Delhi High Court Directs Police To Decide Raj Shekhawat's UGC Equity Protest Plea By September 14

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed Delhi Police to decide within a week a plea by Kshatriya Karni Sena president Raj Shekhawat seeking permission to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar against the recently notified UGC equity regulations.

Organisers moved the protest date to September 20. Shekhawat shifted the event from September 6 due to the upcoming BRICS Summit in the capital. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma instructed him to submit a new plea to Delhi Police seeking clearance for a peaceful 10 am to 5 pm gathering at Jantar Mantar.

The court was informed that police were not allowing the September 6 protest because of the BRICS Summit on September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam. After the court suggested a date change, the petitioner shifted it to September 20.

Court Orders Deadline

The high court directed that the fresh application be placed before the competent authority, which will decide it within a week by September 14.

Police counsel sought more time and urged the court to allow time till September 16-17. The bench refused.

“Certainly not. September 14 means 14. You have to decide the application by September 14. You may impose any condition or direction on them which is appropriate as per law,” Justice Sharma said.

Challenge To Rejection

Shekhawat has challenged Delhi Police’s August 28 order rejecting his request to hold the protest. In the alternative, he has asked for reconsideration of his application and a fresh reasoned order within 24 hours.

In his plea, he said the peaceful protest was meant for “expressing views and grievances concerning reservation policies and matters relating to the new UGC framework”.

The protest seeks withdrawal of the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026. The regulations aim to address caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions.

Police And Petition Claims

Police cited security concerns. The plea said the police communication denied permission because of ongoing preparations for BRICS Summit-2026, strengthened security arrangements, law and order concerns and traffic considerations.

The petition, however, argued that the rejection was legally unsustainable. It added that the petitioners were willing to undertake that no procession would be taken out from Jantar Mantar and that no participant would move towards Bharat Mandapam or any security route linked to the summit.

The matter follows an earlier claim by Shekhawat that he was under house arrest. Police later clarified in court that he was not under detention, after which the high court held that Shekhawat was free to move around. The petitioner’s lawyer said Shekhawat has been leading a nationwide awareness campaign on the UGC regulations.

Regulations And Objections

The petitioners also challenge the framework’s lack of procedural safeguards or penalties against false and malicious complaints.

The New Indian Express and Supreme Court Observer reported that the Kshatriya Karni Sena and aligned general-category groups are also opposing Clause 3(c) of the regulations. That clause defines caste-based discrimination as acts targeting only Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Class (OBC) students, which they argue leaves general-category students outside equal protection.