The Supreme Court on Friday blankly refused the plea of a man for a direction to treat him as an “undisputed candidate” for the 2022 Presidential election, for his appointment as President and payment of “salaries” drawn by past Presidents from 2004.

A Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud found the petition filed by Kishore Jagannath Sawant “frivolous and an abuse of the process of the court”. Mr. Sawant said he was an environmental activist.

Mr. Sawant, who appeared in person, claimed in court that his case would “redefine the basic ethos of democratic constitution in the country”. He said that, as a citizen, he had every right to contest government policies.

To this, Justice Chandrachud replied that the court, likewise, had the duty to decide.

“You have no right to file frivolous petitions. You can stand outside on the road and give a speech but you cannot come to court and occupy public time in such frivolous petitions,” Justice Chandrachud addressed Mr. Sawant.

Mr. Sawant argued that he had raised similar issues in earlier petitions, but they were dismissed by the court.

The Bench recorded in the order that he had made allegations against the highest constitutional office without a sense of responsibility. The court said these allegations were found to be “untrue and unfounded”. The allegations were expunged from the record.

“The Registry is directed to ensure that no further public interest litigation is entertained on the subject matter of the present petition at any future date at the behest of the petitioner,” the court ordered.