The Supreme Court of India has sought the government's response on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenges the appointment process of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), arguing it's unconstitutional. The PIL, filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, claims the current process, solely through executive appointment by the Prime Minister, undermines the CAG's independence and violates constitutional principles. The court, while acknowledging the importance of institutional trust, questioned the extent to which it should intervene in the appointment process and whether this would constitute rewriting constitutional provisions. The PIL suggests the CAG's appointment should be similar to other independent bodies, with a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and Chief Justice of India. The case has implications for the independence and transparency of India's audit system.
The Supreme Court has sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh Police regarding allegations that Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, influenced witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The court directed the Lakhimpur Kheri superintendent of police to file the report after a complaint was made by advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the complainants. Bhushan claimed to have an audio recording of an attempt to influence witnesses and alleged that Mishra attended a public meeting in violation of his bail conditions. Mishra, through his lawyer, denied the allegations and stated that he was being targeted unnecessarily. The court has also asked for the authenticity of the material presented to be verified.
The Supreme Court of India has scheduled a hearing on February 19 for pleas challenging the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners under the 2023 law. The court emphasized the potential consequences if any action is taken before the hearing. The pleas argue that the 2023 law, which excludes the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel, undermines the independence of the Election Commission and allows for undue influence from the executive branch. The court's earlier verdict in March 2023 called for an independent selection panel comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India to ensure the integrity of the Election Commission. The case highlights concerns about the independence of India's electoral process and the potential for political influence in the appointment of key election officials.
In an Instagram post on Monday, the studio said: "We are shocked, worried and extremely broken by the recent acts of vandalism targeting us."
He tried to control damage by tweeting later that his remarks had been distorted and he had no intention of hurting religious sentiments.
As the top court reserved its verdict on the sentence to be awarded to Bhushan, Justice Arun Mishra, who presided over a three-judge bench, at the fag end of the nearly three hour-long hearing also asked why he cannot seek an apology and what was wrong in using this word.
The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a PIL alleging that Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu awarded government contracts to his family members. The court has asked the state government to provide details of the beneficiaries and inform if due process was followed. The bench also sought responses from union ministries of home affairs, finance and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on the issue within five weeks.
Vicky Nanjappa and Sharat Pradhan ask a few intellectuals on the campaign against the Bhushans and what happens next.
Lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Friday said he will file a contempt of court case against Amar Singh and police officials in connection with the controversial CD purportedly featuring his father and prominent jurist Shanti Bhushan.
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on threatened to resign and lashed out at its founder-members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, moments before they were sacked from the National Executive, accusing them of engaging in "anti-party" activities.
While Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh demanded resignation of father-son duo Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan from the Lokpal Bill drafting committee, the civil society members raised doubts over the forensic test report.
Amid the turmoil in Team Anna on the issue, the Congress on Friday condemned Prashant Bhushan's advocacy of plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, declaring that the state was an integral part of India and there can be "no second thought" in the matter.
The Supreme Court will hear on February 19 pleas challenging the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners under the 2023 law. The court will take up the matter on a priority basis, after some urgent listed matters. The government has appointed a new CEC and ECs under the new law, which excludes the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel, despite a 2023 Supreme Court verdict directing the inclusion of the CJI in the panel. The petitioners argue that the exclusion of the CJI undermines the independence of the election commission.
Former Law minister Shanti Bhushan, co-chairman of the joint committee to draft the Lok Pal bill, and his son Prashant Bhushan, also a member of the committee, are likely to be in a new controversy, just a day before the first Lok Pal joint draft committee meeting.
Supreme Court lawyer and Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan was attacked on Wednesday evening for his remarks on Kashmir. Police have identified two right-wing groups behind the incident.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who will appear before a court for breaching prohibitory orders while protesting outside the residences of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi in August last year, on Tuesday said he will not seek bail and would prefer going to jail.
The Supreme Court has adjourned pleas challenging the appointments of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners (ECs) under the 2023 law. The court indicated the matter would be listed after the Holi festival break due to a paucity of time. Petitioners, including the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, argued for an urgent hearing, emphasizing the importance of the issue and the potential impact on democratic processes. The appointment of the new CEC and ECs under the 2023 law, which excludes the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel, has been a point of contention, with petitioners alleging it undermines the independence of the election commission.
'We are living in an undeclared Emergency.' 'Declared Emergency was easier to handle.' 'Nobody knows where an undeclared Emergency will take the country.'
