SC Issues Notice To Centre On Puducherry MLA Nomination Row; Refuses To Stay Notification

A Supreme Court bench of Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan has issued notice to the Centre on a plea which challenged the Madras High Court order dismissing the plea against the nomination of three BJP MLAs to the Puducherry Legislative Assembly made by the Centre without consultation with Chief Minister V Narayanasamy.However, it refused to stay the Narendra Modi government’s July 4,...

SC Laments Pendency Of Criminal Appeals Before HCs; Demands Action Plan From Centre & States On Appointment Of Ad-Hoc Judges [Read Order]

Stunned at the large number of pending criminal appeals before the High Courts, the Supreme Court on Wednesday lambasted the Centre as well as the States for not having appointed ad-hoc judges.The observations were made after a Bench comprising Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice Indu Malhotra enlarged on bail one Ratan Singh, whose appeal, the Court noted, is pending before the...

Increasing Retirement Age of Judges of SC And HC: Law Minister Denies Reports [Updated]

Update-1Amidst speculation that Central Government was proposing to increase the retirement age of judges of Supreme Court and High Court, the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad clarified that there was no such move. Earlier News 18 had reported, quoting “top sources in Government”, that  the Government was likely to introduce a bill in the monsoon session of Parliament to increase...

Medical Admission Scam: SC Dismisses CJAR’s Review Petition [Read Order]

The Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition filed by the Centre For Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) against the dismissal of a plea for a probe by the Special Investigation Team into medical admission scam.A bench of Justice Arun Mishra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Ashok Bhushan observed that there is no merit in the review petition and dismissed it.This would mean that...

[Sabarimala][ Day 2]Prohibiting Women From Entering Temple Is A Form Of Untouchabilty,Submits Jaising; What Applies To Man Applies To Woman As Well, Says CJI Dipak Misra

Prohibition of women entry is a form of untouchability. The sole basis of restriction is menstruation of women. To keep away menstruating women is a form of untouchability. Menstruating women are seen as polluted”, submitted Indira Jaising.The arguments for the day were started by Advocate Ravi Prakash Gupta for the petitioner, Indian Young Lawyers Association. He began by attempting to...

“Potholes Killing People, Buses Drowning, Authorities Sleeping”, SC Says Sealing Of Illegal Properties In Delhi Shall Not Stop

When AG said violators should be given proper show cause notice at least of 48 hours before their property is sealed, the bench said: “It is one thing to say the people have to be informed and it is another thing to say officials should wake up.Did you see the bus submerged near Minto Road in the heart of Delhi after a few minutes of rain? In Mumbai, potholes are killing people and after...

Delhi Govt Vs LG: “Govt Paralyzed, Can’t Appoint/Transfer Officers”, Submits Delhi Govt. But SC Defers Hearing Of Pending Issues To July 26

“Government is paralyzed today. We are not in a position to appoint or transfer officers. What is the purpose of the recent constitution bench judgment then? There is some urgency”, Senior Advocate P Chidambaram, one of the lawyers appearing for Delhi government submitted before the bench. The Delhi government today urged the Supreme Court to hear the pending petitions pertaining to...

Prohibiting Candidates From Contesting From More Than One Constituency Might Infringe Their Rights: Centre Tells SC

The Centre has sought dismissal of a plea seeking directions to restrict candidates from contesting from two constituencies simultaneously, asserting that any change in the law “may cause infringement of the rights of the candidates contesting elections as well as curtail choice of candidates to the polity”.The affidavit has been filed in response to a petition filed by BJP leader...

Permitting Candidate To Inspect His Answer Sheet Won’t Affect Public Interest Or Govt Functioning: SC [Read Order]

‘There are issues of confidentiality and disclosure of sensitive information that may arise, but those have already been taken care of in the case of Aditya Bandopadhyay where it has categorically been held that the identity of the examiner cannot be disclosed for reasons of confidentiality.’While directing the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) to allow a candidate to see...

Sabarimala Women's Entry [Day-1] Restrictions On Entry Of Women Nowhere Connected With Religious Practices In The Temple, Submits Petitioner [Read Written Submissions]

In the written submissions, the petitioner submitted that the restriction on the entry of women in the Sabarimala temple is nowhere connected with the religious practices performed there.The Supreme Court five-judge bench on Tuesday commenced hearing on the challenge to the constitutionality of the ban on entry of women in the historic Sabarimala Temple.Opening the case of the...

[Section 377][Day 4, Session 2] Homosexuality May Affect Institution Of Marriage, Nation Would Lose its Morality And Virtuousness, Argues Groups Supporting 377; SC Reserves Judgment

The final day of hearing of Section 377 case witnessed arguments by the supporters of Section 377.In his turn, Senior Counsel K.  Radhakrishnan contended that what was criminalised under section 377 were certain acts and not gender identity or sexual orientation. He relied on the recent SC judgment in NCT of Delhi v Union of India, to advance arguments on the basis of...

Lynching: Parliament May Create A Special Law [Read Supreme Court Guidelines]

The Supreme Court on Tuesday recommended that the Parliament may create a special law against lynching, asserting that “fear of law and veneration for the command of law constitute the foundation of a civilised society”.The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud directed, “Apart from the directions we have...