Page 139 - Supreme Court

Protecting Streedhan, tailored dressing: Top personal finance stories

Our top stories this week tell you about a woman's inalienable financial right and why tailored clothes are better than readymade

CBI not controlled by Union of India, Centre tells SC on Bengal govt's suit

The CBI is not under the "control" of the Union, the Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court while raising preliminary objections on a lawsuit filed by the West Bengal government on the agency going ahead with its probe in several cases without the prerequisite nod from the state. The West Bengal government has filed an original suit in the apex court against the Centre under Article 131 of the Constitution, alleging that the CBI has been filing FIRs and proceeding with its investigation, despite the state having withdrawn the general consent to the federal agency to probe cases within its territorial jurisdiction. Article 131 deals with the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction in a dispute between the Centre and one or more states. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta that Article 131 of the Constitution is "one of the most sacred" jurisdiction conferred upon the apex court and this provision can't be ...

Covishield vaccine case: Plea filed in SC seeking probe on AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca, facing a lawsuit in UK for alleged vaccine-related deaths and injuries, has acknowledged that its vaccine can cause Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS)

SC's ruling on spectrum allocation won't affect satellite regulations

The SC has refused to accept the plea seeking clarifications on administrative allocation of spectrum

Hindu marriage not valid unless performed with requisite customs, says SC

A Hindu marriage is not an event for "song and dance", "wining and dining" or a commercial transaction, the Supreme Court has observed and said it cannot be recognised in the "absence of a valid ceremony" under the Hindu Marriage Act. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih said a Hindu marriage is a 'samskara' and a sacrament which has to be accorded its status as an institution of great value in Indian society. In its recent order passed in the matter of two trained commercial pilots, who sought a divorce decree without performing a valid Hindu marriage ceremony, the bench urged young men and women to "think deeply about the institution of marriage even before they enter upon it and as to how sacred the said institution is, in Indian society". "A marriage is not an event for 'song and dance' and 'wining and dining' or an occasion to demand and exchange dowry and gifts by undue pressure leading to possible initiation of criminal proceedings thereafter. A ...

EC revises protocol on storage of symbol loading units after SC verdict

The Election Commission has come out with a new protocol for handling and storage of symbol loading units following the directions of the Supreme Court which had ordered that the machines should be sealed and secured in a container and stored in a strongroom along with the EVMs at least for 45 days post the declaration of results. In a statement on Wednesday, the poll authority said all state chief electoral officers have been directed to create necessary infrastructure and provisions to implement the new protocols for handling and storage of the symbol loading units (SLUs). "As mandated by the Supreme Court, the revised protocols are applicable in all cases of completion of the symbol loading process in the VVPATs undertaken on or after May 1, 2024," the Commission said. The top court had on Friday last issued directions to seal and store symbol loading units and also paved the way for verification of micro-controllers embedded in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) on the reques

SC refuses to accept govt application on 2012 2G spectrum allocation

Application 'misconceived' and there is no 'reasonable cause' for entertaining it, says court registrar

After Patanjali, state government, IMA comes under Supreme Court's scanner

The Supreme Court had earlier said that IMA needs to 'put its house in order'

Uttarakhand Licensing Authority faces SC ire for inaction in Patanjali case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for its "inaction" for six years in the misleading advertisements case involving Patanjali Ayurved Limited, saying it has to be honest with the court if it wanted "sympathy and compassion". While expressing dissatisfaction over the explanation offered in the affidavits, including the one filed by the State Licensing Authority (SLA), the apex court questioned why the authority has "woken up" only after the court's April 10 order. "The long and short of it is, when you want to move, you move like lightning and if you don't want to move, you drag your feet forever and ever. This is what it shows," a bench of justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah observed after perusing the affidavit filed by the SLA. During the hearing, the bench appreciated the "marked improvement" in the unconditional public apology published in newspapers by yoga guru Ramdev, his aide Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurved L

Supreme Court questions timing of Kejriwal's arrest; ED asked to explain

'Liberty is very exceedingly important, you can't deny that,' said Supreme Court to the Enforcement Directorate on Delhi CM Arvind Kejirwal's arrest

Supreme Court raps Bengal govt on Sandeshkhali case; what did it say

On 29th April, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the West Bengal government for opposing the CBI probe into the Sandeshkhali case.

