Demand That the Chief Justice of India Order an Independent Judicial Inquiry into the Police Violence Against Protesters on 20 July 2026

On 20 July 2026, students, young citizens and concerned members of the public gathered at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to peacefully raise their voices over serious issues affecting education, examinations and the future of India’s youth.

The protesters sought to march towards Parliament so that their concerns could be heard by the elected representatives of the country. Instead of being met with dialogue, patience and democratic engagement, the protesters were confronted with barricades, baton charges, tear gas and forceful detentions.

Images and reports emerging from the protest show young persons running for safety, injured participants seeking assistance and police personnel using force to prevent the march from proceeding. Protesters have alleged that the force used was indiscriminate, excessive and entirely disproportionate to the circumstances.

Students asking for accountability and reform are not enemies of the State. Young citizens seeking fairness in the education and examination systems should not be silenced through fear, physical force or detention.

The right to peacefully assemble, speak and protest is central to the constitutional promise of liberty and democracy. Restrictions imposed in the name of public order cannot become a licence to inflict violence upon citizens merely because they seek to carry their grievances to Parliament.

The events of 20 July 2026 raise grave questions:

Who authorised the use of batons and tear gas?

Who authorised use of Palette Guns?

Was any prior warning meaningfully given?

Who were persons who were doing Lathi Charge without Uniform?

Why were "nails" used in Lathis?

Were peaceful protesters provided a safe opportunity to disperse?

Why were students and young participants allegedly subjected to force and detention?

Were injured protesters provided immediate medical assistance?

Have all CCTV recordings, police videos, detention records, wireless communications and medical documents been preserved?

Can the police fairly investigate allegations concerning their own conduct?

These questions cannot be answered through an internal police inquiry alone. Where the conduct of law-enforcement agencies is itself under serious scrutiny, justice requires an investigation that is independent, transparent and capable of inspiring public confidence.

We therefore call upon the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India to take immediate suo motu cognizance of the police action against protesters at Jantar Mantar on 20 July 2026 and to place the matter before an appropriate Bench of the Supreme Court of India for ordering an independent judicial inquiry.

The judicial inquiry should be headed by a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India and should be independent of the Delhi Police, the Union Government and the protest organisers.

The inquiry must:

reconstruct the complete sequence of events at Jantar Mantar and during the attempted march towards Parliament;
determine who authorised the use of batons, tear gas, detention and other coercive measures;
examine whether the force used against protesters was necessary, lawful and proportionate;
investigate allegations of assault, mistreatment, unlawful detention and denial of medical assistance;
identify the officers and authorities responsible for issuing and carrying out unlawful directions, if any;
secure and examine CCTV footage, police videography, media recordings, mobile-phone videos, wireless logs, deployment records, arrest and detention registers and hospital records;
record the statements of injured protesters, eyewitnesses, journalists, medical professionals and police personnel;
ensure that protesters and witnesses are protected against intimidation, retaliation or coercion;
recommend criminal and disciplinary action against every person found responsible for unlawful violence or abuse of authority;
recommend adequate compensation, medical assistance and rehabilitation for persons injured or unlawfully detained; and
submit its findings within a fixed period and make its report available to the public.
This petition is not merely about one protest or one day. It concerns the kind of democracy India chooses to be.

A democracy cannot ask its youth to participate in nation-building while refusing to listen when they raise concerns about their education, examinations and future. It cannot celebrate young Indians as the future of the country and then treat them as a threat when they peacefully demand reform.

The protesters of 20 July 2026 deserve truth, accountability and justice. Their injuries and experiences must not be allowed to disappear beneath official denials, political arguments or the passage of time.

We respectfully urge the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India to intervene immediately, take suo motu cognizance and ensure that an independent judicial inquiry is ordered by the Supreme Court of India.

Please sign and share this petition.

Stand with the students.

Stand for peaceful protest.

Stand against excessive police force.

Stand for an independent judicial inquiry.