Supreme Court quashes FIRs against youth protesters

New Delhi: Invoking its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 1) ordered that FIRs lodged across the country against youth protesters in connection with their agitation carried out between July 20 and 25 stand quashed.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant as well as Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana recorded the Union, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam governments' submissions asking that the court quash FIRs lodged against protesters between July 20 and 25 by police under their control. The judges ordered that cases not only in these states but across India be quashed.

"Keeping in view the future prospects of the young protesters, we invoke our powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to do complete justice," the court said on Tuesday per PTI. The court also ordered that no FIRs be lodged in future against protesters for their agitation.

At the same time the bench permitted the Delhi police to lodge FIRs against 2,873 persons with 'serious criminal antecedents' in connection with the protests. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta told the court that the police will not probe these individuals just because they participated in the agitation, but for offences involving bodily harm or destruction of property.

Mehta also asked the court for three months' time to formulate a policy for compensating the families of students who died by suicide after the NEET-UG paper leak in May.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das appeared in court on Tuesday and informed the bench that the outfit had decided to cancel its September 5 march in Delhi.

"... In view of the positive assurances of the government of India and the judicial sanctity bestowed upon them today ... the CJP deems it appropriate to withdraw the call for the march on September 5 and looks forward to compliance with today's order," LiveLaw quoted Das as saying before the bench.

The CJP, which led the youth protests demanding then-Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation in light of the NEET-UG leak among other issues, had announced it would march from India Gate to the Delhi police's headquarters on September 5 to protest what it said was the government's delay in ending cases against protesters, including prominently after the massive July 20 march to parliament.

Das later hailed the day's developments as a historic victory for the country's youth.

Union minister J.P. Nadda, who served as intermediary between the Modi government and the CJP, welcomed the outfit's decision to call off its September 5 protest.

What we can verify

• Supreme Court order (Sept 1, 2026): Bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Bagchi, and Justice Mohana quashed FIRs against youth protesters across India; permitted fresh FIRs against 2,873 individuals with serious criminal antecedents. — The Wire, Indian Express

• CJP calls off September 5 march: CJP spokesperson Saurav Das informed the SC the party withdraws its September 5 march. — The Wire, Times Now, Indian Express

• SG Tushar Mehta submission: Government stands by commitment to compensate families of NEET suicide victims; three months to finalize modalities. — The Wire

• Nadda welcomes CJP decision: Union minister says youth progress is government's topmost priority. — Indian Express

What remains unverified

• Whether all state governments will implement the FIR withdrawal immediately — implementation timeline varies by state, pending administrative processing. [unverified]
• Exact modalities and timeline for NEET suicide compensation — the Centre says three months; no final scheme published yet. [unverified]
• How the 2,873 with criminal antecedents will be specifically identified — the court's exception is broad; precise criteria not yet published. [unverified]