'Don't Rush To Court' : Supreme Court To Advocate Who Filed 25 PILs

The Supreme Court on Friday, in a single stroke, dismissed 25 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions filed by one advocate as party-in-person.Today, as soon as the matter was taken, the petitioner, Sachin Gupta, told the bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi that he wanted to withdraw the matters."You should approach the authorities make them wiser on certain issues instead of rushing to the court. When appropriate stage will come we will entertain your petitions," the CJI told the petitioner."But we expect that a member of the bar and a person with legal knowledge like you should identify the issues with an analytical approach, and then try to sensitize the authority, and if nothing happens, then you will come to court," CJI added.The petitioner filed the PILs seeking prayers across a wide spectrum of policy issues, including formulation of a policy to develop a common link language in India incorporating words from all languages and dialects, introduction of a legal awareness television programme, regulation of chemicals in soaps to preserve beneficial skin bacteria, and a pan-India food registration drive under food safety authorities. The petitions also sought policies for the upliftment of disadvantaged groups such as beggars, children, transgender persons and women, regulation of social media use by government officials including members of the judiciary, a policy governing gun use, and guidelines on consecutive and concurrent sentences in criminal cases. Other prayers included declaration of festival holidays as "Public Welfare dates", revision of standards for polishing pulses to reduce health risks, development of smartphones tailored to different age groups, and animal welfare measures such as promotion of alternatives to leather and regulation of bone china products. The petitioner further sought legal education reforms focusing on public interest matters and internships, recriminalisation of adultery along with provisions for a "sex agreement", changes to national identity symbols including suggestions for a new calendar and national symbols, regulation of advertisements relating to government schemes, mandatory screen protectors for televisions and computers, mandatory disclosure of shop owners' names and dietary habits on signboards, population control measures, and constitution of a committee to examine the feasibility of a "two-alliance system" in India.Last month, the Court had dismissed four other PILs filed by the petitioner. One of those petitions sought a research on whether onions and garlics contained 'tamasic' contents. Another petition sought directions to regulate harmful content in alcohol and tobacco products. The third petition sought directions to ensure mandatory registration of properties, while the fourth petition sought issuance of guidelines regarding the declaration of classical languages.Case : Sachin Gupta v. Union of India WP(c) 444/2026

'Don't Rush To Court' : Supreme Court To Advocate Who Filed 25 PILs

Amisha Shrivastava

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