Bihar has joined the Centre and three other state governments in approaching the Supreme Court to seek quashing of criminal cases registered in connection with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests held in July, according to filings placed before the court on Tuesday.
Joint plea filed by states and Centre
The four states named in the application are Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, informed Chief Justice of India Surya Kant that separate applications had been filed by the states in respect of First Information Reports (FIRs) arising out of the demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and other parts of the national capital between July 20 and 25.
The Centre also moved the Supreme Court on Monday seeking quashing of 13 FIRs linked to the CJP-led protests, according to the record before the bench.
Bench to hear consolidated pleas
The Chief Justice agreed to hear the petitions together but directed the states to ensure their applications were free of defects. The court observed:
“Okay! We will take them together. Please, make sure the applications are free from defects.”
Solicitor General Mehta asked that the papers be called for and the matters listed at 2 pm, indicating an expedited listing for the consolidated petitions.
Legal and governance implications for Bihar
The involvement of Bihar in the petition signals an active role by the state government in seeking central assistance to end criminal proceedings arising from mass protests organised by the CJP. The move raises questions about coordination between state governments and the Centre in handling cases where demonstrations in the national capital have led to FIRs involving participants from multiple states.
Quashing of FIRs by the Supreme Court would effectively halt criminal proceedings connected to the specified protests; conversely, refusal could leave lower court processes and investigations to continue. The petitions now call for judicial determination on whether the contested FIRs should be set aside on legal grounds.
Known facts from the filings
- The Centre has sought quashing of 13 FIRs registered in connection with CJP protests held between July 20 and 25.
- Four states — Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar — have filed separate applications seeking permission to withdraw and quash FIRs arising from the demonstrations.
- The Supreme Court agreed to hear the petitions together subject to formal defects being addressed.
| Entity | Action in Supreme Court |
|---|---|
| Centre | Moved to quash 13 FIRs related to CJP protests |
| Maharashtra | Filed application to quash FIRs arising from protests |
| Assam | Filed application to quash FIRs arising from protests |
| West Bengal | Filed application to quash FIRs arising from protests |
| Bihar | Filed application to quash FIRs arising from protests |
What is not yet on record
The filings before the court do not, as yet, set out the precise number of FIRs attributable to participants from each state, nor do they identify the individual accused or the specific offences alleged in every FIR. The petitions seek judicial intervention to end the criminal proceedings in respect of the matters listed, but detailed grounds and the states’ legal arguments have not been disclosed in the short hearing note placed on record.
How the Supreme Court addresses questions of jurisdiction, balance between right to protest and maintenance of public order, and the power to quash FIRs arising from mass demonstrations will determine the immediate legal outcome for persons facing prosecution in multiple states.
Next steps
The bench indicated an intention to take up the consolidated matters in the next hearing after defects in the state applications are rectified, and after the court’s registry calls for the papers. Petitioners will be required to produce complete records for consideration. The timing suggests a prompt judicial response, but the eventual decision will depend on fuller arguments and supporting documentation to be placed before the court.
Further developments will be monitored as the Supreme Court lists the consolidated petitions and considers the legal submissions from the Centre and the four state governments.
