The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea from the Himachal Pradesh government seeking permission to withdraw 45 criminal cases against MPs and MLAs. These cases include those filed during the previous BJP government against Congress workers for holding rallies during the Covid pandemic. A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued a notice on this plea, which challenges a High Court order from April 26, 2024. The Himachal Pradesh High Court had rejected the withdrawal of most cases, allowing only 15 out of 65 recommended for withdrawal by the Home Department. Five cases, including one against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, were disposed of during the petition. On February 6, 2026, senior advocate V. Giri, representing the State government, asked the Supreme Court for permission to withdraw these cases in public interest. He stated this was after getting independent opinions from public prosecutors, district attorneys, district magistrates, and police superintendents. The apex court Bench issued a notice and scheduled the hearing on March 16, 2026. The High Court had refused withdrawal of cases under serious IPC sections like 269 (spreading infection), 353 (assault on public servant), 504 (provoking breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as laws like the National Highways Act and Disaster Management Act. While Section 321 of the CrPC normally allows prosecutors to withdraw cases without court permission, the High Court said this is not allowed here due to a Supreme Court 2020 ruling (Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay vs Union of India). That ruling said withdrawal must serve public justice and requires the public prosecutor to form an independent opinion, not influenced by politics, used with utmost good faith for the public’s benefit.