Supreme Court on mob lynching and cow vigilantism: Can't micromanage from Delhi

Observing that it has already issued detailed directions against incidents of lynching and mob violence, the Supreme Court on Tuesday closed a PIL raising the issue, specifically such acts by "cow vigilantes".

A bench headed by justice BR Gavai said the directions are binding on all state authorities and if any such direction is violated, the aggrieved individual has legal remedies.

The said verdict was given by a 3-member bench in July 2018.


The bench remarked that it would "not be feasible" for SC judges sitting in Delhi to "micromanage" such issues, when the factors leading to such incidents may differ in different states.

Citing its judgment in the "bulldozer justice" matter, SC had said that vide the said judgment (passed in November) it had given liberty to parties to approach competent authorities.

For similar reasons, the bench refused to examine the validity of cow protection laws in states, observing that the high court of the concerned state can be approached on such issues. The bench said in a "generic plea it will not be correct for this court to test validity of 13 different state laws. Thus, the specific high court needs to be approached".