The Supreme Court has clarified that it did not approve any changes to the Election Commission’s Form 6. In a separate matter, the court asked the police to create 'fear and fright' among men who threaten the safety of women in Delhi.
In a significant development regarding the controversy surrounding the Election Commission’s Form 6, the Supreme Court has clarified that it did not approve any changes to the form. Chief Justice Surya Kant verbally observed that the court had not approved any modifications to the form, stating, 'Any modified Form 6 has not been approved by us.' The poll panel had earlier claimed in a statement on September 26 that a declaration attached to the form for the special intensive revision of electoral rolls had been upheld by the Supreme Court. Kant further added, 'Let’s be clear. When the record is produced, we would like to see who modified [it].'
In response to petitions seeking that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be suspended for allegedly taking unilateral decisions about the voter roll revision, the court refused to pass an interim order on the pleas. Instead, it issued notices to Kumar, the poll panel, the Union government, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg for their responses.
In a separate matter, the Supreme Court asked the police to create 'fear and fright' among men who threaten the safety of women in Delhi. It stated that offenders should know that they could 'die' if they commit such offences. The bench verbally observed, 'There should be fear…in the mind of the man who is prone to commit such offences.' The court further said, 'Unless that fear and fright is created ki ‘ab kuch kiya toh mar jayenge’ [if we do anything now, we will die], you will not be able to prevent such crimes.' It also told the police not to hesitate to be 'a little more harsh'.
Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, was mentioned in this context by the court.
This comes at a time when protests are ongoing outside the Parliament Street police station demanding that a first information report be registered against Delhi Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a woman journalist. The journalist was detained for the second time in connection with these protests.
Source:
Scroll.in
