Keyword : Supreme Court

Govt liberal in R-day parade expenses but miser in farmers` compensation

This was bound to happen. The Supreme Court has pulled up the central government for engaging in endless litigation over land acquisition issues and thus denying rightful compensation to land owner

Large number of cases in courts is sign of lack of good governance, says SC judge

The senior most judge of the supreme court, justice TS thakur, has castigated the government for filing large number of cases in the court. According to him this "cannot be a good sign of good

SC extends Teesta Setalvad`s interim bail

Social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand, accused of financial fraud will not be arrested, said a new bench of the supreme court on Thursday that was hearing the anticipatory bai

SC asks CBI to probe gangrape videos shared on social media

The supreme court on Friday has ordered the CBI to investigate the gang-rape videos that went viral on social media including the WhatsApp. The apex court has described the videos as scary and shoc

Sexual harassment at workplace: All you need to know

Even more than a year after the law on prevention of sexual harassment of women at workplace was enacted, most of the organisations are still struggling with the challenges of dealing with harassme

SC scraps Jat quota, says community is not backward

The supreme court on Tuesday cancelled the previous government’s decision to grant reservations to the Jat community under the other backward classes (OBC) category.  The

Forward thinking on backwardness

Gurjars hit the streets in 2008 to demand the scheduled tribe (ST) status, instead of the other backward classes (OBC) tag they had, so as to get more benefits of quota in education and jobs. Later

Social media triumphs: SC quashes draconian Section 66A of IT Act

Supreme Court has struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act and termed it as unconstitutional as it is violative of Article 19(1)(a). A bench of justices J Chelameswar and R F Narim

Cyber governance is linked to cyber advocacy

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act as being unconstitutional and violative of Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(2) of the Constituti

Manmohan Singh moves SC against coal scam case summons

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court against the order of a trial court that has summoned him as accused in a coal scam case. Similarly, industrialist Kumar Man

Fatal road accidents: Alarmed SC wants change in laws

One person dies every 4 minutes due to road accident in India and this is a good enough reason to change laws. And the Supreme Court has urged lawmakers to have a more stringent punishment in terms

TN sends Cauvery reminder to centre with a bandh

The dispute over Cauvery river water has taken many twists and turns over the years. The last week’s bandh in Tamil Nadu against the Karnataka government’s decision to construct a dam a

SC stays Manmohan’s coal scam summons

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the summons issued by the special CBI court to former prime minister Manmohan Singh in a coal scam case. The special CBI court had summoned Sing

Goa minister quits over conviction in slapping case

Goa Minister Francisco Pacheco, who is also leader of Goa Vikas Party,  resigned on Friday after chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar made a remark that it was embarrassing to have a convicted in

Secularism of festivities

Justice Kurian Joseph’s objection to the chief justice of India, HL Dattu, holding the chief justices conference on Good Friday and Easter is more than a tussle among the top judiciary on a s

Judicial appointment panel case goes to constitutional bench

A three-judge bench of justices A R Dave, J Chelameswar and Madan B Lokur, which had reserved its judgement on the National Judicial Appointment Commission act (NJAC) and constitutional amendment o

Land bill re-ordinance challenged, SC hearing on Monday

On Monday the supreme court bench of Chief Justice HL Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra will hear a plea of a group of farmers` organisations challenging the legality of the fresh promulgation of the l

Judges appointment panel notified, SC hearing on NJAC from April 15

The union government has notified the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, 2014 and the Constitution (Ninety-ninth Amendment) Act, 2014 to end the collegium system in the appointment of j

Justice Dave will not be hearing judicial bills case

The hearing by a constitution bench on the constitutional validity of the National Judicial Appointment Commission Act and the constitutional amendment did not begin on Wednesday as Justice Anil R

RS makes history, okays private member bill on transgender

After almost 45 years in legislative history, the Rajya Sabha on Friday passed a bill that seeks equal rights for the transgenders. The last private member bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 197

Supreme Court tells govt to enact one secular law for all communities

Laws of land should make conduct of social life simple and act as deterrent. But India never has been a easy country in terms of rule of law. We are governed by laws that overlap in jurisdiction an

Sinha abused powers of CBI chief, held inappropriate meetings with accused: SC

Former chief of CBI Ranjit Sinha had "inappropriate meetings" with those being investigated by his agency, abused the powers of his office and must be investigated, the Supreme Court rule

Jaya not off the hook yet, DMK to move SC on her acquittal

Days after J Jayalalithaa took oath as chief minister of Tamil Nadu the opposition DMK on Monday said it has decided to file an appeal against her acquittal in a wealth case by the Karnataka High C

