The Supreme Court's Karur Stampede Order
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity and Governance (Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, Federalism, State List vs. Concurrent List, Article 32, Article 226, Judiciary, Basic Structure).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (Polity & Governance): "Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary"; "Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure" (CORE TOPIC); "Role of statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies" (CBI).
General Studies Paper 3 (Internal Security): "Role of various Security forces and agencies and their mandate" (CBI).
Key Highlights from the News
The Supreme Court ordered the transfer of the investigation into the Karur stampede at a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, from the state police to the CBI.
The Court cited "political undertones" in the case and the public's suspicion regarding the impartiality of the state police as reasons for the transfer.
The Tamil Nadu government had withdrawn its general consent for a CBI investigation in 2023. In this context, the Supreme Court's authority to order a CBI probe without the state's consent is being debated again.
The article criticizes this new order, arguing that it weakens the Supreme Court's own previous rulings that courts should order a CBI investigation only in "exceptional situations," especially since "Police" is a State subject.
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