Top Court Quashes FIRs Against Gen Z Protesters, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court quashed criminal cases against Gen Z protesters involved in nationwide stir linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
• The protests were related to the NEET-UG, 2026 question paper leaks.
• The Court exercised its absolute powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure "complete justice".
• The order applies to all States and Union Territories where protests occurred between July 20 and July 25.
• A new FIR can be filed against 2,873 individuals with criminal antecedents identified by facial recognition technology.
• The Centre was directed to frame a pan-India policy for compensating families of students who died by suicide following the paper leaks, to be implemented within three months.

Detailed Insights:

• The Supreme Court's decision followed a volte-face by the Delhi Police, which indicated it would not pursue the FIRs.
• This move by the Delhi Police was influenced by a planned CJP march on September 5, ahead of a high-profile BRICS summit in the National Capital.
• Following the court's decision, the CJP announced the withdrawal of its call for the march.
• The Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, emphasized the importance of students concentrating on their careers.
• The court's primary consideration for invoking Article 142 was the future prospects of the young protesters.
• The order also ensures that no fresh FIRs are registered by States and Union Territories for the specified protest period.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Article 142: Grants the Supreme Court extraordinary power to pass any decree or order necessary for doing "complete justice" in any matter before it.
• NEET-UG: National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for undergraduate medical and dental courses in India.
• FIR (First Information Report): A written document prepared by police when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence.
• Cockroach Janta Party (CJP): A political entity that emerged in response to remarks by the Chief Justice of India, leading protests against the NEET-UG paper leaks.