Gyanvapi| 'Have Strong Doubts About Survey Work To Be Carried Out By ASI': Allahabad HC Seeks Presence Of ASI Official At 4:30 PM Today

On the second day of the hearing of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee's challenge to the Varanasi District Judge's July 21 ASI Survey order of the Gyanvapi Mosque, the Allahabad High Court today expressed its "strong doubts" regarding the work to be carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the Mosque premises. The oral observation was made by the bench of Chief...

'Passport Authority Cannot Retain Passport Without Impounding' : Supreme Court Grants Relief To Husband In Matrimonial Dispute

The Supreme Court on Monday held that without impounding of the passport, the Passport Authority cannot unauthorizedly retain a passport handed over by the Police in the name of a pending criminal case. A division bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Rajesh Bindal was considering an appeal filed by a husband whose passport was handed over to the Passport Authority by the Police as he...

Supreme Court Clarifies Order in Gyanvapi Case, Says Mosque Committee's Petition Challenging Maintainability Of Suit Not Disposed

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court issued a clarification regarding its order passed on July 24, 2023 in the Gyanvapi Mosque case, aiming to clear up any confusion surrounding the matter. The order, which was meant to dispose of the Interlocutory Application (IA) filed by the Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee concerning the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey, mistakenly mentioned that...

Retired District Judge Moves Supreme Court Challenging Disciplinary Action Taken By Patna HC Over "Hasty" Decision In Criminal Case

A retired judicial officer from Bihar has approached the Supreme Court challenging the penalty of deduction of 50% of pension imposed on him in a disciplinary proceedings initiated by the Patna High Court. He contended that he was suspended 4 days before his retirement on a complaint regarding "hasty decision" in a criminal case.The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy...

Centre Moves Supreme Court Seeking Extension Of ED Director SK Mishra's Term Till October 15

The Centre has moved the Supreme Court of India seeking an extension of the term of the chief of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) SK Mishra, which is set to come to an end on Monday, July 31. On July 11, a three-judge bench of Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, and Sanjay Karol held the extensions given to Mishra’s term to be illegal insofar as it violated the mandate of the...

Paradoxical That Right To Vote Isn't A Fundamental Right Though Democracy Is An Essential Feature Of Constitution : Supreme Court

It is a paradox that the right to vote is not a fundamental right, though democracy has been held to be one of the basic features of Constitution, said the Supreme Court in a recent judgment. The Court noted that right to vote has been termed as a "mere" statutory right."Democracy has been held to be a part of one of the essential features of the Constitution. Yet, somewhat paradoxically,...

Plea Bargaining In India Limited To Sentence Bargaining; Offence Bargaining Also Should Be Included, Suggests Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, observed that countries like the United State of America that have incorporated plea bargaining successfully have encompassed both sentence bargaining and offence bargaining, while the scope of plea bargaining is limited in the Indian context as the criminal justice system here has only incorporated 'sentence bargaining'. A Bench comprising Justice SK Kaul...

Bail Conditions Imposed By Courts Must Be Realistic Considering Socio-Economic Background Of Accused : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, indicated that courts should impose realistic conditions of bail considering the economic and social position of the undertrial prisons or else the act of grant of bail does not subserve its purpose. A Bench comprising Justice SK Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia observed the same while hearing a suo moto writ petition instituted for the purposes of issuing...

"They Have A Point": Supreme Court Acknowledges Political Parties' Apprehensions About Bringing Internal Discussions Under RTI

In the batch of petitions seeking the inclusion of all political parties as "public authorities" under the Right to Information Act, 2005, the Supreme Court made oral remarks suggesting that political parties had valid reasons for not wanting to disclose the details of their candidate selection process. The matter was before a bench consisting of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice...

'You Take Extreme Stands Against Other State Govts, But Say Nothing When Your Own State Govt Violates Constitution’: Supreme Court To Centre On Nagaland Women Reservation

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, called the Union Government out for not taking action in the State of Nagaland to implement the constitutional scheme of one-third reservation for women in municipal and town council elections. The Court said that while the Centre takes 'extreme stands' against other State Governments, it does nothing against its own State governments are violating...

"Seems You Keep Appointing Committees Till You Get A Favourable Decision": Supreme Court Questions Centre On Pesticide Ban

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, in a plea seeking the elimination of harmful chemicals and pesticides used in the country, raised concerns over the Union Government's repeated formation of expert committees to review the banning of pesticides. The court questioned the rationale behind appointing several committees when the initial expert committee had already recommended the banning of...

Voter Has Right To Know Full Background Of Candidate; Right To Vote Based On Informed Choice Crucial To Democracy : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday observed that democracy being an essential feature of the Constitution and the right to vote being a statutory right, the voter has the right to know about the full background of a candidate.“The elector or voter’s right to know about the full background of a candidate- evolved through court decisions- is an added dimension to the rich tapestry of...