Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday said his recent remarks about a petition regarding the ongoing protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi were false media reporting.
It was reported that the CJI declined urgent hearing in a petition against the Delhi Police alleging excesses against students during the Jantar Mantar protest. The plea also called for reforms to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
However, the CJI said there was no petition filed, and it was only a representation. "Some person mentioned it. Media has falsely reported that I refused to list the matter. It was only a representation and people started recklessly reporting it. I checked with the registry, and not a paper was filed," the CJI said.
As per reports, during a mention about the police’s alleged highhandedness at protesters while asking for a listing. The he counsel insisted that he can present videos showing police excesses against protesting students. However, CJI Kant said that the Court was not interested in videos. "Please don't waste our time and don't waste yours. Your time is more valuable than ours."
The lawyer then said that he was seeking important prayers, including that NEET should be conducted fairly by the government and dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA), given the repeated paper leaks.
Meanwhile, the Centre has assured the apex court that it was ready to go 'ten extra miles' for students. The Centre also said it was taking holistic steps to protect students and ensure the integrity of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
The submission was made before a Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe during today's hearing of a batch of petitions filed over the NEET question paper leak this year.
"Please tell us what you are doing to shift completely to an online mode. Please tell us how you will protect data when we shift to computer-based testing...We will see to it that everything is institutionalised," the court said.
It added that it expected the government to take concrete steps on cyber security and data protection as NTA plans a computer-based test for the NEET-UG exam from next year.
The Court today made it clear that it would go above and beyond to ensure that there are long-term safeguards put in place. "We will monitor this. We will take that extra mile to ensure that things are put in place," it said.
To this, Solicitor Tushar Mehta said: "Government is going ten extra miles. Children’s problems have to be addressed. Everything is being done under the supervision of the highest executive level.”
