New Delhi, July 22: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to conduct an urgent hearing regarding a petition filed against alleged police action during the ‘Parliament Chalo’ march led by the CJP. Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud remarked to the petitioner’s lawyer, “Do not waste our time, nor yours. Your time is more valuable than ours.”
The case was mentioned before a bench comprising CJI Chandrachud, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohan. The lawyer representing the petitioners accused the police of brutality against students protesting at Jantar Mantar.
The lawyer highlighted critical issues raised by the students, including the fair conduct of the NEET examination, the need for reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA), and repeated allegations of paper leaks, calling for the NTA’s dissolution.
CJI Chandrachud interrupted the lawyer, saying, “Thank you very much,” as the lawyer reiterated the request for urgent hearing, citing the existence of videos documenting police actions. The CJI responded, “We have no interest in the videos. We do not have time to watch them.” Consequently, the court denied the request for an immediate hearing.
This case is linked to the ‘Parliament Chalo’ march organized by the CJP, where students and protesters attempted to march from Jantar Mantar toward Parliament. The Delhi police had set up barricades and imposed restrictions to prevent them from advancing beyond the designated protest area.
Following the protest, the Delhi police filed multiple FIRs across various police stations. According to police reports, four FIRs were registered at the Parliament Street police station, three at Connaught Place, and one each at Mandir Marg, Barakhamba Road, and Kartavya Path stations. Investigations into all cases are ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Delhi police have labeled videos circulating on social media regarding stone-pelting and alleged police actions as misleading and false. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for New Delhi appealed on X, urging the public not to share unverified videos and to rely solely on official sources.
Additionally, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) condemned the alleged excessive use of force against student protesters and lawyers.
In a resolution passed on Wednesday, the SCBA criticized the alleged “brutal lathi charge” on students and lawyers, demanding an immediate, fair, and timely investigation into the incident. They also called for proper medical assistance for the injured.
The SCAORA stated that peaceful protest is a right protected under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution. They referenced previous Supreme Court rulings, asserting that any restrictions on peaceful assembly must meet constitutional tests of legality, necessity, and proportionality, and called for an independent and fair investigation into the allegations of excessive force.
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