Page 24 - Supreme Court

SC approves ₹5,000 crore payout from Sebi-Sahara fund to depositors

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the disbursal of Rs 5,000 crore of over Rs 24,000 crore deposited by Sahara Group with market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India to repay dues of the depositors of the Sahara Group of Cooperative Societies. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi allowed an application filed by the Centre seeking allocation of the amount lying in the SEBI-SAHARA refund account for payment to the depositors. The top court also extended the date from December 31, 2025 to December 31, 2026 for disbursal of Rs 5,000 crore to the depositors allocated in 2023. The bench said the order was in line with the March 29, 2023 order where a similar application of the Centre was allowed for allocation of Rs 5,000 crore to repay dues of the depositors of the Sahara Group of Cooperative Societies. The amount of Rs 5,000 crore was directed to be transferred from the SEBI-Sahara Refund Account to the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies, which was as

PM Modi to visit Manipur, August CPI, SC ban on photos, reels within premises & more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Manipur tomorrow, September 13, the state's chief secretary confirmed today.

SC’s big judgment: What the Supreme Court said on reserved vs general quota | Government jobs

The Supreme Court on September 9, ruled that reserved category candidates who avail relaxations like fee concession or upper age limit, cannot later claim selection against general category seats.

SC bars reserved category from switching to general if rules prohibit

Supreme Court rules that reserved candidates using relaxations cannot claim unreserved posts if recruitment rules restrict such migration

SC bans photos, reels, videography in high security zone of its premises

The Supreme Court has banned clicking photos, creating social media reels and videography within its main premises, declared as a high security zone. In a circular issued on September 10, the top court asked the media personnel to conduct interviews and live broadcast of news at the designated lawn area which is a low security zone. "Use of mobile phone for photography and videography is prohibited in the lawn of High Security Zone. Equipment such as camera, tripod, selfie-stick etc. used for videography, creating reels and clicking photographs shall be restricted in the High Security Zone, except for official use," the communication said. The circular added, "In case of violation of above guidelines by an Advocate, Litigant, Intern or a Law Clerk, concerned Bar Association or concerned State Bar Council shall take appropriate action against the violator as per their rules & regulations." In case of violation of the guidelines by a media personnel, their access to the high ...

Farmers' protest remark: Kangana withdraws SC plea against defamation case

Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Friday withdrew from the Supreme Court her plea challenging the high court's refusal to quash a complaint against her for allegedly making defamatory remarks in connection with the 2020-21 farmers' protest. The matter came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta. After the bench showed its disinclination in entertaining the plea, Ranaut's counsel withdrew it. The actor-turned-politician challenged the defamation complaint which stemmed from her retweet comprising her own comment about a woman protestor during the 2020-21 farmer protests against the now repealed farm laws. Complainant Mahinder Kaur (73), who hails from Bahadurgarh Jandian village in Punjab's Bathinda district in 2021, had filed the complaint in Bathinda in January 2021. Her complaint in a Bathinda court claimed the actor made "false imputations and remarks" against her in a retweet by saying she was the same "dadi" who was part of the Shaheen Bagh .

Delhi riots case: SC defers bail pleas of Umar Khalid, others to Sept 19

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned to September 19 bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider in the UAPA case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots in the national capital. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria said it received the files very late. The activists have challenged the September 2 Delhi High Court order which denied bail to nine persons, including Khalid and Imam, saying "conspiratorial" violence under the garb of demonstrations or protests by citizens couldn't be allowed. Those who faced bail rejection include Khalid, Imam, Fatima, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Shadab Ahmed. The bail plea of another accused Tasleem Ahmed was rejected by a different high court bench on September 2. The high court said the Constitution affords citizens the right to protest and carry out demonstrations or agitations, provided they are orderly, peac

SC to hear on Sept 23 issue concerning eligibility of judges for ADJ posts

The Supreme Court on Friday said it will commence hearing from September 23 on a key question whether a judicial officer, who has already completed seven years in the bar prior to joining a bench, is entitled to become an additional district judge (ADJ) in view of a vacancy. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices MM Sundresh, Aravind Kumar, SC Sharma and K Vinod Chandran will commence the hearing on September 23 and hear arguments over three days, till September 25. The key question for adjudication is whether a judicial officer, who had completed seven years of practice at the Bar before joining judicial service, can be considered for appointment as a district judge against vacancies earmarked for advocates under Bar quota. Article 233 of the Constitution deals with the appointment of district judges and reads: Appointments of persons to be, and the posting and promotion of, district judges in any State shall be made by the governor of the State in consultation wit

SC collegium names 3 judges for elevation as chief justices of high courts

The Supreme Court collegium on Thursday recommended to the Centre names of three judges for elevation as chief justices of different high courts. The three-judges collegium comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath took the decision in a meeting on Thursday. The collegium recommended names of Karnataka High Court's Justice Pavankumar B Bajanthri as Chief Justice of Patna HC (at present acting CJ of Patna HC), Calcutta High Court's Justice Soumen Sen as Chief Justice of Meghalaya, and Madras High Court's Justice M Sunder as Chief Justice of Manipur High Court, (consequent upon retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice on September 14, 2025).

