Supreme Court Declines Immediate Hearing on Police Action Against CJP Protesters

Chief Justice Responds to Police Action at Jantar Mantar

On Wednesday, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) addressed the police's actions against protesters from the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, urging the petitioners not to waste the court's time. During the hearing regarding the petition challenging police conduct against student demonstrators, the CJI remarked, "Do not waste our time." When the lawyer mentioned the existence of videos showcasing police excesses, the CJI responded, "We are not interested in videos. We do not have time to watch them."

Supreme Court Refuses Immediate Hearing

The Supreme Court also declined to conduct an immediate hearing on the petition challenging police actions against students during the CJP protests in Delhi. The lawyer argued that the students were raising significant issues, such as the proper conduct of the NEET examination and the need for reforms in the National Testing Agency. In response, the CJI expressed gratitude for the lawyer's comments. Similarly, the Delhi High Court had previously refused to hear a related case immediately, stating, "Do not drag the court into this." However, reports indicate that the court will hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on Wednesday, which calls for an independent investigation into police actions during climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar and seeks to protect citizens' constitutional rights to peaceful protest.

Delhi High Court Petition: Excessive Police Action Against Protesters

A petition filed in the Delhi High Court alleges that the police's actions against the protesters were excessive and calls for judicial intervention. It is anticipated that the court will consider the allegations and requested reliefs during the hearing on Wednesday. This development comes amid ongoing legal cases related to the protests at Jantar Mantar. A separate PIL filed by CPI(M) leader Aishi Ghosh is also under review by the Delhi High Court, investigating claims that the Delhi police monitored protesters through videography at the protest site. During the hearing of that case, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta defended the police's actions, asserting that the videography at Jantar Mantar was solely for maintaining law and order, not for monitoring the protesters.