The Supreme Court of India on May 13 declined to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) that called for a special investigation team (SIT) probe into the violent protests that erupted in Murshidabad, West Bengal, against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The bench, consisting of Justices Surya Kant and N.K. Singh, expressed a strong disapproval of the practice of filing PILs directly before the Supreme Court, advising the petitioner to first approach the Calcutta High Court instead. “This practice of filing direct writ petitions before the Supreme Court, we will deal with very seriously,” Justice Kant warned. The bench questioned, “Why don’t you petition the Calcutta High Court? If it were a matter involving multiple states, then we could understand, but this is not such a case.” Consequently, the Supreme Court rejected the plea but permitted the petitioner to seek relief from the Calcutta High Court.
Previously, on April 22, the Supreme Court had dismissed another PIL which requested the formation of a five-member judicial inquiry commission, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to investigate the communal violence in Murshidabad. This petition sought directives for the West Bengal government to submit a status report on the clashes that occurred during the protests against the Waqf Amendment Act, along with measures to curb hate speeches against any community.
During hearings concerning the validity of the contentious amendments to the Waqf Act of 1995, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna emphasized the concerning trend of violence. “One thing that is very disturbing is the violence taking place. Once the matter is before the court, it should not happen,” the Chief Justice remarked, signaling the court’s commitment to maintaining order in ongoing legal proceedings.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/waqf-act-row-sc-refuses-to-entertain-plea-seeking-probe-into-murshidabad-violence
Category: India
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-05-13 21:17:00
