The Delhi High Court declined urgent hearing of a plea raising law and order concerns over a proposed June 6 protest at Jantar Mantar by the Cockroach Janta Party, which seeks the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination-related lapses.
The Delhi High Court declined to urgently hear a petition expressing concerns over law and order issues allegedly arising from a proposed protest scheduled for June 6 at Jantar Mantar by the social media-based organisation, Cockroach Janta Party.
The demonstration has been called to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged lapses in the conduct of national examinations and concerns surrounding the examination system.
A vacation bench comprising Justice Saurabh Banerjee and Justice Amit Sharma refused to entertain the matter for urgent listing after it was mentioned before the Court by counsel appearing for the petitioner, Save India Foundation.
The plea sought judicial intervention ahead of the scheduled gathering, contending that the protest could potentially disrupt public order and affect essential public infrastructure in the national capital.
Background of the June 6 Protest
The proposed demonstration gained attention after Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke issued a public call earlier this month urging students, youth groups, and supporters from across the country to assemble in Delhi on June 6.
The protest was announced against what organisers describe as repeated failures and controversies surrounding major competitive examinations, including allegations relating to examination leaks, cancellations, administrative lapses and the functioning of testing authorities.
As part of the mobilisation campaign, Dipke appealed to students and supporters to gather at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, a traditional venue for public demonstrations in the capital. He also encouraged supporters arriving from different parts of the country to assemble at the airport and other transit locations on June 6.
The movement has attracted significant attention on social media platforms, particularly among students and young aspirants frustrated with recurring examination-related controversies. Over time, the Cockroach Janta Party has evolved into a youth-driven digital movement and has garnered support from several public personalities and online influencers.
Petition: Security and Public Order Concerns
Against this backdrop, Save India Foundation approached the Delhi High Court seeking preventive directions from authorities to manage the proposed mobilisation.
The petitioner sought deployment of “immediate preventive, regulatory, and crowd-control measures” at strategic locations, including the Indira Gandhi International Airport, metro stations, and major highway entry points into Delhi.
According to the plea, authorities should be directed to closely monitor the movement of participants and take precautionary steps to avoid any disruption to public life. The petition further requested the Court to direct authorities to “restrict, regulate, or relocate the scheduled gathering” in order to safeguard public order and ensure the uninterrupted functioning of critical public infrastructure.
The plea argued that large-scale mobilisation in the capital could potentially affect access to important public institutions and emergency services. It specifically sought measures to ensure that hospitals, railway stations, courts, emergency response systems, and other essential facilities continue functioning without disruption.
The petitioner expressed apprehension that unmanaged gatherings at sensitive locations could create logistical and security challenges for law enforcement agencies and public authorities. Particular concern was raised regarding the proximity of important constitutional institutions, including the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, as well as major transportation hubs within the city.
In its pleadings, the Save India Foundation levelled serious allegations against the social media movement and its organisers. The petition claimed that Cockroach Janta Party had transformed sections of the youth population into an “unregulated contingent” by allegedly “utilising overseas-tethered servers to execute a transnational institutional destabilisation agenda”.
The petitioner argued that given the scale of online mobilisation and the possibility of participation by large numbers of supporters, authorities should proactively regulate the event to prevent any unforeseen disturbances.
The plea also sought directions for either relocating the gathering to another designated venue or imposing strict regulatory conditions on the event. Among the measures suggested was comprehensive videography and monitoring of the protest proceedings.
The petition contended that such surveillance was necessary to ensure accountability and to prevent individuals allegedly “instigating” activities from “overseas jurisdictions”, including countries such as the United States and Australia, from influencing events in a manner that could affect public order.
It further urged authorities to take steps to ensure that airport operations, transportation systems, and emergency services remain insulated from any disruption resulting from the proposed demonstration.
High Court Refuses Urgent Intervention
Despite the concerns raised in the petition, the Delhi High Court declined to grant an urgent hearing or direct immediate listing of the matter before the vacation bench.
With the Court refusing to entertain the plea on an urgent basis, no judicial directions have presently been issued regarding the conduct, regulation, relocation, or monitoring of the June 6 protest.
As a result, the proposed demonstration at Jantar Mantar remains scheduled as announced by its organisers, while law enforcement agencies are expected to make their own security and crowd-management arrangements in accordance with applicable laws and administrative protocols.
The controversy surrounding the June 6 protest comes amid continuing public debate over examination reforms, accountability of testing agencies, and concerns expressed by students regarding recurring irregularities in competitive examinations across the country.
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