The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a batch of petitions seeking the registration of an FIR and the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his alleged discriminatory remarks, including the controversial “Miya” reference to a community.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said that the issues raised required adjudication by the jurisdictional High Court. The court asked the petitioners not to undermine the powers of High Courts and granted them liberty to approach the appropriate High Court for relief. It also requested the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court to ensure an expeditious hearing of the matter.
“Various directions against officials are sought… In our considered view, all these issues need to be effectively adjudicated by the High Court of the jurisdiction. Consequently, without expressing any opinion, the petitioners are at liberty to approach the jurisdictional High Court,” the bench observed.
According to reports, the petitions were filed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India. They sought an FIR and an SIT probe into alleged hate speeches and a video posted on the Assam BJP’s official X handle, which showed Sarma firing a rifle, with a caption reading “point-blank shot.”
The video, uploaded on February 7, was later taken down following backlash from the Congress party.
The petitioners argued that state and central agencies could not be trusted to conduct an impartial probe.
