PIL Seeking Removal of Savarkar Portrait| ‘Enjoy Your Retirement, Don’t Waste Court’s Time’: SC Raps Ex-Civil Servant

The Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant pulled up the petitioner, who appeared party-in-person via video conference from Chennai, for misusing the forum of the Court under the guise of public interest.

When the petitioner said he could not appear in person due to financial constraints, the CJI retorted, “You were in civil services, you can afford to come to Delhi and show yourself and argue. We would like to impose exemplary costs on you. What do you think of yourself?”

The petitioner insisted that his plea was in the public interest, to which the CJI responded sharply, “You deposit ₹1 lakh, so we can impose costs (if dismissed)... Then we will tell you what is the meaning of public interest. You are wasting the Court’s time.”

At this point, the bench gave the petitioner an option; either face costs or withdraw the petition. The petitioner chose to withdraw the PIL. “What do you want, should we impose costs, or will you withdraw silently?” the CJI asked.

As the petitioner agreed to withdraw, the CJI advised him good-humoredly, “Please don’t indulge in all this. Enjoy your retirement now. Have some constructive role in society.”

The plea had sought a direction to remove portraits and images of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, including those displayed in Parliament, government offices, and official residences. The bench found the petition devoid of substance and dismissed it as non-maintainable.

In a related news, in May 2025, the Supreme Court had rejected a public interest litigation petition filed to prevent the misuse of Veer Savarkar's name. Instant PIL filed by one Pankaj Phadnis had sought the inclusion of the Hindutwa ideologist in the schedule of the 1950 Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper) Use Act.

Seeking to establish certain facts about VD Savarkar, the petitioner had told a CJI BR Gavai led bench, "I am 65 years old, have been researching him for last 30 years. I also seek directions to Lok Sabha Speaker to include his name in schedule to the emblem..". "We cannot entertain writs like this..only for fundamental right violation...", CJI Gavai had said while dismissing the petition. The plea had also sought directions against Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, for his remarks against Savarkar.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had stayed the operation of the Allahabad High Court’s order refusing to quash the summons issued to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case concerning his remarks against freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The High Court while refusing relief to Gandhi had remarked that Gandhi had an alternative remedy of criminal revision under Section 397/399 of the CrPC and could approach the Sessions Judge for relief. In view of this, the court disposed of his plea.

The defamation case stems from allegations that Gandhi, during a press conference in Maharashtra in 2022, stated that Savarkar was a “servant of the British” and received a pension from them.