A Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee is scheduled to hear evidence from people affected by the July student protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, as it examines allegations of pellet-gun use, harassment and excessive force during the demonstrations.
The High Powered Enquiry Committee is scheduled to conduct its sitting on October 29, 2026, at Shiksha Sadan in the Rouse Avenue Institutional Area. According to reports citing officials, proceedings are due to begin at 11 am, with affected individuals and members of the public invited to submit complaints, representations and supporting evidence between 11:30 am and 3 pm. Visitors attending in person have been asked to carry valid identity documents.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: A Supreme Court-appointed panel is scheduled to hear evidence concerning alleged pellet-gun use and other incidents during Delhi student protests.
Location: Shiksha Sadan, Rouse Avenue Institutional Area, New Delhi.
Authority/Organisation: Supreme Court-appointed High Powered Enquiry Committee chaired by retired Justice R. Subhash Reddy.
Action Taken: The committee has scheduled a sitting to hear affected people and accept complaints, representations and supporting evidence.
Impact: The proceedings may help the committee assess competing allegations; no final finding of responsibility is implied by the hearing itself.
The committee’s inquiry covers allegations of pellet-gun use against demonstrators, targeted violence, harassment of female protesters, excessive force and property damage. It is also examining counter-allegations involving protesters and security personnel.
The panel is chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice R. Subhash Reddy. Its other members include former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former Central Bureau of Investigation director Rishi Kumar Shukla and retired Meghalaya Director General of Police L. R. Bishnoi.
The committee was constituted following petitions alleging police excesses during the protests. The inquiry is intended to collect evidence and hear accounts from affected people and other stakeholders before assessing the allegations.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
When allegations of excessive force arise during public demonstrations, a credible process for gathering evidence is important for accountability and public confidence. An inquiry can give affected individuals an opportunity to present their accounts and provide documents or other supporting material. The case also highlights the importance of fair procedures for everyone involved. Allegations must be assessed on evidence, and the inquiry should consider relevant claims and counter-claims without treating unverified accounts as established facts. Protecting vulnerable witnesses is equally important, particularly when submissions concern alleged violence or harassment. The committee’s findings, once available through appropriate official channels, will be necessary to understand what the evidence establishes.
An online portal, hpec.nic.in, has also been established to facilitate submissions from people who may be unable to attend in person. The portal provides a route for affected individuals, witnesses and other stakeholders to submit statements and supporting documents.
The July agitation included clashes during a march towards Parliament on July 20. Reports at the time described the use of tear gas and baton charges to disperse demonstrators, while some students were hospitalised with injuries that protesters attributed to possible pellet-gun use. The circumstances and responsibility for the alleged incidents remain matters for the inquiry.
The committee’s proceedings are an opportunity for evidence to be placed on record. They should not be interpreted as a final determination that any particular allegation has been proved or that any individual or organisation has been found responsible.
