The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the implementation of safety measures for tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s remote regions in the aftermath of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. The bench also sharply criticized the petitioner for misusing the PIL jurisdiction.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh expressed strong disapproval of the PIL filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, questioning his motives behind the petition.
“Why have you filed this kind of PIL? What is your real motive? Don’t you understand the sensitivity of the issue? I think you are inviting some exemplary cost for filing this PIL,” Justice Surya Kant remarked during the hearing, indicating the court’s displeasure over the perceived publicity-seeking nature of the plea.
Advocate Tiwari argued that this was the first instance of tourists being targeted in Jammu and Kashmir and emphasized the need for preventive action and safety protocols to avoid future incidents. However, the court was unconvinced.
In its order, the court noted: “The petitioner is indulging in filing one after the other PIL in which the primary aim appears to be to get publicity with no real interest in the public cause.”
The PIL followed the April 22 terrorist attack in Baisaran, a scenic meadow in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in Anantnag district. Militants had opened fire indiscriminately, killing 26 individuals, most of whom were tourists from other parts of India. The attack sent shockwaves across the country and further strained India-Pakistan relations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strongly condemned the incident, vowing that the perpetrators would be pursued “to the ends of the earth.”
While public concern remains high over the safety of tourists in sensitive zones, the top court’s dismissal of the PIL signals its intent to discourage what it views as misuse of judicial process for personal publicity.
