The Supreme Court has refused to entertain Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind’s plea seeking compensation for mob lynching victims, citing the existing Tehseen Poonawalla guidelines that already mandate preventive and remedial measures against mob violence.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India on Monday refused to entertain a petition filed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, which sought directions to state governments to pay compensation to victims of mob lynching incidents across the country.
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The matter was heard by a bench led by Justice J.K. Maheshwari, who noted that the Supreme Court had already laid down comprehensive guidelines for dealing with cases of mob violence and lynching in the landmark Tehseen Poonawalla v. Union of India (2018) judgment.
“In view of the directions in Tehseen Poonawalla, at present we are not inclined to intervene,”
Justice Maheshwari observed, effectively dismissing the plea.
Background
In 2018, the Supreme Court issued extensive directives to curb incidents of mob lynching, including preventive, remedial, and punitive measures. The court had mandated:
- Appointment of nodal officers in every district to prevent such crimes.
- Fast-track trials for lynching cases.
- Compensation to victims and their families as part of remedial measures.
- Accountability of police and district administration officials for negligence.
The bench today emphasized that those directions continue to hold the field and can be enforced through proper legal channels rather than by filing fresh petitions.
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Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind’s Plea
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, one of India’s prominent socio-religious organizations, had approached the apex court seeking uniform implementation of compensation schemes for victims of mob lynching. The petition argued that several state governments had failed to provide timely relief or compensation, despite the 2018 judgment.
However, the court noted that any non-compliance with the existing directions must be addressed before the respective High Courts or through the execution of the Tehseen Poonawalla guidelines.
