NEET-UG Protest SC Ruling: Supreme Court Upholds HPEC Probe into Police Excesses

Supreme Court Rejects Request to Reconstitute HPEC

In a significant development regarding the NEET-UG protest SC ruling, a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has refused to reconstitute the High-Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC). This decision follows petitions from students and advocates who raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest within the committee tasked with investigating the police crackdown on protests associated with the Cockroach Janta Party on July 20.

The court expressed "disquiet" and "chagrin" that petitioners had cast aspersions on the committee's integrity before it had even begun its work. The Bench characterized these claims as being based on "conjecture and preconceived notions," emphasizing that the HPEC was created to assist the Supreme Court with the highest standards of fairness and transparency [1].

Scope of the HPEC Investigation

The HPEC is not investigating the original NEET-UG paper leak allegations, but is specifically focused on the conduct of security forces during the subsequent protest actions. The court reiterated that the immediate priority of the inquiry is to examine several critical allegations of police misconduct, including:

• The use of pellet guns against protesters.
• Targeted violence and the harassment of female protesters.
• Excessive violence and the destruction of property by all parties involved.

Committee Composition and Independent Oversight

To ensure a balanced probe, the HPEC is composed of a mix of judicial and law enforcement veterans. The committee is headed by former apex court judge Justice R. Subhash Reddy and includes Justice Ravi Shankar Jha (former CJ of Punjab and Haryana High Court), Justice Shalinder Kaur (former Judge of Delhi High Court), Rishi Kumar Shukla (former CBI Director), and L.R. Bishnoi (retired DGP, Meghalaya) [1].

Additionally, the court has appointed senior advocate Monika Gusain and advocate-on-record C. Solomon as amici curiae to serve as independent arbiters between the parties.

Protections for Witnesses and Deferred Legal Issues

Recognizing the vulnerability of those reporting police excesses, the Supreme Court ordered the creation of a secure online portal. This portal allows vulnerable witnesses to submit evidence and documents directly to the HPEC while maintaining strict confidentiality regarding their identities and participation.

While the police conduct is the immediate focus, the court has deferred "broader constitutional questions" for a later stage. These pending issues include the legality of using facial recognition surveillance at the Jantar Mantar protest site and allegations that such data was stored by private entities.