New Delhi: The time has come to
take action about the frivolous petitions filed in court, the Supreme Court
said today, refusing to entertain a Public Interest Litigation that sought a
probe by the National investigation Agency into the Congress toolkit case.
The petitioner also wanted that the registration of the
Indian National Congress be suspended if the allegations against them on “anti-national
acts” are found true.
The court said that if the petitioner does not like the
toolkit, “then do not look, ignore it... this is a propaganda of a political
party”.
Expressing displeasure over the petition, Justice DY
Chandrachud said such frivolous petitions “cannot be heard”. “The time has come
that the Supreme Court does something about such petitions,” he added.
Advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha, who was representing the
petitioner, said even the use the term “Indian variant” for the Coronavirus
mutant was a matter of propaganda. Singapore, he said, has taken objection to
use of terms like “Singapore variant”.
“India is a democracy, you know?” Justice Chandrachud
responded, questioning if a court can ever control the various forms of
political propaganda.
Justice MR Shah, who was also part of the two-judge bench,
added that a criminal investigation is already pending in the 'toolkit' matter
and said that the petitioner ought to avail remedies other than Article 32,
which involves the right to move the Supreme Court for enforcement of other
rights.
The bench noted that directions could not be issued under
Article 32, as a general, umbrella petition could not be maintained under it.
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