The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a public interest litigation challenging restrictions imposed by education authorities in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on the entry of outsiders, journalists, YouTubers, social-media users and civil-society representatives into government schools, as well as curbs on photography, videography, interviews, audio recording and livestreaming.
A bench comprising Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe dismissed the petition Article 32 of the Constitution of India, filed by Priya Mishra. The plea assumed significance against the backdrop of the “School Thik Karo” campaign being undertaken by the Cockroach Janta Party to highlight deficiencies in government school infrastructure.
The petition specifically challenged an August 16, 2026 circular issued by Rajasthan’s Director of Secondary Education, which mandates that outsiders obtain prior permission from the school principal before entering government school premises. The circular also requires prior written permission for photography, videography, interviews, audio recording and livestreaming.
In Uttar Pradesh, the plea referred to an August 19 order issued by the District Basic Education Officer, Ayodhya, directing that outsiders, YouTubers and persons associated with social media should not enter council schools or take photographs or videos without permission from the competent authority. Similar directions, the petition stated, had been issued in several other districts, including Azamgarh, Ballia, Basti, Balrampur, Shamli and Agra.
The petitioner argued that the restrictions violated fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(g), 21 and 21-A of the Constitution. It was contended that freedom of speech and expression includes legitimate journalism and the dissemination of information concerning public institutions, while acknowledging the State’s obligation to protect the privacy, dignity and safety of children.
The plea further drew a distinction between recording identifiable children and documenting the physical condition of government schools. It argued that measures intended to safeguard children should not result in a blanket prohibition on public-interest documentation of classrooms, buildings, toilets, drinking-water facilities, electricity, mid-day meals and other infrastructure.
The petitioner had sought the quashing of the Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh orders to the extent that they imposed blanket restrictions and urged the Court to direct that any regulation of public-interest documentation meet the tests of reasonableness, necessity and proportionality. The Supreme Court, however, declined to entertain the petition.
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