Hate speech: SC asks Home Secy to collate info from states, UTs

New Delhi, July 21

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Secretary of the Union Home Ministry to collate information from states and Union Territories regarding the compliance of directions given earlier by the apex court regarding preventive, corrective, and remedial measures to curb untoward situations such as mob violence and hate speech.

Such details must be before us

At least this information should be before us. Which states are proactive, which are not acting at all, which have acted partially… Supreme Court Bench

The top court, which was hearing a bunch of petitions concerning hate speech and rumour-mongering, said the Secretary may collate necessary information by corresponding directly with the Secretary of the Home Department of respective states and UTs within three weeks and compile it state-wise.

A Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar referred to some previous judgments delivered by the apex court in 2018 and said they specifically provide for a structure and the follow-up action to be taken and the collation of information would reflect how the states and UTs have complied with these directions.

“It is not adversarial,” the Bench, also comprising Justices AS Oka and JB Pardiwala, orally said.

“The Secretary, Home Department, may collate necessary information by corresponding directly with the Secretary, Home Department, of the respective states/UTs within three weeks and compile the information….,” the Bench said, adding the state-wise information be placed before it within six weeks.

It said the matter would come up for hearing after six weeks.