Guwahati: Five FIRs registered in Assam in connection with protests over the NEET-UG 2026 controversy will not be pursued after the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered quashing of cases relating to student agitations held between July 20 and 25 across the country.A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, invoked its powers under Article 142 to direct that all FIRs concerning the protests during the period be quashed.Assam had approached the apex court seeking quashing of five FIRs, saying the state no longer wished to pursue or investigate the cases in view of Centre’s July 25 commitment to withdraw cases against protesters if the agitation was called off.The court said that any FIR registered in any other state or union territory in connection with incidents between July 20 and 25, including those not formally placed before it, should not be investigated and should be closed for all purposes.The development also came after Cockroach Janta Party leader Saurav Das informed the bench that the outfit had called off its proposed September 5 protest march following assurances from Centre on withdrawal of FIRs and compensation for victims.The court, however, allowed Delhi Police to register a fresh FIR against 2,873 individuals, without prejudice to their rights, in view of their alleged grave criminal antecedents.Apart from Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal had moved Supreme Court seeking quashing of 116 FIRs arising from the protests. Bihar had sought relief in 69 cases, Maharashtra in 34 and West Bengal in eight.
