Damage to public property: SC refers matter to larger bench

The Supreme Court today referred to a larger bench the issue of fixing accountability for damage to public and private properties during agitations saying the matter is important and required thorough consideration.
The bench headed by Justice J S Khehar barred media from reporting the proceedings of the hearing in the matter saying that it was "sensitive in nature".
"We required the media not to report the proceedings of this case, which are sensitive in nature. We are recording the same in our order and hereby affirming our direction that the media (electronic as well as print) shall not report the proceedings of this case till the final decision," the bench also comprising Justice C Nagappan said.

Yesterday, the bench, which was hearing a plea of Gujarat Pattidar leader Hardik Patel seeking quashing of sedition charges and FIR lodged against him, had said that it would lay down "parameters" to fix accountability for losses on organisers.