'Nobody expected it to become a landmark judgment.' 'Because the Supreme Court has expanded the definition of family and included single parents, same sex parents, etc, the scope of looking at families has enhanced.'
Supreme Court Justice V Mohana recused herself from a 2016 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions for the speedy disposal of criminal cases against lawmakers. This development follows a report by amicus curiae Vijay Hansaria, which revealed over 4,000 pending criminal cases against Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), including chief ministers from 14 states. The Supreme Court has previously issued directives to high courts to establish special benches to monitor and fast-track these trials.
The Election Commission has removed an additional declaration related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) from the online voter enrolment Form 6 in states where the SIR process is complete. This decision follows internal objections from Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi regarding changes to the form and the process. The EC maintains the declaration was SIR-specific and not an amendment to Form 6 itself.
'Election Commissioners are Constitutional authorities and they are not supposed to go to the Cabinet secretary. They are not supposed to write letters. And if they are aggrieved, they should straight go to the President of India.'
The Bombay High Court has dismissed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's petition challenging a 2019 summons issued by a magistrate court in a defamation complaint. The complaint, filed by a BJP member, pertains to Gandhi's alleged defamatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The High Court found no illegality in the magistrate's order but extended the deferment of the lower court hearing by six weeks to allow Gandhi to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan critically examined police conduct in India, raising serious concerns about alleged assaults on protesters, custodial torture, and the urgent need for comprehensive police reforms to uphold human rights and the rule of law.
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan stated that threatening students with punitive action for expressing different views or asking questions is unconstitutional and a misuse of power. He emphasised that universities should foster free thinking and disagreement, as tolerance and dissent are fundamental constitutional values essential for a liberal democracy.
Delhi Police has denied permission for a protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, leading to the closure of 11 metro stations and heightened security. Various political parties and student unions are demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
A group of 124 former IAS, IFS, IPS, and allied services officers have issued an open letter defending the Election Commission (EC) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. They argue that the electoral system cannot be deemed rigged only when a party loses, citing instances where the ruling BJP lost elections under the same EC. The officers highlight the legitimacy and necessity of the SIR for cleaning voter rolls and underscore the robust safeguards within India's electoral system.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) next week that seeks the suspension of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and challenges the alleged unilateral decision-making within the Election Commission without the approval of two other Election Commissioners.
The Election Commission of India has addressed reports of internal dissent among its commissioners and clarified that all Special Intensive Revision (SIR) orders and Form 6 updates for voter enrolment received unanimous consent and were upheld by the Supreme Court. The EC also announced measures to ease the process for voters issued notices, including doorstep document collection and extended deadlines in Delhi and Maharashtra, while affirming its commitment to transparent decision-making and meticulous compliance with directives.
The top court was hearing a PIL of public charitable trust 3S and Our Health Society seeking directions to the Centre, states and Union territories to implement mandatory front-of-package warning labels (FOPL) on packaged foods.
The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition seeking mandatory and uniform labelling of ethanol percentage at petrol pumps and a public database on vehicle compatibility with ethanol-blended fuel. The plea also calls for an expert committee to assess the impact of E20 fuel on vehicles, environment, and food security, and a consumer disclosure protocol.
The Election Commission has clarified that its ECINet platform is decentralised, with statutory functions performed only by designated officials, not headquarters staff. This comes after concerns were raised about the centralisation of electoral roll databases. The EC also defended the legality of an additional declaration sought from new voters during the Special Intensive Revision, citing unanimous commission approval and a Supreme Court judgment.
The INDIA bloc, comprising 17 opposition parties and civil society members, met at Rahul Gandhi's residence to strategize against alleged "vote chori" and the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site. Leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Tejashwi Yadav, vowed to continue their united political and people's resistance, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and asserting that those responsible for undermining democracy would be held accountable.
Marriage alone does not make a spouse liable for debt. The extent of liability depends on whether the spouse signed as a co-borrower or guarantor, or inherited assets.
The Supreme Court was informed that sanction is awaited to prosecute Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his remarks against Army officer Col Sofiya Qureshi. The SIT probe is complete, and a chargesheet will be filed once sanction is obtained. Shah had previously apologised for his controversial comments.
Modi's greater weakness is his inability since July when he directed the exit of Dharmendra Pradhan, to come up with a political counter strategy. Security measures and executive orders as seen in recent days will only likely further weaken him and make him as lame duck a premier as many prior to him, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh included, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Union ministries of electronics and information technology and law and justice regarding a plea for safeguards for minors on social media. The NGO 'Just Rights for Children Alliance' filed the plea, arguing that social media platforms should not enter into contracts with children under 18, citing their statutory incapacity to contract and the risks of online harm.
