Observing that right to speedy trial is also a "valuable right" of a victim, the Supreme Court on Monday set aside an order of the Allahabad high court which had kept in abeyance the trial in a murder case.
Rahul Gandhi led a significant opposition protest in New Delhi, attempting to march to the Election Commission office to allege "vote chori" and demand the CEC's resignation. The protest resulted in a lockdown of Parliament Street, a standoff at the All India Radio premises, and detentions of several opposition MPs, drawing strong reactions from the ruling BJP.
A former IPS officer and two individuals injured during a recent protest in Delhi have filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a ban on the use of pellet guns by law enforcement agencies for crowd dispersal. The petitioners argue that pellet guns are an arbitrary and dangerous tool, violating the right to freedom of assembly and failing the test of necessary and proportional force. They also seek compensation and medical treatment for victims.
The Supreme Court is set to hear a batch of petitions on July 13 seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, with petitioners requesting a CBI investigation and a CAG audit of the temple trust's finances.
The Indian coal ministry announced that 147 commercial coal blocks auctioned since 2020 are expected to attract approximately 55,000 crore in capital investment, generate 490,000 jobs, and contribute significantly to state revenues.
The Centre is reportedly considering moving forward with the impeachment process against Justice Yashwant Varma in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament, despite his resignation. A Lok Sabha Speaker-constituted panel has found him guilty of possessing unaccounted cash and disturbing evidence.
The Kerala High Court has temporarily stayed the trial proceedings in the 2018 Mattannur Shuhaib murder case until June 15, following a plea by three accused seeking to transfer the trial to a different court. The case involves the alleged murder of Youth Congress leader S P Shuhaib and has seen significant legal and political attention.
BJP President Nitin Nabin has summoned three Delhi MPs, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, and Yogender Chandolia, expressing strong displeasure over their controversial visit to the residence of former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. This action comes amidst strong condemnation from other BJP leaders and highlights the ongoing political sensitivity surrounding the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The CBI has registered a case against Reliance Capital Limited (RCAP), its former chairman Anil Ambani, and others for an alleged Rs 2,684.57-crore fraud involving investments made by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). Anil Ambani has denied any wrongdoing. The LIC alleges criminal conspiracy, misrepresentation, and fraudulent diversion of funds.
The Madras High Court's Madurai Bench has set aside a government order providing jobs to relatives of those who died in a stampede at Karur last year, citing violations of constitutional rights and existing compassionate appointment rules. The court highlighted that such appointments overlook others on waiting lists and could open "floodgates" for similar demands.
The Bombay High Court has granted bail to two NESCO Ltd employees, Sunny Jain and Balkrishna Balram Kurup, who were arrested in connection with an alleged drug overdose case at a music concert in Goregaon. The court found no evidence of their conspiracy or abetment with drug peddlers, noting no narcotics were recovered from them and the investigation was complete.
The Supreme Court asserted that the right to peaceful protest is 'absolutely guaranteed' and an agitation cannot justify 'police excesses' or a 'lathi charge,' while agreeing to hear pleas concerning alleged police brutality against students protesting the NEET paper leak.
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has dismissed a plea by Jet Airways' liquidator seeking a Rs 500 crore refund from Boeing, ruling that the matter involves a complex contractual dispute requiring detailed adjudication and evidence beyond the tribunal's insolvency jurisdiction.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has moved to a new office and deployed CISF security to safeguard confidential areas, following a major controversy over the NEET paper leak and administrative lapses. This move aims to implement foolproof security arrangements and restore public trust in the examination system.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council's October 7 meeting will focus on 'GST 2.0' process reforms, including e-invoicing and input tax credit rules, while also addressing complex issues surrounding the taxation of the digital economy and cryptocurrency.
We must heed what the CJI has said. Challenging every judgment of the central government is inviting chaos, asserts Shreekant Sambrani.
The Nirmohi Akhara has approached the Supreme Court, seeking a directive to the Centre to reconstitute the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust as a 'public trust' and include structural safeguards for oversight by seers, citing alleged large-scale embezzlement of donations.
The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a review petition challenging its earlier verdict that a person from a Scheduled Caste (SC) community loses their SC status upon converting to a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism, effective from the moment of conversion.
A special court in Mumbai has denied Indrani Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, permission to travel to Spain and the United Kingdom, citing concerns about her being a flight risk and the trial nearing its conclusion.
The Rajasthan High Court has reserved its order on Asaram's appeal against his conviction and life sentence in a sexual assault case. The trial court sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment in 2018. The High Court conducted hearings in a time-bound manner following Supreme Court directions.
The Supreme Court has directed that a separate open space be provided adjacent to the disputed Bhojshala site in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar for offering namaz on Fridays, pending the final resolution of the case. The court emphasised the sensitive nature of the matter and urged both Hindu and Muslim sides to exercise patience.
