SC Asks Parliament to Draft New Law to Prevent Mob Lynching

“Horrendous acts of mobocracy cannot be allowed to become new norm”: SC

‘Not In My Name’ protests saw thousands demonstrating against the rising spate of mob lynchings. 

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@SapruAshutosh)

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, 17 July, asked the Parliament to draft a new law to effectively deal with offences of mob lynching.

The apex court asking the parliament to strictly deal with such offenders stated, “horrendous acts of mobocracy cannot be allowed to become new norm and has to be curbed with iron hands.”

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also passed a slew of directions to provide "preventive, remedial and punitive measures" to deal with offences like mob violence and cow vigilantism.

Reminding that no citizen can take law into their own hands, the bench, which also comprised justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said that it was the duty of State to ensure rule of law is preserved.

The bench asked the legislature to consider enacting a new penal provision to deal with offences of mob violence and provide deterrent punishment to such offenders.

Reacting to the Supreme Court’s observation, the petitioner in the cow vigilantism matter activist Tehseen Poonawalla, stated that he is greatful to the Supreme Court to have come out with a strict judgement, “We have already drafted a law called Masooka which we will be presenting to all the political parties in hope to see it become the reality.”

Following the SC observation, the Congress took to Twitter to say that the apex court’s concern was proof that the problem of mob lynching has reached epidemic proportions.

(This article has been edited for length.)