Highlights
- The Centre assured the Supreme Court that it and the State governments would, start broadcasting on radio and TV a stern message that mob lynchings and violence would invite the “wrath of law”.
- The Centre’s promise came in response to a query by a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on whether the court’s directions on the matter had been complied with.
- On July 17, the Supreme Court directed the Union and the State governments to disseminate through radio, television and other media platforms, including the official websites of the Home Department and the State police forces, the message that “lynching and mob violence of any kind shall invite serious consequences under the law”.
- Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for activist Tehseen Poonawala, drew the court’s attention to its more than two-month-old direction.
The gravity of the acts
- In her submission, Ms. Jaising said that nothing appeared to have been done on the ground, said that people must be made to realise the gravity of their acts, and for this, they ought to dread the long arm of the law.
- When the court sought a response from Attorney-General K.K. Venugopal and Additional Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, they replied that “the same shall be done, if not already done, within a week”.
- Mr. Venugopal informed the Bench that an empowered Group of Ministers was considering a specific law against lynchings.
- The court directed the State governments not to lag in compliance and follow the direction “absolutely religiously within a week from today”.
- The court said eight States and Union Territories were yet to file reports indicating their compliance with the July 17 verdict and asked them to file it in three days.
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