The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday refused to hear a petition concerning alleged irregularities in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam held on December 13, 2024, and the police crackdown on protesters.
The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, advised the petitioner to approach the Patna High Court with their grievances.
The petitioner’s counsel, representing the Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust, urged the bench to consider the matter, pointing to reports of police brutality against peaceful protesters who were demanding the cancellation of the controversial BPSC exam.
However, the Chief Justice responded, “We are asking you to go to the Patna High Court.”
He further explained that while the court understood the petitioner’s concerns, it would be more appropriate and efficient for the issue to be raised in the Patna High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution.
The counsel argued that the police action took place near the official residence of the Patna High Court’s Chief Justice, and suggested that a suo-motu notice could have been taken. Despite this, the bench maintained that the matter should be addressed at the state level.
The protest was sparked by allegations of a paper leak in the BPSC exam. To manage the situation, Bihar police reportedly used force against the civil service aspirants. Following the unrest, the state public service commission announced a re-examination on January 4, 2025, at 22 centers in Patna. Of the 12,012 candidates eligible for the retest, 8,111 downloaded their admit cards, and 5,943 attended the exam.
Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraaj, who had been on an indefinite fast in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan to support the same demand, was arrested and later released on bail. He was subsequently moved to the ICU of Medanta Hospital in Patna on Tuesday due to health complications.