Jung meets home secy as centre goes to SC on Delhi power struggle

With administration in Delhi coming to a virtual standstill, the centre has approached the supreme court against Delhi high court`s verdict on home ministry`s division of power notification. On Thu

Impatient centre makes its case a suspect

Is centre making its case weak by rushing to the supreme court on governance in Delhi based on suspect logic? The legal tussle between the Centre and the Delhi government over the home ministry not

Day after Jaya seeks big win in polls her case goes to SC

A day after Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa began her campaign for assembly seat, the Karnataka government on Tuesday moved the supreme court against her acquittal of by the high court in

Gas regulator body cannot set IGL’s retail prices, rules SC

Upholding verdict of Delhi high court, the supreme court on Wednesday said that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) cannot set tariff for Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL).

SC against mediation in rape cases, slams Madras high court

Anguished civil society can breathe easy now. The supreme court has made strong comments and disapproved the judgement of the Madras high court judge, who had ordered mediation and settlement in ra

Judges medical expenses cannot be made public under RTI, rules SC

The supreme court on Thursday said that privacy should be respected and declined to provide information about judges medical expenses. The court held that the medical expenses incurr

Supreme court to have relook at hate speech law

While declining to stay case against BJP leader Subramanian Swamy the supreme court on Thursday agreed to examine the constitutional validity of penal provision for hate speeches. Ac

Unwed mother can be child`s guardian without father`s consent: SC

Emphasising the best interest of a child, the procedural requirement of issuing a notice to the father when a guardianship petition is moved can be dispensed with, said the Supreme Court on Monday.

Morning briefing: Supreme court to take a call on CBI probe into Vyapam scam today

The Supreme Court will take up the plea for a CBI probe in the Vyapam scam today. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had declared on Wednesday that he would also back such a reques

Vyapam case now with CBI, no word on SC monitored probe

Finally, the demand of the opposition parties on CBI probe has been met. But there is no order yet on their demand for supreme court-monitored probe. The supreme court has transferred the i

CBI goes to SC on Vyapam accused status, ruling on July 20

After registering FIRs on Wednesday in the Vyapam case in Madhya Pradesh, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday sought a clarification from the supreme court on the status of those

Morning briefing: Posco suspends $12 bn steel project in Odisha

South Korean steel giant Posco has put on hold its USD 12 billion steel project in Odisha due to delays in various regulatory approvals.“We are tentatively suspending the Odisha (India) proje

Evening digest: Kejriwal asks Bassi to give list of constables with mobile numbers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday asked Police Commissioner BS Bassi to provide details regarding crime against women in the national capital."We asked Bassi to give us details on

Morning briefing: Parliament`s stormy monsoon session begins today

Parliament is set for confrontation between the Opposition-led by Congress and the government. The Narendra Modi government will be hauled up over Vyapam scam and Lalit Modi episode. External affai

Mumbai blasts accused Yakub Memon to be hanged as SC rejects his curative petition

The supreme court has rejected  the curative petition filed by death row convict Yakub Memon who is currently lodged in the Nagpur central jail.Memon has been sentenced to death in the March 1

Yakub Memon’s death sentence becomes politics, SC to hear plea on Monday

While the lawmakers indulge in unnecessary politics, the supreme court will hear on Monday the plea by 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts convict Yakub Memon`s fresh plea. It challenges the death warra

Morning briefing: Home ministry meeting today on ISIS threat, two Indian hostages free

Union home ministry is likely to hold a meeting with state police chiefs today (Saturday) to review the situation in the wake of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) threat. The meeting is being

Supreme court to decide on validity of compensation to religious places

The supreme court is hearing a case that has far reaching impact on India’s response to religion and religious activities. The court on Wednesday resumed the crucial hearing to decide whether

Ban lifted on Jain ritual of voluntary fasting to death

The supreme court has stayed Rajasthan high court`s order declaring Santhara, a Jain ritual of voluntary and systematic fasting to death, as a criminal offence and issued a notice to centre and the

Justice in jeopardy due to incompetent judicial officials

Painting a grim picture of judicial process in the states, the supreme court has said that appointment of political favourites to the public posts of government pleaders and law officers in the sta

Supreme court’s help sought to ease commuters problems in national capital region

The Centre has urged the Supreme Court to direct Delhi and its bordering areas like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to fully implement the reciprocal common transport agreement that had been s

Morning briefing: Promises in poll manifesto not legally enforceable, says supreme court

Tall promises made by political parties in their election manifestos got legal sanction as the Supreme Court on Monday refused to tie parties down to their grandiose claims. Refusing to entertain a

SC order puts Aadhaar linkage campaign in jeopardy

The usage of Aadhaar by government and private agencies will come to a standstill and many projects will be affected by the refusal of the supreme court on Wednesday to modify its August 11 order.

