The Supreme Court on Wednesday orally observed that authorities must exercise restraint while dealing with young student protesters, cautioning that any violent response by law enforcement could escalate tensions instead of restoring order.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant made the observations while hearing a plea seeking action against the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), alleging its role in violence, including incidents of stone pelting, during recent student-led protests in Delhi and several other parts of the country.
'Responding Violently Would Only Aggravate The Situation'
During the hearing, the Bench underscored that democratic societies must protect the right to peaceful protest while ensuring that situations do not spiral into violence.
"In a democracy, during such peaceful marches, forces also should exercise restraint. Authorities need to tread very carefully so that youngsters don't indulge in violence. Responding violently would only aggravate the situation," CJI Surya Kant observed.
Stressing the importance of dialogue over force, the Chief Justice added that listening to protesters was often the most effective way to address unrest.
"The biggest powerful source is listening, listening to what they are saying and why they are agitating," the CJI remarked.
Plea Linked To Wider Cases On Protest Violence
The petition before the Court sought action against the CJP over allegations that the party was responsible for violence and stone pelting during demonstrations linked to the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy.
Rather than hearing the matter separately, the Bench decided to tag it with other pending petitions concerning violence during student protests in Delhi and other States, indicating that all related issues would be considered together.
Court Expresses Faith In Law Enforcement
While making its observations, the Supreme Court also said it had confidence in the ability of law enforcement agencies to handle the situation appropriately.
"Let us leave it to the wisdom of the law enforcement agency, they know better than us how to deal with the situation. We have heard you. We will take it up on that day. Let us see the view of the Central Government etc," the Bench said.
The matter will now be heard along with the batch of petitions relating to violence during student protests across the country.
