Police brutality in Punjab and Bihar Supreme Court takes suo moto cognizance AG to assist Court Salve and UU Lalit as amicus

The Supreme Court of India, on March 6, 2013, took suo moto cognizance of the police violence against civilians in Punjab and Bihar. A Division Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and Ranjana Prakash Desai called the matter on its motion and relied on newspaper reports before directing that the matter be placed before the Chief Justice on March 11, 2013 for further directions..The Supreme Court of India, on March 6, 2013, took suo moto cognizance of the police violence against civilians in Punjab and Bihar..A Division Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and Ranjana Prakash Desai called the matter on its motion and relied on newspaper reports before directing that the matter be placed before the Chief Justice for listing of the case on March 11, 2013..The Court observed that almost all leading newspapers carried reports of police beating up a woman and father who had approached the police to lodge complaint against men who had harassed her. Similarly, another report published in various dailies revealed that the police had beaten up contractual teachers who were demanding their regular wages..The Court observed that the “administration of the Governments of Punjab and Bihar have not taken adequate steps for protecting the people against the wholly unwarranted action taken by the police”..The Court, therefore, took cognizance of what it termed as “the gross violation of the human rights as well as the constitutional rights of the people” and held that these incidents raised important constitutional issues relating to Article 21 of the Constitution and dignity of individual..It requested the Attorney General to assist the Court in the matter and Senior Advocates Harish N. Salve and U. U. Lalit to aid the Court as amicus curiae..The full text of the order can be seen here.