Centre Seeks Supreme Court Quashing of FIRs Against NEET Protesters

The Indian government has filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of criminal cases against students and protesters involved in demonstrations over the NEET examination paper leak, invoking the court's special constitutional powers. The move comes just days before a planned protest march in the capital. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday, August 31, 2026. He requested an urgent hearing for Tuesday, September 1, stating the Centre was filing an interlocutory application to quash the first information reports (FIRs) and was invoking Article 142 of the Constitution. Article 142 grants the Supreme Court the power to pass any order necessary to ensure complete justice in a case. The Chief Justice agreed to list the matter for hearing on Tuesday, remarking that if parties were reconciling, the court had no objection. The application is significant as it follows months of nationwide protests organized by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).