Student Injured During NEET-UG Protest Moves Supreme Court, Seeks Mandatory Police Name Badges and Uniform Crowd-Control Rules
An IIT Patna student who alleges he was injured during police action at the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak has approached the Supreme Court seeking sweeping reforms in the policing of public demonstrations. The petition urges the apex court to direct all police forces across India to implement mandatory identification measures for officers and adopt uniform crowd-control protocols to enhance accountability during protests.
The plea has been filed in the backdrop of nationwide outrage over the handling of student demonstrations demanding action against alleged examination irregularities. The petitioner claims that during the Delhi protest, police personnel and other individuals used force against demonstrators while many officers were not wearing clearly visible name badges or identification numbers, making it difficult to identify those responsible for any alleged excesses.
Seeking systemic reforms rather than individual relief alone, the student has requested the Supreme Court to frame nationwide Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) governing crowd control during peaceful protests. The petition calls for mandatory display of name badges and identification numbers on police uniforms, regulation of the use of force, compulsory video recording of crowd-control operations, and accountability mechanisms whenever allegations of police misconduct arise.
The petition gains significance as the Supreme Court is already examining a batch of petitions concerning the July 20 protests. During earlier hearings, the Court underscored that the right to peaceful protest is constitutionally protected and observed that police action cannot be justified merely because citizens are agitating. The Court has also sought to evolve broader guidelines to balance public order with the protection of fundamental rights.
In previous interim directions, the Supreme Court ordered the release of detained protesters below the age of 18 who had no criminal antecedents, restrained coercive action against students, and directed authorities to preserve digital evidence relating to the protests. These measures reflected the Court’s emphasis on safeguarding civil liberties while ensuring a fair examination of allegations against both protesters and law enforcement agencies.
The latest petition is expected to add another dimension to the ongoing proceedings by focusing on institutional accountability and transparency in policing. If the Supreme Court agrees to consider the broader issues raised, its eventual ruling could lead to nationwide standards governing police identification, use of force, and crowd-control practices during public demonstrations, extending well beyond the NEET-UG protest cases.
