NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in minority-run madrasas and other educational institutions.
A Bench led by Justice B.V. Nagarathna refused to entertain the plea, imposed a cost of Rs one lakh on the petitioner, and expressed strong displeasure over the attempt to challenge, through a writ petition, the Constitution Bench judgment delivered in Pramati Educational and Cultural Trust v. Union of India (2014), which had ruled that the RTE Act does not apply to minority institutions.
“You cannot do this to the Supreme Court. We are enraged, ” added the Bench, also comprising Justice R. Mahadevan, cautioning that such petitions undermine the very foundation of the judiciary.
“How can you challenge a Supreme Court judgment through a writ petition? Don’t bring down the judiciary in this country by filing such cases. We are restraining ourselves to a one lakh cost. We are not issuing contempt, ” the apex court remarked while dismissing the plea.