Page 11 - Supreme Court

SC's post-facto green nod rollback pulls core sectors 'back from brink'

Reversal restores 2017 and 2021 norms, reopening door to regularise past lapses

SC mulls abrogating Talaq-e-Hasan, asks should civilised society permit it

The top court was hearing a PIL filed in 2022 by journalist Benazeer Heena, who sought a declaration that the practice is unconstitutional

SC asks govt to frame national policy, rules on organ transplantation

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a slew of directions to the Centre to frame a national policy and uniform rules in consultation with States to ensure a transparent, and efficient system for organ donation and allocation. A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran passed the directions on a PIL filed by the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation. The CJI, in its order, requested the Centre to persuade Andhra Pradesh to adopt the 2011 amendments to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994. It also directed that states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Manipur, which have not yet adopted the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules, 2014, to do so expeditiously, stressing the "importance of the issue. The bench asked the Centre to develop a national policy with "model allocation criteria" for organ transplants. This policy must address and mitigate issues of gender and caste bias and establish "uniform criteria for donors across the coun

No 'blanket orders' protecting doctors involved in RG Kar protests: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it cannot pass "blanket orders" protecting doctors involved in protests in the aftermath of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma said any order passed would amount to interference with the authority of the police. Observing that the matter cannot be heard "piecemeal", the apex court said it was inclined to transfer the matter to the Calcutta High Court. "We are grappling with so many things and there is no end to this. It is easier for the Calcutta High Court to monitor protests. Is it possible for us to monitor the protests in Kolkata sitting in Delhi? "How can we pass blanket orders protecting doctors. The police has a right to call you," the bench observed orally. The top court directed senior advocate Karuna Nundy, representing the Association of junior and senior doctors, to submit a table of matters pending before the Calcutt

SC strikes Tribunals Act provisions, says govt reintroduced quashed clauses

The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down several provisions of the 2021 Tribunals Reforms law related to the appointment, tenure, and service conditions of members of various tribunals, saying they had been re-enacted by the Centre with minor tweaks. A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said the impugned provisions violated the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence, and they should not have been brought back. The bench said that dealing with the backlog of cases was not the sole responsibility of the judiciary, and the onus must be shared by the other arms of the government. The bench held that Parliament had sought to "legislatively override" binding judicial precedents by re-enacting clauses previously quashed by the court. "We have compared the provisions of the Ordinance and the 2021 Act, and it shows that all provisions struck down, with minor tweaking, have been re-enacted again," the CJI said while reading the judgment. "T

People should get proper remedy against pharma firms' malpractices: SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said procedures under the uniform code for pharmaceutical marketing should be so strong that any consumer who is cheated should have access and proper remedy against unethical practices. A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed there should be appropriate measures where the consumers have a convenient mechanism for lodging their complaints and ensuring that action is taken against erring companies. The top court was hearing a plea seeking that the uniform code of pharmaceutical marketing practices should curb alleged unethical practices of pharma firms. Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, said the government has introduced several policies for the purpose of either restricting the pricing of medicines and to regulate such activities. He referred to the Uniform Code for Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices (UCPMP), 2024, which prohibits pharma companies from offering gifts and travel facilities to healthca

Court frames charges against Nawab Malik in PMLA case linked to Dawood

The Enforcement Directorate registered the case in 2022 and arrested Malik in February that year. He is currently out on medical bail granted by the Supreme Court

SC declines to hear wellness expert's PIL on India's air pollution

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a fresh PIL by a wellness expert seeking urgent judicial intervention to tackle a "persistent and systemic failure" in addressing the country's rising air pollution levels. The top court, however, allowed holistic health coach Luke Christopher Coutinho to withdraw the PIL and file an intervention plea in a pending case filed by environmentalist M C Mehta on pollution. "The petitioner seeks liberty to withdraw the plea to file an intervention in pending proceedings in the MC Mehta case," the CJI said. The court is scheduled to hear the main plea on pollution on Wednesday. Coutinho had filed the plea on October 24 and made the Centre, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), several Union ministries, NITI Aayog, and the governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra as parties. The plea said the current air pollution crisis has reached proportions of a "public

Kerala govt asks Supreme Court to defer SIR to after local body polls

The state government sought deferment of the SIR until the ongoing process for Local Self-Government Institutions (LSGI) in the state is completed

SC issues notices to Centre, CBI, ED, and Anil Ambani on PIL alleging fraud

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre, CBI, ED, Anil Ambani and others on a PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into alleged massive banking and corporate fraud involving Reliance Communications (RCOM), its group companies and their promoter. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran took note of the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for PIL petitioner and former Union secretary E A S Sarma, and sought the replies within three weeks. The bench has now posted the PIL for further hearing after three weeks. Bhushan alleged that the probe agencies are not investigating the alleged complicity of banks and their officials in the huge banking fraud. He sought a direction to the CBI and the ED to file respective status reports with regard to the probe against banks and their officials in the case. Issue notice returnable in three weeks. Let them file their replies, the CJI said. The PIL alleged systematic diversion of publi

