Page 21 - Supreme Court

SC adjourns hearing on plea against award of Dharavi redevelopment project

The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned to first week of December the hearing on a plea by UAE-based Seclink Technologies Corporation challenging the Maharashtra government's decision to award Mumbai's Dharavi redevelopment project to Adani Properties Pvt Ltd. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and Vipul Pancholi noted the CJI will not be able to complete hearing in the matter as he is due to retire on November 23 . "Our hands are full, how many judgments will I write ? CJI Gavai observed orally. On March 7, the top court had refused to halt the project and sought responses from the Maharashtra government and Adani Properties Pvt Ltd on a petition challenging a December 20, 2024 verdict of the Bombay High Court. The high court had cleared the decks for redevelopment of the slums in Dharavi and upheld the tender awarded to the Adani Group for the project, ruling there was no "arbitrariness, unreasonableness or perversity" in the ...

SC bans mining within 1 km radius of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries

The Supreme Court on Thursday banned mining activities within an area of one km from national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, noting that such activities will be hazardous to the wildlife . A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was considering pleas on issues related to the notification of areas under Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary (SWL) and the Sasangdaburu Conservation Reserve (SCR) as a conservation reserve in Jharkhand. "It has been the consistent view of this court that mining activities within one km of the protected area will be hazardous to the wildlife. Though in the case of Goa Foundation, the said directions were issued with respect to the State of Goa, we find that such directions need to be issued on a pan-India basis. "We direct that mining within national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and within an area of one km from boundary of such national park or wildlife sanctuary shall not be permissible," the bench said. The top court al

Govt issues framework to settle compensation for cancelled coal mines

The Ministry of Coal has finalised a valuation process for firms whose coal blocks were cancelled in 2014, marking a key step in resolving compensation claims for 62 mines across seven states

SC seeks report from Punjab, Haryana on stubble burning, air pollution

The Supreme Court has asked Punjab and Haryana to detail steps taken to curb stubble burning as Delhi's air quality worsens, with the court set to hear the matter again on Monday

Sale of immovable property outside scope of service tax: Supreme Court

The revenue department had contested a 2019 order of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), which had quashed a tax demand exceeding Rs 10 crore

Vodafone Idea expects long-term AGR resolution after Supreme Court ruling

Vodafone Idea CEO Abhijit Kishore said the telco is in talks with the DoT for next steps after the Supreme Court allowed reassessment of AGR dues up to FY17, paving the way for clarity on liabilities

Stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana worsening Delhi-NCR AQI: Supreme Court

Stubble burning has commenced in a big way with impunity in Punjab and Haryana leading to further worsening of air quality levels in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court was told on Tuesday. A bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai, which is scheduled to hear the air pollution case on Wednesday, was urged by senior advocate Aprajita Singh, who is assisting the bench as an amicus curiae, that a response be sought from the governments of Punjab and Haryana. Singh referred to NASA satellite images to buttress her point that stubble burning in these two states has commenced and it is contributing to already severe air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. "The apex court orders are being flouted with impunity," she said, adding that these states should respond to the present situation. "We will pass some orders on Wednesday," the CJI said. Earlier on November 3, the top court directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to file an affidavit detailing the steps it has taken so far to ..

SC seeks EC reply on pleas challenging SIR in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal

The Supreme Court asked high courts in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Puducherry and Bihar to pause hearings on voter list pleas till it decides the matter; next hearing is on November 26

Supreme Court to hear pleas challenging pan-Indian SIR on Tuesday

The Supreme Court is scheduled to commence hearing pleas challenging the Election Commission's decision to conduct pan-India Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls on Tuesday. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, which is scheduled to commence hearing pleas challenging the poll panel's decision on the pan-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, said any fresh matter needs to be mentioned for listing before Chief Justice of India B R Gavai. "We are only seized of Bihar SIR matters and any fresh petition with regard to other states needs to be mentioned for listing before the Chief Justice of India. "We don't know whether other matters will also be allocated to us. It all depends on the CJI," the bench told the counsel appearing for the West Bengal unit of Congress seeking urgent listing of a plea filed by the party. The West Bengal Congress and leaders of other political parties in the state have moved the apex court challenging the Election Commission

SC notice to Centre on plea to implement women's reservation in Parliament

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan asked the government to respond to the PIL seeking the implementation of the women's reservation law

Phalodi accident case: SC seeks response from NHAI, Road Transport ministry

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the National Highways Authority of India and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in a suo motu case in connection with an accident in Rajasthan's Phalodi area that claimed 15 lives. A bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi issued notice to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the ministry, seeking their replies in two weeks on the cause of the accident. It also asked them to conduct a survey of the area and file a report on the number of dhabas on the highway passing through Phalodi. The bench also sought a specific report on the condition of the highway and the norms followed by the road contractor for road maintenance in Phalodi. The top court recently took suo motu cognisance of the November 2 road accident in Phalodi, in which 10 women and four children died when a tempo traveller rammed into a stationary trailer truck. The incident occurred near Matoda village on the Bharat Mala Highway when

