Communal clash: SC to hear PIL

The Supreme Court today decided to hear a petition seeking laying down of guidelines for preventing communal violence like the Kandhamal riots in Orissa in which the Christian community was targeted after the assassination of a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam issued a notice to the Centre and tagged the PIL on the issue with another pending petitions relating to communal clash in Orissa.

The petition filed by Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) said that parameters should be clearly laid down for holding the responsibility of the authorities, be it under the Centre or the state governments in case a clash takes place, leading to loss of life and property.

Senior advocate Soli J Sorabjee and Romy Chacko, appearing for the CBCI, said Kandhamal incident should be probed by the CBI and it should be made mandatory that in events of any communal clash irrespective of the community, a judicial authority should be set up to decided the issue of compensation among the victims.

The Bench said it was already seized with a petition relating to the year's communal clash in Orissa in which all these concerns were raised, the PIL by CBCI will also be heard.