New Delhi, April 29 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to issue any guidelines or directions to curb hate speech across the country, while observing that legislation on hate speech lies in the domain of the legislature and not the courts.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed petitions seeking guidelines and protections against hate speech and said that the existing criminal law adequately deals with the offence of hate speech.

There is no vacuum in law to deal with the offence of hate speeches, and existing criminal laws already cover offences promoting enmity and disturbing public order, the bench said.

It further said that it was beyond the remit of the judiciary to create an offence, as it is a field ex...