Supreme Court Forms High-Powered Committee to Examine Violence Allegations During Youth Protests

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday (August 20) formed a high-powered enquiry committee (HPEC) headed by former judge Justice R. Subhash Reddy to examine the allegations of violence during the youth protests a month ago on July 20.

Former Punjab and Haryana high court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi high court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Rishi Kumar Shukla, ex-Meghalaya DGP L.R. Bishnoi are the other members, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said. 

Notably, there is no representative from civil society in the committee. Advocate Prashant Bhushan called the committee "very weak".

"Very weak inquiry committee formed by the SC in the cockroach Janta party protest case. Headed by a former SC judge who was CJ of Gujarat HC, & another judge who denied bail to Umar Khalid. There were outstanding former CJIs & other judges who could have been appointed. This committee will not have public credibility," Bhushan wrote on X.

Very weak inquiry committee formed by the SC in the cockroach Janta party protest case. Headed by a former SC judge who was CJ of Gujarat HC, & another judge who denied bail to Umar Khalid. There were outstanding former CJIs & other judges who could have been appointed.
This…

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) August 20, 2026

The apex court has directed the committee to examine the allegations of use of excessive force and violence against protesters by police authorities and other agencies, including the deployment of pellet guns, electric batons, lathi charges, and tear gas without adequate warning or proportionality, resulting in severe bodily harm and injuries, some of which are alleged to be of a grievous and lasting nature. 

Also read: Delhi Police Denies Use of Excessive Force During Youth Protests

As per reports, the petitioners had also raised the need for an enquiry into the allegations pertaining to the monitoring and surveillance of protesters by police personnel, and the extent to which such measures, if undertaken, were consistent with the protesters’ constitutional rights to privacy and free assembly. These issues will also be examined by the HPEC.

Besides that the court monitored committee has been directed to look into the alleged incidents of targeted violence, harassment, molestation and/or any secondary victimisation directed against female protestors on a priority basis. The provision of medical and other requisite support, including award of compensation, to victims of alleged police abuse, including the manner and adequacy of such support extended thus far will also be examined by the committee.

The court has also listed the issues raised by respondents, including the families of injured police officers such as the alleged use of force and violence by protestors, to be examined by the committee.

Importantly, the apex court has underlined that the constitution of the HPEC “shall in no way deter or debar the police authorities or other security forces from taking administrative or disciplinary action against such of their officers as may be found to be in contravention of the rules governing their conduct.”

Also read: ‘Not a Single Person Died’, ‘Delhi Police Should be Praised’: Rijiju Defends Action on Protesters

The enquiry undertaken by the HPEC should not be a one-time exercise, the bench said.

On July 20, during the Sansad Chalo march called by Cockroach Janata Party the police resorted to lathi charge, tear gas and even used pellet guns as largely peaceful protesters gathered few metres away from the parliament.

On August 18, the Delhi Police filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court denying the use of excessive force against student protesters during the July 20 protests which ultimately lead to Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

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