National security cannot be a bug bear: SC’s harsh observations in Pegasus case

New Delhi, Oct 27: The Supreme Court while ordering the setting up of a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to probe the Pegasus snooping row also made a series of strong observations.

The order today was pronounced by a Bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli. Here are a look at the observations made by the Supreme Court.

We are setting up a committee to probe the truth or falsity of the allegations to be headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court. The committee would be supervised by former Supreme Court judge Justice R V Raveendran.

We are compelled to get to the root of the controversy raised.

Initially this court had reservations but then various petitions were filed by people who are reportedly victims of surveillance.

The Solicitor General claimed many such petitions were self-service but this court cannot accept such omnibus contention.

Union of India filed a limited affidavit that did not despite our saying it repeatedly that we are are concerned with issues of national security.

Mere raising national security by the state will not make a court shy away.

National security cannot be a bug bear.

There is omnibus denial by the Union of India that we cannot accept.

There are 7 issues framed by us to be gone into by the expert committee.

We also reject the request by the Union of India to allow them to set up the committee.