The controversial hoardings were put up in Lucknow

NEW DELHI: Questioning the UP government for putting up posters to name and shame anti-CAA protesters who allegedly indulged in violence and destruction of public property, the Supreme Court on Thursday said there was no law to back such action and referred the issue to a three-judge bench to study it next week.

Hearing an appeal filed by the UP government challenging the Allahabad HC order which directed it to remove the roadside posters of protesters forthwith, a bench of Justices U U Lalit and Aniruddha Bose accepted the plea that a person indulging in violence in public gaze waives his right to privacy but asked how a government could take such action which amounts to castigating a person for ever.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for UP, said the state had examined the role of 95 people and came to the conclusion that 57 of them were responsible for vandalism during anti-CAA protests and they were asked to pay compensation for loss of property as per the SC’s 2009 verdict.

The bench said though it understood the anxiety of the state government but there is no law as of now to back its action on the issue. “Do you want us to pass direction in addition to the SC’s earlier order?” the bench said, indicating that its 2009 verdict does not allow such action of “naming and shaming” of protesters.

Senior advocates A M Singhvi, Colin Gonsalves and C U Singh, appearing for the protesters, contended that putting posters could provoke people to target, hit and lynch them and their family members for raising voice against the Centre and state government. Singhvi, appearing for 1972 batch-retired IPS officer SR Darapuri whose photos with personal details had appeared on the posters, said such action could not be taken against any person even if convicted in the gravest offence of child rape and murder.

The bench, after hearing both sides, said the issue is of great importance and it has to be adjudicated as early as possible by a three-judge bench. Without staying the operation of the HC verdict, the bench directed that the matter be placed before the CJI to set up a three-judge bench to hear the case next week.

It also allowed all the protesters, whose picture and addresses were put on hoardings, to file impleadment application in the case.

