between informally mentioning an issue and seeking the listing of a registered petition became central to the court’s clarification.
The petition now before the court seeks directions against the alleged excessive use of force and arbitrary restrictions on peaceful assemblies. It concerns the police response to protesters who gathered at Jantar Mantar before attempting to march towards Parliament, despite authorities saying permission had not been granted for the procession.
Police erected barricades and imposed movement restrictions around the protest zone. Confrontations followed as demonstrators tried to proceed beyond the designated site. Protest organisers alleged baton charges, tear gas use and physical attacks on students, including women. Police maintained that force was used after sections of the gathering breached barricades and defied security instructions.
The agitation has been driven largely by students demanding accountability for examination paper leaks, recruitment irregularities and failures in the administration of national entrance tests. Protesters have called for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and structural changes to institutions responsible for conducting examinations.
The Cockroach Janta Party, a youth-led movement that emerged from online satire and anger over unemployment and examination failures, has become a prominent organising force. Founder Abhijeet Dipke and other campaigners have sought to present the mobilisation as a non-violent campaign for educational reform, transparency and justice for affected candidates.
The protests gathered further momentum after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the campaign and began a hunger strike. He was later removed from the Jantar Mantar site and admitted to hospital after authorities cited concerns about his health. Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike at Medanta Hospital late on Thursday.
The July 20 action drew opposition leaders, civil society groups and student organisations into the campaign. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among political figures associated with demonstrations supporting the students. Several participants were detained as police attempted to prevent the march from reaching Parliament.
Reports of injuries and videos showing confrontations triggered criticism from lawyers’ associations and rights groups. The Supreme Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association called for an impartial examination of the allegations, describing the use of force shown in circulated footage as disproportionate.
The Delhi High Court is separately examining a petition concerning police conduct and has sought a response from the authorities. Another plea asking for investigations by the National Investigation Agency and the Central Bureau of Investigation into the protesters’ actions was not entertained, with the High Court noting that the competent authorities were already aware of the events.
The Supreme Court proceedings on Monday are expected to focus on whether policing measures violated the protesters’ rights to peaceful assembly, expression and personal liberty. The court may also consider requests for safeguards against coercive action, medical assistance for injured demonstrators and an independent inquiry into the conduct of personnel deployed at the site.