SC reserves verdict, asks if it can act when governor withholds assent

Calling itself the custodian of the Constitution, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked if it could sit idle if a constitutional functionary like Governor failed to discharge duties as it reserved the verdict on the presidential reference on grant of assent to bills. In the marathon hearings spanning 10 days, a Constitution bench of headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai heard legal luminaries including Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Gopal Subramanium, Arvind Datar and others on the presidential reference which centered around Article 200 and 201 and the key issue whether constitutional court can impose timelines for governors and President to assent to bills. On the last day, the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar, interjected Mehta when he referred to the separation of powers as one of the basic structures of the Constitution and said the court shoul

SC reserves verdict on setting timeline for governors' approval of bills

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict after hearing arguments for 10 days on the presidential reference, which asked if a constitutional court can impose timelines for governors and President to assent to bills passed by state legislatures. A Constitution bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar, which commenced the hearing on August 19 on the reference, reserved the verdict. With the conclusion of country's topmost law officer, Attorney General R Venkataramani's arguments, the matter was reserved for verdict by the bench. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre, concluded his arguments, contesting the submissions of the opposition-ruled Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh which opposed the reference. In May, President Droupadi Murmu exercised powers under Article 143(1) of the Constitution to know from the top court whether timelines could

'Match should go on': SC rejects plea to cancel India-Pak Asia Cup clash

The Supreme Court refused to urgently hear a plea seeking cancellation of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup match on September 14, saying the game will go ahead as scheduled

Brazil SC judge breaks with two peers, votes to absolve Bolsonaro

A Brazilian Supreme Court justice voted Wednesday to acquit former president Jair Bolsonaro of all charges in his alleged coup trial, in the first dissenting vote since the final judicial proceeding began, giving some respite to the far-right leader and potential arguments to his defence team for an appeal after a final verdict. The 70-year-old ex-leader faces a five-member panel of justices who started voting Tuesday on accusations he attempted to illegally hang onto power after his 2022 electoral defeat to current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Two justices have already voted to convict him. Prosecutors charged Bolsonaro with five counts: attempting to stage a coup, armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, damage characterised by violence and a serious threat against the state's assets and deterioration of listed heritage. Despite Wednesday's vote by Justice Luiz Fux, the ex-leader could still be found guilty in the coming days,

CJI cites Nepal, Bangladesh unrest to laud strength of Indian Constitution

Violent unrest in neighbouring Nepal and the constitutional breakdown in Bangladesh last year found mention in the Supreme Court on Wednesday. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai, hearing the presidential reference on whether the court could impose timelines for governors and the president to deal with Bills passed by assemblies, made the remarks during the day-long hearing. "We are proud of our Constitution. See what is happening in our neighbouring states. Nepal, we saw" the CJI remarked. "Yes, Bangladesh also," Justice Vikram Nath said, while referring to similar protests that plagued Bangladesh last year. Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigned in the face of massive anti-government demonstrations on Tuesday, shortly after hundreds of agitators entered his office demanding his resignation for the death of at least 19 people in police action during Monday's protests over corruption and a social media ban.

Why the Supreme Court is right to question ECI's voter review in Bihar

The court has correctly stepped in to point out that, under the law as written, a unique ID must be accepted as proof of identity, more so as the ECI plans a countrywide SIR

Umar Khalid moves SC against Delhi HC order rejecting his bail plea

The Delhi High Court, while denying the bail, stated that while the Constitution grants citizens the right to protest, "the right is not absolute" and is "subject to reasonable restrictions"

Guv bound by ministers' advice on prosecution sanction: Telangana tells SC

The Congress-ruled Telangana government on Wednesday said ordinarily the governor is bound by the aid and advice of the council of ministers even while dealing with grant of prosecution sanction except for the instance where a minister or the chief minister is involved in a criminal case. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai was told by senior advocate Niranjan Reddy, appearing for the Telangana government, that the apex court while answering the Presidential reference will also have to look into the inherent bias on part of the governor by sitting over the bill. Referring to the instance of Tamil Nadu, where the governor sat over the bill, passed by the assembly for removing the governor from being chancellor of state-run universities, Reddy on the ninth day of hearing on the Presidential reference said the court will have to look into it. The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, PS Narasimha and AS Chandurkar, was told by th

Assam cabinet approves SOP for expulsion of foreigners, says CM Sarma

The Assam cabinet on Tuesday approved the standard operating procedure (SOP) for removal of foreigners under the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The district commissioner and the additional district commissioner of a co-district have been empowered by the Centre under the Act to serve a 10-day notice period to suspected foreigners to provide documents necessary to prove their citizenship, Sarma said at a media briefing here. 'If the DC or ADC is convinced that the person is a foreigner, the expulsion order will be issued on the 10th day itself,' he said. This process will bypass the Foreigners' Tribunals (FTs), and be a much faster and easier way for the Assam government to push back foreigners, he said. If, however, the official concerned cannot take a 'prima facie decision and is confused', the matter will be sent to the Foreigners' Tribunal, the CM said. The decision to issue an SOP was taken following an order passed by th

Prez reference: Guv expected to act on Bills in reasonable time, says SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said governors were expected to act within reasonable time even if the term as soon as possible were not there in Article 200 that governs powers to assent to bills passed by the state legislature. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai, hearing arguments on the eighth day on the presidential reference, whether the court could impose timelines for governors and President to deal with bills passed by assemblies, reiterated it would only interpret the Constitution and not examine facts of individual cases. Article 200 governs powers of Governor regarding bills passed by the state legislature, allowing them to either assent to the bill, withhold assent, return the bill for reconsideration or reserve the bill for the consideration of President. The first proviso of Article 200 says Governor may, as soon as possible, after the presentation to him of the bill for assent, return the bill, if it is not a money bill, to the house for ..

Vodafone Idea moves Supreme Court against additional AGR dues raised by DoT

Vodafone Idea has petitioned the Supreme Court to quash fresh AGR dues raised by DoT, arguing the new demands exceed the court's ruling and threaten its financial survival