Supreme Court appoints 5-member panel to investigate police force in student protests

The Supreme Court of India has constituted a five-member high-powered committee to investigate allegations of excessive force by police and security personnel during student protests in New Delhi and other parts of the country. The panel, announced on August 20, 2026, will be chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice R. Subhash Reddy and is tasked with a comprehensive fact-finding mission into the clashes that occurred during demonstrations against alleged examination paper leaks.

The committee was formed by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana. The other members are former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and retired Meghalaya Director General of Police Dr. L.R. Bishnoi. The court stated the committee was constituted with consideration for the individual expertise and diversity of its members.

The panel's mandate is broad, covering allegations from both protesters and authorities. It will examine claims of excessive use of pellet guns, electric batons, lathi charges, and tear gas by police...