Supreme Court Declines Jantar Mantar Plea
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined a lawyer’s request for urgent intervention over allegations of excessive police force against students during the Jantar Mantar protest in New Delhi.
Supreme Court Rejects Urgent Request
The matter was mentioned before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana. The lawyer sought an urgent listing and asked the court to take suo motu cognisance of the alleged police action.
Counsel told the bench that the petition contained three prayers and offered to present videos purportedly showing police personnel using force against protesters. The lawyer requested that the matter be listed for hearing on Thursday.
The Chief Justice declined to view the footage and told counsel not to waste the court’s time. The bench did not examine the videos or adjudicate the underlying allegations during the brief mentioning.
Jantar Mantar Protest Violence
The request concerned police action during the CJP-led “Sansad Chalo” march on Monday, when protesters attempted to move towards Parliament on the opening day of the Monsoon Session.
Participants were demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The demonstration escalated after sections of the crowd attempted to cross police barricades. Police used batons and tear gas to disperse protesters, while injuries were reported among both demonstrators and security personnel.
Plea Alleged Police Brutality
The proposed proceedings sought judicial intervention over claims that students were subjected to police brutality during the operation. However, the court’s refusal related to the request for immediate consideration and should not be treated as a ruling on whether the police action was lawful.
The Jantar Mantar agitation has continued despite Monday’s confrontation. Protest organisers maintain that their demands concerning examination integrity and accountability remain unresolved, while authorities have cited public order and security concerns surrounding marches towards Parliament.
