Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 24: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday categorically denied media reports claiming that the Supreme Court had refused to hear a petition concerning the alleged police action against students during the recent 'Sansad Chalo' protest, clarifying that no writ petition had been filed before the apex court.
Addressing the issue in open court, CJI Kant said the reports were factually incorrect and stemmed from a misunderstanding, as only a letter representation had been submitted to the court rather than a formally instituted petition.
He stated that the Supreme Court Registry had confirmed that no petition had been filed until 10 a.m. on Friday.
“Over the last two days, false reports have circulated claiming that I refused to list a matter. No writ petition was filed before the court. There was only a representation. How can a representation be treated as a writ petition? Such reckless reporting is completely unwarranted,” the CJI observed.
He further said he personally verified the records with the Registry before making the clarification and criticised inaccurate media reports suggesting that the Supreme Court had declined to hear the matter.
The clarification follows reports that emerged after the Supreme Court declined to take suo motu cognisance of a letter seeking judicial intervention over the alleged use of excessive force by Delhi Police during protests against the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and demands for reforms in the examination system.
Earlier this week, when a lawyer sought an urgent hearing alleging police excesses against protesting students, the Bench headed by CJI Surya Kant had remarked, “Please don't waste our time and don't waste yours. Your time is more valuable than ours.”
The counsel had argued that students were protesting for a fair examination process and pressing for reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA), including its dissolution following repeated allegations of examination paper leaks.
When the lawyer referred to videos purportedly showing police action against protesters, the Bench, which also included Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, declined to examine them at that stage, stating, “We are not interested in videos. We don't have time to watch,” before refusing an urgent listing.
The letter representation, submitted by advocate Narendra Mishra, had urged the Supreme Court to invoke its suo motu jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution, alleging violations of the fundamental rights of students during the handling of the protest.
It also sought an independent investigation into allegations that unidentified individuals in civilian clothes assaulted peaceful demonstrators in the presence of police personnel. Additionally, it requested directions to preserve all electronic evidence related to the incident, including drone footage, body-camera recordings, wireless communication logs and social media videos.
Meanwhile, the Central government reiterated its commitment to addressing concerns surrounding the NEET controversy and strengthening the examination system.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said he, along with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, met social activist Sonam Wangchuk at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram and assured him that the government would take constructive steps to address the issues raised by protesting students. Following the meeting, Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike.
The Centre has also indicated that Parliament will hold a detailed discussion on paper leak incidents and examination reforms. It has expressed a positive approach towards not initiating legal proceedings against peaceful protesters who participated in demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and the July 20 march to Parliament. The government is also considering providing compensation to families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy.