The court ordered a probe into the role of Kerala police officers involved in arrest of Nambi Narayanan.
As the hearing in the cases heated up again, the apex court took umbrage at the verbal duel between two senior lawyers Dushayan Dave and Pallav Shishodia, calling it 'unacceptable'.
The SC in its judgment said that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a violation of Freedom of Expression. "Sexual orientation of an individual is natural and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a violation of Freedom of Expression, Supreme Court," the court said.
The apex court questioning the police about the arrests said that 'dissent is the safety valve of democracy and if you don't allow these safety valves, it will burst.'
The four judges -- Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph -- have taken up their respective business on the first working day of the top court after the January 12 press conference.
The judgment was reserved after a marathon hearing which went on for 38 days spanning four months.
"Whose money is this? From where did the money in these bank accounts have come," a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked the counsel for Setalvad.
While the ruling party alleged an "invisible hand" behind the petitions, the opposition accused it of making "false political capital" by "misinterpreting" the apex court order.
Senior counsel, Diwedi submitted that technology is advancing and we have limitations of understanding the technological developments.
According to the chargesheets filed by the crime branch, the abduction, rape and killing of the Bakerwal girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the minority nomadic community from the area.
A five judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was apparently not in agreement with the argument of the Travancore Devaswom Board running the over 800-year-old Lord Ayyappa temple that the "practice and belief" that have continued uninterrupted cannot be tested on the ground of "modern ethos".
The bench said it was only the woman who can decide about her religious identity by exercising her right to choice.
The bench also said it would examine the Fundamental Right to life and sexual freedom.
The top court issued notices to Union ministries of law and justice and minority affairs as well as the National Commission of Women after taking note of the plea of Delhi-based woman Nafisa Khan challenging the practice of polygamy and 'nikah halala', and said that the matter will be taken up a five-judge Constitution bench.
CJI Thakur, who is demitting office on Tuesday as the Chief Justice of India, has been regularly questioning the government over the appointment of judges for higher judiciary
The Aadhaar issuing authority, Unique Identification Authority Of India, has no data on those who have been denied benefits for want of the 12-digit biometric identification number, the Supreme Court was informed on Thursday.
The apex court said that there was a need for a law to prevent persons with serious criminal cases pending against them from entering the legislature and be a part of lawmaking.
On October 18, the apex court had directed Karnataka to keep supplying Tamil Nadu with 2,000 cusecs of water till further orders.
The bench said, "He is an Army officer not an ordinary criminal. You have to see the matter in a holistic way".
The bench asked senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing the father of the woman, to ensure that she is produced that day for interaction with the bench, which is likely to ascertain her mental stage and whether she had given free consent to the marriage.
The top court also observed that it cannot be assumed that if a person does not stand up for the national anthem, then he is 'less patriotic'.
'My only interest is that the law is upheld for each and every citizen.' 'Whenever this case is decided, it will be protection for you and every Indian.' 'I just want the rule of law of to be followed.'
The remarks by the top court came at the fag end of the day-long hearing after WhatsApp, while opposing the maintainability of the plea challenging its 2016 privacy policy, explained the nitty-gritty involved in it.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra reserved its verdict on a plea seeking recognition of 'living will' made by a terminally-ill patient for passive euthanasia.
The apex court modified its November 30, 2016, order by which it had made playing of the anthem mandatory in cinema halls before the screening of a film.
The apex court, after perusing the report, said it would not 'digress' from the main issue of ensuring a fair trial, not only for the accused but also for the victim's family.
The top court said the judicial process will be reduced to a "charade" if the courts are burdened with such cases with extraneous reasons.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued show cause notice to Board of Control for Cricket in India's acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary to explain why its order on the Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha committee recommendations has not be implemented so far.
Demanding the case be handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation, the victim alleged that the administration has done little to ensure the security of women in the state.
The bench said that non-acceptance of Hadiya's choice would simply mean creating discomfort to the Constitutional right by a Constitutional court which is meant to be the protector of fundamental rights.
It held that though the LG was not a 'titular head', he should not emerge as an 'adversary having a hostile attitude' towards the Council of Ministers but rather act as a facilitator.
The SC asked Gujarat Congress 'why is it so late in raising question over the use of NOTA'.
The bench laid down guidelines as to who would execute the will and how the nod for passive euthanasia would be granted by the medical board.
His answer to every question was, "I am politically victimised", the CBI said.
It has been alleged by the AAP government that it is unable to function as most of its decisions are either annulled or changed by Centre at the behest of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on the ground that Delhi is not a complete state.
Extension of the deadline from December end this year till March 31, 2018, would apply only to those people who do not have Aadhaar and are willing to enrol for it.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, hearing a petitions challenging Aadhaar, said no system in the world was secure and the issue was not as to how data is collected, but how the information so collected are used or misused.
The Supreme Court said that except for three issues, including land and law and order, Delhi government has the power to legislate and govern on other issues.
During the hearing, the SC extends exemption to several categories of disabled.
Opposing the verdict, several Dalit organisations called for a 'Bharat bandh' on Monday.
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