In Brief
This judgment addresses the constitutional crisis of mob lynching and vigilantism in India, particularly targeting minorities under the guise of cow protection. The Supreme Court held that lynching is fundamentally incompatible with the rule of law and constitutional democracy. The Court directed comprehensive preventive (nominating Nodal Officers, intelligence gathering, social media regulation), remedial (prompt FIRs, victim compensation, expedited trials), and punitive measures (strict prosecution, maximum sentences, official accountability). The Court reaffirmed that only law enforcement agencies and courts can adjudicate crime; private citizens taking law into their own hands destroys the democratic order. The judgment emphasizes that India's 'Unity in Diversity' and secular ethos depend on tolerance and pluralism, and recommended Parliament enact a separate anti-lynching law.
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