Supreme Court inquiry panel launches digital platform for July protest grievances

Portal Launch

A Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee has launched a digital platform allowing people to submit grievances and evidence regarding the July protests in Delhi. The web address for the platform is http://hpec.nic.in, according to a Home Ministry statement released on Saturday. The High Powered Enquiry Committee was set up to investigate violence at Jantar Mantar and other locations outside Delhi during the student demonstrations.

Submission Guidelines

The website allows submissions from affected individuals, including police officers and security personnel. Priority will be given to cases involving pellet gun injuries, targeted violence, female protesters facing harassment, and extensive property damage. The platform is built to protect vulnerable witnesses by keeping identities secret if requested. Submissions can also be delivered in person at Shiksha Sadan in Rouse Avenue, New Delhi, sent by post, or emailed to hpec2026.enquiry[at]nic[dot]in.

Committee Members

The five-member panel is led by retired Supreme Court judge R Subhash Reddy as chairperson. Other members include former Punjab and Haryana high court chief justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi high court judge Shalinder Kaur, former CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and retired Meghalaya DGP LR Bishnoi. The bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana formed the committee on August 18.

Context

Independent judicial panels of this nature are occasionally appointed by India's top court to investigate high-profile incidents involving law enforcement and civil unrest. The findings and recommendations submitted by such committees help guide future administrative policies and legal accountability.