Supreme Court to hear plea on police action against students on Monday

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on July 27 a plea alleging police excesses against students protesting at Jantar Mantar. The matter was mentioned before a three-member bench headed by CJI Surya Kant.

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan submitted that a petition had been filed. "There is urgency. Police excess is going against students. Something has to be done... the court is standing in between," the senior lawyer submitted. Speaking for the bench, CJI Kant said that the bench will take up the plea on Monday.

Earlier in the day, CJI Kant took exception to what he described as "false reporting" by media over his recent remarks made in connection with a mentioning made by a lawyer earlier this week about the protests led by CJP in Delhi. "What I never said was thrust upon me," CJI Kant remarked. Elaborating, he added that on Wednesday a lawyer mentioned the case. "It was only a representation and people started recklessly reporting it. I checked with registry. Not a paper was filed... only a mentioning was made before me. Till today no petition has been filed. Can an application sent to Registrar General be taken up for hearing?" CJI Kant remarked.


In an unrelated development, the SC passed an interim order prohibiting the unauthorised use or circulation of live-streamed court proceedings on social media and other digital platforms without prior permission. The SC made it clear that the order will not affect news reporting. "This is not a gag order on the press," the bench comprising CJI Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana clarified.