Morning briefing: Kashmir bandh today over man`s death in beef battle

Kashmir is observing bandh today in protest against the death on Sunday of a man who was critically injured 10 days ago, after his truck was fire-bombed in Udhampur on rumours that he had slaughter

Morning briefing: Bihar votes in 50 constituencies for third phase

Fifty constituencies spread over six districts are voting on Wednesday in the third phase of the assembly elections in Bihar. The polling began at 7 am in 14,170 polling stations spread in six dist

Ban on bursting of firecrackers will lead to chaos, says SC

The supreme court on Wednesday has declined to put a blanket ban on bursting of firecrackers during Diwali as it might be "dangerous" to infringe into the common man`s right to enjoy reli

Morning briefing: Don is back in India, CBI custory for Chhota Rajan

Gangster Chhota Rajan was brought to Delhi this morning after being deported from Indonesia. He evaded the police in several countries for over two decades. A special plane sent by New Delhi to bri

Flood of suggestions to change supreme court`s collegium system

The supreme court has begun hearing on the suggestions of the people from all walks of society as to how the transparency and accountability can be improved in the collegium system while the law mi

SC hearing raises hopes of resumption of appointments in higher judiciary

Early resolution of filing 400 odd vacancies in higher judiciary is possible soon. During Wednesday’s hearing on suggestions to be made to improve the collegium system of appointing judges, s

Morning briefing: Two-day special sitting of parliament from today

In a tribute to BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian constitution, the parliament is having a special sitting today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday), marking Constitution Day. The two-day eve

Morning briefing: Cong scores in rural Gujarat, BJP retains urban areas in civic polls

The Congress has made a comeback in the rural areas of Gujarat and won 21 of the 31 district panchayats, while the BJP retained its hold over urban pockets clinching all six municipal corporations

Evening digest: Odd & even number vehicles on alternate days in Delhi due to pollution

In a major step to counter the deadly pollution levels in the national capital, the Delhi government has decided to allow odd and even number vehicles to be on the roads on alternate days, starting

Morning brieifing: Govt committee suggests GST rate of 17-18 per cent

A key government committee has suggested a standard goods and services tax (GST) rate of 17-18%, increasing chances of a consensus on the key reform so that the constitutional amendment that it ent

Morning briefing: Arvind Kejriwal likely to meet Rajnath Singh today on car curbs plan

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to meet home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday to deliberate on the proposed odd-even registration number private vehicle formula.Amid debates over

Morning briefing: Busy three days in parliament, RS to pass many pending bills

The Central government will today introduce the Bankruptcy Bill in the Parliament. The Bill when enacted will improve ease of doing business in India. The Rajya Sabha, which has passed only one Bil

Morning briefing: Obama hints at Pak as safe haven for new terror groups

US President Barack Obama today said both Al Qaeda and ISIS pose a direct threat to the US and "even without ISIL, instability will continue for decades in many parts of the world - in the Mid

CAG justifies its role and SC sends notice on audit to Delhi discoms

The issue of public auditing of power distribution companies in Delhi has again come to life with the supreme court sending notice to three private companies. A bench headed by justi

Morning briefing: First list of 20 smart cities today

The government will on Thursday announce the names of the first 20 urban areas that will be developed as smart cities. In subsequent years, the government will announce 40 cities each to be develop

Sedition law: a primer

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where I spent a decade studying and researching hi

Kuldip Nayar on JNU row: Let pluralism survive

On their way to independence, the Muhammad Ali Jinnah-led Muslim League chose to create a separate nation on the basis of religion. While Pakistan was conceived under the two-nation theory as a hom

On JNU, North Block has a mental block

2014 – ghar wapsi; 2015 – cow slaughtering; 2016 – anti-nationalism. This has been the year-wise growth in India under the slogan of ‘achche din’. With the trampling o

Cloaking `Aadhaar` with the sanctity of a law on disputable grounds

The government of India has tabled the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 in the Lok Sabha. The proposed legislation seeks to give a lega

‘People’s hero is born!’: Kanhaiya overwhelms twitterati

Kanhaiya Kumar has captured the imagination of many with his measured, calm and yet witty words during his speech Thursday night and the press conference on Friday. He was ‘trending’ on

Guidelines to protect good samaritans made binding in India

 The supreme court has made the guidelines for protection of good Samaritans, notified by the government of India last year, binding in all states and union territories of the country. The

Letter to my daughter: Why JNU matters

Dear daughter, You asked me about the JNU episode the other day. For

Nationalism and its discontents

Here is an anecdote of 2007 vintage. A well researched book on the history of Gujarat’s maritime trade with central Asia was being released. The small audience in the hall was largely made up