Following the Supreme Court's clean chit in the coal block allocation case, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has lauded former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's integrity and accountability, drawing a sharp contrast with the Narendra Modi government's operational style and alleged misuse of investigative agencies.
The Supreme Court has stressed the importance of law enforcement agencies exercising restraint during protests, advocating for the pacification and counselling of youngsters, even if some engage in stone-pelting, as it agreed to hear a plea regarding accountability for protest organisers.
Self-proclaimed Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was questioned by Delhi Police during his remand in connection with an alleged assault on a student activist's father at Jantar Mantar. Bhardwaj, who showed no remorse, was confronted with his viral videos. The case now includes charges under the SC/ST Act and POCSO Act, following outrage and further complaints.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea from Uttar Pradesh police challenging a Bombay High Court ruling that absolved BrahMos Aerospace engineer Nishant Agarwal of major espionage charges under the Official Secrets Act. Agarwal was previously sentenced to life imprisonment by a Nagpur district court for spying for Pakistan's ISI, despite the High Court finding he only illegally stored sensitive data.
The Delhi High Court has directed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to make a decision within two weeks on the show-cause notice issued to grappler Vinesh Phogat concerning alleged indiscipline and anti-doping rule violations. The court closed proceedings on Phogat's petition after her Asian Games selection trial grievance became infructuous, but she may file a fresh petition on broader selection policy issues.
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has announced Dr C S Pramesh, director of Tata Memorial Hospital, as the new chief guest for its 86th Convocation on August 22, replacing Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, who was unavailable due to a full calendar.
'After each election the losers troop to the court with various objections. The general election will not be different.' 'It could be worse if there is no clear majority and the President has to invite the party with the largest number to form the government,' points out M J Antony.
The Supreme Court has asked the Rajasthan government for an update on the health of self-styled godman Asaram, who is seeking interim bail on medical grounds. The court expressed concern about his well-being, stating "We don't want any untoward thing to happen." Asaram's counsel claims he is a high-risk patient, while the Solicitor General noted he was recently seen walking in Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath. The apex court is hearing his plea challenging the Rajasthan High Court's decision to uphold his conviction and life sentence for the rape of a minor.
The Supreme Court of India has quashed criminal proceedings against Standard Chartered Bank and one of its officers in a 1991-92 Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) case, citing an extraordinary 23-year delay in prosecution and the Enforcement Directorate's failure to comply with mandatory procedural safeguards.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear appeals challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court's decision to designate the Bhojshala complex as a Goddess Saraswati temple, a ruling that also quashed Muslim prayer rights at the historic site.
The Supreme Court was strongly urged to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a former judge to investigate alleged police excesses against students protesting the NEET paper leak across various states. The court, while issuing interim directions, restrained states from coercive action against protesters and ordered the release of minors without criminal antecedents.
'Their functioning is flawed, they are not accountable, they are opaque, they are non-transparent, they have lost credibility.'
The INDIA bloc has formulated a joint action plan to address the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row and concerns over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Following a meeting of key opposition leaders, the alliance announced a series of "save democracy" marches, demonstrations, and a march to the Election Commission, demanding a return to ballot papers for elections and alleging electoral malpractices by the ruling government.
'The grounds shown by the investigating officer (IO) for issuance of non-bailable warrant were 'entirely based on presumptions and conjectures, and are not supported by any material on record',' the court said.
The Delhi High Court has sentenced YouTuber Gulshan Pahuja to six months' simple imprisonment for criminal contempt after finding he continued to scandalise the judiciary and showed no remorse.
The Supreme Court highlighted the critical need to protect forests across India, specifically mentioning states like Jharkhand for their natural ecosystems. The court declined to interfere with a Jharkhand High Court order concerning regulations for stone mining and crushers near forest boundaries, asserting the High Court's constitutional authority in the matter.
The Congress party has accused the BJP and the Election Commission of being "partners in crime" in what it terms "seat chori" (seat theft), following the rejection of its Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination. The party claims the rejection was based on "flawed and unreasonable" logic, alleging non-disclosure of a criminal case against Natarajan, despite her stating only a legal notice exists.
Chinese President Xi Jinping began his second state visit to the US, meeting President Donald Trump at the White House. Both leaders expressed a desire for a better future for their nations, with Xi emphasising cooperation over confrontation and the avoidance of the "Thucydides Trap." Discussions also touched upon artificial intelligence governance and the extension of a trade truce. The visit was notably marked by a media boycott of White House coverage due to a dispute over press access.
Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar has called for an independent review of the National Rifle Association of India's (NRAI) coaching appointments, citing concerns about transparency, eligibility criteria, and potential conflicts of interest. The NRAI, however, asserts that appointments are merit-based and views Kumar's concerns as 'sour grapes' after his own non-selection.
