Indian Judiciary

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday held that the National Stock Exchange of India (NSEI) is a 'public authority' under the Right to Information Act. A bench of justices C Hari Shankar and O P Shukla dismissed an appeal by the stock exchange assailing a single judge's decision which ruled that NSEI qualified as a 'public authority' under section 2(h) of the RTI Act. Citizens can enforce their right to ask for information only from a 'public authority' under the RTI Act. The bench observed that if the body is owned, controlled or substantially financed by the government, it would qualify as a 'public authority'. The court stated that this was not a case where an entity was established as a private company and was regulated by statute later. Observing that the NSEI could not function as a stock exchange at all without recognition by SEBI, the court said it agreed with the single judge's finding that it has to be regarded as having been "established" or "constituted" by an order issued

The rule of law is neither a welfare scheme nor an economic policy, and it rather disciplines the exercise of power to ensure that no person is left vulnerable to the "whims" of an arbitrary government, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said on Monday. The CJI was delivering the keynote address at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) conference in Stockholm. The theme of the conference was "Safeguarding the Rule of Law -- Experiences from India and Sweden". Justice Kant underscored the centrality of the rule of law, judicial independence and constitutional democracy in safeguarding individual liberties, asserting that judicial review is not merely a power but a constitutional duty entrusted to the courts. "The rule of law is neither a welfare scheme nor an economic policy. It does not, by itself, bake bread, create livelihoods or remove poverty. What it does is something more fundamental, though less immediately visible: it disciplines the

Months after a class 8 NCERT textbook courted controversy for allegedly maligning the judiciary, a new class 9 textbook describes it as an "impartial and independent institution that safeguards citizens' rights and upholds the spirit of the Constitution". However, the new class 9 textbook was prepared before the controversy over the class 8 textbook broke out. The new social science textbook talks about various functions of the judiciary, stating that it reviews executive actions and constitutional amendments, can invalidate unconstitutional laws, upholds the Constitution and "plays a vital role in protecting and promoting democratic values and the rights of all sections of the society". Under a section titled "Separation of Powers" in a chapter on democracy, the textbook highlights that the judiciary takes public interest litigation (PIL) from time to time to ensure access to justice for all. In February, a controversy broke out over the National Council of Educational Research an

Indian judiciary has promoted mediation not only as an alternative but as a robust dispute resolution mechanism, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said during a panel discussion conducted by the Indian High Commission in London. Stating that mediation was very close to his heart, the CJI said that the Supreme Court Legal Service Committee (SCLSC) has created a huge team of trained mediators. "I can say proudly that in every town, in every street (in India) people know what mediation is," the CJI said. The High Commission in London on Wednesday hosted a high-level panel discussion on "Technology and the Future of Mediation" and brought together leading judicial and legal figures from India and the United Kingdom, according to a press statement. Besides the CJI, the panel featured Lord Hamblen of Kersey, Judge of the UK Supreme Court; Kirsty Brimelow KC, President of the Bar Council of England and Wales; and Brett Dixon, Vice President of the Law Society of England and Wales. High .

The day's opinion page analyses priority sector lending reform, AI use in courts, the fiscal cost of freebies, youth activism, and a book on luck and self-help

Judicial officers, the registry personnel, lawyers and other court staffers, especially in the lower courts, will require extensive training to understand the capabilities and limitations of AI tools

The proposed framework allows AI-assisted legal work and court administration but bars the technology from influencing judicial decisions, bail determinations and sentencing

V Mohana becomes second woman judge on SC Bench

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would not allow senior advocates to either mention matters for urgent listing or to argue in cases listed on partial court working days. The apex court said it was being done to encourage young lawyers to argue their cases during the partial court working days from today till July 12. The summer vacation in the top court has been rechristened as partial court working days. This year, three to four benches would be holding court each week during this period. "No senior advocates will be allowed in my court," Justice Vikram Nath, who was heading a bench which also comprised Justice P B Varale, said at the outset. When a senior advocate tried to mention a matter, Justice Nath said he would not allow senior lawyers to mention the matter or argue in cases listed before his bench during the partial court working days. Justice Nath said he would only permit young lawyers and advocates-on-record (AoRs) to argue before his bench during this period. Whe

