Supreme Court Plea to Address Superstition and Sorcery Menace

A plea filed in the Supreme Court by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeks directives for creating stringent anti-superstition laws. It urges the development of a scientific temper among citizens to combat irrational practices. The plea also calls for setting up a committee to consider criminalizing superstitions.

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the Centre and states to take strong actions against the widespread issues of superstition, sorcery, and related practices.

The plea emphasizes the urgent need for a strict anti-superstition and sorcery law to counteract unscientific acts that harm communities, and also to prevent exploitative fake seers from taking advantage of innocent people.

Filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, the petition requests the Centre and states to promote scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry, as enshrined in Article 51A of the Constitution. The plea is filed under Article 32 as a Public Interest Litigation seeking to uphold fundamental rights under Articles 14, 21, and 25.

Additionally, it suggests the creation of an expert committee to examine the feasibility of criminalizing such practices by including them in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The petition argues that while stringent laws are necessary, true reform requires a change in mindset, which could be achieved through awareness campaigns and the involvement of community and religious leaders to dispel myths.

It further highlights the need for specific laws to address brutal, dehumanizing practices and raises concerns about mass conversions catalyzed by superstition and sorcery.

(With inputs from agencies.)