Why Nehru would not have taken sides in the JNU debate

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has always been a bastion of the left. Decades ago, people in power saw to it that JNU moved on the left beat. Recently, JNU students (and possibly some unidentifi

Jaitley argues why Aadhaar is money bill

 The Rajya Sabha witnessed the kind of debate it has not seen at least in recent decades as it took up for consideration the Aadhaar bill on Wednesday. Essentially, the opposition in the upper

Aadhaar presupposes privacy is fundamental right: Jaitley

Right to privacy is one of the hotly debated issues when the matter of Aadhaar comes up. On Wednesday, initiating a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the Aadhaar bill, finance minister Arun Jaitley

Being anti-national

Of late, we’ve been hearing a lot about the charges of sedition, anti-nationalism, anti-democratic, being levelled against the students of JNU commemorating Afzal Guru and Yakub Memon. The qu

Traffic snarls in Delhi as taxi drivers protest ban

Protesting supreme court’s order to ban diesel taxis in Delhi, cab drivers on Monday blocked several roads in the national capital. Major traffic jam was reported near Rajokri area and Dhaula

No compensation for call drop, SC rules

Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that telecom operators do not need to compensate its users on every call drop. The apex court has ruled against Telecom Regulatory Authority of Indi

A calamity bigger than drought

For the past two months Ghaneshwar Yadav, a native of Bihar, has been working as a daily wage labourer in New Delhi’s Okhla area. With a few clothes tucked into a tattered plastic bag, Yadav

Horn not OK please

The cacophony of noises on roads has finally woken up the government, which is now mulling a fine of Rs.500 for honking needlessly and a much steeper fine of Rs 5,000 for having an ear-shattering a

Why uniform civil code continues to be a hot potato

The uniform civil code is a hugely controversial subject in India. The law ministry has now asked the law commission to examine in detail all issues pertaining to it and submit a report to the gove

SC rules in favour of Rajasthan street vendors

The Supreme Court has disposed of an appeal after the Additional Advocate General of State of Rajasthan gave an undertaking to comply with Section 21 of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood

Five things to know about the SC verdict on Arunachal Pradesh

In yet another jolt to the BJP, the supreme court has ordered the reinstatement of the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh, about four months after the party was ousted from power. Earlier in

From saving Narmada to critiquing development, NBA has come a long way

Medha Patkar and the movement led by her, the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), evoke sharp responses. Many label them anti-development, anti-technology and in cahoots with those who do not wan

Open letter to TS Thakur, chief justice of India

Justice TS Thakur, Chief justice of India. Dear Sir, I am writing this letter in the spirit of seeking an improvement in the working of the judiciary, and not as an exe

Singur Saga: Back to homeland

It was a major victory for the country’s farmers when the supreme court (SC) quashed the acquisition of land in Singur for Tata Motor Limited’s Nano car project. The judgment took a s

Justifying personal law discrimination

 The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has defended triple talaq and polygamy before the supreme court (SC). The argument that personal law is immune from judicial scrutiny will be

Why winding up MCI with the NMC bill makes sense

India faces an unenviable challenge of tackling the dual burden of diseases and lack of qualified health personnel. The number of surgeons, anaesthetists and obstetricians per hundred thousand peop

SC stays order making Aadhaar mandatory for scholarship

The supreme court (SC) has ruled that the national scholarship portal cannot mandate students to submit Aadhaar number for registration. It has reiterated its position, stating that the Aadhaar car

Make a noise

This year, for the first time, noise levels during the Ganeshotsav festival reduced in Mumbai. Although the decibel (dB) level remained beyond the permissible limits and the safe norms, it reduced

Levelling the playing field

Cricket associations in India are in a mess, but that is nothing new. Allegations of financial impropriety, corruption, round-tripping, illegal appropriation of funds, rigged elections and even sex

Debating freedom of press and expression

The recent decision of the central government to ban NDTV India has raised concerns regarding the rights of free press in India. Mostly, people are using the ‘freedom of speech & expressi

If you (really) want to fight black money, won’t Lokpal make more sense?

