Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday clarified the context behind the Supreme Court's remark asking petitioners not to "waste" the top court's time after they sought an urgent hearing on Wednesday for a plea challenging the alleged police action against protesting students at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
"It was reported wrongly that the Supreme Court declined to hear the petition. The Supreme Court can never deny hearing of any case. It's my commitment we are available 24 hours," the CJI told NDTV. "If I have not got the petition in the first place, what hearing would I give? If they give a one-page letter and seek a hearing on it, that's not the way. We can't violate the Supreme Court's process of filing a petition."
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"I told them they should file the petition properly. But they wanted it immediately. So, I had to send a message to them to file a proper petition," the CJI said.
He said the Supreme Court had "welcomed" the petition on Friday as it was filed in the prescribed form.
"The law is supreme. We have to follow it," he said. "I want to tell the citizens of the country that the Supreme Court will do everything in its power under the law to give justice to anyone who faces any kind of injustice."
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Earlier on Friday, a bench comprising the CJI and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana agreed to hear two petitions on Monday, alleging police excesses against students protesting over the NEET paper leak and other examination irregularities.
"The police are using excessive force against the students. The court stands between us and the police," Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan urged the Supreme Court to hear the matter urgently, saying the alleged incidents were taking place every day.
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