Raking up the controversial CD issue, expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh on Tuesday asked why the Delhi police was not taking action against lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan. "Since the Delhi police says that the CD -- in which Shanti Bhushan purportedly offered to manage a judge through his lawyer son Prashant -- is genuine, then their place is in Tihar jail and not next to Anna Hazare," he said.
Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan and four other leaders of India Against Corruption on Monday accused the police of harassing their supporters, who participated in the protest on August 26 against coal block allocation. Kejriwal, Bhushan, Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai, Kumar Vishwas and Sanjay Singh went to the Parliament Street police station on Monday morning and met additional commissioner K C Dwivedi.
Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, an Allahabad High Court judge, is set to appear before the Supreme Court Collegium to explain his controversial statements made at a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) function. The Supreme Court has sought a report from the Allahabad High Court after news reports surfaced regarding Justice Yadav's remarks, which were widely condemned as "hate speech". The judge's statements, made at a VHP event, sparked outrage from various quarters, including opposition leaders and lawyers. The Bar Association of India has also condemned the judge's remarks and called for an apology.
It will be court's opinion versus the legislative power to enact law, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said as it posted the pleas challenging the appointment of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners under the 2023 law on February 4.
Activists Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan were among four persons named by Delhi police in its FIRs for "provoking" protesters during demonstration in the capital on the coal block allocation issue.
The Congress on Friday said there was "nothing illegal, malafide or unethical" in the business dealings of Robert Vadra with realty major DLF and accused BJP of unleashing its "B-team" India Against Corruption to "regurgitate" the old allegations.
Light a candle to their memory, to show their families and the world that we care. To show that we will not forget, nor will we forgive.
The Central Information Commission has directed the Delhi Police and Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Chandigarh to make public forensic reports in the alleged doctored CD case carrying conversation among lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, Amar Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Bhushan is facing contempt proceedings for his interview to Tehelka magazine in which he made the insinuations against Justice Kapadia in 2009 as well as some other judges and previous CJIs.
The party sent the suspension notices to Uttar Pradesh leaders Rakesh Sinha and Vishal Sharma Lathe for openly coming out in support of Yadav and Bhushan.
If Prashant Bhushan were to be allowed to go scot-free, it would open the floodgates for abuse of the courts, argues Virendra Kapoor.
The matter is pending for a long time and it be listed before the appropriate bench on September 10, the bench said in a hearing conducted through video conferencing.
The team members reached Ralegan Siddhi on Sunday morning and are expected to brief Hazare about the discussions held at the meeting held at Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
Hours after the attack on Wednesday morning on the Aam Aadmi Party headquarters in Kaushambi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal questioned the miscreants' motive and wondered whether they wanted to kill him and Prashant Bhushan because of the latter's remarks on Kashmir.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday said that three of its senior leaders -- Yogendra Yadav and Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan -- were working to ensure the party's defeat in the recently held assembly elections in Delhi, and therefore, this was justification enough to expel them from the Political Affairs Committee.
Kashmiri Pandits should be brought back and their views taken into consideration said advocate, social activist Prashant Bhushan, who is also a core committee member in Anna Haraze's team on Saturday, at the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Supreme Court will hear a plea seeking an independent selection process for the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on March 17. The PIL, filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, argues that the current system of appointment solely by the executive and the prime minister violates the Constitution and undermines the CAG's independence. The petition calls for a transparent process involving the prime minister, Leader of the Opposition, and Chief Justice of India. The PIL contends that the CAG's role as a watchdog over government finances requires a fair and non-arbitrary appointment procedure.
It has been a tough few days for families of the self-appointed moral brigade, which attacked Supreme Court lawyer and Team Anna member, Prashant Bhushan. Sahim Salim reports.
Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan filed a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, stating that investigation into former textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran's role in the 2G spectrum scam has not been honestly conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed advocate Prashant Bhushan, who has levelled allegations against Central Bureau of Investigation Director Ranjit Sinha of protecting accused in the 2G case, to reveal the name of the whistleblower from whom he got CBI documents and guest list at the top cop's residence.
A contemnor can be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend up to six months or with a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or with both.
With the dismal performance of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Lok Sabha polls, party leader Prashant Bhushan on Friday said that he was disappointed with the way the party had performed in the national capital, but added that the party's vote percentage had increased.
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