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.
The Supreme Court of India will commence hearings on two significant constitutional matters: the interpretation of legislative privileges of MLAs concerning freedom of speech and expression, and the power of state legislatures to impose additional sales tax levies. Both issues will be heard by seven-judge Constitution benches, with one case stemming from a 2003 plea by journalist N Ravi regarding breach of privilege.
The INDIA Bloc plans a "public impeachment" of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 30, followed by a "Dilli Chalo march" to Ramlila Maidan on November 1. These events are part of their protest against alleged "vote chori" and "poll irregularities," aiming to pressure the government and demand Kumar's resignation.
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.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has stated that allegations of "maladministration" and "favouritism" made by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta against Acting Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court Sanjeev Prakash Sharma cannot be adjudicated in the public domain, emphasising that Justice Sharma must be given a fair opportunity to respond.
A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Centre's decision to impose a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. The plea argues that the levy was introduced without adequate statutory safeguards, transparency, or public consultation, and questions its constitutional validity and potential adverse effects on merchants and consumers.
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.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's daughter, Anita B Pfaff, has approached the Supreme Court seeking directions for the return of her father's "ashes" from Tokyo's Renkoji temple. The apex court has issued a notice to the Centre, seeking its response on the plea. This follows a previous plea by Netaji's grand-nephew which was withdrawn after the court indicated that Bose's heir should be the one to petition.
If AI-generated material is found to be 'false, fabricated, misleading or inaccurate', the person filing it will be accountable and cannot cite the AI-generated nature of the material as a defence.
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 Supreme Court of India has decided to issue a showcause notice to senior advocate Rishi Malhotra, asking why the designation conferred upon him by the apex court should not be revoked. The decision comes in the wake of allegations of misconduct against Malhotra, including suppressing material facts in multiple cases and making misleading statements despite warnings from the court. The full court, convened by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, has decided to give Malhotra one more opportunity to explain his conduct before stripping him of the senior designation. The court has expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the senior designation system and whether it ensures that only deserving advocates are being designated.
Maoist leader Azad alias Dana Keshab Rao has been released after spending over 15 years in jail as an undertrial prisoner, following his acquittal in all 49 cases registered against him in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged people to join the opposition INDIA bloc's 'Chalo Dilli' march on November 1, aimed at saving democracy and protecting the Constitution. He assured participants not to fear police action. Other Congress leaders also highlighted alleged electoral irregularities and announced a "public impeachment" of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Supreme Court has stayed a Madras High Court order that had quashed the Tamil Nadu government's decision to provide government jobs to relatives of those who died in a stampede at Karur last year, questioning the locus standi of petitioners challenging government policy.
India's drug price regulator, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), has significantly reduced the maximum retail prices (MRPs) of 543 cancer drug brands and pack sizes, with some reductions reaching up to 93 per cent. However, expensive innovator drugs from multinational corporations, including high-selling Bevacizumab and immunotherapy Keytruda, remain unaffected, highlighting limitations in the price control intervention.
The Supreme Court will consider issues related to the Satya Niketan building collapse, which killed seven students, and has called for a time-bound inspection and safety audit of PG accommodations and similar establishments across Delhi. The court noted the overlap with its ongoing pan-India monitoring of unauthorised constructions and safety violations.
Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj has been sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged assault on a student activist's father during a protest at Jantar Mantar. Bhardwaj was detained after claiming he "cracked the skull" of the victim and escaped arrest due to political connections. Additional charges under the SC/ST Act, criminal intimidation, POCSO Act, and IT Act have also been added.
Before protesting against the State, the citizen should not have to ask: Sir, may I protest, please?, asserts Prem Panicker.
The Supreme Court will hear a plea from the Centre to quash FIRs against students involved in NEET examination paper leak protests. This development comes amidst planned fresh protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and follows previous court directives regarding the nature of charges against student protesters.
The Supreme Court has advised the Tamil Nadu government to present its grievance regarding the proportionate release of Cauvery water to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). This comes after Tamil Nadu alleged that Karnataka was not releasing its due share of water despite directions from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and CWMA, impacting farmers in the state.
Former bureaucrat Ashish Joshi has claimed that Delhi Police questioned him for nearly nine hours over social media posts concerning the Election Commission of India, and did not allow him to inform his wife about his whereabouts for several hours, alleging a "blatant violation" of Supreme Court guidelines.
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.
The Supreme Court has provided significant relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by directing the Allahabad High Court to cease proceedings in a case alleging disproportionate assets against him. The apex court also instructed the CBI and ED not to submit any reports based on the high court's previous directives.
The Supreme Court has extended its order staying the arrest of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, in connection with the Salboni land-grabbing case. The West Bengal government alleged Roy was not cooperating with the probe, while Roy's counsel argued he has a right to silence and the case is politically motivated. The court will review a sealed cover report from the police before further proceedings.
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 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.
Conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar has been sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment by a Delhi court for impersonating a Supreme Court judge and attempting to influence a bail proceeding. The court emphasised the need for a deterrent message against manipulating the justice system, especially given the rise of sophisticated impersonation techniques.
The Supreme Court has directed its High-Powered Enquiry Committee to prioritise and immediately submit an interim report on complaints of sexual assault faced by women protesters during the July 20 NEET agitation at Jantar Mantar.
'Notwithstanding the seriousness of the allegations made, every accused had a right to a speedy trial and the court had to take into account long periods of incarceration without trial as an additional consideration for grant of bail.'
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 Congress has initiated seat-sharing discussions with the Samajwadi Party for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, proposing a list of over 175 seats. While the Congress aims for a significant share, buoyed by its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Samajwadi Party emphasises winnability as the sole criterion. The alliance seeks to collectively challenge the BJP in the state.
The Supreme Court of India has quashed criminal proceedings against comedian Samay Raina and four others who faced charges for remarks about people with disabilities. The court lauded their subsequent efforts in organising events and raising awareness for specially-abled persons and those with rare diseases like Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
The Supreme Court has noted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged embezzlement at the Ram temple in Ayodhya identified 105 instances of unauthorised currency removal from the counting room. While no discrepancies were found in valuable articles like silver bricks, eight accused have been identified, and a chargesheet is expected soon. The investigation involved examining CCTV footage, financial records, and witness statements.
The Railway Board cancelled certain Mail and Express trains arriving at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations on October 10 due to expected road traffic from a planned protest. The Cockroach Janata Party announced a protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls. Delhi police requested the closure of 57 metro stations to prevent protesters from reaching the site.
Supreme Court Justice Prasanna Varale has voiced serious concerns over the closure of Marathi-medium schools, inadequate facilities in Ashram schools, and insufficient growth in Maharashtra's education budget, suggesting that greater spending could have prevented these shutdowns.
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 Supreme Court of India has strongly criticised comedian Samay Raina and YouTubers Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani for failing to comply with its previous order regarding disability awareness. The court expressed dismay over Raina's non-compliance and his alleged insensitive remarks about persons with disabilities, urging the Centre to consider a stringent law against such derogatory comments.
Parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old resort receptionist murdered in 2022, met senior CBI officials in Delhi to discuss the ongoing probe into an alleged "VIP" involvement. The CBI has registered a case against unknown persons regarding this VIP role. The parents also requested narco tests for former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore and Urmila Sanawar, whose audio clips purportedly mentioned a VIP.
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.
