Supreme Court Weekly Round Up

Top Stories This Week:1. SC Sentences Prashant Bhushan To A Fine Of Rupee One In The Contempt Case Over His Two Tweets [In Re: Prashant Bhushan & Anr.]In the contempt case taken by the Supreme Court against Prashant Bhushan for his two tweets, a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra on Monday sentenced him to pay a fine of Rupee One, which is to be deposited with the Supreme Court Registry within September 15. In case of default to deposit, Bhushan will have to undergo imprisonment for three months and will be debarred from practice in SC for three years. The Court further deprecated Bhushan for publicizing his statements in media before they were considered by the bench.2. SC Grants 10 Years Period For Telecos To Clear AGR Dues; First 10% To Be Paid By March 2021 [UOI V. Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India]The Supreme Court has held that the telecom companies who are liable to pay AGR dues shall make payment of 10% of the dues by March 31, 2021. A bench headed by Justices Arun Mishra rejected the prayer of the Department of Telecommunication seeking payments by telecom companies in a staggered fashion spanning over 20 years and instead allowed the telcos to make payments in a period spanning 10 years. Court further held that "In case of any default in making payment of annual instalments, interest would become payable as per agreement along with the penalty and interest on penalty and would be punishable by contempt of court." On the issue of whether spectrum can be a subject matter of resolution process, the Justice Mishra led bench stated that it has asked the NCLT to decide the same.Also Read: AGR Case : SC Asks DoT To Complete Assessment Of Liability In Cases Of Spectrum Trading3. Accounts Not Declared NPAs As On August 31, Not To Be Declared As NPAs Till Matter Is Disposed Of: Supreme Court [Gajendra Sharma V. UOI & Anr.]The Supreme Court protected those accounts from being declared as Non-performing Assets (NPAs) which were not classified as NPAs on August 31 till case is disposed off. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R. Subhash Reddy & MR Shah was hearing plea(s) seeking extension of the Covid19 induced loan moratorium & waiver of accruing interest. While adjourning the case for a week, the court granted protection to petitioners to the extent of not being declared as NPA's till the case is disposed off. The case will now be heard on Thursday, September 10.4. NEET-JEE: SC Dismisses Review Petition Filed By 6 State Ministers Seeking Postponement Of Exams [Moloy Ghatak & Ors. V. NTA]The Supreme Court dismissed the review petition filed by six ministers from six different states against the August 17 order dismissing pleas to postpone NEET-JEE exams scheduled in September. A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, B R Gavai and Krishna Murari dismissed the petition filed by 6 ministers, each from West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Jharkhand, after a hearing held in chambers.5. "Has Become A Trend Now": SC Stays Disciplinary Proceedings Against Madhya Pradesh District Judge On Account Of Sexual Harassment Allegations [Shambhoo Singh V. HC Madhya Pradesh]The Supreme Court issued notice & also stayed disciplinary proceedings against a Senior District Judge from Madhya Pradesh on account of sexual harassment charges levelled against him by a woman judicial officer in 2018. A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna & V. Ramasubramaniun while issuing notice on the petition remarked that filing complaints against judges had become a "trend" and that it was a deplorable practice.6. 'This Is No Small Case': SC Refuses Bail To 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Accused Sajjan Kumar [Sajjan Kumar V. UOI]The Supreme Court refused to grant bail to ex-Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti Sikh riots case. A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna & V. Ramasubramanium stated that his appeal against conviction will be heard once top court starts physical hearings. Bench also refused his hospitalisation, stating that medical reports suggest that he doesn't require any.7. [CBSE Compartment Exam] SC Directs CBSE To File Affidavit Stipulating Scheme, Dates & Details; Hearing On September 10 [Anika Samvedi V. UOI]The Supreme Court took up for hearing, the petition against CBSE's decision to conduct compartment examination for students of classes X and XII, tomorrow. A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna directed the CBSE to file an affidavit in reply by September 7, clearly stipulating the scheme of the examination and the way it is to be conducted & listed the matter for further consideration on September 10.8. SC Orders Removal Of 48,000 Slum Dwellings Around Delhi Rail Tracks In 3 Months; Stops Courts From Granting Stay [MC Mehta V. UOI]The Supreme Court has ordered the removal of nearly 48,000 slum dwellings around the 140-kilometer length of railway tracks in New Delhi within three months, and has further directed that ...

Supreme Court Weekly Round Up

Sanya Talwar

Week Commencing August 31, 2020 To September 6, 2020

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