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Supreme Court to form panel on Jantar Mantar police excesses
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will form a high-powered committee, including a former Supreme Court judge and a former CBI director, to examine allegations of police excesses against student protesters during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march in Delhi. The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana indicated that an order constituting the committee will be issued on Wednesday after receiving suggestions from parties, reports The Assam Tribune.
The court also expressed its intention to quash FIRs against student protesters, stating it is a question of their future. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that cases against over 2,800 individuals with serious criminal antecedents, including murder and rape, cannot be quashed, LiveLaw reports. The court rejected a suggestion that students file affidavits of remorse, with Justice Bagchi calling it unnecessary.
Separately, the court sought responses from Meta and X on a plea against police posting photos and videos of accused persons on social media, which could prejudice fair trial rights. Bar and Bench reports that the court flagged the difficulty of regulating content in the digital ecosystem. The next hearing on the plea is pending.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Supreme Court's dual approach, quashing FIRs against students while probing police excesses, reflects a careful balance between protecting youth futures and addressing institutional accountability. LiveLaw's detailed reporting highlights the court's emphasis on the right to protest under Article 19, while The Assam Tribune underscores the identification of 'anti-social elements' by the police. The separate petition on police social media practices, as noted by Bar and Bench, adds a layer of digital rights concern often overlooked in protest coverage. The key metric to watch is whether the committee's recommendations lead to disciplinary action against specific officers, which the court signaled as necessary but deferred.
Sources (5): livelaw.in, livelaw.in (2), livelaw.in (3), barandbench.com, assamtribune.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 5 sources.
