NEET Protest: SC Says Panel Of Ex-Judges, CBI Director To Probe Police Excesses During CJP's Parliament March

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stated it will constitute a committee to examine allegations of police excesses during students' march to Parliament in July against NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The committee will comprise former judges, a former CBI director and a former state DGP, the court said.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said an order for constituting the panel would be released on Wednesday after it receives suggestions from different parties on other members to be included in the panel. The top court said that it would direct the handing over of video footage and CCTV recordings of the violence during the July 20 Parliament march in Delhi to the high-powered committee for examination.

The panel would also examine complaints and allegations made by female protesters who were reportedly targeted during the protest march in Delhi and other areas.

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The judges bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to provide details of FIRs implicating the student protesters, which are to be quashed, indicating that the court may exercise its absolu powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.

Additionally, the top court stressed the impact of the criminal cases on students, highlight that they have a future ahead of them and a constitutionally protected right to protest under Article 19. "It is the life of students, which is at stake. We have to consider this. They have a future ahead. They have the right to protest under Article 19," the bench told a counsel.

The top court had previously observed that police excesses or a 'lathi charge' cannot be justified merely because there is an agitation and underlined that the right to peaceful protest was "absolutely guaranteed".

What's The Centre's Take?

Solicitor General Mehta told the court that police had identified more than 2,800 "anti-social elements" allegedly involved in the violence during the NEET protest. The Centre has argued that people with a "history of grave and heinous offences" should not be treated in the same manner as students who participated peacefully in the demonstrations.

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The Supreme Court on August 3 said that its reference to "criminal antecedents" in an earlier order on the release of student protesters was limited to those involved in grave and heinous offences. It also said that states could close or withdraw FIRs against other students in accordance with law.

The July 20 Protest

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led march on July 20 in Delhi saw clashes between protesters and security personnel, who used lathis and teargas shells to disperse crowds attempting to move towards Parliament.