Supreme Court Lawyers Recite Constitution Preamble, Voices Support for Jantar Mantar Protesters, Condemns Police Action
Moneylife Digital Team 23 July 2026
A group of lawyers at the Supreme Court on Thursday recited the Preamble to the Constitution during the lunch recess in a show of solidarity with students protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over alleged examination irregularities, while condemning the recent police action against demonstrators. The lawyers, led by senior counsels Indira Jaising and S Muralidhar, launched the exercise under the banner of the 'Save Democracy, Save Constitution' campaign, asserting that the legal fraternity had a constitutional duty to stand with students seeking justice. Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president and senior counsel Dr Vikas Singh also joined the gathering held within the Supreme Court premises.
 
Addressing reporters after the recitation, senior counsel Jaising said the gathering was not about the interests of lawyers but about protecting the constitutional rights of students.
 
"We are here to stand with the students. We are here to stand on the side of justice. We are here to demand justice for the students. We are not here to agitate for ourselves. This is not about us," she said.
 
Emphasising the role of the judiciary, Ms Jaising added: "This concerns the rights of students, and it is the duty of lawyers to stand before the Supreme Court and demand justice for them. The role and function of the Supreme Court of India is to dispense justice. That is why we are here, in the temple of justice, with our demands."
 
Senior counsel and former chief justice of Orissa High Court and a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Delhi High Court S Muralidhar said the legal fraternity stood firmly behind the students.
 
"We are standing with all the students who are protesting for their rights, and we want justice for all of them," he said.
 
Advocate Abhay Singh said members of the Bar had united to oppose what they described as police brutality against peaceful protesters.
 
"All injustice which has been done, we are all opposing, the members of the Bar. We have taken this step to extend our support so that it can be conveyed across the country that Supreme Court Bar members stand with the students. We condemn the brutality against them and will take all legal steps necessary to ensure justice prevails," he said.
 
The demonstration at Jantar Mantar has continued since 20 June 2026 under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) which describes itself as a movement against recurring examination paper leaks and alleged irregularities in the recruitment and entrance examination system.
 
The protest gained momentum after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and students associated with the All India Students' Association (AISA) began a hunger strike in support of the movement.
 
Meanwhile, the CJP hardened its stand against the Union government, refusing to withdraw the agitation despite reports that the government had offered to resume dialogue.
 
CJP spokesperson Sourav Das reiterated that the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan remained the movement's primary and non-negotiable demand.
 
CJP also demanded ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide due to the national eligibility-cum-entrance test (NEET) paper leak crisis, withdrawal of all first information reports (FIRs) registered against peaceful protesters, and a government assurance that no such cases would be filed against demonstrators in future.
 
"Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation is non-negotiable. Without this, the protest will continue—for as long as it has to," Mr Das said.
 
He said he had remained in touch with Sonam Wangchuk, who continues his hunger strike while undergoing treatment in hospital and stressed that both agreed the agitation must remain peaceful.
 
He also alleged that anti-social elements could attempt to infiltrate the movement to discredit the protest, urging participants to maintain discipline and non-violence.
 
The lawyers' demonstration came hours after prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced that the Union government would establish fast-track courts to ensure swift trials and stringent punishment for those involved in examination paper leak cases.
 
In a post on X, the prime minister said, "Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth," adding that authorities had been directed to take all necessary steps to implement the decision.
 
He also asserted that "those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared."
 
 
The announcement comes amid mounting public and political pressure over recurring examination irregularities and continuing protests demanding greater accountability in the country's examination system.
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