The Supreme Court on Tuesday invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to cancel all FIRs listed before it against youth protesters over incidents between July 20 and 25 during the Cockroach Janta Party-led paper leak protests across the country, which demanded then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. The court said any other FIRs related to the same incidents in any state or Union Territory should not be pursued or investigated and would be treated as closed for all purposes.
Allowing applications filed by five states seeking the cancelling of the FIRs, the Supreme Court said no state or Union Territory should register any fresh FIR for incidents between July 20 and 26.
The court, however, said the Centre and Delhi Police would remain at liberty to register fresh FIRs against 2,873 persons, as described in their application, without prejudice to the affected parties’ right to seek legal remedy.
The Supreme Court said its decision to invoke Article 142 was based on commitments made before it by the Centre and some states, along with a statement read by the CJP co-convenor.
It also took into account the future prospects of young protesters who had “bona fide” come to participate in peaceful protests.
On compensation, the court directed that modalities for a pan-India mechanism be worked out in consultation with states and Union Territories, with the framework adopted as a regular mechanism for compensatory measures.
The Centre was also directed to provide compensation within three months in cases of suicides due to NEET 2026. Reacting to the order, a CJP spokesperson thanked the Supreme Court and described the decision as “historic.”
CJP WITHDRAWS SEPTEMBER 5 PROTEST CALL
The Cockroach Janta Party told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it was withdrawing its call for a fresh protest march in Delhi on September 5 after the Centre assured the court that it would honour its commitments to protesters, including the withdrawal of FIRs linked to the July 20 Jantar Mantar agitation.
CJP spokesperson and co-convenor Saurav Das made the statement before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant after the Centre addressed the demands that had led to the fresh protest call. “In view of the positive assurance and judicial sanctity and the order being passed by this court today, CJP deems it appropriate to withdraw the protest march call,” Das told the court.
Responding to the decision, the Chief Justice said, “If both sides show good gestures, everything can be resolved.”
On August 24, the CJP had announced the September 5 march from India Gate to the New Delhi Police Headquarters, alleging that the Centre had failed to honour assurances given when its nationwide agitation against the NEET paper leak was called off on July 25. Protesters had said that several commitments made at the time, especially those relating to FIRs and written assurances, had not been fulfilled.
CENTRE REITERATES THREE ASSURANCES
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that the Centre had given three assurances at a meeting with protest leaders. The first was that FIRs against protesters for incidents between July 20 and 25 would not be pursued. The second was that no fresh FIRs would be filed in connection with those incidents. The third related to compensation for the families of those who died by suicide. “The government stands by its commitments,” the Solicitor General told the court.
The Centre, however, also placed before the court a specific application by the Delhi Police seeking permission to register a fresh FIR against 2,873 people who were alleged to have serious criminal records, but only if an investigation established their involvement in offences involving bodily harm or destruction of property during the protests.
Mehta said the request was peculiar to Delhi and sought leave to file a fresh FIR only against those 2,873 individuals if their involvement in such offences was established. He added that the proposed action would not be a blanket exception covering all protesters.
With the Centre reiterating its assurances before the Supreme Court and the bench cancelling all FIRs, the CJP withdrew its September 5 protest march call.
– Ends
Published By:
Sayan Ganguly
Published On:
Sep 1, 2026 15:30 IST
