The Supreme Court of India on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation that sought to recognise Subhas Chandra Bose as the “National Son” and to officially credit the Indian National Army with securing India’s independence, while warning the petitioner against repeatedly filing similar pleas.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi expressed concern over the recurrence of identical petitions, noting that the issue had already been considered and rejected earlier. The Court made it clear that it would not entertain such repetitive litigation.
During the hearing, the Bench cautioned the petitioner that continuing to file similar pleas could invite stricter action, including possible restrictions on approaching the Court. It also indicated that the Registry may be directed not to accept further petitions from him on the same subject.
The plea had sought several declarations, including official recognition of Bose as the “National Son,” acknowledgment of the INA’s role in India’s independence, and the observance of specific dates linked to Bose and the INA as national occasions. The Court, however, held that such demands fall outside the scope of judicial intervention and are matters for the executive or legislature to consider.
With this order, the Court reaffirmed its stance against misuse of the public interest litigation mechanism, stressing that repeated filings on settled issues undermine the purpose of PIL jurisdiction.