Blatant reliance on social media needs to be checked by the citizens: CJI Dipak Misra

New Delhi, July 24: In the wake of recent incidents of mob lynching, Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra urged citizens of the country against blatant reliance on social media for peace and order in the society.

"The blatant reliance on social media needs to be checked by the citizens themselves; to ensure peace and order in the society," CJI Misra was quoted as saying by ANI.

"There is a recent surge in mob lynching, please don't misunderstand me because I have authored the judgement, there is a recent surge in mob lynching based on the viral text on the social media and this leads to mobocracy and loss of life, in certain cases, he said.

CJI Misra's comments on the latest lynching come as the Centre is considering the possibility of amending the Indian Penal Code to define 'mob lynching' as a penal offence.

"Everything is in the preliminary stage as the entire Supreme Court order asking the Centre to come up with a new law has to be examined," a senior government functionary told PTI.

If the IPC is amended, the government will not have to bring a stand-alone law on mob lynching, he added.

Condemning the rising incidents of lynching in India, the Supreme Court had on July 12 asked the government to enact a law to deal such cases. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had termed the incidents of lynching "horrendous acts of mobocracy".

(With PTI inputs)