Lucknow posters: SC says UP govt's appeal against Allahabad HC needs 'further consideration'

The Supreme Court on Thursday referred the Uttar Pradesh government's appeal against an Allahabad High Court order asking it to remove the posters to a three-judge bench. A bench of justices U U Lalit and Aniruddha Bose took note of the issues involved in the matter such as the right to privacy and the apex court's earlier directions on compensation for damages from rioters.

New Delhi: Terming the putting up of posters of anti-CAA protesters in Lucknow "an issue of significance", the Supreme Court on Thursday referred the Uttar Pradesh government's appeal against an Allahabad High Court order asking it to remove the posters to a three-judge bench.

The apex court said the appeal required "further elaboration and consideration".

A vacation bench of justices U U Lalit and Aniruddha Bose took note of the issues involved in the matter such as right to privacy and the apex court's earlier directions on compensation for damages from rioters.

"Considering the nature of the matter and issue of significance involved therein, in our view, the matter be placed before a Bench of at least three judges as early as possible and preferably in the week commencing March 16, 2020," the bench said in its order.

It also directed the apex court registry to place immediately the case records before the Chief Justice of India S A Bobde "so that a bench of sufficient strength can be constituted by the Chief Justice of India in the coming week to hear and consider the controversy involved in the matter".

The Supreme Court also granted liberty to those individuals whose names, pictures and addresses have been displayed in the posters to seek to be impleaded as parties in the appeal of the state government.

"Liberty is granted to those individuals whose names and pictures appeared in the hoardings to implead themselves in the present proceedings. If such applications for impleadment are filed, the Registry is directed to list said applications along with the main matter," the bench said.

The top court noted the contentions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, and a battery of senior advocates, including A M Singhvi, Collin Gonsalves and C U Singh, appearing for the alleged protesters whose names and pictures have been displayed in the posters.

During the hearing, the top court told the state government that there is "no law" which backs its action of putting up posters on roadsides with details of those accused of vandalism during anti-CAA protests.

Besides removal of posters, the Allahabad High Court, in its March 9 order, had directed authorities to file a compliance report on or before March 16.

The posters were displayed to "name and shame" the accused who had allegedly caused damage to public property during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Lucknow on December 19 last year.

Former IPS officer S R Darapuri and activist-politician Sadaf Jafar are among those whose photos have been put up with their personal details at major road crossings in Lucknow.

PTI