SC dismisses PIL seeking to digitally monitor MPs, MLAs

The Apex Court Friday junked a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to digitally monitor all elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and MLAs in India for better governance.

Finding no force in the plea, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud verbally observed that the legislators have the fundamental right to privacy.

Dismissing the plea, the Bench held "we place the petitioner on notice of the fact that this court will impose costs if he pursues the cases. However, we desist from imposing costs with a caution that no such plea should be filed in the future".


The Bench initially warned the petitioner S N Kundra that it would impose a penalty of Rs 5 lakh, for filing such a petition. "This is public time, and this is not about our ego," the CJI orally remarked.

The petition argued that the MPs after getting elected under the Representation of People Act start behaving like rulers. The petitioner's counsel argued that the MPs are public servants.

Rejecting the contention, the CJI verbally responded "You cannot make this charge against all the MPs. How will individual citizens make law in a democracy? All laws are passed by Parliament after elected MPs participate. As individual citizens, we cannot arrogate the law. Then people will say we don't need judges...we will decide on the streets and kill for theft. Do we want that to happen?"

The Bench dismissed the PIL without imposing costs.