Supreme Court Weekly Round Up

1. Students vs UGC : 'Heavens Will Not Fall If Exams Are Cancelled', Submits Dr Singhvi; SC To Hear On August 10 [Praneeth K & Ors. V. UGC & Ors., Batch pleas]The Supreme Court adjourned till August 10 the hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the UGC direction to hold final year exams by September 30. A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan directed that the parties should complete the pleadings by that time. Affidavits are to be filed by August 7 and rejoinders to be filed a day after August 7. Though Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, appearing for 31 students, pressed for a stay of the notification in the light of the 'deadly floods' in Assam and Bihar, Justice Ashok Bhushan said that no interim order can be passed at this stage.2. [Maratha Reservations] SC Refuses To Interfere In PG Admissions, Maharashtra Govt. Undertakes That No Recruitments Will Be Conducted Till Sept-15 [Jaishri Laxmanrao Patil v. Chief Minister, Maharashtra]The Supreme Court observed that it shall consider the issue of whether reservations viz. the Maratha Community as per the Socially & Educationally Backward Classes Act shall apply in Undergraduate medical Courses on September 1. "Admissions to undergraduate medical courses without applying reservation as per the impugned legislation will be considered at the next date of hearing" A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao, Hemant Gupta & S. Ravindra Bhat adjourned the plea(s) challenging a 2019 Bombay High Court judgment which upheld the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act 2019 to extend reservations to the Maratha community, while taking note of the Maharastra Government's submission that it shall not make regular appointments in Public posts till September 15, except in government departments relating to public health while relying on a Government Resolution dated May 4, 2020.3. [Central Vista Project] SC Allows Filing Of Writ Petition Against Environmental Clearance Granted To New Parliament Building; Expands Scope Of Hearing [Rajeev Suri V. Union of India]The Supreme Court allowed the filing of a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution challenging the Environmental Clearance granted on June 17 for the construction of a new Parliament building as part of Union Government's ambitious Central Vista Project. A bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar told Senior Advocate Shyam Divan that his clients will be given a week's time to file the writ petition, thereby expanding the scope of the hearing to include the issue of Environmental Clearances granted on June 17. This will be in addition to the issue surrounding the legality of the change in land use which is already under the consideration of the top court through two petitions pending before it.4. SC Grants 3 More Weeks To States/UTs For Providing Requisite Details Of Migrant Workers Back To Native Places [In Re: Problems & Miseries of Migrant Workers]The Supreme Court on Friday granted three more weeks to States/Union Territories to bring on record details of migrants workers back to their native places vis-à-vis their skill, earlier place and nature of employment in compliance with its June 9 order. Further to this, the bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul & MR Shah noted that inspite of steps taken by states and UTs in terms of the Top Court's directions to transport migrant workers within 15 days back to their native places as per the June 9 order, "there are still migrant workers stranded in different States including State of Maharashtra".5. SC Refuses To Stay HC Order Denying Permission For Shravani Mela At Baidyanath Temple Amid COVID-19 [Nishikant Dubey V. Union of India & Ors.]The Supreme Court on Friday refused permission to hold the annual Shravani Mela at Baidyanath Temple in wake of the pandemic situation. A bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra, BR Gavai & Krishna Murari was hearing a plea challenging the Jharkhand High Court order, denying permission to hold the annual festival at Baidyanath Temple with requisite precautions. 6. "Doctors Mandatorily Quarantined Not Being Paid Dues" : SC Directs Centre To Ensure Payment Of Salaries To Covid-19 Frontline Warriors [Arushi Jain V. Union of India]The Centre on Friday informed Supreme Court that Delhi, Punjab, Tripura, Karnataka & Maharashtra - have not made timely payment of salaries to healthcare workers despite the Centre' Notification under National Disaster Management Act which lays down strict penal action for non-payment. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, MR Shah & R. Subhash Reddy told the Centre to do the needful so as to ensure that salaries to frontline healthcare workers battling Covid19 are effectuated timely. The bench was hearing an IA filed on behalf of United Residents and Doctors Association in a plea filed by Udaipur-based Doctor Arushi Jain seeking suitable accommodation and quarantine facilities for medical workers who are involved in treating of COVID-19 patients.7. SC Directs DU To Declare Result Of Law Student...

Supreme Court Weekly Round Up

Sanya Talwar

Week Commencing July 27 to August 2, 2020.

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