Supreme Court Frames SOP for Summoning Government Officials, Vows to End Caste Discrimination in Jails - 2024-01-05

**Supreme Court Frames SOP for Summoning Government Officials, Vows to End Caste Discrimination in Jails** The Supreme Court on Wednesday took significant steps towards addressing two important issues: preventing the unwarranted summoning of government officials by courts and eradicating caste-based discrimination within jails. **Summoning Government Officials** The Court recognized the need to maintain a balance between the judiciary and the executive and issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to regulate the summoning of government officials by courts. The SOP emphasizes that summoning officials should not be the first resort and should be limited to specific circumstances where their presence is essential. This move aims to prevent courts from exerting undue pressure on the government and ensure that officials are not unnecessarily burdened with frequent appearances. The Court also emphasized that law officers representing the government should be primarily responsible for presenting the government's stance, rather than summoning officials repeatedly. **Caste Discrimination in Jails** In a separate development, the Supreme Court showed its commitment to eliminating caste-based discrimination against inmates in jails. In response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the Court issued notices to 13 states and the Union government, seeking their response to allegations of discrimination against members of Dalit communities and denotified tribes within jails. The PIL highlighted that these inmates are often assigned menial jobs and subjected to harsh labor, perpetuating a cycle of discrimination. The Court's actions underscore its resolve to address both procedural and societal issues that undermine justice and equality in the country.