Advocate withdraws 16 more PILs days after Supreme Court’s remarks

Advocate Sachin Gupta on Thursday withdrew 16 public interest litigation (PIL) petitions filed by him before the Supreme Court.

The petitions included, inter alia, ones seeking directions to draft uniform civil code, directions to make changes in guidelines for live streaming of cases by courts and directions to draft a policy for compiling compendium of judgments of all High Courts and Supreme Court to eliminate mentioning of fake cases/ non-existent cases.

Gupta told a Bench comprising of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi that he will pursue the issues raised in the petitions before government authorities.

“I am withdrawing all my PILs. I will pursue it with authority first,” Gupta submitted.

Responding briefly, CJI Surya Kant indicated the Court’s acceptance of the withdrawal, saying,

“Thank you, thank you.”

The Supreme Court had earlier refused to entetain 25 PILs filed by Gupta, along with remarks asking him to focus on his legal practice instead of filing a flurry of petitions on diverse issues.

The Court had on April 10 declined to examine the petitions, observing that PIL jurisdiction is meant for genuine public causes and not for wide-ranging policy suggestions lacking a clear legal foundation.

“Concentrate on the profession. When the time is correct we will entertain the cases as well. But first try to sensitise and deal with issues,” CJI Kant had remarked at the time, while permitting Gupta to withdraw the pleas.

The Court had recorded that the petitions, though styled as being in public interest, were not fit for consideration and accordingly granted Gupta the liberty to withdraw them.

Those petitions covered a range of subjects, including proposals for developing a common link language for India, introducing legal awareness television programmes, regulating chemicals in soaps, and conducting a nationwide food registration drive.

Other petitions sought policies on social media use by government officials, gun regulation, population control, and legal education reforms. Certain pleas also sought recriminalisation of adultery along with recognition of “sex agreements,” and proposed changes to national symbols, including the anthem and a “Bharat Samvat” calendar.

Subsequently, 16 other PILs filed by Gupta came up for hearing today before the Court.

He then chose to withdraw the same.

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