"Supreme Court constitutes inquiry panel to probe NEET protest police conduct"
High-Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC)
a Supreme Court-constituted panel reporting directly to the Court, not the executive.
Article 142
constitutional provision empowering the Supreme Court to pass any order necessary to do complete justice.
India's Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) and the right to assemble peaceably without arms under Article 19(1)(b). These are not absolute rights. Article 19(2) and 19(3) allow the state to impose reasonable restrictions in the interests of public order, sovereignty, and the integrity of India. This creates a protected but bounded space for dissent.
The Supreme Court has long acted as a guardian of these rights. In landmark cases such as Ramlila Maidan Incident v. Home Secretary, Union of India (2012), the Court held that the state cannot use force to disperse peaceful assemblies without adequate justification. The Court has also recognised that the right to protest is a core democratic value, not a privilege granted by the executive. At the same time, the Court has consistently held that the police retain the duty to maintain public order, and that this duty must be exercised proportionately.
The immediate backdrop is the nationwide student agitation over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Allegations of a large-scale paper leak triggered protests across multiple states. The protests drew attention not only to examination integrity but also to the conduct of police during crowd-control operations, including the alleged use of pellet guns, lathi charges, and tear gas.
The Supreme Court's power to constitute an inquiry committee flows from its broad jurisdiction under Article 32 (enforcement of fundamental rights) and Article 142 (power to pass any order necessary to do complete justice). When the Court finds that an ongoing situation involves potential violations of fundamental rights and that existing executive mechanisms are inadequate or conflicted, it can create an independent body to investigate and report back.
A High-Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC) of this kind is distinct from a statutory commission of inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. A statutory commission is set up by the executive and reports to the government. An HPEC constituted by the Supreme Court reports directly to the Court, which retains supervisory control and can issue binding directions based on the panel's findings. …
Which of the following statements about the Ethics Committee in the Lok Sabha are correct?
1.Initially it was an ad-hoc Committee.
2.Only a Member of the Lok Sabha can make a complaint relating to unethical conduct of a member of the Lok Sabha.
3.This Committee cannot take up any matter which is sub-judice.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Which of the following constitutional provisions form the primary basis for the right to protest peacefully in India?
1.Article 19(1)(a) — Freedom of speech and expression
2.Article 19(1)(b) — Right to assemble peaceably without arms
3.Article 21 — Right to life and personal liberty
4.Article 32 — Right to constitutional remedies
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Consider the following statements regarding reasonable restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly under the Indian Constitution:
1.Article 19(3) permits restrictions on the right to assemble in the interests of public order.
2.Restrictions under Article 19(3) can also be imposed in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India.
3.The right to assemble peaceably without arms can be suspended during a National Emergency under Article 352.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Supreme Court's direction that the HPEC undertake 'continuous and periodic assessment' rather than a one-time inquiry is significant primarily because it:
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