The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that long adjournment given by Delhi High Court in the matters related to recent violence in the national capital was "not justified".
A bench, headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, which observed that it was not questioning the high court for adjourning the Delhi riots matters for April 13, asked the high court to hear these petitions on March 6.
"We are not on the merits. We think adjournment by the high court for such a long period was not necessary and was not justified," said the bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant.
"As a matter of judicial discipline, we do not want to assume the jurisdiction of the high court as it is seized of the matter," the bench said and made it clear it does not intend to say that high court was not justified in adjourning the case.
During the high-voltage arguments, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for 10 riot victims who have sought registration of FIRs against some BJP leaders and others for their alleged hate speeches, said that violence could have been avoided if the police had taken timely action against these politicians.
To this, the CJI said: "We also have some experience of riots. What we are trying to say is that your statement is not absolutely true. Sometimes, if you catch the leaders, it backfires.
"Your statement is that when leaders are arrested, the riot stops. It is not true. You know what had happened during the Bombay riots. When a 'shakha pramukh' was arrested, it flared up. Bombay riots were much worse than this (Delhi riots)."
The CJI then said, "What purpose is this serving? You are just making fun of each other in the court. Is this what the courts are being used for?"
When Mehta said the petitioners would put "pressure" on the high court to hear the matter on March 6 itself, the bench said, "Let them put pressure."