Supreme Court Notes Conflict Between Forest Rights Act & Forest Conservation Act On Allowing Houses For Tribes; Seeks Union's Stance

The Supreme Court has directed the Union Government to file an affidavit within four weeks clarifying the scope, method, and manner of permitting construction of dwelling houses under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (“FRA”), in a manner consistent with the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 (“FCA”). While the FRA guarantees forest dwellers a 'pucca house,' the FCA imposes restrictions on...

Can One District Have More Than One Bar Association? Supreme Court To Consider Nilgiris District Bar Association's Plea

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on a Special Leave Petition filed by the Nilgiris District Bar Association challenging the order of the Madras High Court directing the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to consider an application filed by Women Lawyers Association of Nilgiris seeking recognition. Senior Advocate V Mohana, appearing for the petitioner, told a bench of CJI BR...

Justice JB Pardiwala Launches Handbook On Child Rights, Emphasises Need To Safeguard & Empower Girl Children

Justice JB Pardiwala, Judge of the Supreme Court and Member of the Juvenile Justice Committee, released the Handbook on Child Rights and the Law at the inaugural session of the National Annual Stakeholders Consultation on “Safeguarding the Girl Child: Towards a Safer and Enabling Environment for Her in India” held today (October 11).Addressing the gathering, Justice Pardiwala said...

Karur Stampede : Supreme Court To Pass Orders On Pleas Of TVK & Others On Monday

The Supreme Court will pronounce its orders on Monday, October 13, on a batch of petitions seeking an independent investigation into the Karur stampede incident.A bench comprising Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice NV Anjaria reserved its order on Friday after hearing arguments from multiple petitioners, including Vijay's political party Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), which has sought a...

'Law Must Protect the Most Vulnerable': CJI Gavai Calls on Lawyers, Judges to Champion Diversity and Inclusion

Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on Saturday urged lawyers and judges to make diversity and inclusion the cornerstone of justice delivery, saying that “the law finds its truest meaning when it protects the most vulnerable.”Delivering the keynote address virtually at the 38th LAWASIA Conference in Hanoi, Justice Gavai reflected on his own journey from a marginalized background,...

Supreme Court Weekly Digest September [15 - 23, 2025]

Airports Authorities of India (AAI) - levy of service tax on services rendered in handling export cargo – Held, service tax on services rendered in handling export cargo, ruling that such services fall within the ambit of 'taxable services' under the Finance Act, 1994 - While 'handling of export cargo' is excluded from the definition of 'cargo handling service' under Section 65(23) of...

Child Victim Must Not Be Retraumatized :Justice BV Nagarathna Calls For Child-Sensitive Procedures

Supreme Court judge Justice BV Nagarathna on Saturday said both the judiciary and law enforcement agencies play a pivotal role in handling cases of violence against girl children. She emphasised that trauma-informed and child-sensitive procedures must be expanded in courts and police stations so that child victims are not re-traumatised or subjected to secondary trauma during inquiries or...

'Justice Must Travel Beyond Courtrooms To People Living On The Margins': Justice Surya Kant At NALSA East-Zone Conference

Supreme Court judge and Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) Justice Surya Kant on Saturday said that the country's justice system must move beyond the confines of courtrooms and reach the lives of those who live on the margins, particularly in the eastern and northeastern states.Delivering the inaugural address at the NALSA East-Zone Regional Conference in...

Technology Must Become A Tool For Liberation, Not Exploitation Of Girl Child : CJI BR Gavai

Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai on Saturday highlighted the challenges posed to safeguarding rights of the girl child in the era of technological advancements, highlighting that technology brings new vulnerabilities, especially for the girl child. “The threats faced by young girls are no longer confined to physical spaces. They extend into the vast and often unregulated digital...

Supreme Court Half Yearly Digest 2025: Service Law

Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985; Section 20 - Time-Barred Claims - A time-barred service dispute cannot be brought within the limitation period by filing a belated representation. When a government servant is aggrieved by a denial of a benefit, which is not based on a formal order, then a representation must be filed within a reasonable time. The cause of action to approach...

'Reverse Onus' Clauses In Tax Law Creating Fear Among Businesses, Criminalising Honest Errors: Former CJI Sanjiv Khanna

Former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has criticized the "reverse onus" clauses in tax statutes and the rising trend of prosecuting individuals and businesses for unintentional, technical lapses. Speaking at a legal conference organized by the Terapanth Professional Forum, the Ex-CJI stated that the legal system is increasingly failing to distinguish between deliberate fraud and...

Armed Forces Tribunal Empowered To Modify Court-Martial Convictions And Impose Lesser Penalties : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday (October 10) observed that the Armed Forces Tribunal (“AFT”) under the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007 (“Act”) is empowered to substitute the findings of the Court Martial if its findings were excessive, illegal or unjust. “Thus, under Section 15(6) (a) & (b) of the 2007 Act, the Tribunal is empowered to substitute the finding of Court Martial...