Page 134 - Supreme Court

Texas SC rejects challenge to state's abortion law over medical exceptions

The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected a closely watched challenge to the state's restrictive abortion ban, ruling against a group of women who had serious pregnancy complications and became the first in the US to testify in court about being denied abortions since Roe v. Wade was overturned. In a unanimous ruling, the all-Republican court upheld the Texas law that opponents say is too vague when it comes to when medically necessary exceptions are allowed. The same issue was at the centre of a separate lawsuit brought last year by Kate Cox, a mother of two from Dallas, who sought court permission to obtain an abortion after her fetus developed a fatal condition during a pregnancy that resulted in multiple trips to an emergency room. Abortion rights activists have struggled to stem the tide of restrictions that have taken effect in most Republican-led states since the US Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe vs Wade, which for nearly 50 years had affirmed the constitutional right t

Delhi HC dismisses with costs plea seeking reasons from SC collegium

The Delhi High Court has dismissed with costs of Rs 25,000 a petition seeking a direction to the Supreme Court collegium to provide detailed reasons while refusing to accept recommendations for appointment of high court judges. Petitioner Rakesh Kumar Gupta also sought directions to the top court collegium to provide the "qualification" considered for appointment as a high court judge and publish monthly data related to pending and disposal of recommendations. Justice Subramonium Prasad observed that the court cannot sit in appeal over the subjective satisfaction of the Supreme Court's collegium and the petition was a "complete waste of judicial time". "This court is inclined to dismiss the writ petition imposing costs of Rs 25,000 on the petitioner to be deposited with the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund within a period of four weeks from today. The writ petition is dismissed along with pending application(s), if any," the court said in an order passed on May 27. The .

Delhi govt moves SC seeking Haryana to release more water to capital

The Delhi government has moved the Supreme Court to seek a direction to Haryana to supply more water to the crisis-hit national capital, sources said on Friday. The AAP government in Delhi has told the top court that the water demand in the city has risen significantly due to heatwave conditions, and neighbouring Haryana be directed to release extra water for a month, they said. It is the responsibility of all to work towards fulfilling the water needs of Delhi, the city government said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday urged the BJP to ask its governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to provide water to the national capital for a month. The national capital has been facing a severe water shortage and Water Minister Atishi has accused Haryana of not releasing Delhi's share of water.

LS polls: SC refuses to entertain plea seeking re-polling in Bihar's Munger

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India to hold re-polling in certain booths of Bihar's Munger constituency. A vacation bench of Justices S C Sharma and P B Varale asked the petitioner to approach the high court. "Why don't you go to the HC? The high courts are not closed in this country," the bench said. The counsel for the petitioner alleged that huge rigging and booth capturing took place in the elections in Munger with the connivance of the local administration. The top court said it was not inclined to entertain the matter after which the petitioner withdrew the plea. The matter was dismissed as withdrawn. The top court was hearing a plea filed by RJD candidate Kumari Anita seeking a direction to the poll panel to conduct re-polling in 45 booths in Munger. The plea alleged serious manipulation, booth capturing and rigging by JD(U) workers with the help of officials. It also sought direction to remove D

Explain how ICICI engaged recovery agents despite SC bar: HC to chairman

The Allahabad High Court has directed the chairman of the ICICI Bank to personally explain how its officials engaged recovery agents in a loan case despite a prohibition on it by the apex court. Hearing a petition by Jasminder Chahal and three others, all of whom are ICICI officials, Justice Prashant Kumar said, "The officers of the ICICI Bank were very well aware of the fact that they cannot engage any recovery agent, and yet they engaged the services of recovery agents in the year 2013, which is six years after passing of the judgment by the Supreme Court". The Supreme Court in the matter of ICICI Bank Ltd. Vs. Prakash Kaur (2007) had categorically held that the banks will not use the services of the recovery agents to recover the bank loans and they have to follow the procedure laid down under the law. As the chairman of ICICI was not a party in the petition filed under Section 482 (inherent powers of the high court), the court permitted the applicants to make him a party in the

