Monday, July 11 2005 16:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Criticising a petitioner for seeking expungement of alleged aspertions cast on Punjabi community by the Lahore High Court in 1925, the Supreme Court today (July 11, 2005) questioned the motive behind the petition for taking up an issue 'buried under law books for 80 years.'

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Sonia Sood got adverse remarks from a Bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice G P Mathur, which said the observations of the Lahore High Court made 80 years back in a criminal case was 'general in nature' and did not cast any aspersion on any particular community.

The PIL had sought expungement of remarks of the High Court, which had reportedly termed the Punjabis as 'liars.'

Stressing that the remarks were made at a particular point of time in history and under a peculiar circumstance, the Bench wondered as to under which provision of law a PIL can challenge the proceedings in a criminal case.

"How can a PIL, under which provision of law, question a criminal proceeding when the issue has been buried in law books for 80 years. What is the necessity to rake it up? It is more for media publicity," the Bench observed.