Remember the Lokpal? The one-point panacea for all corruption and black money. It is a law, on the statute book. And while the government has launched a surgical strike against black money that has

What the SC verdict on votes and religion means

The supreme court has ruled that electoral candidates cannot seek votes in the name of religion, caste, creed, community or language. A seven-judge bench, headed by chief justice of India TS Thakur

SC issues notice to Govt, TRAI, Facebook, WhatsApp over data privacy

The supreme court on Monday has issued notice to the government, telecom regulatory authority of India (TRAI), WhatsApp and Facebook regarding data privacy. The issue was first taken

Stir over jallikattu continues in TN

Thousands of youth continue to gather at Chennai’s Marina beach in support of jallikattu, a traditional bull taming sport, in Tamil Nadu.  So far which looked like a st

Pro-jallikattu protests continue in TN

Even as the centre on Friday cleared the ordinance on jallikattu, proposed by the Tamil Nadu government, the pro-jallikattu protest on Chennai’s Marina beach continued on the fifth day of t

SC orders compensation to Sardar Sarovar dam oustees

The supreme court has ordered the distribution of compensation to families affected by the Sardar Sarovar dam project. Each family will receive Rs 60 lakh per for two hectares of land. Moreover, ab

When Delhi patiently waited for Sasikala to implode

 A supreme court verdict on Tuesday put paid to Sasikala Natarajan’s dream of becoming the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, and practically cleared the way for caretaker chief minister O Pa

AIADMK may split

 The tug-of-war between caretaker chief minister O Panneerselvam and Jayalalithaa’s aide Sasikala Natarajan, who was found guilty on Tuesday in a disproportionate assets case by the supr

For Modi govt, Lokpal is not priority, enemy property is

The government has told the supreme court that the Lokpal cannot be appointed because the 2013 law needs several amendments, which will be taken up only in the monsoon session. The N

Oldest high court case is 61-year old

The oldest case in a high court is 61-year old. The civil case in the Rajasthan high court was filed in 1956, the Lok Sabha was informed.   The oldest crimina

Unless SC stays it, Aadhaar law will prevail: Ravi Shankar Prasad

 Law and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday said that the interim orders of the supreme court on Aadhaar delivered in 2015 are meant for an "interim arrangement" and "it

Lokpal can be set up without LoP, yes, but who’s in hurry?

If it was needed at all, the supreme court has cleared the air. The Lokpal Act, it has ruled, is perfectly implementable even without the pending amendments. The interpretation from the apex court

State, vigilantes and the right to way of life

1. A worrying phenomenon has become widespread on the political horizon of our country. Extra-legal forces and vigilante groups have emerged under the wings of political parties. Most parties formi

Threat still there to Niyamgiri: Green Nobel winner Prafulla Samantra

Prafulla Samantra, a social activist from Odisha has bagged the Goldman Environmental Prize, described as the Green Nobel Prize, for his long struggle to save the Niyamgiri hills from bauxite minin

Uniform civil code: Why and why not

The debate, arising out of the apprehensions regarding the imposition on our country of a code of conduct prescribed by the nationalist right-wing elements of society which has so far described its

Debating the idea of privacy

Is right to privacy a fundamental right? The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments on the contentious issue linked to the Aadhaar debate. Here`s how the issue has been addressed by different c

Holistic treatment of mentally ill patients

As many as 50 million people suffer from mental illnesses in India – only 10% people with common mental disorders and only 40%-50% peop

UP’s Shiksha Mitras hold protests after losing jobs

 As many as 1.78 lakh Shiksha Mitras (ad hoc teachers) have boycott classes, locked up some schools and blocked roads to protest against the supreme court order that quashed their appointment.

Who tweeted what on #TripleTalaq

Headline: Who tweeted what on #TripleTalaq Intro: `Shocking that it was 3:2, It should have been 5:0` Abolishing

Triple talaq verdict historic, says Modi

Prime minister Narendra Modi described as “historic” the supreme court judgment that struck down triple talaq for a period of six months.   “Judgmen

5 judges, 5 faiths, 1 verdict

Five judges from five different faiths deliberated upon and decided that instant triple talaq is to be struck down for a period of six months and the government should bring a legislation over it

Political parties support triple talaq verdict

The BJP as well as the Congress welcomed the supreme court judgment that bars instant triple talaq for a period of six months and also seeks a legislation on it.   BJ

From Shah Bano to Shayara Bano: How Rajiv’s blunder undid secularism

History could have repeated itself as a farce, but in the triple talaq case today, there has been no replay. A historic blunder has been undone, though it has taken three decades. T

Privacy a fundamental right: SC

 A nine judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court has unanimously upheld that privacy is a fundamental right protected under the constitution.  The judges have upheld that

Privacy: Govt told to put in place robust regime for data protection

 Key points from the August 24 landmark Supreme Court judgement on privacy: *Life and personal liberty are not creations of the Constitution. These rights are recognised by the Const

One verdict that impacts three major cases

The supreme court’s verdict upholding privacy as a fundamental right is likely to have an impact on at least three major cases – Aadhaar, online freedom of expression and homosexualit

Now onto Aadhaar modification: Subramanian Swamy

Now onto Aadhaar modification, said BJP leader Subramanian Swamy after the supreme court unanimously declared that the right to privacy was a fundamental right under the Constitution.

