The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that FIRs registered across India over student protests held between July 20 and 25 should not be pursued or investigated, effectively closing the cases.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, also quashed FIRs specifically listed in applications filed by the Centre, Delhi Police, and the governments of Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Assam.
Extending the relief nationwide, the court said the decision was being taken keeping in mind the future of students who had participated in the protests in good faith.
The bench also directed all states and Union Territories not to register any fresh FIRs relating to incidents connected with the protests during the July 20-25 period.
However, the Delhi Police has been permitted to proceed with one case involving 2,873 protesters who, according to the authorities, have serious criminal antecedents.
The apex court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to pass the order, while making it clear that the decision was based on the “peculiar facts and circumstances” of the case and would not constitute a precedent.
The court also recorded the Centre’s assurance that a policy for compensating families of students who died by suicide following the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination would be formulated within three months.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the Centre had filed the applications in accordance with assurances given to CJP leaders on July 25 that existing cases against protesters would be withdrawn and no fresh FIRs would be registered over the same incidents.
SG Mehta reiterated that the government remained committed to providing compensation but sought three months to work out the modalities.
Following the Centre’s assurances and the Supreme Court’s order, CJP co-convener Saurav Das announced that the organisation was withdrawing its proposed September 5 march in Delhi.
“As co-convener of the CJP, I want to state that in view of the positive assurances of the Government of India and the judicial sanctity bestowed upon them today, and in view of the order being passed by this Court, the CJP deems it appropriate to withdraw the call for the march on September 5 and looks forward to compliance with today's order,” Das told the bench. He also thanked the court and lawyers involved in the matter.
The CJP had announced the march after alleging that the Centre had failed to honour commitments made during negotiations that led to the withdrawal of its prolonged student agitation.
The Supreme Court had considered quashing the FIRs during an earlier hearing on August 18, when the Centre pointed to legal difficulties in simply withdrawing registered cases.
The Solicitor General had then told the court that, barring 2,873 individuals accused in serious offences including murder, rape and abduction, the cases against the other protesters could be quashed. “FIRs against student protestors must be quashed. How to do... your lordships can decide. Anti-social elements who infiltrated have to be probed,” SG Mehta had said.