Kejriwal's plea for 7-day extension of interim bail denied by Supreme Court

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought the 7-day extension as he has to undergo tests, including a PET-CT scan

Supreme Court rejects BJP appeal against Calcutta HC ban on anti-TMC ads

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Calling the BJP advertisements 'disparaging', the top court urged restraint, reminding that political adversaries aren't enemies

Arvind Kejriwal moves SC, seeks 7-day extension of bail for medical tests

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was granted interim bail until June 1 by the Supreme Court to facilitate his participation in the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign

LS polls: SC to hear on Monday BJP's plea against Calcutta HC order on ads

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea filed by the BJP challenging a Calcutta High Court order that had refused to interfere with a single-judge verdict restraining the party from issuing advertisements that are allegedly "violative" of the Model Code of Conduct during the Lok Sabha polls. According to the cause list of May 27 uploaded on the apex court website, a vacation bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and K V Viswanathan is scheduled to hear the plea. On May 22, a division bench of the high court had said it was not inclined to entertain the appeal against the interim order passed by the single-judge bench. The single-judge bench on May 20 had restrained the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from publishing advertisements that violated the MCC until June 4, the day the Lok Sabha poll results are scheduled to be declared. The court had also restrained the saffron party from publishing the advertisements mentioned by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal

LS polls: SC refuses to issue EC direction to upload voter turnout data

The Supreme Court on Friday refused an NGO's plea to issue the Election Commission directions to upload polling station-wise voter turnout data on its website during the Lok Sabha polls, saying it would be difficult for the poll panel to to mobilise manpower. A vacation bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma said it cannot issue any such directions at the moment as five phases of polling have concluded and two remain. The top court adjourned the interlocutory application filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) to be listed before the regular bench after the elections and pointed out that prima facie it appears the prayers in the application are similar to the main petition pending since 2019 on the issue. The bench said it would be difficult for the poll panel to mobilise manpower for uploading the voter turnout data on its website. Granting any relief in IA will amount to granting relief in the main petition which is pending, the bench said. On M

21 int'l bodies ask CJI for early resolution of Adani coal imports case

At least 21 international organisations have written to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and requested the Supreme Court to speedily resolve the pending case filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, investigating Adani Group firms for alleged overvaluation of Indonesian coal imports. The letter comes after a report by the London-based Financial Times, citing documents from George Soros-backed Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), alluded to a "fraud" by the Adani Group by selling low-grade coal as high-value fuel in 2013. Contending that they stand firmly against the continued use of fossil fuels, the organisations said the Financial Times report provided fresh and detailed evidence of the passing off of "low-quality coal as far more expensive cleaner fuel" by the Adani Group in transactions with Tamil Nadu's Tangedco. The 21 international organisations that have written to Chief Justice Chandrachud are Australian Centre for International Justice, Banktrack,

Lok Sabha elections: What is Form 17C that EC has refused to make public

The ECI's decision has sparked controversy, especially amidst concerns over delays in releasing final voter turnout data and discrepancies between provisional and final figures

Indiscriminate disclosure of voter turnout data online to cause chaos: EC

The Election Commission on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that "indiscriminate disclosure" of polling station-wise voter turnout data and posting it on website will cause chaos in the election machinery which is already in motion for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The poll panel said that public posting of Form 17C - which gives the number of votes polled in a polling station - is not provided in the statutory framework and could lead to mischief and vitiation of the entire electoral space as it increases the possibility of the images being morphed. The EC also dismissed as false and misleading the allegation that the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections saw an increase of "5-6 per cent" in the voter turnout data released on the day of polling and in the subsequent press releases for each of the two phases. The Election Commission stated this in an affidavit filed in response to a plea of an NGO seeking a direction to the poll panel to upload polling station-wise voter .

