Adjournment for a month unjustified: SC asks HC to hear Delhi riots pleas on Friday
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi High Court to hear matters related to the north-east Delhi violence on March 6 while observing that the one-month adjournment by the HC was "unjustified".
Chief Justice of India S A Bobde, heading a Bench that also comprised Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, directed the Delhi High Court to deal with the matter expeditiously while asking it to explore the possibility of peaceful resolution of the dispute. The north-east Delhi riots have claimed the lives of 47 people so far and left over 200 injured.
"We think that adjournment (in Delhi HC) of such a long period is unjustified. We also do not want to assume jurisdiction when HC is seized of the matter. All other connected matters in the same subject which have been adjourned to a later date may be advanced and taken up along with this matter," CJI Bobde said.
Replying to the CJI, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the situation was not conducive. "We have received 7,000 videos. We said right now the situation is not proper. We will when the situation is conducive," Mehta said.
"We don't think that violence can be curbed by court orders. In an injunction, there are specific people. But in a matter like this, there are not specified people," CJI Bobde shot back.
Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, who is representing the petitioners, said there would have been no riots had the "main persons" been jailed while referring to alleged hate speeches made by BJP leaders.
Meanwhile, during a hearing of a petition against hate speech by BJP leaders in Delhi, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked activist Harsh Mander if he had made remarks against the top court. The court said it won't hear him unless he clarifies on the matter. Mander's counsel, however, denied that he made any such statement. The Apex Court's reaction came after a video of Mander speech went viral in which he is allegedly saying "there is no trust left in the courts and that ultimate justice has to be on the streets".
Mander had filed a petition seeking registration of FIRs against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Sahib Singh and Abhay Verma for their alleged hate speeches in the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections.