Five new judges were on Monday appointed to the Supreme Court, which will now have 37 judges, one short of the upgraded sanctioned strength of 38. According to separate notifications issued by the department of justice in the Union law ministry on Monday morning, senior SC advocate Venkita Subramani Mohana, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court, and Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court have been elevated as top court judges. Once they take oath and assume charge, the SC will formally have 37 judges. The government last month promulgated an ordinance amending a law to increase the sanctioned strength of the apex court to 38 from 34, including the Chief Justice of India. While there were already two vacancies, after the sanctioned strength was increased, altogether six posts became

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said here on Saturday that technology is the only effective answer to wastage of judiciary's time. He was speaking at a programme of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on 'Fragmentation to fusion empowering justice via united digital platform integration' here. "We should think of deepening technology and AI-based judicial architecture," the CJI said. "Technology is the only effective answer to wastage of judiciary's time," he added. State Chief Minister Mohan Yadav was also present for the event.

Today's BS Opinion wrap looks at gold imports and forex pressures, judicial infrastructure gaps, financing the Viksit Bharat dream, coal gasification, and Japan's wartime history

Many court buildings lack basic facilities such as clean (or any) toilets, drinking water, comfortable waiting areas, or digital information systems

Supreme Court to hear Rani Kapur's plea alleging attempts to alter control of family-linked firm despite ongoing mediation in Sunjay Kapur estate dispute

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday announced the launch of a major digital initiative aimed at strengthening judicial data integration and improving public access to court services across the country. Making the announcement at the outset of the day's proceedings, the CJI said the judiciary is commencing the "One Case One Data" initiative, which will integrate multi-level information from all the high courts, district courts and taluka courts into a unified system. "We are commencing the 'one case one data' initiative with multi-level information of all high courts, district and taluka court details embedded. We look forward to developing an efficient case management system," the CJI said. The initiative is expected to streamline case management by creating a more comprehensive and interconnected digital database across the country's courts. The CJI also announced the launch of "Su Sahay", an Artificial Intelligence-powered assistance chatbot integrated with the Supreme Co

Kejriwal's recusal plea against a Delhi HC judge highlighted gaps in India's uncodified framework governing judicial bias and impartiality

Taking note of the repeated strikes at the Gautam Buddha Nagar district court, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the committee of judges at the Allahabad High Court to take action against Bar Association officials on receipt of a report from the district judge. A bench consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued the order while hearing a case filed by Virendra Singh. The apex court noted with concern that the Gautam Buddha Nagar Bar Association has continued to pass resolutions for abstaining from work, despite a Supreme Court judgment in December 2024 explicitly restraining district bar associations from doing so. During the proceedings, CJI Kant said that the president of Gautam Buddha Nagar Bar Association has repeatedly ignored the court's direction. While the Allahabad High Court Chief Justice had already formed a three-member committee to look into the matter, the Supreme Court bench emphasised the need for swifter consequences. "We direct the

The Supreme Court has ruled that existing criminal laws are adequate to address hate speech, declining to issue fresh directions while leaving scope for legislative action

Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant on Saturday said the judiciary and its allied institutions enjoy deep public trust and it is their responsibility to preserve and strengthen this faith. Addressing a programme organised by the Association of Retired Judges (Rajasthan Chapter) here, he likened former judges to 'baoris' (stepwells), describing them as a reservoir of wisdom that can guide the system during challenging times. "Just as stepwells store water during the rains and serve people in times of scarcity, retired judges are a valuable resource for us. In situations of difficulty -- be it in Lok Adalats, arbitration or advisory roles -- we look up to these experienced judges for guidance on what is right and what is not," he said. Justice Surya Kant laid emphasis on the need for greater awareness and proactive functioning within the judiciary and related bodies, including the National Legal Services Authority and state legal services authorities. He said that former judges

Supreme Court emphasises restraint in religious matters, cautioning against diluting core practices while hearing constitutional questions arising from the Sabarimala case