After Bizarre Request, Chief Justice Chandrachud's Warning To Petitioner

New Delhi:

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said he restrained himself from imposing cost on a man who requested the top court to give a direction for “digitally monitoring all MPs and MLAs”.

Rejecting the request and warning the petitioner against coming to the Supreme Court with such a petition again, Chief Justice Chandrachud said, “Should we put a microchip on the shoulders of MPs and MLAs?”

“How can any MP and MLA be digitally monitored? MPs and MLAs also have the right to privacy, how can we interfere in it? Such a petition should not be filed in future,” Chief Justice Chandrachud told the petitioner, Surinder Kundra.

At the beginning of the hearing, the Chief Justice warned Mr Kundra that the Supreme Court would impose a cost of Rs 5 lakh for loss of public time. Mr Kundra, however, said he would explain his request in just 15 minutes.

Citing the Constitution, Mr Kundra said MPs and MLAs “behave as if they are rulers” after winning elections, and demanded that CCTVs should be installed at the premises of MPs and every place they go, to be monitored 24×7.

“This footage should be available on the mobile phones of all citizens,” Mr Kundra said.

The Chief Justice then stopped the petitioner before he exceeded his 15 minutes.

Rejecting the petition, Chief Justice Chandrachud said he has restrained himself from imposing cost, and warned the petitioner not to waste court time.