Supreme Court rejects plea on digital monitoring of all MPs/MLAs

In an attempt to improve governance, the Supreme Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on Friday, stating that “there is something called right to privacy also.” The PIL sought an order for the Center to digitally track MPs and MLAs 24/7.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JP Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra made up the bench that questioned whether the court could implant a “chip” in legislators’ bodies to monitor their whereabouts around-the-clock.

The CJI warned Delhi-based petitioner Surinder Nath Kundra right away that he would have to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh for abusing the court’s time on this matter.

“A cost of Rs 5 lakh will be recovered from you as land revenue if you argue and we disagree.” The bench remarked, “This is not about our ego; this is public time.”

“Are you aware of the argument you are having? You want to watch MPs and MLAs around-the-clock… Only convicted felons who are able to elude justice are given this option. We are unable to digitally watch every elected member of Parliament because of something known as the right to privacy,” it stated.

As “paid servants of citizens,” MPs and MLAs, according to Kundra, began acting in a governing capacity.

“You cannot make a common charge against all MPs,” the bench remarked at this point. The Supreme Court ruled that only elected lawmakers can enact laws in all democracies. Individuals cannot make laws.

“People will then concede that judges are unnecessary. We’ll make a decision on the streets and execute the thief. “Do we want that to occur?” asked CJI.

The bench declared that the request for MPs and MLAs to be digitally monitored could not be granted.

“We inform the petitioner that should he continue with the cases, this court will impose costs on him. But we decline to impose costs, warning that no such plea should be made going forward,” the CJI stated.