New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has ordered the filing of hate speech cases even without a complaint, warning that the relevant authorities will be guilty of contempt of court if the cases are delayed.
The Supreme Court extended the scope of its 2022 order, directing Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police to take action against hate speech cases on their own, NDTV reported.
Making hate speech a serious crime, the Supreme Court remarked that hate speech “affects the secular society of the country.” The court was hearing applications related to hate speech offences.
The bench had sought a response from the state of Maharashtra on a contempt petition alleging failure to act against hate speech.
A bench comprising Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathana ordered, “We further make it clear that action should be taken irrespective of the religion of the perpetrator of hate speech so as to preserve the secular character of India.”
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