New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday chose to side step the much discussed Sardar Jokes petition filed by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee and others seeking guidelines for a ban on Sardar jokes.
The apex court bench headed by Justice Deepak Mishra said that it does not have any right to frame guidelines on the issue. Instead it advised the petitioners to opt for alternative laws, such as section 66 A of the Information technology Act, or the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code as applicable to the digital media.
In his remarks, Justice Mishra said, “If anything is surfacing on social media, anyone can take a recourse under 67A of the IT Act or under the IPC. How can we, under Article 32, lay guidelines and what kind of guidelines should be laid. We are not getting into concept of joke and all. Question is what kind of guidelines this court can lay down?”
The court has fixed March 27 for passing a final order in the matter.