Page 2 - Supreme Court

I-Pac raids row: ED moves SC against interference, Bengal govt files caveat

The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Supreme Court alleging interference and obstruction by the West Bengal government, including by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in its probe and search operation at the I-PAC office and premises of its director Pratik Jain in connection with the coal pilferage scam. The West Bengal government has also filed a caveat in the top court seeking that no order should be passed without hearing it in connection with Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids against political consultancy firm I-PAC. A caveat is filed by a litigant in high courts and the Supreme Court to ensure that no adverse order is passed against it without it being heard. The ED has also alleged that the chief minister entered the raid sites and took away "key" evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices from the premises of I-PAC and obstructed and interfered with the investigation in the case. The probe agency further claimed in its plea that the chief minister

Rabies vaccine sales hit 5-year high in 2025 amid rise in dog bite cases

According to data from market research firm Pharmarack, the combined number of ARV and immunoglobulin vaccines sold in 2025 reached 8,510,000 units - the highest in five years

SC flags delay in criminal justice, pulls up 23-year-long trial stay

HCs told to dispose of matters where criminal proceedings for grave offences frozen because of interim relief

Lot of videos of dogs attacking elderly, kids: SC to animal rights group

The Supreme Court said that it does not want the proceedings to become a contest between animal cruelty claims and stray dog attacks

Higher ethical standards apply to lawyers contesting bar polls: SC

The standards of ethical values are higher for lawyers, the Supreme Court on Friday said while refusing to allow a plea of a Telangana lawyer who has been barred from contesting the upcoming state bar council elections on account of pending criminal complaints. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi prima facie observed that the he is not the person who should be allowed to contest the (Telangana State Bar Council) elections. The top court was hearing a plea of Rapolu Bhaskar, a prominent Telangana High Court advocate, assailing provisions of disqualification of an advocate in state Bar Council. Referring to the provisions, a lawyer, representing Bhaskar, said he was neither convicted nor punished in any matter. The standard of ethical values are higher for lawyers, the CJI said, adding lawyers often approach courts when any tainted person is contesting general elections. Referring to the recent poor public perception about ba

Only Supreme Court can rein in ED: Kapil Sibal after raids on I-PAC

A day after the ED conducted searches at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday said federalism is at ED's mercy and asserted that only the Supreme Court can rein in the probe agency. Sibal's remarks came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) action in West Bengal ignited high drama, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unexpectedly storming into the sites during raids, alleging that the central agency was trying to seize the TMC's sensitive data ahead of the high-stakes state polls. The ED, which maintained that the searches were part of a money laundering probe into an alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam, accused Banerjee of obstructing a lawful investigation and claimed that she and the state police forcibly removed "key evidence" during the raids. In a post on X, Sibal said, "Only Supreme Court can rein in ED. Every opposition state, every significant opposition leade

Asian stocks slip, dollar firms ahead of US jobs data and ruling on tariffs

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.3 per cent in early trading, just below the record high it hit earlier in the week

Datanomics: Low rate of conviction under UAPA, but rise in arrests

UAPA sees thousands of arrests but few convictions, with nearly 90% of cases pending, raising concerns over prolonged detention and due process

Supreme Court bars tax on industrial machinery not meant for public roads

In its judgment, the court held that taxation under this entry cannot be extended to specialised equipment whose design and primary function are confined to industrial premises

Enforcement, not rule-making, is the real financial sector reform

In the financial sector, replacing existing regulations with new ones often adds costs without improving outcome

Arbitration begins with notice, not court filing, says Supreme Court

Emphasising the settled position of law, the court observed that the start of arbitral proceedings is a statutory event and does not depend on the initiation of any court process

'Umar Khalid not my guru, never spoke to him at JNU': Sharjeel Imam

The hearing comes days after Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid were denied bail by the Supreme Court in the 2020 Delhi riots case

'Dogs attack when they sense fear': SC raises alarm over stray dog attacks

The Supreme Court flagged rising stray dog attacks, saying dogs can sense fear and attack, adding that even pet dogs may behave the same and asked authorities to act on safety

SC defers hearing to Jan 13 on pleas challenging EC's SIR of voter list

The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred to January 13 the final hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission's decision to undertake the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in several states, including Bihar. A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, which had fixed the pleas for hearing during the day, said it will resume the proceedings on Tuesday. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the poll panel, was to resume advancing his arguments in the case. On January 6, the Election Commission had told the bench that it has the power and competence to undertake Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, besides there is a constitutional duty to ensure that no foreigners are registered as voters. The pleas challenge the EC's decision to undertake the SIR exercise in several states, including Bihar, have raised significant constitutional questions on the scope of the poll panel's powers, citizenship and the right to vote.

Manipur violence case: SC orders forensic test of full 48-minute audio clip

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered forensic examination of the entire 48-minute audio recording which a plea has alleged that the leaked clip points to the role of former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in the 2023 ethnic violence. A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K Vinod Chandran said that the entire available leaked audio be forwarded to the National Forensic Science University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, for forensic examination. The entire 48 minutes of the conversation in question along with the admitted voice recordings of the former Manipur CM are available... All the voice recordings furnished to the respondents by the learned counsel for the petitioner shall also be included therewith and forwarded to the National Forensic Science University Gandhinagar, the bench ordered. It also asked the NFSU to expedite the process and submit final report in a sealed cover. During brief proceedings, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner Kuki Organisation f

SC flags legal grey area on whether LS impeachment survives RS rejection

Supreme Court says rejection of an impeachment motion in one House may not block proceedings in the other, as it hears Justice Yashwant Varma's challenge to the inquiry panel

SC grants interim protection from arrest to singer Neha Singh Rathore

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to folk singer Neha Singh Rathore in a case filed against her over a social media post on the Pahalgam terror attack. The said comments allegedly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP in connection with the killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Atul S Chandurkar issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant in the case, and said no coercive steps shall be taken against her. The top court directed Rathore to appear before the Investigating Officer and cooperate in the probe. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on December 5 last year had rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by the folk singer. It had observed that Rathore had not cooperated with the investigation despite directions issued by an earlier bench that had dismissed her petition seeking quashing of the FIR. The FIR against .

SC to hear plea by Sonam Wangchuk's wife challenging NSA detention on Thu

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned to January 8 the hearing of a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, against his detention under the National Security Act. A bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice P B Varale deferred the matter. "Tomorrow? My brother (Justice Varale) wanted to go through this matter," Justice Kumar observed. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Sonam, agreed to the suggestion. The matter was earlier heard by a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria. The plea claims the detention is illegal and an arbitrary exercise violating his fundamental rights. On November 24, the top court deferred the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh, sought time to respond to the rejoinder filed by Angmo. On October 29, the court sought responses from the Centre and the Ladakh administration on an amended plea of Angmo. Wangchuk was detained unde

People dying due to stray dog attacks, rules poorly enforced: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court flagged rising stray dog attacks and road accidents, blamed civic bodies for poor enforcement of animal birth control (ABC) rules

Electoral roll revision not barred by law, EC argues before Supreme Court

The Election Commission (EC) told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it has the power and competence to undertake a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, besides there is a constitutional duty to ensure that no foreigners are registered as voters. The submissions were made by senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi on behalf of the EC before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The bench resumed final hearings on a batch of petitions challenging the EC's decision to undertake the SIR exercise in several states, including Bihar, raising significant constitutional questions on the scope of the poll panel's powers, citizenship and the right to vote. Dwivedi pointed out that all key constitutional functionaries across the three organs of the State must be Indian citizens, citing provisions such as Article 124(3) of the Constitution relating to the appointment of Supreme Court and high court judges. He said one of the key conditions for the appointme