Central government asks Supreme Court to invoke special powers under Article 142 to close FIRs against CJP protestors

The Central government has approached the Supreme Court with a plea to quash the criminal cases registered against various persons in connection with their participation in the recent Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) led student protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar..The matter was mentioned today before a Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana by Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta"I want to move one IA, if lordships can permit (listing) tomorrow.. Some urgency ... It's regarding that protest, for the purpose of FIRs to be quashed etc. Article 142 (of the Constitution), we are invoking," said SG Mehta."If parties are reconciling, we have no problem," replied CJI Kant."Tomorrow my lord?" SG Mehta requestedCJI Kant, in turn, agreed to list the matter tomorrow. .The CJP protests began in June over repeated national exam paper leaks. The movement gained momentum after climate rights activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest and began a hunger fast in solidarity. Meanwhile, Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) reportedly resorted to lathi charge, teargas shelling and the use of pellet guns to stop the CJP protestors on a "Sansad Chalo" march to the parliament on July 20.The protests were eventually called off days later after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tendered his resignation as minister, which was a key demand put forth by the protestors. Other demands placed before the Central government during talks between CJP's spokespersons and the government were that criminal cases registered against students and protesters in connection with their participation in the protests be withdrawn. This aspect of the matter is now likely to be raised before the Court in the application that will be heard tomorrow. The Supreme Court has already set up a committee to examine the alleged police excesses against protestors as well as the alleged violence by protestors against police.