SC Issues Notice to Centre, States Over Mob Lynching Cases

The Supreme Court of India issued a notice to the Centre and states, seeking compliance to its 2018 judgment

(Photo: PTI)

The Supreme Court on Friday, 26 July, issued a notice to the Central government and all states in a petition seeking implementation of its 2018 judgment with respect to mob lynching cases.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta issued a notice in a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Council of India Trust.

The apex court asked the Parliament to consider enacting a new law to deal with mob lynching and cow vigilantism in a stern manner, warning that such incidents may rise like a "Typhoon-like monster" across the country.

The 2018 judgment is related to the Tehseen S Poonwalla vs Union of India case, where the apex court had urged the Centre to come out with a legislation to curb mob lynching.

Last week, on 18 July, the Supreme Court had declined to hear, on an urgent basis, a contempt plea against states that have not complied with its 2018 judgement which laid down guidelines to prevent mob lynching, PTI reported.

The court emphasised that crimes of mob lynching should be viewed in religion-neutral terms.

What Was the 2018 Judgment?

On 17 July 2018, the Supreme Court had condemned cases of lynching and cow vigilantism. It said, "No citizen can take law into his hands nor become law unto himself. It is the duty of State to ensure maintenance of law and order so as to protect secular ethos and prevent mobocracy."

As the judgment concludes, the Court had emphasised that the State has to act positively and responsibly to tackle the issue, and prevent it from becoming ‘the new normal.’

The apex court had urged the Parliament to formulate a separate law on lynching.

Earlier on 23 July, a group of eminent citizens including Aparna Sen, Shyam Benegal and 47 others wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that 'Jai Shri Ram' has become a provocative war-cry with many lynchings taking place in its name.

On Tuesday, a Muslim hawker in his mid-forties was beaten up by a group of youths who allegedly forced him to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

On 13 July, a police head constable was beaten to death in Rajasthan's Rajsamand district while investigating a land dispute.

(With inputs from PTI, Bar and Bench)