On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of India refused to issue new guidelines to combat hate speech, asserting that the responsibility for such legislation lies with Parliament. A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta stated that the current legal framework, including the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and related laws, sufficiently addresses hate speech and related offences. The court noted that the issue is not the absence of laws but the enforcement of existing ones. It encouraged the government to consider amendments in light of societal changes, referencing the Law Commission's recommendations from its 2017 report. The court reiterated that while it can interpret laws, it cannot create new offences. The Supreme Court had previously issued guidelines in 2018 aimed at controlling hate crimes, emphasizing the need for fast-tracked trials and effective enforcement. These guidelines remain relevant as the court highlighted the necessity for police to register complaints under existing laws when hate speech incidents occur.