The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a contempt petition alleging non-compliance with its 2018 judgment on mob lynching, observing that the directions issued at the time were “general” in nature and “unmanageable”, reported Live Law.
The 2018 ruling had directed the Centre and state governments to implement preventive, remedial and punitive measures to curb incidents of mob lynching. The court had also ordered the establishment of special courts for speedy trials, the creation of compensation schemes including interim relief for victims and their families, and disciplinary action, beyond service rules, against officials who fail to respond properly to such incidents.
In addition, the court had urged Parliament to consider introducing a separate penal provision to address vigilantism, stating that “mobocracy cannot be allowed in society”.
On Monday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard the contempt plea filed by Samastha Kerala Jamiat-ul-Ulema.
“Firstly, the court should be very careful in issuing directions which are unmanageable directions,” Live Law quoted the bench as saying. “In any case, if we issue directions, those are on general principles that we tell, we expect people to be aware of.”
The bench observed that a contempt petition could be filed based on specific instances where an individual’s rights had been violated. “How many contempt petitions will be there?” the bench remarked, according to Deccan Herald, before declining to entertain the plea.
In its 2018 judgment, the Supreme Court had also directed the Union government to publicise through radio, television and official websites that mob violence would be dealt with strictly under the law. It had sought compliance reports from both the Centre and state governments and recommended stringent action against individuals circulating inflammatory messages and videos.
The ruling was delivered in response to a batch of petitions, including those filed by Tarun Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and social activist Tehseen Poonawalla, seeking measures to curb violence by cow vigilante groups.