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Informist, Monday, Jul. 27, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – Amid recent protests in Delhi demanding resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Supreme Court Monday observed that there cannot be police excess, lathi charge, or violent attempt on protestors merely because there is agitation in the protest. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the right to peaceful and lawful protest is absolutely guaranteed under the Indian Constitution, and it cannot be denied merely because of agitation. 

 

Injury to individuals, be it policemen or students, is of equal concern, said the bench, also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana. The apex court said it will call upon the Centre to answer why adequate police was not there to handle such a thing. If there is a police excess committed, it should be independently examined, said the court. It's not only a case of Delhi, it said, adding that uniformity in protocol is required. 

 

There should be a protocol for protest in place, said the top court. There should be proper space for protest and no restriction, it said. But, if there are some anti-social elements, they can be taken care of by the authorities, said the court. Self-evolved discipline is needed, which is essential to democratic process, it said. The Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday pleas alleging excessive use of force by the Delhi Police against protesters demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Undergraduates examination.

 

The petitioners had sought registration of first information reports against Delhi police officials and Central Armed Police Force personnel. The petitioners had specifically sought a probe into the incidents of Jul. 20, when a march by protestors to Parliament was statedly met with the use of tear gas and batons.

 

Last week, tens of thousands of protesters had taken over the streets of Lutyens's Delhi, demanding Pradhan's resignation. The protesters broke through police barricades to march on Parliament. According to reports, a crowd of 50,000 people, mostly young men and women, challenged the security forces at dozens of locations across the New Delhi police district. Police and anti-riot forces responded with batons, tear gas, and water cannons, injuring scores of protestors. Thereafter, the protest continued for the entire week with the protesters saying they would only stop after Pradhan quits.  

 

Saturday, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tendered his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers, accepting that irregularities were found in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduates 2026 conducted in May. He said protests at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar over the past 10 days had hurt him, and he hopes the students' cause and concerns are not used by anyone for political gains. "...deeply respect the aspirations, sentiments, and legitimate expectations of the country's youth. Realising the dreams of India's young generation has been a moral commitment in our political and social lives," he said in his resignation letter, which was posted on X. 

 

Following Pradhan's resignation, the Cockroach Janta Party Saturday said the central government had agreed to all its demands and announced the withdrawal of its agitation over the pre-medical entrance exam paper leak. The Cockroach Janata Party, founded by Abhijeet Dipke, had morphed into a political movement, protesting against systemic youth unemployment, the country's paper-leak-ridden education system, and judicial overreach, demanding accountability and structural reforms for Indian youth. The Cockroach Janata Party and Sonam Wangchuk, an activist, had given the call for a march to Parliament from Jantar Mantar on Jul. 20, the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Deepshikha Bhardwaj

 

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