SC privacy verdict: All but overruled section 377 judgment

The Supreme Court’s landmark judgment on privacy as a fundamental right not only shed light on a comprehensive understanding of the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under the art

“The talaq verdict is just a beginning…”

The supreme court has held the practice of triple talaq as unconstitutional. This takes us back to the Shah Bano case and the question of reforming the Muslim personal law. Had it not been

Privacy is a fundamental right! Here’s what it means

 Privacy is now a fundamental right! But are you baffled by the supreme court’s ruling on Right to Privacy? Centre for Internet and Society’s executive director Sunil Abraham d

Women who fought it out

Instant triple talaq – which the supreme court banned recently, while asking the government to legislate against the decadent practice – is something Muslim women had no doubt wanted to

Why judicial reforms matter

Two path-breaking judgments by the Supreme Court on privacy and triple talaq were a reminder of how much we have begun to rely on the judiciary to make sense of a conflicted world. Seventy years af

The challenge of judicial reforms

As argued in the previous article, it is patently clear why India should not postpone efforts to

Firecrackers ban in Delhi-NCR: Shopkeepers and traders worry about losses

The supreme court on October 9 has banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and NCR till November 1 in view of the air pollution in the capital following Diwali celebrations. While some are welcomi

Don’t dread Diwali

If every year Delhi feels like a gas chamber during Diwali, then this year will hopefully be a lot better following a ban imposed on firecrackers by the supreme court. The elderly, t

Child marriage widespread in India

The supreme court on Wednesday ruled that sexual intercourse with wife below 18 years of age will be considered rape. The bitter truth is that child marriage is still taking place with chill

Implement ban on gutka, pan masala: FSSAI

 Food Safety Standards  Authority of India (FSSAI) has sought implementation of the ban on manufacture, sale and distribution of gutka and pan masala with tobacco and nicotine.

Dear supreme court, show Aadhaar the door!

Aadhaar was supposed to make life convenient. Its architects and backers, however, had some other plans. You just don’t have to enrol for it and use it as it suits. As asked in several govern

Specify deadline for Aadhaar linkage, SC tells banks, telcos

 The supreme court on Friday asked the banks and the telecom service providers (TSP) to specify a deadline in their messages for linking accounts with Aadhaar.  The apex court c

The idea of institutional arbitration has come: CJI

The idea of institutional arbitration has come to stay in India, said Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. “Enforcement is the cornerstone of any result that comes by arbitration by

Aadhaar-property linkage will tackle black money, cool prices

The government’s plan to seed Aadhaar with properties will not only help in flushing out black money that is parked in real estate, but also bring down prices that have gone through the roof.

Why the judiciary needs a revamp

There are two views on what happened in the supreme court on November 10. Some media reports described it as unprecedented and high-voltage drama. A senior advocate, however, points out it was neit

Deadline to link Aadhaar with government services extended

The government has told the supreme court that it is extending the deadline for mandatory linking of the government services with Aadhaar till March 31, 2018.  However, news agencies

Govt withdraws December 31 deadline to link Aadhaar with bank accounts

A day before a Supreme Court bench takes up petitions opposing mandatory Aadhaar linkage with several government services, the government has

Deadline for linking Aadhaar with services extended till March 31

 A five judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court in its interim ruling on Friday has fixed the deadline for linking Aadhaar with services including mobile numbers as March 31, 2018. 

Recalling the SC ruling that led to triple talaq legislation

It was a supreme court order on triple talaq that set the ball rolling for the parliament to take up the contentious issue.   The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill that

Is it time for a revamp of the judicial system?

Is it time for a revamp of the judicial

Reform, my lords, so that you may preserve!

Since English philosopher John Stuart Mill coined the phrase, “tyranny of public opinion”, it is more often used as a fig leaf for those whose last resort is politics.  

Initiate probe against CJI: CJAR

The Campaign for judicial accountability and judicial reforms (CJAR) has written to five senior supreme court judges over alleged misconduct by chief justice of India Dipak Misra.  T

SC must be subject to constant scrutiny: Justice Chelameswar

The supreme court should be subjected to constant scrutiny so that it improves, Justice Jasti Chelameswar said at a book release function on Monday. This was his first public appearance in Delhi af

“Let the five senior judges decide allocation of cases”

Four senior judges of the supreme court have publicly made serious allegations against the chief justice of India. Will it have wider impact on judicial discipline?

‘Do you think janata will rise and tell the CJI how to run the court?’

