SC Quashes FIRs Linked to July Student Protests

The Supreme Court has ordered that no further action be taken on FIRs registered across the country in connection with the student protests held in July. The court invoked its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash the cases.

Police in Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Maharashtra had sought the cancellation of FIRs filed in connection with the protests, a request accepted by the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also urged the court to extend the same relief to FIRs registered in other states. The court directed that no further action be taken in those cases as well.

In Delhi, police had registered 13 FIRs between July 20 and 25. The Delhi Police requested that all of them be cancelled, while seeking permission to register a fresh case against 2,873 protesters with serious criminal records. The Supreme Court allowed this request.

What did the Solicitor General say?

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the Centre had made several commitments to the protesting students, including withdrawing the cases, not registering fresh FIRs over the protests in the future, and providing compensation to the families of students who died by suicide. He said the government intended to honour all these commitments.