Page 22 - Supreme Court

SC defers Meta-WhatsApp privacy policy case hearing to February 23

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred to February 23 pleas of Meta Platforms Inc and WhatsApp against a Competition Commission of India (CCI) order imposing a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore over privacy policy. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria was told that senior advocate Kapil Sibal was unwell and hence the hearing should be adjourned. The bench said it would take up the pleas for passing an interim order on February 23. It permitted a litigant represented by senior advocate Arvind Datar to be made a party to the case. On February 3, the bench made strong observations against Meta Platforms Inc and WhatsApp, saying they could not "play with the right to privacy of citizens in the name of data sharing" and alleged that they were creating a monopoly in the market and committing theft of private information of customers. Decrying WhatsApp's privacy policy, the bench referred to "silent customers" who were unorganised

'Gunda Raj' unacceptable, says CJI on alleged courtroom assault in Delhi

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday observed that "Gunda Raj" is unacceptable and asked a lawyer, who alleged physical assault inside a courtroom at a district court on February 7 here, to approach the Delhi High Court chief justice. A lawyer mentioned his plea for urgent listing before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria. "I was appearing before the Tis Hazari court in a court of ADJ (Additional District Judge) Harjit Singh Pal. I was appearing on behalf of the accused. The complainant's advocate, with many goons, attacked me...They hit me, and the judge was sitting right there. All members of the court were there," the lawyer said. "This happened on February 7. Have you informed this to the Delhi High Court chief justice. Write a letter to the Chief Justice and mark that to me as well. Let the High Court Chief Justice take cognisance. Action will be on the administrative side. This kind of 'Gunda Raj' is not acceptable t

Unnao rape: Sengar moves SC seeking bail in death case of survivor's father

Expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar has moved the Supreme Court seeking bail in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor's father. The apex court will hear his plea seeking the relief on Monday. On January 19, the Delhi High Court had refused to suspend Sengar's 10-year jail term in the case on the grounds of delay in trial, saying it was partly caused by the multiple applications he had filed in the matter. On March 13, 2020, Sengar was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by a trial court, along with a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the case. The trial court had said "no leniency" could be shown for killing a family's "sole bread earner". The trial court, which did not hold the accused guilty of murder in the father's case, awarded him the maximum sentence for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder after holding that there was no intention to kill. Sengar's appeals in the main rape case against the December 2019 judgement convicting him and ...

Are standards being compromised? SC seeks Centre reply on NEET-PG cut-offs

Last month, the NBEMS revised the cutoff for NEET PG to zero percentile from 40th percentile for reserved categories, with the minimum qualifying scores falling to -40 from 235 out of 800

SC refuses to entertain Jan Suraaj's plea challenging 2025 Bihar elections

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a petition filed by the Jan Suraaj Party, founded by former political strategist Prashant Kishor, challenging the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. It had sought fresh polls in the state over alleged misuse of a welfare scheme to influence voters. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard the plea, which challenged the Bihar government's decision to transfer Rs 10,000 to women beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana after the election schedule was announced allegedly in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). "We cannot issue an omnibus direction for the entire state that too at the instance of a political party," the CJI said. The bench asked the party, represented by senior advocate C U Singh, to approach the Patna High Court on the ground that the issue pertained to one state only. The Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) had moved the Supreme Court seeking fresh elections in Bihar after

SC paves way for NBCC to complete stalled Supertech housing projects

To prevent further delays, the Court also restrained all tribunals and High Courts from issuing orders that could obstruct or slow down construction activity undertaken by NBCC in this case

SC modifies 2017 order, allows Anurag Thakur to participate in BCCI affairs

In a relief to former BCCI president Anurag Thakur, the Supreme Court on Thursday modified its January 2017 order and said he shall be free to participate in the affairs of the cricket board according to rules and regulations. In January 2017, the apex court had directed Thakur to "cease and desist" from being associated with the affairs of the Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI). On Thursday, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi applied the doctrine of proportionality and modified the January 2017 order. The bench passed the order on an application filed by Thakur seeking modification of the 2017 order. The top court considered that Thakur had then tendered an unqualified apology before it. The apex court had initiated contempt and perjury proceedings against Thakur on January 2, 2017 for filing a false affidavit regarding writing to the then International Cricket Council (ICC) chairperson Shashank Manohar on the issue of the BCCI's autonomy. O

SC adjourns to Feb 9 hearing on plea challenging Sonam Wangchuk's detention

The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned to February 9 the hearing on a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, against his detention under the National Security Act. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale deferred the matter. On Wednesday, the top court had asked the Centre if there was any possibility for the government to relook at the detention of Wangchuk considering his health condition. Additional solicitor general K M Nataraj had submitted that Wangchuk was responsible for violence in Leh last year in which four people died and 161 were injured. On Tuesday, the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh administration had told the apex court that Wangchuk was detained for instigating people in a border area where regional sensitivity is involved. Justifying Wangchuk's detention, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told the bench that all procedural safeguards were followed while ordering his detention under the National Securit

