‘Don’t waste our time’: CJI Kant declines to take cognisance of police violence during CJP’s Parliament march

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) declined to initiate suo motu proceedings to take cognisance of alleged police excesses during the July 20 crackdown on student protesters in the national capital. When a lawyer submitted that there was videographic evidence of police brutality against the protesters, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant orally declined to examine the videos, saying that the court’s time should not be “wasted”.

Jantar Mantar protest LIVE updates - July 22, 2026

Mentioning the matter before a Bench headed by the Chief Justice, the lawyer urged the court to take cognisance of the alleged police violence against the student protesters.

He pointed out that thousands of students had gathered for the “Chalo Sansad” protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding fair entrance examinations, reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination paper leaks.

“The protest is already going on in Jantar Mantar. The police are already taking brutal actions,” the lawyer submitted.

The Chief Justice, however, cut him short. “Don’t waste our time, and don’t waste your time,” he told the lawyer.

The lawyer nevertheless attempted to persuade the Bench, submitting that the protest centred on issues affecting lakhs of students, including the conduct of the NEET examination and reforms in the NTA. “Students are seeking three very important prayers — that NEET examinations should be conducted in a free and fair manner by the government... Certainly, the NTA should be dissolved,” he added.

As the Bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan, indicated that it was not inclined to hear him further, the lawyer said he had a collection of videos purportedly showing police personnel assaulting unarmed protesters and offered to place them before the court.

“We are not interested in videos. We don’t have time to watch them,” the Chief Justice observed, declining the request for an urgent hearing.

The apex court’s observations came a day after Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya also refused to grant an urgent hearing on a plea alleging excessive use of force by the Delhi Police during the Monday protests. Declining the request for immediate listing, the Chief Justice remarked, “Don’t drag the Court into this. It will come up tomorrow.”

The Chief Justice’s reported remark on “cockroach” in reference to fake law degree holders during the hearing of a writ petition on May 15 spawned public furore and a viral online platform, the Cockroach Janta Party, which is spearheading the protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The Chief Justice had offered a “clarification” the following day in a statement that he was misquoted by sections of the media and had the greatest concern and respect for the youths of the country.

On Monday (July 20, 2026), the Delhi Police cracked down on the “Chalo Sansad” protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), leaving several protesters injured. The Hindu has reported that at least one of the nearly 80 protesters injured during the march to Parliament sustained pellet gun injuries and is undergoing treatment at Lady Hardinge Medical College.

The police action came amid an internet shutdown in the New Delhi district, even as CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met Union Minister J.P. Nadda to formally seek the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The police action has since sparked a political storm, with Opposition MPs protesting inside and outside Parliament before marching to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Tuesday (July 21, 2026). Alleging that the government had refused to allow a discussion on the issue in Parliament, they staged a sit-in outside the Prime Minister’s residence, following which the Delhi Police detained them.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi subsequently called on Prime Minister Modi to apologise to the students affected by the police crackdown. He also reiterated the Opposition’s demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.