Delhi Police on Thursday, 30 July began preparing legal proceedings exclusively against individuals with prior criminal records who had joined the Jantar Mantar student protests earlier this month, a senior government official confirmed. Genuine student demonstrators, according to the Delhi government's Home Department, will face no adverse legal action and those already arrested or detained are to be released promptly.

What the Government Circular Says

A circular issued by Principal Secretary (Home) Santosh D. Vaidya confirmed that 13 First Information Reports (FIRs) had been registered in connection with protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. Vaidya stated, 'No adverse legal action will be taken by any of the police authorities within National Capital Territory of Delhi against those persons who have been involved in these protests.'

He added, however, that 'the protection shall not extend to persons having criminal antecedents, as mandated in the order of the Supreme Court.'

Lieutenant Governor's Consent and Supreme Court Order

The decision to close cases against protesters with no criminal background was taken with the consent of Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu, who holds the highest authority over law and order in the capital and over Delhi Police. The move follows the Supreme Court's order dated 28 July in the case of Shailendra Mani Tripathi versus Union of India.

An official statement from the Government of NCT of Delhi said: 'The Government of NCT of Delhi does not propose to take any further adverse action against the individuals involved in the protests, and the matter shall be treated as closed without any future proceedings on this account.'

Background: 36 Days of Protest and the July 20 Crackdown

The demonstrations, centred on alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam, ran for 36 days before being withdrawn on Saturday. On 20 July, police used force to prevent what officials described as lawlessness in the high-security zone around Jantar Mantar. The alleged police excesses on that date triggered a sharp debate in Parliament, with Opposition members targeting the Union government during discussions on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.

Impact on Students and What Happens Next

The distinction drawn by the Delhi government — between genuine student protesters and those with prior criminal records — offers significant relief to the bulk of demonstrators. Notably, this separation was not self-initiated by the government but was directed by the Supreme Court, lending the decision a judicial mandate rather than a purely political character.

With the protest formally withdrawn and cases against genuine students set to be dropped, attention is likely to shift to the broader demand that triggered the agitation: accountability for alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination and the fate of the amendment bill currently before Parliament.