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor'; winter smog sets in, mercury sinks

Delhi-NCR records slight improvement in AQI but it may worsen as mercury dips under 10 degrees Celsius; Supreme Court urges long-term pollution plan

Repair damage to Corbett Tiger Reserve: Supreme Court to Uttarakhand

The Court has asked Uttarakhand to remove illegal structures, restore habitats and enforce strict safari and tourism rules after major violations in Corbett

Delhi pollution: SC seeks response on efficiency of AQI monitoring stations

SC asked the Delhi government to explain the efficiency of its AQI monitoring equipment after concerns that water spraying near stations could distort pollution readings amid rising health worries

Centre seeks more time from Supreme Court to reply to Sahara's plea

Supreme Court gave the Centre four more weeks to reply to Sahara's bid to sell assets - including Aamby Valley and Sahara Shahar - to Adani Properties amid pending dues and refunds

SC demands details on Delhi's AQI monitoring systems amid accuracy concerns

The court issued directions after amicus curiae pointed to reports and videos alleging that water was being sprinkled near AQI monitoring stations, potentially distorting readings

SC issues contempt notice to T'gana speaker over BRS MLAs disqualification

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a contempt notice to the Telangana speaker for not complying with its direction to decide disqualification pleas against 10 BRS MLAs, who had defected to the ruling Congress. On July 31, a top court bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai had directed the assembly speaker to decide in three months the matter of the disqualification of the 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs. The CJI-led bench termed the non-compliance of its earlier directions as the grossest kind of contempt while issuing notices to the speaker and others on the pleas filed by the BRS leaders. The bench, however, exempted Telangana Speaker and others from personal appearance before it till further orders. The bench also issued notice on a separate plea filed on behalf of the office of the speaker seeking extension of time by eight more weeks to decide the disqualification pleas. Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Abhishek Singhvi, appearing along with lawyer Sravan Kumar for th

SC directs Uttarakhand govt to take steps to restore Corbett Tiger Reserve

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Uttarakhand government to undertake restoration measures to undo the damage, including felling of trees and illegal constructions, in the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve. Issuing a slew of directions, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai directed the chief wildlife warden to work in consultation with the apex court-appointed Central Empowered Committee to ensure demolition of all unauthorised structures within three months. "The CEC shall supervise the ecological restoration plan developed by Uttarakhand," the bench directed. It directed the state government to undertake measures to compensate for the illegal tree felling. "If tourism has to be promoted, it has to be eco-tourism," the CJI said while pronouncing the judgement. "We have directed special treatment to those working in the core area away from their families," he said. The state of Uttarakhand is directed to restore and repair the ecological damage caused to the Co

SC defers Sahara plea for 6 weeks on nod to sell properties to Adani

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred by six weeks hearing on Sahara firm's plea seeking its nod to sell properties to the Adani Group as it asked the Centre to also file its response to the note submitted by amicus curiae on the issue. A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and MM Sundresh impleaded the Ministry of Cooperation in the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said a lot of cooperative societies were formed by the Sahara Group, which may be affected. Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, who is an amicus curiae in the matter, submitted a note to the court, saying he has received a lot of objections with regard to the properties sought to be sold by the Sahara group and in particular he has filed objections with regard to 34 properties. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Sahara Group, said he would like to file a response to the note submitted by the amicus and emphasised that a lot of properties were sold or lease

EC clarifies to SC that Aadhaar won't be used to verify citizenship

The Election Commission of India has told the Supreme Court that it had already issued instructions for using the Aadhaar card as proof of identity and not of citizenship, for inclusion or exclusion in the revised voter list of Bihar. In a reply filed in the top court, the poll panel said that the court on September 8 had already clarified the usage of Aadhaar for updating the voter list. It said the court had stated that the Aadhaar card was to be used for the purpose of establishing identity in view of Section 23(4) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1950 . Section 23 of the RPA deals with the inclusion of names in electoral rolls. " by following the aforesaid order, the commission has already issued instructions dated September 9, 2025, to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bihar for usage of Aadhaar card as proof of identity and not as proof of citizenship for the purpose of inclusion or exclusion in the revised voter list of the state of Bihar," the poll panel ...

SC to hear plea for mechanism to ensure no PG medical seats remain vacant

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea seeking direction to the National Medical Commission to devise a mechanism so that no postgraduate seats go vacant in pre-clinical and para-clinical branches across medical colleges in India. The petition has also sought a direction to the commission to produce data of how many seats have remained vacant in the last five years in the postgraduate pre-clinical and para-clinical branches. The plea would be heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria. While hearing a separate plea in January this year, the apex court had observed that seats in medical courses cannot remain vacant. It had asked the Centre to hold a meeting with relevant stakeholders, including the states, to address the issue. In April 2023, the top court flagged the issue of super-speciality seats in medical courses remaining unfilled. The Centre had then proposed to appoint a committee, consisting of all th