SC directs West Bengal govt to pay DA to its employees from 2008-2019

Observing that dearness allowance is a legally enforceable right, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal government to pay it to its employees for the 2008 to 2019 period. A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra directed the West Bengal government to pay 25 per cent of the outstanding DA to its employees by March 6. "To receive dearness allowance is a legally enforceable right that has accrued in favour of the respondents-employees of the State of West Bengal...The employees of the appellant-State shall be entitled to release of arrears in accordance with this judgment for the time 2008-2019," the bench said. The top court said dearness allowance emerges as a practical instrument of protection in the hands of the welfare state, which safeguards its employees from the adverse effects of rising prices. Dearness Allowance is not an additional benefit but a means to maintain a minimum standard of living, it said. Considering the financial implication

Jan Suraaj party moves SC challenging Bihar elections, seeks fresh polls

Former poll strategist Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bihar Assembly Elections, 2025 and seeking fresh polls in the state. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on Friday before a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi. The BJP-led NDA retained power in the state, winning 202 of the total 243 seats, while the INDIA bloc bagged only 35, including six of the Congress. The Jan Suraaj Party failed to open its account in the assembly polls, with most of its candidates losing their deposits. In its plea, the party has accused the Bihar government of violating the Model Code by transferring Rs 10,000 each to women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana after the announcement of poll schedule. The petition has sought directions to the poll panel to take action under Article 324 of Constitution (superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all election

SC agrees to hear PIL against poll freebies promises by political parties

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to list for hearing in March a PIL seeking direction to seize the symbol or deregister a political party that promises or distributes "irrational freebies" before polls. Lawyer-petitioner Ashwini Updhyaya told a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi that the notices on his PIL were issued to the Centre and the Election Commission in 2022 itself, and urged it to list the matter soon. "Except Sun and Moon, everything is promised by political parties to voters during elections and this amounts to corrupt practice," the lawyer said. "This is an important issue. You please remind us and mention it at the end. We will list in March," the CJI said. On January 25, 2022, a bench headed by the then Chief Justice N V Ramana had sought replies from the Centre and the Election Commission on the PIL seeking direction to seize the symbol or deregister a political party that promises or distributes "irrational freebies" before ..

SIR not for inclusion of voters but deletion: Mamata Banerjee before SC

West Bengal Chief Minister alleges voter exclusion and selective enforcement as Supreme Court seeks Election Commission's response on SIR process

RCom fraud case: Supreme Court directs ED to constitute probe team

The Supreme Court asked the Enforcement Directorate to set up a senior-level SIT to take forward the probe into alleged large-scale bank fraud involving RCOM and Anil Ambani

SC notice to Centre on plea against NEET PG cut-off percentile reduction

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea challenging the decision of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to drastically reduce the qualifying cut-off percentiles for NEET-PG 2025-26. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe issued notices to the Union of India, the NBEMS, the National Medical Commission and others. The matter is listed for next hearing on February 6. With over 18,000 postgraduate medical seats across the country remaining vacant, the Board revised the qualifying percentiles for NEET-PG 2025 admissions, reducing it to zero from 40 percentile for reserved categories -- which will make even those scoring as low as minus 40 out of 800 to take part in the third round of counselling for PG medical seats. According to the notice published by NBEMS, the NEET PG cutoff for the general category has been reduced to seven percentile from 50. The top court was hearing a plea filed by social worker .

SC asks CBI, ED to conduct 'fair, prompt' probes against Anil Ambani, ADAG

Last month, the Supreme Court asked the CBI and ED to file status reports on their investigations into alleged large-scale banking and corporate fraud

Mamata reaches SC ahead of hearing on pleas against SIR of electoral rolls

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday reached the Supreme Court ahead of a crucial hearing on the petitions challenging the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. The chief minister has also moved an interlocutory application seeking permission to appear and argue in person. Banerjee is personally present in court room one along with her lawyers. A gate pass was issued in the chief minister's name on Tuesday. As per the apex court website, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi is scheduled to hear the petitions of Banerjee and three others filed by Mostari Banu and TMC MPs Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen.

'Punitive demolitions' persist in UP despite SC ban: Allahabad HC

Taking a stern note of alleged demolition drives in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court has observed that punitive demolition of structures continues to take place in the state despite the Supreme Court's November 2024 ruling that "bulldozer justice" is simply unacceptable under the rule of law. A two-judge bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Siddhartha Nandan also asked the state government whether demolishing a structure immediately after the commission of an offence was a colourable exercise of executive discretion. The bench observed that it came across various cases in which the notice for demolition was issued to the occupants immediately after the commission of an offence. Thereafter, the dwelling places were demolished after the ostensible fulfilment of statutory requirements, it said. Therefore, bearing in mind the "overarching" nature of the case, spanning the right of the state to demolish a structure and the rights of its occupants under Articles 14 and 21 of the

Opt out of India, you are creating monopoly, SC tells Meta, WhatsApp

Supreme Court warns Meta and WhatsApp that they cannot operate in India without complying with Indian law, flags risks to users' data and market competition

CJI flags delay in reserved judgments; issue to be raised with HC chiefs

Chief Justice of India reiterates concern over delays in pronouncing reserved judgments, says issue will be discussed at High Court Chief Justices' conference

SC sends Flipkart competition case back to NCLAT for fresh review

The Supreme Court set aside a 2020 NCLAT order directing a CCI probe into Flipkart and asked the tribunal to reconsider the case afresh