SC pulls up lax states on rules to curb lynchings

THE COURT GAVE A WEEK’S TIME TO STATES THAT DID NOT SUBMIT A COMPLIANCE REPORT ON MEASURES TO PREVENT INCREASING MOB LYNCHING CASES

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday came down hard on states yet to comply with its July 17 order listing several directives on dealing with lynchings, and gave them another week to do so. A default would be viewed seriously and the home secretaries of the states would be summoned, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra warned.

Only 11 of 29 states and two of seven Union Territories have complied with the order, which came against the backdrop of an increase in the number of mob lynchings across India.

The order listed 11 preventive, remedial, and punitive steps, including a designated police officer in each district to address such issues, a record of districts where such instances are common, outreach through mass media warning people of the consequences of lynching; curbing the spread of fake news and rumours that prompt lynchings, fast track courts to deal with the cases, and the maximum sentence for such crimes. “We direct the remaining states and Union Territories to file the compliance reports in a week. If the reports are not filed, the home secretaries of the defaulting states will have to appear personally,” said the bench, also comprising justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud. Attorney general KK Venugopal informed the court that in pursuance of the order, the Centre had set up an empowered group of ministers to frame a law on mob violence.

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