Archive · 4 Sep 2026
Supreme Court Declines PIL Against Rajasthan, UP School Curbs
The Supreme Court was asked to examine rules limiting visits and recordings in some government schools.
The rules apply to outsiders, journalists, YouTubers, social-media users and civil-society members.
People generally need permission to enter schools or take photographs, videos, interviews or livestreams.
Rajasthan introduced one order on August 16, 2026, and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh issued another on August 19, 2026.
Other Uttar Pradesh districts reportedly adopted similar directions.
The case came as the Cockroach Janta Party was sharing videos about the condition of government schools.
Priya Mishra argued that showing classrooms and facilities is different from recording identifiable children.
The Supreme Court declined to hear the challenge, leaving the restrictions untouched.
The Supreme Court declined to entertain Priya Mishra’s PIL challenging school-access restrictions in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Rajasthan’s August 16, 2026, circular requires outsiders to obtain permission before entering government schools or recording inside them.
An August 19, 2026, Ayodhya order bars outsiders, YouTubers and social-media associates from entering council schools or taking photos and videos without permission.
Similar restrictions were reported in Uttar Pradesh districts including Azamgarh, Ballia, Basti, Balrampur, Shamli and Agra.
The petitioner argued that public-interest documentation of school infrastructure should remain possible while protecting children’s privacy, dignity and safety.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, Priya Mishra, and education authorities in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh; the case involved a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe.
- What
- The court declined to entertain a PIL challenging restrictions on entry, photography, recording and livestreaming inside government schools.
- When
- The challenged orders were issued on August 16 and August 19, 2026; the Supreme Court’s order was dated September 1, 2026, and the decision was reported on September 3.
- Where
- Government and council schools in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, including Ayodhya and several other Uttar Pradesh districts.
- Why
- The petitioner sought to preserve public-interest scrutiny of school conditions while arguing that blanket restrictions violated constitutional rights.
Petitioner’s Position
Authorities’ Position
Public scrutiny versus controlled access
Petitioner’s Position
Priya Mishra argued that journalists, civil-society members and others should be able to document conditions in publicly run schools in the public interest.
Authorities’ Position
The Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh directions require outsiders to obtain permission before entering schools or conducting specified activities there.
Infrastructure documentation versus child protection
Petitioner’s Position
The petition distinguished filming buildings, classrooms, toilets, drinking-water facilities, electricity and mid-day meals from recording identifiable children.
Authorities’ Position
The restrictions regulate access and recording inside schools, in a context involving concerns about children’s privacy, dignity and safety.
Constitutional challenge
Petitioner’s Position
The petitioner argued that the restrictions violate equality, freedom of speech and expression, legitimate journalism, and other rights under the Constitution, and sought reasonableness, necessity and proportionality safeguards.
Authorities’ Position
The Supreme Court declined to entertain the challenge, leaving the contested orders untouched; the reports do not state that the court ruled on the merits.
- Court decision
- The Supreme Court declined to entertain the writ petition filed under Article 32.
- Petitioner
- Priya Mishra
- Rajasthan restriction
- A circular dated August 16, 2026, requires prior permission to enter schools and written permission for photography, videography, interviews, audio recording and livestreaming.
- Uttar Pradesh restriction
- An August 19, 2026, Ayodhya order requires permission for outsiders, YouTubers and social-media associates to enter council schools or take photographs and videos.
- Other Uttar Pradesh districts
- The petition cited similar directions in Azamgarh, Ballia, Basti, Balrampur, Shamli and Agra.
- Constitutional provisions cited
- Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(g), 21 and 21-A; another report specifically cited Articles 14, 19 and 21.
- Campaign context
- The Cockroach Janta Party’s “School Thik Karo” campaign has shared volunteer-recorded videos about government schools.
