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Supreme Court refers appeal against posters to larger Bench
Why in news?
- A Vacation Bench of the Supreme Court did not stay Allahabad High Court order to the district and police authorities in Lucknow to “forthwith” remove roadside banners displaying the personal details of persons accused of “vandalism” during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests in December 2019.
More in news
- Allahabad High Court Order:
(1) It held that the wayside posters were a violation of individual privacy, a fundamental right which globally “underpins human dignity and key values of a democracy”.
(2) It had ordered the Lucknow District Magistrate and police chief to remove the posters without delay and file a compliance report on March 16.
- Supreme Court’s Remarks:
(1) The State’s action was not “covered in law”.
(2) There was a difference between videographing a person’s unsocial or riotous behaviour as evidence and the State displaying personal details and photographs of citizens.
(3) The posters had come up even before the 30-day deadline to pay the compensation was over.
- Questions Before the Bench:
(1) Did the State have a right to display faces of accused in the public domain and give rise to a presumption that they were guilty for all time to come.
(2) Wrongdoers have to be brought to book. But can the State go two stages beyond and start displaying their faces on posters?”
(3) The right to privacy of individuals featured in the posters.
Sources
The Hindu