SC to hear plea for contempt proceedings against T'gana speaker on Nov 17

The Supreme Court will on November 17 hear a petition seeking contempt proceedings against the Telangana speaker for allegedly not complying with its direction to decide disqualification pleas against 10 BRS MLAs who defected to the ruling Congress. On July 31, a top court bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai directed the assembly speaker to decide in three months the matter of the disqualification of the 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLAs. On Monday, a lawyer mentioned the contempt petition for urgent hearing, saying the speaker had not acted within the three-month deadline. List it next Monday, CJI Gavai said. Expressing concern over the delay, the counsel said the respondents were dragging the proceedings till the end of the month for obvious reasons, an apparent reference to CJI Gavai's retirement on November 23. The Supreme Court will not close after the 24th of November, the CJI said. The counsel representing the petitioners also submitted that no proceedings had been conduc

Animal lovers protest against SC's order to relocate stray dogs in Delhi

For the second consecutive day, animal lovers held a protest outside the Jhandewalan Mandir in the national capital on Saturday, demanding the withdrawal of the Supreme Court order directing authorities to shift stray dogs from public areas to designated shelters. The Supreme Court, citing a rise in dog-bite cases in institutional zones such as schools, hospitals and railway stations, has instructed civic bodies and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to relocate stray dogs and cattle from these spaces and along highways. Dozens of protesters carrying placards and banners assembled peacefully near the temple, expressing concern over the welfare of street dogs. Animal caregiver Ritika Sharma, who participated in the demonstration, said that the decision was "deeply unfair" and ignored ground realities. "There aren't enough proper shelters or trained staff to care for so many animals. Moving them from their familiar places will only increase their suffering. They need ...

Justice not privilege of few but right of every citizen, says CJI Gavai

Justice is not a privilege of the few but a right of every citizen, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai said on Saturday, while emphasising that it is the duty of judges and lawyers to ensure that the light of justice reaches even the last person standing at the margins of society. Addressing the inaugural function of a national conference on strengthening legal aid delivery mechanisms at the Supreme Court premises, Gavai said the true reward of the legal services movement does not lie in statistics or annual reports, but in the quiet gratitude and renewed faith of citizens who once felt invisible. "Justice is not a privilege of the few but a right of every citizen, and that our role, as judges, lawyers, and officers of the court, is to ensure that the light of justice reaches even the last person standing at the margins of society," Gavai said. The CJI noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence reaffirms the shared responsibility of the legislature, the executive, and the ...

SC doesn't interfere in policy matters of economic considerations: CJI

Judiciary has been a steady guardian of the rule of law, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai said on Saturday while emphasising that the apex court has ensured it does not interfere in the policy matters of economic considerations unless there is a violation of fundamental rights or other provisions of the Constitution. Speaking at the Sixth Full Meeting of the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts, he said in commercial and corporate matters, the apex court has been vigilant in ensuring transparency and integrity, rejecting attempts to misuse legal or corporate structures for fraudulent gain. "The Supreme Court has ensured that it does not interfere in the policy matters which have economic considerations involved unless there is a violation of fundamental rights or other provisions of the Constitution. "Similarly, the Court has reaffirmed that any interpretation of a commercial statute must be in consonance with the legislative intent while maintaining fairness and public

Pilot-in-command not to be blamed for Air India crash, observes SC

The Supreme Court observed that no fault could be attributed to the Air India pilot in the June Ahmedabad crash as it heard a plea for an independent, court-monitored probe into the tragedy

SC asks Centre to adopt blockchain tech for smooth property registrations

The apex court called India's property registration process "traumatic" and asked the Centre to use blockchain technology to modernise and secure land ownership records

No motor accident claim petition shall be dismissed as time-barred, says SC

The Supreme Court has issued an interim order preventing dismissal of motor accident compensation claims on the ground of being time-barred

Non-disclosure of conviction by candidate renders election void, says SC

The non-disclosure of conviction in a nomination form will lead to the disqualification of an elected candidate, the Supreme Court has said. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar passed the order on an appeal filed by a former councillor, Poonam, who was unseated from the post as she did not disclose her conviction in a case in the nomination form for the election. Poonam was unseated from the municipal councillor's post in Nagar Parishad, Bhikangaon, Madhya Pradesh. She was convicted in a cheque bounce case and sentenced to imprisonment for one year with a direction to pay compensation. Rejecting the petitioner's plea to save her from disqualification, the bench said, "Once it is found that there has been non-disclosure of a previous conviction by a candidate, it creates an impediment in the free exercise of electoral right by a voter." "A voter is thus deprived of making an informed and advised choice. It would be a case of suppression/non-disclosure by such a ...

'No one can blame him': SC tells father of pilot in Air India crash

A two-judge bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition filed by Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, the father of Commander Sumeet Sabharwal, in a case about the Air India crash