New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking directions to the Centre and states to take appropriate steps to eradicate the menace of superstition, sorcery and other similar practices.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said that courts are not the answer to all societal evils.
The bench acknowledged the seriousness of the issue but said that it was "not judicially manageable" and that it is the responsibility of civil society and the democratic arms of the government to address such issues.
"The answer is education, the spread of literacy... The more educated you become, the presumption is that more rational you become. How can a court direction for developing scientific temper help? Writs can't be an answer to all the evils in society," said the CJI.
The bench said this is an issue that has to be singularly decided by the Parliament and added, "It is also for civil society and the democratic arms of the government to take steps."
The Apex Court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay who also sought directions to the Centre and states to take steps to develop a scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform among the citizens in the spirit of Article 51A of the Constitution, which deals with fundamental duties. (with Agency inputs)
