No judicial route to ‘Ram Rajya’, says SC

R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, August 26

The Supreme Court today advised PIL activists against expecting the judiciary to ensure “Ram Rajya” by preventing or correcting all the wrong things that were going on in the country.

“Will corruption, rape and other crimes come to an end and people stop harming one another if we pass an order to that effect?” a Bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur asked NGO Voice of India, which pleaded for removal of all encroachments on roads.

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“We know footpaths are occupied. But our capacity to monitor is limited, that is the problem. Our intentions are as good as yours. We can’t go on clearing footpaths. If we issue a directive for clearing the footpaths across the country, will it be done?” it asked.

Dhanesh Ieshdhan, arguing for the NGO, pleaded that the apex court was nevertheless issuing orders almost daily for CBI and other inquiries into various allegations of crime and malpractices.

At this stage, the Bench accepted his plea against dismissing his petition and posted the next hearing for February 2017, a month after the retirement of CJI Thakur.

In September 2014, the court had asked the states to file status reports on steps taken to remove encroachments on roads, lanes, bylanes and footpaths.