Ahead of CJP's Sept 5 protest, Centre urges Supreme Court to quash FIRs against students
A Bench led by CJI agrees to take up the matter on Tuesday after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta seeks urgent hearing
Ahead of the September 5 CJP protest over the Government’s alleged failure to honour its commitment regarding withdrawal of cases against protesters, the Centre on Monday urged the Supreme Court to quash FIRs registered against student protesters invoking its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.
Related news: Expect everybody to act in responsible manner: SC refuses to prohibit CJP's Sept 5 protest march
Article 142 of the Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to pass any order necessary for doing “complete justice” in a case pending before it.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant when it was about to rise.
“We want to move an IA (interlocutory application). It’s regarding that (CJP) protest... For quashing FIRs...We are invoking Article 142,” Mehta told the Bench, seeking an urgent hearing on Tuesday.
“Alright, you file. If the parties are reconciling, we have no difficulty,” the CJI said, agreeing to hear it on Tuesday.
Accusing the Centre of failing to honour the promises made on July 25 to persuade the protesters to withdraw their 36-day agitation against examination irregularities, the CJP has announced that it will hold a protest march on September 5.
The withdrawal of cases against student protesters was one of the main demands of the CJP to end their stir over malpractices in NEET and other examinations.
The CJP the march scheduled on Teachers’ Day would be led by families of students who committed suicide following the cancellation of the NEET examination and the subsequent re-test and alleged victims of police excesses during the “Chalo Sansad” protest here on July 20.
Alleging that ‘history-sheeters’ infiltrated July 20 protest in which 240 cops injured, the Solicitor General had earlier told the Bench that except for 2,873 individuals facing grave cases involving grievous offences of murder, rape, abductions etc, the cases against others can be quashed.
“FIRs against student protestors must be quashed. How to do... your Lordships can decide. Anti-social elements who infiltrated (the protest) have to be probed,” Mehta had told the Bench which also included Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana.
