Supreme Court Monthly Digest [January 2020]

Significant Judgments Of January 2020 Kashmir Lockdown Judgment: [Anuradha Bhasin v. Union ofIndia] A significant take away from the Supreme Court's judgement on Kashmir lockdown is its declaration that freedom of speech and expression and also freedom of trade and commerce through the medium of internet are constitutionally protected rights under Articles 19(1)(a) and...

PIL In SC Seeks The Release Of Result Of Clinical Trial Involving 6799 Infants For Rotavac Vaccine [Read Petition]

The Supreme Court today heard a plea seeking directions to the Government to make public the segregated data (result) of the Rotavac clinical trial (phase III) involving 6799 infants that was conducted at three centres namely Delhi, Pune & Vellore.The Petition was filed on behalf of Mr. S. Srinivasan, the (Managing Trustee of "Low Cost Standard Therapeutics"). He is a Graduate and...

SC Transfers Petition Challenging IBC Ordinance Before Delhi HC To Itself [Read Order]

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the transfer of a petition challenging the constitutional validity of IBC (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, from the Delhi High Court to itself. The petition titled KIC Food Products Pvt. Ltd. v. Union of India & Anr., WP (C) No. 310/2020, pending before the Delhi High Court, was the first case challenging the constitutional validity of IBC...

[Felling Of Trees]The Green Cover Has To Be Valued And Protected, Observes CJI

"Deforestation is happening at such a pace that before we know it, everything will be lost! The Green cover has to be valued and protected!", noted Chief Justice S. A. Bobde on Tuesday. The Supreme Court was considering the matter of the felling of trees for the construction of a foot-over bridge to ensure safety around a railway line in West Bengal. 'Nobody wants to consider an...

Delhi Pollution : SC Issues Notice On Plea Against Illegal Burning Of Bio-Medical Waste

The Supreme Court has issued notice in the matter regarding the rampant illegal and unauthorized bio-medical waste burning being carried out in South Delhi which is consequently creating severe risk for the health of the people residing in the adjacent area as well as increasing the deterioration of the air quality in the city.The Intervention Application filed by Harshita Singhal, a 3rd-year...

SC Reserves Order On Fadnavis's Review Against Verdict Setting Aside Clean Chit In False Election Affidavit Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved orders on the review petition filed by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis against the October judgment of the SC that had set aside the clean chit given to him by Bombay High Court in a case alleging filing of false election affidavit.A three judge bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose heard the arguments...

Not Only Govt But Collegium Also Responsible For Delay In Appointment Of HC Judges: AG Tells SC [Read Order]

The Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday that on an average the government takes 127 days for clearing the recommendation sent to it during the process of appointment judges in higher judiciary, whereas the apex court Collegium takes 119 days to deal with it.Attorney General K K Venugopal told a bench of Justice S K Kaul and Justice K M Joseph that high courts across the country have not...

Women In Army : How SC Rejected Centre's Arguments Based On 'Sex Stereotypes'?

The Supreme Court has delivered a landmark verdict holding that Women Short Service Commission Officers in the Indian Army are entitled to Permanent Commission at par with their male counterparts, regardless of their years of service. The Apex Court also held that confining women officers to only "staff appointments" by denying them command assignments is a violation of equality principle...

[Sabarimala Reference][Day-1] Acts Done In Pursuance of Religious Belief Are Also Part of Religion,Submits SG Tushar Mehta

The 9-Judge Bench constituted by Chief Justice SA Bobde has commenced hearing on the issues mentioned in the Sabarimala reference Order.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta commenced his arguments, drawing the bench's attention to Article 25(1)- " 'all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion'...'equally entitled'- this...

Notion That Women Are 'Weaker Sex' Constitutionally Flawed: SC Calls For Change In Mindset [Read Judgment]

"If society holds strong beliefs about gender roles – that men are socially dominant, physically powerful and the breadwinners of the family and that women are weak and physically submissive, and primarily caretakers confined to a domestic atmosphere – it is unlikely that there would be a change in mindsets."

[Breaking] Nirbhaya Case : Delhi Court Issues Fresh Death Warrants For Hanging Of 4 Convicts On March 3 At 6 AM

A Delhi Court on Monday issued fresh death warrants for the hanging of four convicts - Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Akshay Singh- in the Nirbhaya gangrape-murder case on March 3 at 6 AM.Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana of Patiala House Courts, Delhi passed the order on a plea moved by Tihar Jail authorities under Section 413 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for...

[Shaheen Bagh] : SC Sets Up Mediation Team To Talk To Protesters On Clearing Road Blockade [Read Order]

The Supreme Court on Monday set up a mediation team headed by Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde to hold talks with the Shaheen Bagh protesters on a plea seeking clerance of road blockade due to the sit-in protests.The bench comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph made it clear that Hegde may choose Advocate Sadhana Ramachandran or any other person of his choice to "make the persons at site...