SC gives split verdict on allowing woman to terminate her 26-week pregnancy

Here's a lowdown on the important cases heard in the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court today

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, on Wednesday, pronounced a split verdict on the Centre's plea for recall of its October 9 order granting permission to a married woman, a mother of two, to terminate her 26-week pregnancy, with one judge voicing her disinclination to allow abortion and the other asserting that the woman's decision "must be respected".

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to grant interim relief to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's son that the trial court in Uttar Pradesh be asked not to pass a final order in a pending criminal case against him till his claim of juvenility is ascertained.

Here's the list of cases heard by Delhi High Court today

- HC refused to grant anticipatory bail to the daughter and son of suspended Delhi government officer Premoday Khakha in a case of alleged sexual assault of a minor girl by the arrested official, saying prima facie, their "comprehensive interrogation" was required at this stage.

- In a step to ensure that anonymity and confidentiality of survivors of sexual offences is maintained, the HC has issued directions that their name, parentage and address should not be reflected in documents filed in courts.

- HC said it will pass an order on Monday on a plea moved by suspended public think-tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR) seeking permission to utilise a portion of its funds in fixed deposits towards the payment of salaries of its employees.

- HC live streamed the hearing of a matter on its official website for the first time with a view to making the court proceedings easily accessible to all. 

- HC sought the stand of the Enforcement Directorate on a bail plea by Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. 

- Nothing can be more cruel than denying paternity of one's own child, the HC observed while granting divorce to an estranged couple living separately for more than 10 years. 

- HC said it was not "peevish" about being "called names" and welcomed free and fair criticism but asserted it cannot tolerate obstruction of the judicial system. 

- AAP MP Raghav Chadha contended before the HC that he was a victim of selective targeting as he was a vocal opposition member of Parliament. and the only sitting lawmaker in the Rajya Sabha ever to have been sought to be evicted from the bungalow allotted to him. 

- Denial of maternity benefits to a female employee is inhumane and against the principles of social justice as well as her fundamental rights as it stands in the way of her choice to bring life into the world, the HC has said.