A Muslim organisation moved the Supreme Court seeking a final hearing of its 2020 PIL which had sought a direction to the Centre to stop the dissemination of fake news and strict action against a section of media for allegedly “spreading communal hatred” by portraying Tablighi Jamaat congregation as a reason for the spread of Covid-19.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, on whose plea the apex court has issued notices to the Centre and others including the Press Council of India in May 2020, has sought an urgent hearing of its plea in the backdrop of upcoming assembly polls in five states. “It is submitted that the present matter has assumed particular importance because elections to the Legislative Assemblies of five states are being conducted presently. The dissemination of hate speech during electoral campaigns poses a grave threat to the peace and harmony in the country.