New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking digital monitoring of the activities of all elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), citing concerns over privacy and personal lives.
Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, leading the bench, emphasized the right to privacy and rejected the notion of electronically monitoring lawmakers. The bench, including Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, expressed astonishment at the petitioner’s plea for 24 x 7 CCTV surveillance of all legislators, acknowledging that elected representatives also have their own private lives.
Initially, when the petitioner, appearing in-person, requested 15 minutes to present the case, the apex court warned of imposing a hefty fine of Rs 5 lakh. The court emphasized the value of public time and national resources, cautioning that costs could be imposed as arrears of land revenue if the petition was dismissed.
The petitioner argued that MPs and MLAs, as salaried representatives under the Representation of the People Act, initially represent the people’s opinions but later behave like rulers post-election.
Despite the petitioner’s arguments, the Supreme Court refused to entertain the PIL filed under Article 32 of the Constitution. However, it chose not to levy any costs on the petitioner.
