Page 148 - Supreme Court

Electoral bonds: Megha Engineering, Qwik Supply big donors for ruling BJP

The BJP, the biggest beneficiary of electoral bonds with donations worth over Rs 6,000 crore in the last four years of the scheme, got funds from several corporates and individuals, including Megha Engineering, Future Gaming, and Reliance-linked Qwik Supply. Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering, which won several contracts for infrastructure projects, donated Rs 584 crore to the BJP, Qwik Supply Rs 395 crore, and Future Gaming Rs 100 crore, according to data released by the Election Commission on Thursday. The BJP also got Rs 346 crore from Keventers Food Park, MKJ Enterprises and Madanlal Ltd -- three firms with the same Kolkata address, Vedanata contributed Rs 226 crore, and Haldia Energy Rs 81 crore. Vedanta was also a key contributor to the Congress with donations worth Rs 125 crore. The opposition party also received funds from Western UP Power and Transmission, MKJ Enterprises and Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals. The BJP also got donations worth Rs 80 crore from Western UP Po

Centre's 'fact-checking unit' notification stayed by Supreme Court

The court also said the validity of the rules involves serious Constitutional questions and impacts the fundamental right to speech and expression

SC rejects plea for stay on appointment of new election commissioners

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed applications seeking a stay on the appointment of two new election commissioners. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said it will examine the main petitions challenging the validity of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Terms of Office) Act, 2023. "We are dismissing the applications for stay on the appointment," the bench said. "At the stage, we cannot stay the legislation or suspend it operation. It would lead to chaos and uncertainty and we cannot do it (stay) by way of an interim order. There are no allegations against the new election commissioners," the bench told the petitioners' challenging the new law. During the hearing, the bench questioned the Centre over the procedure adopted for appointment of two new election commissioners. It said the selection committee should have been given more time to apply its mind on the appointment of election ...

Kejriwal arrested in excise policy-linked money laundering case: A timeline

CM Kejriwal will now appeal to SC on Friday seeking an urgent hearing of his petition for protection from any coercive action by the ED

Excise policy case: Enforcement Directorate arrests Delhi CM Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal is and will remain the Chief Minister of Delhi, says AAP's Atishi after his arrest

Highlights of the day: Delhi CM Kejriwal arrested in excise policy case

Latest news updates: Catch all the news updates from around the world here

Patanjali MD Balkrishna submits apology to SC in misleading ads case

The court had earlier said that Ramdev and Balkrishna were in violation of Section 3 and 4 of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954

Needed: Solutions for political finance

As the apex court has ruled, the electoral bond scheme was not appropriate

Containing disinformation

Initiatives by digital giants will be critical

SBI submits all electoral bond details, including unique numbers, to ECI

The unique numbers would match the buyers and the recipient political parties of the electoral bonds

SC pulls up TN Guv RN Ravi for refusal to reinduct K Ponmudi as minister

Voicing "serious concern" over the conduct of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for his refusal to reinduct senior DMK leader K Ponmudi as a minister in the state cabinet, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed him to decide the issue within 24 hours. It said Ravi was defying the Supreme Court. The governor has refused to re-induct Ponmudi, whose conviction and three- year sentence in a disproportionate assets case the apex court stayed recently, despite Chief Minister M K Stalin's recommendation. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud wondered how can the governor say that Ponmudi's reinduction will be against constitutional morality. "Mr Attorney General, we are seriously concerned about the conduct of the governor. We did not want to say it out loud in court but he is defying the Supreme Court of India. Those who have advised him have not advised him properly. Now the Governor has to be informed that when the Supreme Court stays a conviction, it stays a conviction,

Supreme Court stays govt notification on setting up of fact-check units

Comedian Kunal Kamra, the Editors Guild of India, and the Association of Indian Magazines challenged the formation of FCUs to monitor social media content on government

Misleading ads case: Patanjali MD Acharya Balkrishna submits apology to SC

In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, Balkrishna apologised for the misleading ads and claimed that the intention of the company was to solely promote Ayurveda

Centre defends dropping CJI from election commissioners selection panel

The Centre on Wednesday defended in the Supreme Court the appointment of two new election commissioners (ECs) under a 2023 law that excludes the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee, saying the independence of the Election Commission does not arise from the presence of a judicial member on the committee. In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the Union Law Ministry rejected the petitioner's claim that the two election commissioners were hastily appointed on March 14 to "pre-empt" the orders of the top court the next day, when the matters challenging the 2023 law were listed for hearing on interim relief. The affidavit has been filed in response to a batch of pleas, including those by Congress leader Jaya Thakur and the Association for Democratic Reforms, challenging the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Terms of Office) Act, 2023. "It is submitted that the case of the petitioners is premised on one .

Highlights of the day: Fed keeps key rates unchanged at 5.25-5.50%

Latest news updates: Catch all the news updates from around the world here

SC grants interim bail to businessman in Delhi Excise policy 'scam'

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted five-week interim bail to Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally, who has been arrested in a money-laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta granted the interim bail to Boinpally owing to the health condition of his wife, who is suffering from various ailments. The bench noted that the businessman has been in custody for 18 months. It, however, asked him to give a phone number to officials of the Enforcement Directorate by which they can remain in touch with him. The bench also asked him to surrender his passport and directed him to not leave the National Capital Region except for a visit to his hometown Hyderabad. The top court passed the order on Boinpally's bail plea. He has also challenged the July 3, 2023 order of the Delhi High Court that dismissed his petition questioning the legality of his arrest on October 9, 2022. Boinpally had challenged his arres

SC agrees to list PIL against practice of parties promising freebies

The Supreme Court agreed to list for hearing on Thursday a PIL against the practice of political parties promising freebies during elections, a significant development that comes ahead of general elections beginning April 19. The PIL also seeks a direction to the Election Commission to invoke its powers to freeze the election symbols and cancel the registration of such political parties. This is important. We will keep this on board tomorrow, the bench, comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said on Wednesday. The apex court took note of the submissions of senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appearing for lawyer and PIL petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay, that the plea needs to be heard before the Lok Sabha polls. The plea said there should be a total ban on populist measures to gain undue political favour from voters as they violate the Constitution, and the EC should take suitable deterrent measures. It also urged the court to declare that the

SC to hear BRS' K Kavitha's plea challenging her arrest on March 22

Kavitha, who was arrested by an ED team on March 15, is in ED's custodial interrogation for seven days till March 23. She was arrested after a search operation conducted

SC says can order release of Rs 3,000 cr for DJB even after lapse on Mar 31

The Supreme Court on Wednesday assured the AAP government that it can always order release of Rs 3,000 crore funds meant for the Delhi Jal Board even after they lapse on March 31. The AAP government had moved the court seeking release of funds meant for the Delhi Jal Board A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the AAP government, that the plea needed an urgent hearing as the funds meant for the Delhi Jal Board will lapse on March 31. The bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said it will hear the plea on April 1. We will list on April 1 and if we hold anything, a decision can be reversed. No problem, the CJI said when Singhvi insisted that the matter be heard on March 21. The senior lawyer said the budget was duly passed and yet the funds meant for the DJB was not being released and it may result in lapse of the fund.

Highlights of the day: PM to address Startup Mahakumbh tomorrow at 10.30 am

Latest news updates: Catch all the news updates from around the world here