The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a sharp reprimand to the Gautam Budh Nagar administration for issuing a preventive notice to a 20-year-old law student, questioning how an executive magistrate dared to violate its clear directives protecting student protesters.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed strong displeasure after senior advocate Bishwajit Bhattacharyya brought the September 4 notice issued to Gautam Buddha University student Akshat Tripathi to the court’s attention.
The executive magistrate’s notice accused Tripathi of spreading “anti-government propaganda” and inciting fellow students to join protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. It asked him to show cause why he should not execute a ₹5 lakh personal bond to maintain peace.
CJI Surya Kant emphasized that the action directly breached the top court’s September 1 order, which invoked extraordinary powers under Article 142 to quash criminal proceedings and protect participating youth from any coercive police action.
Though police subsequently withdrew the notice after learning Tripathi was away in Prayagraj during the alleged period, the CJI confirmed the court would seek a formal explanation from district authorities, warning that no executive official may disregard clear Supreme Court mandates.
