2016 INSC 0538
                                    SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

                                                 V.K.Naswa

                                                      Vs.

                                           Union of India & Ors.

                                                 18.07.2016

                               (Dipak Misra and D.Y.Chandrachud,JJ.,)

                                         SLP(Civil)No.8004/2016

                                                   ORDER

1. Delay condoned.

2. Heard Mr. V.K. Naswa in-person. This special leave petition is directed against the order
dated 10.08.2015 passed by the Division Bench of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in
W.P. No.7513 of 2015 (PIL) whereby it has declined to exercise jurisdiction under Article
226 of the Constitution of India to pass any kind of order pertaining to misuse of the award
'Bharat Ratna' by the Respondent No.2.

3. On a perusal of the order passed by the High Court, we find that there are no statutory
provisions, rules and regulations which deal with the allegations that have been made against
the respondent No.2. Be it noted, the petitioner has highlighted two grievances, namely,
certain authors have written books describing the respondent No.2 as 'Bharat Ratna' and also
titled the book in that manner; and second, he has been participating in certain commercial
activities.

4. In our considered opinion, what the petitioner intends to contend is that in the realm of
regulation of conduct of an awardee which, we are disposed to think, cannot be gone into by
this Court in the absence of any statutory provision. Had the respondent No.2 written a book
by using the words 'Bharat Ratna' as a 'prefix' or 'suffix', the matter would have been
different. When a third party writes a book, we have no hesitation in our mind that the
respondent No.2 cannot be held responsible.

5. In view of the aforesaid analysis, we do not perceive any merit in the special leave petition
and it is accordingly dismissed.

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