SC appreciates 'marked improvement' in public apology by Ramdev, Patanjali

The Supreme Court on Tuesday appreciated the "marked improvement" in the unconditional public apology published in newspapers by yoga guru Ramdev, his aide Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd in the misleading advertisements case. A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah told senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev, Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, that language of the apology was adequate and the names were also there in it. "I don't know the second apology is on whose vetting. There has been marked improvement," Justice Amanullah said, adding, "We appreciate that. Now finally they have understood." He said earlier when the apology was published, only the company's name was there. "Now the names have come. It is a marked improvement, we appreciate that," Justice Amanullah observed, adding, "The language is adequate." During the hearing, the apex court asked the firm's counsel as to why they have e-filed the apology published in newspapers when the

Uttarakhand suspends licences of 14 products of Ramdev's pharma firms

SC had recently criticised Ramdev for not complying with its directives in an ongoing lawsuit to stop misleading advertisements of some of his traditional ayurvedic medicines

Patanjali advertisement case: SC pulls up U'khand licensing authority

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for inaction in the misleading advertisements case involving Patanjali Ayurved Limited. Expressing dissatisfaction over the explanation offered by the body, a bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah observed it appeared that the licensing authority got activated to take action in accordance with the law only after the apex court's April 10 order. "Be honest to the court if you want sympathy and compassion," the bench observed. The top court said its main concern is whether the licensing body took action in accordance with the law in the matter. The bench has posted the matter for hearing on May 14. While hearing the matter on April 10, the apex court came down heavily on the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for inaction and said it was not going to take it lightly as the body appeared to have kept its "eyes shut deliberately".

If Kejriwal doesn't go when called, he can't say statement not recorded: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the non-appearance of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before the ED despite repeated summonses for recording of statements, and asked if he can challenge the arrest in a money laundering case related to the excise policy scam on the ground of non-recording of his version. Kejriwal is currently lodged in the Tihar jail here under judicial custody after his arrest on March 21 in the case. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, which posed several questions to senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi appearing for Kejriwal, asked why the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader did not move a bail application before the trial court. "Are you not contradicting yourself by saying that his statements under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) were not recorded? You don't appear on summons for recording of statements under section 50 and then you say it was not recorded," the bench said. It asked what is the investigating offic

SC stays CBI probe into WB govt officials' role in teacher recruitment scam

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed a Calcutta High Court order directing the CBI to probe into the role of West Bengal government officials in a teacher recruitment scam. The top court was hearing a plea by the West Bengal government against a high court order invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff made by the School Service Commission (SSC) in state-run and state-aided schools. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra said it will hear the matter on May 6. "We will stay the direction which says the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) will undertake further investigation against officials in the state government," the bench said. Calcutta High Court had said the CBI would undertake further investigations with regard to the persons involved in the state government approving the creation of supernumerary post to accommodate illegal appointments. If necessary, the CBI will undertake custodial interrogation

SC extends stay on proceedings in hate speech case against K Annamalai

The Supreme Court on Monday extended the stay on the trial of a criminal case lodged against Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai for allegedly delivering a hate speech against Christians in an interview to a YouTube channel in October 2022. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta asked the complainant to file his response within six weeks. "Interim order to continue. Re-list the matter in the week commencing September 9," the bench said. At the outset, the bench noted that it is a private complaint and the state has not been made party in the matter. Senior advocate Indira Jaisingh, appearing for the complainant, V Piyush, informed that it is a private complaint and sought some time to file the counter-affidavit. The proceedings in the criminal case against Annamalai were stayed by the top court on February 26. After perusing the transcript of the statements given in the interview, the bench had observed, "Prima facie, there is no hate speech. No case is made out."

SC refuses plea seeking postponement of CA exams scheduled in May

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking postponement of certain papers of the Chartered Accountancy (CA) exams scheduled for May on account of the Lok Sabha polls. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has not fixed the examination on election dates. It noted that the general elections to the Lok Sabha are to be held on May 7 and 13 and no exam has been scheduled for May 6 and May 12. Altering the examination date would disrupt the extensive arrangements already in place for the conduct of the examination and it could result in grave injustice for some students, it said. The scheduling of exams pertains to policy decisions, it said while refusing to entertain the PIL. But weighing the importance of the right to vote we have examined the position of candidates who shall be appearing for exams and would also need to vote. 591 centres are there and

SC refuses to consider listing of plea on abolition of collegium system

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to consider listing of a plea seeking abolition of the collegium system of judges appointing judges in the higher judiciary. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the plea of lawyer Mathews Nedumpara that his writ petition seeking abolition of the collegium system has to be listed for hearing. I have mentioned it several times. The registry has rejected it and is not listing my petition, the lawyer said. The Registrar (Listing) has said that once the Constitution bench has ruled on something, an Article 32 petition (under the Article a plea can directly be filed in the Supreme Court on grounds of infringement of fundamental rights) is not maintainable. There are other remedies against the registrar's order, the CJI said. The review petition against the NJAC judgement was dismissed in the chambers, the lawyers said, adding, This is about the credibility of the institution. The ...

SC seeks ED's response on ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's interim bail plea

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on an interim bail plea of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta issued notice to the ED and sought its response by May 6. The bench said the Jharkhand High Court may pronounce its verdict on Soren's plea challenging his arrest in the case. The order was reserved on February 28. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Arunabh Chowdhury, appearing for Soren, said they want interim bail in the matter. Soren moved the top court on April 24, saying the high court was not pronouncing the verdict on his plea challenging his arrest in the case. Soren was arrested on January 31 shortly after he resigned as the chief minister, and state transport minister Champai Soren was named his successor. The probe against Soren pertains to an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi that the ED has alleged was illegally acquired by him. The mon