Supreme Court declines plea for conferring Bharat Ratna on Mahatma Gandhi

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider a PIL for conferring the highest civilian honour of 'Bharat Ratna' on Mahatma Gandhi, saying that people hold the 'Father of the nation' in "high esteem", beyond any formal recognition.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, however, allowed petitioner Anil Dutta Sharma to give representation to the central government in this regard.

"Mahatma Gandhi is the father of the nation and people hold him in high esteem, beyond any formal recognition," the bench said.

The issue of directing the government to award Bharat Ratna to the father of the nation was not a "justiciable issue", it said.

“We agree and share your views and sentiments,” the bench said.