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Expressing "serious and deep concern" over the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, Jammu and Kashmir Mutahida Malis-E-Uleme (MMU) patron Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said the proposed changes represent a significant threat to the autonomy and functioning of the Waqf. In a written submission to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the MMU said the collector has been given absolute power to change the nature of the Waqf properties into "government properties" by "simply" passing orders and changing the entries in the revenue record. The Mirwaiz, who is also the chairman of the separatist grouping Hurriyat Conference, said in the submission that the "arbitrary powers" given to the collector regarding both disputed and undisputed Waqf properties give him immense control over them. "This action seeks to undermine the very purpose of the Waqf Act, which is to protect and preserve the properties dedicated to religious and charitable purposes by the ...
Debates over 167 days, 274 members, 36 lakh words -- that's what it took before the Constituent Assembly adopted the world's longest written constitution on this day in 1949. Every Article in the Constitution, which ran into 1.45 lakh words at the time, was debated by members of the Constituent Assembly. They sat for 11 sessions and 167 days over a period of two years, 11 months and 18 days to frame the Constitution. BR Ambedkar, regarded as the chief architect of the Constitution, was assisted by members of the drafting committee he chaired. India's first president Rajendra Prasad was the first person to sign the document 75 years ago. It is the largest written constitution in the world and the first edition was neither printed nor typed -- it was handwritten and calligraphed in both Hindi and English. According to facts available on the Lok Sabha website and analysis of Constituent Assembly debates by the think-tank PRS India, the Constitution's first copy was handwritten by Pre
A judgement of a Constitution bench would be "binding" on benches of lesser strength, the Supreme Court has said while recalling an April 2022 verdict delivered by it. In its order dated April 7, 2022, the apex court had held that a panchayat cannot claim ownership of the land which has been taken from the real owners from their permissible ceiling limits under the land law in Haryana. The apex court had consequently said panchayats can only manage and control the land which has been taken from the owners and cannot claim title. "It is pertinent to note here that for the land taken from the proprietors by applying pro-rata cut from the permissible ceiling limits of the proprietors, management and control alone vests with the panchayat but such vesting of management and control is irreversible and the land would not revert to the proprietors for redistribution as the common purposes for which land has been carved out not only include the present requirements but the future requiremen
The Supreme Court on Monday referred the pleas seeking legal validation of same-sex marriages to a five-judge constitution bench for adjudication, saying the issue is of "seminal importance". A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the submissions on the issue involve an interplay between constitutional rights on the one hand and special legislative enactments, including the Special Marriage Act, on the other. "We are of the considered view that it would be appropriate if the issues raised are resolved by a bench of five judges with due regard to Article 145 (3) of the Constitution. Thus, we direct the matter be placed before a five-judge Constitution bench," said the bench, also comprising Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala. The court posted the matter for arguments on April 18 and said the proceedings will be live-streamed as is done in case of hearings before the constitution benches. Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, urged the court to
You can watch the Supreme Court proceedings live now. Last week, the apex court started live-streaming proceedings of Constitution benches. But what is a Constitution bench. Our next report tells
Is India's external account becoming vulnerable? Why is it not a good time to buy a car? What's in store for the markets in the second half of FY23? What is a constitution bench? All answers here
Chief Justice N V Ramana on Monday said he has set up a five-judge Constitution bench to hear the legal issue concerning the scope of legislative and executive powers of the Centre and National Capital Territory government over control of services in Delhi. The CJI said a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud will hear the dispute between the Centre and the Delhi government. The matter was mentioned by an advocate before the bench also comprising Justices Hima Kohli and C T Ravikumar. On May 6, the top court had referred to a five-judge Constitution bench the issue of control of services in Delhi. The apex court had said the limited issue of control over services was not dealt with by the Constitution bench which elaborately dealt with all legal questions. "The limited issue that has been referred to this Bench relates to the scope of legislative and executive powers of the Centre and NCT Delhi with respect to the term services'. The Constitution bench of this court, while ...