New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday slapped cost of up to Rs 1 lakh on seven states for failing to file responses on setting up human rights courts despite its direction last year.
The top court imposed cost of Rs 50,000 each on Meghalaya, Mizoram, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha and Rs 1 lakh each on Rajasthan and Uttarakhand while noting that neither have they filed the responses nor were their advocates present in the court during the hearing.
A bench comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and B R Gavai said all these states can file their response within four weeks subject to payment of cost. It said the amount deposited by these states would be used for issues related to juveniles. It posted the matter for hearing after six weeks.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the SC was told that there were two issues — setting up of human rights courts and appointment of special public prosecutors — in the states. (PTI)
