Anti-CAA posters: UP govt relies on UK SC's judgement

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday relied upon a judgement from the United Kingdom's Supreme Court -- which dismissed a child rioter's plea against publication of his pictures in newspapers -- to justify its decision to put up posters of anti-CAA protesters.

The UK Supreme Court had, 'in the matter of an application by JR38 (appellant) for Judicial Review' (Northern Ireland) (2015), unanimously dismissed an appeal against publication of his CCTV images for having been involved in serious rioting which took place in Derry in July 2010.

At the time, he was 14 years old. His images were published in two newspapers as part of a police campaign designed to identify individuals involved in the riots and also to discourage further sectarian rioting.

He contended the police action constituted a breach of his right to respect for a private life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).

The UK Supreme Court, however, unanimously rejected the appeal. It held that the interference with the right was said to be justified as it was necessary for the administration of justice and was not excessive in the circumstances. The publication of the photograph was solely for the purpose of prevention and detection of crime.

During the hearing on Thursday, the accused anti-CAA protesters, for their part, opposed reliance upon the UK SC's judgement, saying the State as an authority could not indulge in naming and printing the pictures of individuals as it did and that the decision of Supreme Court in K S Puttaswamy (right to privacy) would completely conclude the issue.