Supreme Court Weekly Round Up

Top Stories This Week:1. 'My Statements Are Well Considered And Well Thought Of': Prashant Bhushan Declines SC's Offer For Time To Reconsider Statement [In Re: Prashant Bhushan & Anr.]Advocate Prashant Bhushan on Thursday declined the Supreme Court's offer for time to reconsider the statement made by him in the Court justifying his tweets and expressing dismay at the contempt verdict. During hearing on sentence today before a bench led by Justice Arun Mishra, Bhushan submitted that his statements were "well-considered and well thought of". He said that he did not wish to reconsider his statements and that giving him more time to think upon it would serve no useful purpose. The remarks were made after Justice Mishra offered to give an opportunity to Mr. Bhushan to think over his statements and come back after 2-3 days. Also Read: [Contempt] "I Do Not Ask For Mercy, I Do Not Appeal to Magnanimity, I am Here To Cheerfully Submit to Any Penalty": Prashant Bhushan Tells SC Quoting GandhijiAlso Read: Attorney General Requests SC To Not Punish Prashant Bhushan In Contempt CaseAlso Read: To Punish For Contempt, Court Has To Show Comments 'Substantially Interfered With Administration Of Justice' :Dhavan Tells SC In Bhushan Case2. Sushant Singh Rajput Case : SC Orders CBI Probe; Holds Bihar FIR Valid; Asks Maharashtra Police To Assist [Rhea Chakraborty V. State of Bihar]The Supreme Court upheld the Bihar Government's order to transfer the probe in the case related to the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput to CBI. A single bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy held that Bihar police had jurisdiction to register FIR with respect to the suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput at the complaint of the actor's father, and held the transfer to CBI valid. The Court also directed Maharashtra police to hand over the case files to CBI and to render necessary assistance.Also Read: Investigations Cannot Be Transferred Invoking Powers Under Section 406 CrPC: SCAlso Read: [Sushant Singh Rajput] CBI Probe Appropriate To Ensure 'Public Confidence', Says SC To Invoke Article 142Also Read: [Sushant Singh Rajput] Nothing To Show Any Wrong Doing By Mumbai Police; Probe By Agency Not Controlled By Both States Appropriate: SCAlso Read: Sushant Singh Rajput Case: Why SC Upheld Jurisdiction Of Bihar Police To Register FIR?3. Can UGC Direct To Hold Exams Overriding A State Where A Certain Situation Exists?, SC Asks Reserving Judgment In 'Students vs UGC' Case [Praneeth K. V. UGC/ Batch Pleas]The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved judgment on a batch of petitions challenging the July 6 directive of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to the Universities to hold final semester examinations by September 30. A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah reserved the judgment after hearing the parties for nearly four hours via video conferencing. On Tuesday, the bench heard Senior Advocate Arvind P Datar (for State of Maharashtra), Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta (for teachers from West Bengal), Senior Advocate K V Vishwanathan (for Government of NCT of Delhi), Advocate Generals for Odisha and West Bengal, Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora for intervenors, Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava etc.4. SC Dismisses Plea To Transfer PM CARES Funds To NDRF; Says Fresh National Disaster Plan For COVID-19 Not Needed [Centre For Public Interest Litigation V. UOI]The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition which sought transfer of the funds from PM CARES to National Disaster Relied Fund. The Court also held that there was no need for a fresh national disaster relief plan for COVID-19, and that the minimum standards of relief as issued under the Disaster Management Act prior to COVID-19 were enough. The bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah also clarified that the Centre will be free to transfer the funds to NDRF as it deems appropriate and that individuals are at liberty to donate to NDRF.Also Read: No Occasion For CAG Audit Of PM CARES Fund As It Is A Public Charitable Trust: SCAlso Read: No Exception Can Be Taken To Constitution Of PM CARES Fund; But Still Open For Anyone To Contribute To NDRF : SC5. Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Seeking Postponement NEET/JEE 2020 [Sayantan Biswas V. NTA]The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea seeking the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), scheduled to be held in September 2020. Justice Arun Mishra, presiding the bench, said that the postponement of the exams will put the 'career of the students in peril'. 'Life should move on even in COVID-19 times. Can we just stop exams? We should move on', Justice Arun Mishra said while dismissing the petitions.Also Read: NEET, JEE Will Not Be Postponed: Union MinistryAlso Read: "NEET Shall Not Be Postponed, Travel Is Permitted Under Vande Bharat Mission": MCI Tells SC In Plea Seeking Centres In Gulf Countries" [Read Affidavit]Also Read: Elaborate Arrangements Made For...

Supreme Court Weekly Round Up

Sanya Talwar

Week Commencing August 17 To August 23, 2020

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