Little has been said in the Supreme Court so far about instructions or consultations between the Delhi Police and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as violence unfolded in NEET-UG protests in the national capital on July 20. The Supreme Court judgment of February 2012 in the Ramlila Maidan Incident versus Home Secretary refers to the then Delhi Police Commissioner’s affidavit that “as a matter of practice, Delhi Police keep the Ministry of Home Affairs duly informed in such matters”. The Supreme Court, over the decades, has shown a keen awareness and concern about political influence over the police. Twenty years ago, a Supreme Court judgment in the Prakash Singh case had cautioned against the overwhelming influence the political executive could wield over the police. The court has consistently held that respect for the rights of individuals was the “true bastion of democracy”.