Supreme Court urges Parliament to consider new law to check mob lynching

The apex court observed that 'the state has the act positively in case of fear and anarchy' and that violence cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took a grim view of increasing incidents of mob lynchings and violence in the name of cow vigilantism across the country, and asked Parliament to consider bringing in a law to prevent these.

Underlining that no citizen has the right to take law in their hands, the apex court observed that 'the state has to act positively in case of fear and anarchy' and that violence cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. A new law enacted could act as a big deterrent against mob lynchings and violence in the name of cow vigilantism.

Supreme Court has said that it is the duty of the states to ensure inclusive social order, no mobocracy can be allowed: Tehseen Poonawalla, Petitioner in violence by vigilante groups matter pic.twitter.com/pwRvCUAqNF

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2018

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud had previously reserved its order while reminding central and state governments of their responsibility to curb violence by vigilante groups.

On September 6 last year, the apex court had also asked all the states to take stern measures to stop violence in the name of cow protection, including appointing of senior police officers as nodal officer in every district within a week and acting promptly to check cow vigilantes from behaving like they are "law unto themselves".

The apex court had sought a response from Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments on a plea seeking contempt action for not following its order to take stern steps to stop violence in the name of cow vigilantism.