2018 verdict binding on all states: SC on dealing with mob lynching

The Supreme Court of India Tuesday February 12, 2025 declined to entertain a PIL seeking action against cases of mob lynching by cow vigilantes saying its 2018 verdict on the matter is binding on all states

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India Tuesday February 12, 2025 declined to entertain a PIL seeking action against cases of mob lynching by cow vigilantes saying its 2018 verdict on the matter is binding on all states.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran referred to the Supreme Court’s 2018 order which passed a slew of directions to provide "preventive, remedial and punitive measures" to deal with offences like mob violence and cow vigilantism.

"When directions are issued by this court, the same are binding on all the authorities and courts in the country in view of Article 141 of the Constitution of India," the bench said.

The top court also dealt with a prayer for providing redressal in cases of lynching and mob violence to the victims, their families and strict compliance of the punitive and remedial measures mentioned in the 2018 verdict.

The Supreme Court said if there was any non-compliance with the directions issued by the apex court, there was remedy available for the aggrieved person and could approach competent courts.

'Not possible to micro-manage'

Dismissing the PIL, the Supreme Court said it is not possible to micro-manage all cases of lynching while sitting in Delhi.

“We can't monitor the incidents occurring in different areas in different states of the country sitting here in Delhi. In our view, such a micro-management by this court would not be feasible”, the judges said.

The petitioner's counsel claimed there was "gross non-compliance" of the apex court's 2018 directions.

"If the issue is already concluded, can we again re-open it by another writ?" asked the bench.

Referring to the non-compliance of the apex court's directives, the petitioner's counsel said a pattern emerged across the states as appropriate steps were not taken by the authorities in such cases.

"In each state, the position would be different. Are we going to decide upon the patterns?" the bench asked.

With inputs from PTI

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