You have remarked that the four judges who raised serious questions about the administrative functioning of the supreme court should be impeached. What made you ask for such an extreme acti

Health groups irked by the SC order on vaccine PSUs

Health groups have expressed their disappointment with a February 12 order of the supreme court, refusing to review or recall an earlier order disposing off a case against the mala fide suspension

The yin benchmark

It was 42 years after independence that the supreme court got its first woman judge in justice M Fathima Beevi. And in January this year, when senior advocate Indu Malhotra was elevated from the ba

Next, active euthanasia

The supreme court allowing passive euthanasia is a first step that takes us towards dignity in death. It opens up an option for people who are alive only because the ventilator has n

Excerpts from supreme court verdict on passive euthanasia

The supreme court on Friday allowed passive euthanasia and living will. Here are the highlights of the judgment by a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

SC extends Aadhaar linkage deadline

The supreme court (SC) on Tuesday extended the deadline to link Aadhaar with

‘Honour killing’ cannot be allowed a moment of existence, declares SC

Eight years after the brutal murder of Manoj and Babli by their own family members a movie named NH10—loosely based on latter’s life and more importantly their death, was released.

The will to die

Death is an inevitable consequence of birth and evokes as much a sense of mystery as it inspires awe and fear. In the Kathopanishad, Nachiketa considers knowledge of death and the beyond as the onl

The law, dignity and death

The supreme court’s recent ruling on the right of a person to make a ‘living will’ has underlined the inevitable. The petition, filed by registered society Common Cause, was about

Mistrust between judiciary and executive widens

Justice Kurian Joseph of the Supreme Court, in a letter written to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra had sought for setting up of bench of seven senior most judges of the apex court. He

Administration of justice should be in public: Upendra Baxi

The supreme court and the question of judicial reforms are much in debate these days. You have recently commented, “Any reform of the system will have to come from within the court it

The Galahads of Indian bureaucracy

 In 1988, at the peak of the Rajiv Gandhi-VP Singh face-off fuelled by media exposes, the most respected editor of those times, Girilal Jain, wrote a comment in The Times of India with the hea

AAP vs LG: SC gives more power to Arvind Kejriwal

Ending the tussle between Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and lieutenant governor Anil Baijal, the supreme court on Wednesday ruled that the LG cannot act independently and must seek the advise of the cou

Activists demand repeal of UAPA

As many as 37 civil society organisations came together in a public meeting to condemn the raids and arrests of human rights and civil rights activists during a country wide simultaneous raids by M

A space for faith

When the supreme court ruled that women of menstruating age cannot be prevented from going to the Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala, political parties in Kerala hailed it as a historic victory for gen

Why not have regional benches of SC?

It will kill two birds with one stone. Or rather three. It will not only reduce the number of pending cases with the apex court, which is 57,987 as of June 2018, but will also provide litigants fro

Electoral bonds: All you need to know

A bench headed by chief justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in interim order on Friday asked all parties to submit receipts of the electoral bonds to the EC in sealed covers, while posting the matter

Justice emasculated, people blindfolded: SC shouldn`t avoid agnipariksha

At the supreme court, the panel for inquiry has submitted its report to the CJI. It says the report will not be made public and no copy will be given to the former lady employee whose complaint sta

Why supreme court should hold a fresh inquiry

Voices say now that three honourable judges have spoken against the charges levelled against the CJI; therefore, quietus be given to the whole affair and let the matter rest there. They say the rep

Ayodhya: temple at disputed site, alternative land for mosque

A resolution to the long-pending dispute which has to an extent shaped the recent history of India was in sight as the supreme court on Saturday paved the way for the construction of a temple at th

Rafale review petitions dismissed

The supreme court on Thursday dismissed the petitions seeking a review of its December 2018 verdict on the Rafale deal. The bench found no merit in review petitions that had sought an investigation

Hotel responsible for vehicle in valet parking: supreme court

Once a guest hands over the car keys to the valet, the vehicle is under the hotel’s responsibility, and it will have to compensate any damage to it, the supreme court has ruled.

Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar quit after supreme court order on floor test

Devendra Fadnavis of BJP resigned as Maharashtra chief minister Tuesday afternoon, three after he was sworn in. Earlier in the day, Ajit Pawar of NCP resigned as deputy chief minister. The dramatic

Women’s panel seeks CJI intervention over rape-murder convict’s penalty

The Maharashtra State Commission for Women has urged the chief justice of India to take suo moto action in the matter of the Bombay high court converting to life imprisonment the death sentence of

The sorry tale of the fund meant for eco-sensitive Aravalli range

In an audit report tabled in the Haryana assembly on November 26, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has indicted the Department of Mining and Geology of the state for its consisten

Trust set up to build Ram temple in Ayodhya

Prime minister Narendra Modi has announced in parliament the cabinet decision to form a trust to oversee the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, as ordered by the supreme court.

