On his PIL, the SC had in 2013 directed the Centre and the states to set up a Civil Services Board to decide on transfers of officers.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped the centre for being "sloppy" in checking female foeticide in the country, saying laws are not being implemented and everything is being left to fate.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation seeking action against Gandhi as well as formulation of guidelines to prevent such 'malpractice' by political leaders.
The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Union and the state governments to file replies to a petition demanding that IMS Vikrant, India's first aircraft carrier, now decommissioned, be preserved and not scrapped.
"The new cattle trade and slaughter rules framed by the central government are against the interest of the people. We will not carry out the new rules," Tripura's Agriculture and Animal Resource Development Minister Aghore Debbarma said.
The Supreme Court on Monday made it clear to the Jammu and Kashmir government that it cannot force the Centre to take quick decisions on its demand for Rs 44,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.
A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan and comprising justices R S Reddy and M R Shah said that voluntary contribution can always be made to the NDRF as there is no statutory bar under the Disaster Management Act.
The Human Rights Law Network -- a group of committed lawyers, paralegals and social activists -- is making justice accessible to people who can't defend themselves.
Besides the CJI, the seniormost judge, Justice N V Ramana, and justices R F Nariman, U U Lalit, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and L Nageswara Rao would deal with the PILs and social justice matters, usually involving the Centre and the states, and their instrumentalities as opposite parties.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli said an attack on individuals does not mean it is an attack on the community but it needs to verify the claims of any such incident if it is made in the public interest litigation.
The SC asked the Bihar government to file an affidavit on the adequacy of medical facilities, nutrition and sanitation and the hygiene conditions in the state.
The university has also directed security agencies to deploy ex-Army personnel to strengthen the security of its hostel blocks, the official said.
Observing that Laxman rekha of separation of power is 'sacrosanct,' Chief Justice of India N V Ramana Friday said at times courts are compelled to intervene in the interest of justice and the intention is to nudge the executive, and not to usurp its role and they should not be projected as judiciary targeting another institution.
The court also allowed Indian Banks' Association, another respondent, to file a response.
A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli also issued notice on the plea filed by the Centre seeking transfer of the case from the high court to the apex court which had earlier referred to the similar case for adjudication to a five-judge Constitution bench.
A bench headed by Chief Justice U U Lalit is scheduled to hear the petitions challenging the validity of the CAA whose enactment had triggered widespread protests across the country.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to give an urgent hearing to a Public Interest Litigation seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and for ensuring safe passage to people stuck due to clashes.
During the hearing, petitioner Upadhyay submitted that while individuals cannot seek vote in the name of religion or caste, political parties can be formed using religious connotations which cannot be permitted.
Besides the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian also issued notices to the News Broadcasters Association, the News Broadcasting Standards Authority of India and the Press Council of India on the PIL filed by Delhi-based lawyer Reepak Kansal.
The bench also directed every state to file a status report on actions taken to prevent incidents of cow vigilantism.
The crucial hearing on the PILs by a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud assumes significance in the wake of recent developments in which the Centre agreed to the apex court's proposal to set up a committee, likely to be headed by a former Supreme Court judge, to look into the regulatory regimes.
The Centre had told the apex court that the entitlement of former MPs to get pension and other benefits was "justified" as their dignity has to be maintained.
'So far, no government has imposed a financial emergency in the country,' notes A K Bhattacharya.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and Uttarakhand government to step up rescue operations to evacuate people caught in flash floods in the state.
The plea, filed by advocates Shishir Chaturvedi and Karunesh Kumar Shukla, said that apart from private individuals and members of state Sunni Board, the presence of central and state government representatives was essential to ensure proper management of the funds.
Delhi faces a severe financial crunch and the deficit is largely due to numerous welfare schemes without adequate revenue flowing in. The success of welfare schemes and electoral promises will need careful financial planning and out of the box thinking to whip up additional revenue, notes Ramesh Menon.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking that drugs being used to treat COVID-19 patients be made available directly at hospitals, and isolation and quarantine centres where such patients are treated.
Justice Ramana said that he took up the issues concerning the appointment of judges and infrastructure during his term and hoped that he stood up to the expectations of the legal fraternity.
The Uttar Pradesh government cannot withdraw prosecution in terror cases under the central acts without the permission of the Centre, the Allahabad high court held on Thursday.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Vikram Nath said the matter requires to be heard.
The Madras high court on Monday came down hard on the Election Commission and called it the "the most irresponsible institution" for the alleged spread of the second wave of Covid-19 in the country.
The PIL said the independent expert committee should be asked to submit its report within four weeks and direction be issued for action against state agencies for dereliction of duty.
The bench asked the respondents to file their response to the petition which seeks the constitution of a committee to examine 'workable solutions' to ensure that a kirpan permitted to be carried on the flight is 'appropriately designed and crafted' and does not have a blade length beyond 4 cm.
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday told the Bombay high court that it would soon start home vaccination against COVID-19 for people who are immobile or bedridden on an experimental basis, and would not wait for an approval from the Centre.
A plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday challenging the Delhi high court's May 31 verdict which dismissed a petition seeking to suspend all construction activity of the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment during the COVID-19 pandemic while describing it as a 'vital' and 'essential' project of national importance.
The Allahabad high court on Thursday stayed with immediate effect caste-based rallies throughout Uttar Pradesh, while issuing notices to central and state governments, the Election Commission and four major political parties. "We stay caste-based rallies throughout the state of UP," the Lucknow bench of the court comprising justices Uma Nath Singh and Mahendra Dayal said on a PIL filed by a local lawyer Motilal Yadav.
The Madras high court on Friday dismissed a PIL seeking a direction to the Union government to confer the Bharat Ratna on late AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa, saying it does not want to interfere in such matters.
Hearing a public interest litigation filed by NGO Amguri Naba Nirman Samity, a high court division bench comprising Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Soumitra Saikia asked the Assam government to file a detailed status report on the case.
A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur also sought a response on the question as to whether the recovery tribunals are equipped to decide the loan recovery cases within a fixed time frame, stipulated under the law.
The situation has arisen second time since the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power in 2014.