Before protesting against the State, the citizen should not have to ask: Sir, may I protest, please?, asserts Prem Panicker.
'Now the institutions which have the might of law invested in them think that whatever they do is right.'
The Supreme Court has upheld the Bombay High Court's decision to cancel the bail of Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra, and Ajay Gupta, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa. This ruling comes after a devastating fire at the nightclub last December claimed 25 lives and injured over 50. The apex court has directed the trio to surrender within two weeks and mandated the lower court to expedite the trial process.
Former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan, ex-IAF Chief NAK Browne, and other prominent figures in Delhi have received notices regarding discrepancies in their voter details during the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. Over 33 lakh electors have been identified for such notices, with a deadline of September 30 for responses.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of acting as a 'weapon' for the ruling BJP, while MNS leader Raj Thackeray demanded the cancellation of Maharashtra's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, amidst a large protest march in Mumbai.
There has never been a woman Chief Justice of India, although Justice B V Nagarathna is expected to become the first -- in 2027 if the convention of seniority is followed.
The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that authorities in Muscat are examining claims that the family of Indian merchant navy captain Ashish Kumar received ransom calls following his disappearance after a drone or missile attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Supreme Court resumed hearing pleas challenging the Maharashtra Speaker's decision regarding the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLAs and the Election Commission's recognition of the Shinde faction as the "real" Shiv Sena. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing the Shinde camp, argued that the EC has jurisdiction under Article 324 to examine a party's democratic character and organisational structure, especially when the Thackeray faction's constitution was not registered with the poll panel. He emphasised that the Shinde faction's case is based on a split within the political party, not just its legislative wing, citing cadre discontent. The hearing remains inconclusive.
The Supreme Court has granted bail to two alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives, Mohd Saquib Ansari and Waqar Azhar, who have been in custody since 2014, citing a "grossly violative" right to liberty due to the extremely slow trial progress and no prospect of an early conclusion.
Former editor of Tehelka, Tejpal, was convicted of raping a junior colleague inside a hotel elevator in 2013 during an event organised by the magazine in Goa.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the opposition amidst ongoing protests for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and scrapping of SIR. Shah predicted a "crushing defeat" for the Congress in the 2029 general elections, citing the BJP's and NDA's strong public support and the Congress's dismal performance in recent bypolls and local body elections across several states, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tripura. He urged the Congress to introspect instead of engaging in "negative politics" and "fabricated media events."
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stated that while artificial intelligence (AI) can augment judicial reasoning, it cannot substitute judicial conscience, and a permanent apex body is proposed to supervise AI adoption and accountability within the judiciary.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal announced that the INDIA bloc will stage a major protest in Delhi on Monday to protect voting rights, following meetings with the President and a planned meeting with the Chief Justice of India. He accused PM Modi and Amit Shah of attempting to protect Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and criticised the Centre for denying an AIIMS facility to Keralam despite past assurances. Venugopal affirmed the bloc's commitment to ensuring free and fair elections and expressed hope for AIIMS if they come to power.
'If Gyanesh Kumar had some shame he would have resigned and would have taken agni pariksha.'
The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern over public health, especially children's, due to packaged foods high in salt, sugar, and fat, urging stakeholders to implement front-of-pack warning labels. The court criticised the FSSAI for delays and proposed a red-coloured hexagonal warning label for products high in two or more specified nutrients, to be implemented in phases.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has appealed to the Supreme Court against a Delhi High Court order that permits wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the Asian Games 2026.
Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal has been convicted by the Bombay High Court's Goa bench in a 2013 rape case and sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment, overturning his 2021 acquittal. Tejpal claims he is a "political victim" and will challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court, alleging his journalistic career has been targeted.
The Supreme Court has denied interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting a minor. While rejecting his plea for bail on health grounds for now, the court permitted him to engage a trained caretaker for round-the-clock assistance. The court noted that Asaram's counsel had previously moved for parole, and his health condition will be monitored.
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has criticised the collegium system for its lack of transparency in judicial appointments, specifically the absence of stated reasons for elevations. He argues that this opacity allows unsuitable candidates, who may hold unconstitutional views, to enter the judiciary, citing recent controversial remarks by a High Court judge.
Delhi Police have taken stringent measures to prevent the Cockroach Janta Party's 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march in Connaught Place, deploying thousands of personnel and citing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS due to risks of traffic disruption, stampede, and threats to public safety.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has nullified a divorce order issued by a private Sharia body, stating that religious institutions cannot assume the authority of a court or use religious belief to determine an individual's legal rights. The ruling reinforces the supremacy of the constitutional framework and the rule of law over extra-judicial forums.
