Cannot stop anyone from making hate speeches: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday said it cannot stop anyone from making speeches, hate or otherwise. It added it wasn’t possible to issue a blanket order as a preemptive measure.

The Supreme Court on Friday said it cannot stop anyone from making speeches, hate or otherwise.



A bench headed by justice BS Chauhan said: "If we pass orders that no murder should take place, how will it be implemented?"

It added it wasn’t possible to issue a blanket order as a preemptive measure.

The apex court’s observations came in response to a public interest litigation seeking to stop politicians from making hate speeches. The PIL was filed following an alleged hate speech delivered by Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi in last December in Andhra Pradesh.

Owaisi was arrested in January and was later released after he spent 39 days in jail.

The petitioner before SC contended that despite complaints no penal action has been taken against political leaders who have made hate speeches in the past.

"If some speech is derogatory, there are laws which will take care. How can we issue orders? You can approach the concerned authority," the bench told the petitioner.

It directed him to file copies of his complaints in court within three weeks and adjourned the case.