Supreme Court declines to entertain plea challenging curbs on journalists’, activists’ entry into U.P., Rajasthan schools
The Supreme Court of India has refused to intervene in a petition challenging government restrictions on journalists and activists entering schools in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The petitioner argued that these bans hinder the documentation of poor school infrastructure, while the court declined to entertain the plea under Article 32.
Why it matters
The ruling highlights the ongoing tension between government efforts to regulate school premises and the public's right to monitor the state of public education infrastructure.
The Supreme Court of India declined on Thursday (September 3, 2026) to intervene in a plea challenging restrictions put in place by Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan governments on entry to journalists, social media influencers and civil rights activists into government schools along with curbs on photography, videography, interviews, audio recording and livestreaming.
A Bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha said the court was not inclined to entertain the writ petition filed by Priya Mishra under Article 32 of the Constitution against separate orders passed by the Rajasthan Director of Secondary Education on August 16 and the District Basic Education Officer, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, barring outsiders from entering or videographing within school premises. Similar orders were issued in other districts of Uttar Pradesh like Azamgarh, Ballia, Basti, Balrampur, Shamli and Agra.
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