Cryptocurrency is legit: How banking, firms and individuals all stand to gain

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that runs on blockchain technology. This essentially means that no person or entity can control it. Both nationals and internationals can transact with the curr

POSH: Level-playing field for all, women and men

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (“POSH”) was enacted in 2013. Seven years since then, fears of misuse are rife. Are the fea

Breaking new ground in Ayodhya: History is created

History was created as prime minister Narendra Modi participated in the foundation-stone-laying ceremony for the new Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday, ending centuries of controversy.

SC interim bail to Arnab proves MVA vendetta: Ashish Shelar

Ashish Shelar, chief whip, BJP, Maharashtra assembly, has said that the arrest of Republic TV managing director Arnab Goswami is an act of political vendetta by the state’s ruling Maha Vikas

How about flagging candidates with criminal past on ballot?

The concept of the ‘Rule of Law’ is the basic structure of our constitution. It becomes imperative to observe the rule of law in order to run the country according to the constitutional

SC-appointed panel on farm laws holds first meet

The committee of experts appointed by the supreme court to deliberate with the stakeholders on the new farm laws held its first meeting here Tuesday, with one of its members saying that all stakeho

The farm laws: Lessons in policymaking

Parliament last year passed three laws relating to agriculture. They offer three basic freedoms to farmers; first, the freedom to sell the produce anywhere they like; second, the freedom to store i

Learn from Mumbai model to manage oxygen supply: supreme court

Mumbai, once the epicentre of the pandemic in India, has emerged as a model for all others in mitigating the crisis. The supreme court on Wednesday said the central government should adopt and take

Maharashtra must do more to fight hunger, say activists

With the second wave of Covid-19 hitting migrant labourers hard, a delegation of the Working People’s Charter (WPC) met Maharashtra Food and Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal urging him to se

Delhi plans implement ‘Mumbai Model’ soon

A team of the Delhi government’s health department has visited Mumbai to learn from the city’s officials how to battle Covid-19 more efficiently, following the supreme court’s adv

Maharashtra construction workers campaign for easier registration

The Construction Workers Welfare Board in Maharashtra has made it mandatory for construction and Naka workers to get certificates from their respective contractors/employers for getting registratio

Caste census will divert aspirational politics to narrow identity politics

There is now an increasingly growing demand, cutting across parties, to have the caste enumeration in Census 2021. An all-party delegation from Bihar met the prime minister in this regard recently.

‘Classified’, a scintillating expose of the ISRO spy story

Classified: Hidden Truths in the ISRO Spy Story By J. Rajasekharan Nair Srishti Publishers, 280 pages, Rs 350 The Indian Space Research Organisation (

How the pendency in Indian courts can be lowered

Speedy trial is an integral and essential part of the fundamental right to life and liberty enshrined in Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. However, delay in disposal of cases due to the upsurg

Legal Logjam: Does India need judicial reforms for swift justice?

Justice delayed is justice denied. That is what William British prime minister Ewart Gladstone said two centuries ago. It remains relevant in India today. This principle is held in high regard and

Police Reforms: Why they are still talked about 120 years later

Police reforms in our country are long overdue. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also stressed upon the need for police reforms. He called for radical changes in the police administration. He

Revadi, electoral reforms and fiscal responsibility

Revadi (sweetmeat) or more popular word, ‘freebies’, has been dominating headlines recently. A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in Supreme Court to bar all political part

Supreme Court refuses to stay EC order on Shiv Sena

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the Election Commission of India order recognising the Eknath Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena, allowing Uddhav Thackeray, the former Maharashtra

Banks must hear borrowers before declaring their accounts as frauds: SC

In a judgment with far-reaching implications, the Supreme Court has held that the civil consequences of an account being declared as fraud under the Reserve Bank of India (Frauds Classification and

Uddhav voluntarily resigned, cannot be reinstated as CM: SC

In a unanimous verdict on a clutch of pleas relating to the political crisis that led to the fall of Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray following a revol

Making sense of a decade in the life of judiciary

Unsealed Covers: A Decade of the Constitution, the Courts and the State By Gautam Bhatia HarperCollins, 496 pages, Rs 699.00

SC verdict on Article 370 abrogation is historic: Modi

Prime minister Narendra Modi said that the Supreme Court’s verdict on the abrogation of Article 370 is historic and constitutionally upholds the decision taken by the Parliament of India on 5

Electoral bond scheme unconstitutional: Supreme Court

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India has held the anonymous, unregulated and unlimited funding through electoral bonds and companies as unconstitutional. The five-judge

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now


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