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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday declined to urgently hear a plea challenging the Delhi Police's refusal to grant permission for a protest at Jantar Mantar on September 20 against the recently notified University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026.

The plea was mentioned before a division bench headed by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya, which said that it would be auto-listed tomorrow if the defects in the petition are cured.

The counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that permission had earlier been granted for the protest scheduled on September 20, but the Delhi Police subsequently informed them that the protest could not be held on that date.

“You have filed a petition. It will be auto listed. Remove the defects… the protest is on 20th. Today is 16th. The matter needs to be heard before 20th,” the Court remarked.

The petition has been filed by Dr. Raj Shekhawat, President of Kshatriya Karni Sena.

Earlier this month, a single judge had directed Shekhawat to submit a fresh application before the Delhi Police seeking permission to hold the protest on September 20.

The proposed protest seeks withdrawal of the 2026 Regulations. Shekhawat has relied on a Supreme Court order keeping the Regulations in abeyance after the Court prima facie found that certain provisions suffered from ambiguities and raised the possibility of misuse.

The 2026 Regulations were framed with the objective of promoting “equity” in higher education institutions and addressing caste-based discrimination on campuses.

The Regulations have, however, faced opposition from some sections, who have alleged that they discriminate against students belonging to the “general” category.

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