SC refuses to hear plea against school entry curbs in UP, Rajasthan

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a writ petition challenging restrictions imposed by the Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan governments on the entry of journalists, social media influencers, and civil rights activists into government schools. The petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, also questioned curbs on photography, videography, interviews, audio recording, and livestreaming within school premises.

A Bench led by Justice P.S. Narasimha indicated that the court was not inclined to take up the matter. The petition was filed by Priya Mishra against separate orders — one issued by the Rajasthan Director of Secondary Education on August 16 and another by the District Basic Education Officer in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Similar directives have reportedly been issued in other UP districts, including Azamgarh, Ballia, Basti, Balrampur, Shamli, and Agra.

The plea came shortly after the announcement of the 'School Thik Karo' campaign by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which aims to audit and improve infrastructure in rural government schools. In Rajasthan, CJP members were recently chased away by a mob at Rampura-Kanwarpura village in Jaipur while attempting to visit a dilapidated government primary school. That school was reportedly demolished by authorities on September 2 due to unsafe infrastructure.

The petitioner argued that the entry restrictions violate the freedom to disseminate information about the safety and dignity of children in government schools. The orders, the plea said, prevent documentation of classrooms, buildings, toilets, drinking-water facilities, electricity, mid-day meals, and other infrastructure in these institutions.