SC slams Hemant Soren for suppressing facts, JMM leader withdraws plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for suppressing facts regarding filing of regular bail plea in trial court in a money laundering case, prompting the JMM leader to withdraw his petition challenging arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. A vacation bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma allowed Soren's counsel Kapil Sibal to withdraw his plea after warning that if the court goes into the details of the case it will be damaging for the former chief minister. Your conduct tells a lot. We expected your client to come up with candour but you suppressed material facts, the bench told Sibal Your conduct is not without blemish, the bench told Sibal, after he tried to defend Soren saying he is in custody and does not have any knowledge about the petitions being filed in courts. He is not a layman, the bench observed and said it will dismiss his plea against arrest without going into the merit of the case. Sibal then ..

SC scraps pleas for review of verdict upholding revocation of Article 370

The Supreme Court has dismissed a batch of petitions seeking review of its December 11, 2023 verdict that unanimously upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 bestowing special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud considered the pleas in chambers and dismissed applications for listing of the review petition in open Court. "Having perused the review petitions, there is no error apparent on the face of the record. No case for review under Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules 2013. The review petitions are, therefore, dismissed," the bench, also comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, Surya Kant and A S Bopanna (since retired) said in its May 1 order. It also rejected permission to appear and argue in person, a request made by various petitioners. The review petitions were filed by Awami National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir People Democratic Party, CPI(M) leader Mohamme

Excise policy 'scam': Delhi HC extends Manish Sisodia's custody till May 31

Manish Sisodia, currently in judicial custody, is an accused in the probe related to the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy 2021-22

Supreme Court denies bail to Hemant Soren, postpones hearing to Wednesday

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren whether a writ court can examine the legality of his arrest after the trial court has taken cognisance of the prosecution complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case against him related to an alleged land scam. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma, which posted the matter for further hearing on Wednesday, asked Soren's counsel to first satisfy the court as to how interim bail can be granted to him for campaigning in the Lok Sabha poll when his application for regular bail has been dismissed. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Arunabh Chowdhury, appearing for Soren, sought time till Wednesday to respond to the court's queries. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, opposed Soren's interim bail plea, contending his case was different from that of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was granted interim bail on May 10 for

SC refuses plea on new criminal laws, allows withdrawal of petition

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition which challenged the enactment of three new laws that seek to overhaul India's penal codes. A vacation bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal allowed petitioner advocate Vishal Tiwari to withdraw the plea. The Lok Sabha, on December 21 last year, passed three key legislations -- the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bills on December 25. These new laws -- the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act -- will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act respectively. At the outset, the bench told Tiwari, "We are dismissing it (petition)". The bench said these laws have not come into force so far. As the court showed its disinclination to entertain the plea, Tiwari ur

Notice to Delhi govt on conman Sukesh's plea to be shifted from Mandoli

The Supreme Court has sought response from the Delhi government on a plea filed by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar seeking a direction to authorities to shift him from Mandoli jail to any other prison except those in Punjab and Delhi. A division bench of Justices Bela Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal issued notice to the AAP government. "Having regard to the allegations made in the writ petition, let the notice be issued to the respondent, returnable on July 19, 2024," the bench said. Senior advocate Paramjeet Singh Patwalia, appearing for Chandrasekhar, submitted that the petitioner has been put under surveillance with two cameras in order to pressure him to withdraw his complaints. The lawyer told the court that Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against former minister Satyendra Jain on Chandrasekhar's complaint. "Please, send me anywhere in the country, except Punjab and Delhi where the Aam Aadmi Party is not .

SC Collegium recommends two judges as permanent judges of Gauhati HC

The Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud has recommended to the Centre the names of two additional judges for appointment as permanent judges of the Gauhati High Court. The Collegium, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B R Gavai, recommended that Justice Rajesh Sekhri be appointed as an additional judge of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court for a fresh term of one year with effect from July 29, 2024. "... the Collegium resolves to recommend that Justice Susmita Phukan Khaund and Justice Mitali Thakuria, additional judges, be appointed as permanent judges of the Gauhati High Court against the existing vacancies," said one of the Collegium resolutions uploaded on the apex court website. It noted that the Collegium of the Gauhati High Court had unanimously recommended on April 1 the names of these two judges for appointment as permanent judges. "The chief ministers of the States of Assam, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh and the ..