Supreme Court asks all states to submit reports on procedures to stop cow vigilantism, mob lynchings within one week

The Supreme Court on Friday asked all the states to comply with its directions to deal with incidents of cow vigilantism and mob lynchings within one week. The apex court noted that only 11 states have filed compliance reports following its 17 July verdict on cow vigilantism. The top court warned that if the reports are not filed then home secretary of defaulting state will have to appear in person before court. [caption id=“attachment_5034721” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Supreme Court of India. AFP[/caption] The court asked remaining states to file compliance report within one week on dealing with cases of cow vigilantism. In its 17 July verdict, condemning the rising incidents of lynching cases in India, the Supreme Court had instructed the Parliament to come up with a new law which would deal with offences of mob-lynching. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra condemned cases of mob-lynching and called the incidents  “horrendous acts of mobocracy”  which cannot be allowed to become a new norm. Pronouncing the judgment, Misra said that no one can take the law into their hands or become a law unto himself. The bench, which also comprised Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud, said it was the duty of state governments to ensue law and order in society, besides ensuring that the rule of law prevailed. The bench passed a slew of directions to provide “preventive, remedial and punitive measures” to deal with offences like mob violence and cow vigilantism as it said that it was the duty of state governments to ensue law and order in society. “Citizens cannot take law into their hands and cannot become law unto themselves,” the bench said. The top court passed the order on a plea seeking formulation of guidelines to curb such violent incidents in the country. With inputs from PTI