Supreme Court considers plea to reconstitute committee probing Delhi protest violence

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, considered a plea seeking the reconstitution of a high-powered committee it had recently formed to investigate allegations of police excesses and protester violence during student demonstrations in Delhi. The application, which raised concerns about the committee's composition, was mentioned before a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant.

The petitioners, represented by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and advocate Prashant Bhushan, argued that the five-member committee, headed by former Supreme Court Justice R. Subhash Reddy, lacked the necessary independence and specialized expertise to investigate senior government and police officials. They contended that the panel's members had perceived associations with the executive branch, which could compromise the impartiality of the probe. The application specifically sought an inquiry into the roles of high-ranking officials, including the Union Home Minister, the Delhi Police Commissioner, and the Rapid Action Force.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, strongly opposed the plea, calling it "very mischievous" and an attempt to impose the petitioners' will...