On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the existing legal framework is sufficient to address hate speech, rejecting a petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, who sought to classify hate speech as a separate offense. The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, highlighted that the creation of criminal offenses is the responsibility of the legislature, and the judiciary cannot impose new laws due to the principle of separation of powers. The court emphasized that the real issue lies in the enforcement of existing laws rather than a lack of legal provisions. It pointed out that hate speech and rumor-mongering undermine the constitutional value of fraternity. The court also reminded law enforcement agencies of their duty to register cases related to hate speech, referencing the 2013 Lalita Kumari judgment, which mandates case registration upon receiving credible information. The court's decision allows for potential amendments to existing laws and encourages high courts to develop practice guidelines for better implementation of the ruling.