Supreme Court seeks suggestions on ambit of high-powered committee to investigate police excesses during NEET protests | LIVE

Home News India Chief Justice of India Surya Kant says that notice has been issued in all petitions; he asks advocates to submit suggestions by the evening for the ambit of the high-powered committee to investigate the police excesses during the protests Updated - August 18, 2026 01:55 pm IST RAF personnel flag march during the Cockroach Janta Party protest near Parliament House, in New Delhi on July 20, 2026. | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar The Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) is hearing pleas alleging police excesses on students during the recent protests in Delhi against NEET paper leak.Also Read | NEET-UG protests: Delhi Police tells SC that facial recognition tech was used in ‘legitimate state interest’The Supreme Court announced that it will constitute a high-powered committee to investigate allegations of police excesses against student protesters during the July 20 demonstration in Delhi. The Bench stated it will direct authorities to hand over all video footage of the July 20 Parliament march to the committee for examination. The high-powered panel will specifically look into allegations that female protesters were targeted during the demonstration. According to the Supreme Court, the investigating committee will comprise former judges, a former CBI director, and a former state Director General of Police (DGP).August 18, 2026 13:50 Notice issued in all petitions, says CJI; seeks suggestions for ambit of high-powered committeeCJI says notice is issued in all fresh petitions and applications. He requests advocates to submit suggestions by evening on the ambit of issues the high-powered committee needs to examine. The Bench rises for lunch.August 18, 2026 13:46 Usage of facial recognition systems should be heard separately, says advocate; Justice Bagchi says issue would be heard separatelyAdvocate Hariharan says that the issue regarding the use of facial recognition systems by the police during the protests needs to be heard separately. Hariharan says the right to privacy has been violated.Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy says private companies are used to store the data from FRS. Justice Bagchi said the FRS issue would heard separately. He says it has been examined on the question of proportionality and not on Article 21.SG Mehta says FRS only captures hardened criminals already on NCRB, not ordinary people. Advocate Hariharan says they cannot do it at all. The data of others are also retained, he says.Facial recognition is only the first step, followed by field verification check on the person’s whereabouts, SG Mehta says.Justice Bagchi says the primary objective of this hearing is whether excessive force was used. “Then we will look into the FRS aspect,” he says.August 18, 2026 13:42 Advocates suggest members for high-powered committeeThe CJI suggests, without naming, former senior police officers for the high-powered committee. Senior advocate Sankaranarayanan proposes including a former Attorney General in the committee, while Advocate Grover suggests including a woman.Senior Advocate N. Hariharan supports Advocate Grover’s submission, stating that since the issues also concern women, there should be a woman on the committee.August 18, 2026 13:39 Will frame issues that the committee will examine; order on August 19: CJISupreme Court says that it will frame the issues that the proposed committee will examine, which will include matters the committee should address urgently. CJI urges Sankaranarayanan and other lawyers to submit their suggestions, noting that the order will be released tomorrow (August 19, 2026).SG Mehta argues that the court should not pass any ad hoc orders and should instead leave the committee to hear all the issues and decide.In response, the CJI says that the committee will also be permitted to seek the assistance of domain experts.August 18, 2026 13:37 No action against police personnel responsible for sexual molestation and deliberate violence: Senior AdvocateSenior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan points out that the Delhi Police affidavit does not mention any internal or administrative action taken against the police personnel allegedly responsible for sexual molestation and deliberate violence.August 18, 2026 13:36 Why protest organisers not being held accountable, asks advocate Advocate Rizwain Ahmed questions why the organisers of the protests are not being held accountable.August 18, 2026 13:35 Application filed for compensation for pellet gun victimsAdvocate Vrinda Grover says an application seeking compensation for the victims of pellet-gun firing has been filed.August 18, 2026 13:34 SG mentions injuries to police personnel before the Bench; lawyer raises women molestation during protestsAdvocate Rizwain Ahmed argues that the students must first express remorse. However, the CJI disagrees, saying that the future of the students and the expectations of their parents must be taken into consideration, and the confidence of the students must be restored.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta says more than 200 policemen suffered injuries.A lawyer representing the families of the injured police personnel also urged the court to pay attention to the violence directed against police officers.Another lawyer urges the court to pay attention to the sexual molestation of women protesters. The lawyer claims there has been “choking” of complaints against violence toward women, sexual minorities, and others.CJI says every aspect will be considered.August 18, 2026 13:30 SG doubts whether FIRs could be filtered as suggested by the courtSolicitor General Tushar Mehta expresses doubt as to whether the FIRs could be filtered in the manner suggested by the Court.Justice Joymalya Bagchi says that the Delhi Police cannot take a “generic” view and must clarify what it means by “serious criminality”.August 18, 2026 13:28 Right to protest or express dissent peacefully must be protected: CJIThe Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant says that the court will consider using Article 142 to quash FIRs in which there is no controversy or doubt and that clearly involve students.He also says that FIRs indicating persons with criminal backgrounds will be discussed and a decision taken. The CJI further says everyone has to be mindful of the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19, emphasising that the right to protest or express dissent peacefully must be protected.August 18, 2026 13:28 Quash FIRs against students without criminal backgrounds: Advocate Vrinda GroverAdvocate Vrinda Grover says that the Supreme Court should consider using its plenary powers under Article 142 to quash FIRs against students and youths without criminal antecedents.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta states that anti-social elements and criminals have inveigled themselves among the protestors. Published - August 18, 2026 01:26 pm IST