Page 3 - Supreme Court

Supreme Court backs electoral roll revision, says linked to fair elections

The Supreme Court upheld the Election Commission's electoral roll revision exercise, saying accurate voter lists are integral to ensuring free and fair elections

Supreme Court upholds state power to curb online betting platforms

The Supreme Court upheld Tamil Nadu and Karnataka laws banning online games played for stakes, backing states' powers to regulate betting and gambling activities

Preparing a will? Avoid these common mistakes to make it unchallengeable

Avoid vague drafting, interested witnesses, unsigned corrections, and multiple, contradictory documents

'Necessary for free and fair polls': SC upholds EC's power to conduct SIR

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the power of the Election Commission of India to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls, saying that it "advances the constitutional imperative of free and fair elections". It can't be said that the poll panel acted outside statutory powers by exercising SIR, observed a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant. "We are unable to conclude that the impugned exercise is a process resorted to solely for administrative convenience. On the contrary, we hold that the electoral SIR advances the constitutional imperative of free and fair elections," the bench said. The pleas challenging SIR claimed that the Election Commission does not have powers under Article 326 of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Rules made under it to carry out SIR in a larger form. On January 29, the top court reserved its verdict on the pleas, including one filed by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms ...

SC sets aside CCI's ₹202 crore penalty on Amazon in Future Group deal

The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the NCLAT's June 2022 order which had rejected US e-commerce giant Amazon's appeal against an anti-trust suspension of its investment deal with Future Group. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta also set aside the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) December 17, 2021 order which had levied a Rs 202 crore penalty on Amazon and suspended its deal with Future. "In view of the findings recorded above, the appeal is allowed. The impugned judgement dated June 13, 2022 passed by the NCLAT and order dated December 17, 2021 passed by the CCI are set aside," Justice Nath said while pronouncing the verdict. The top court said if any amount was deposited or recovered from Amazon pursuant to these orders, the same be refunded within eight weeks. The bench delivered its verdict on a plea filed by Amazon challenging the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) June 2022 order.

Supreme Court seeks Attorney General's help over vacancies in ITAT

The Supreme Court expressed surprise over long-pending vacancies in the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and sought the Attorney General's assistance to expedite appointments

SC seeks Centre's reply on vacancies in Income Tax Appellate Tribunal

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought response from the Centre on a plea regarding staff and member vacancies across the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and asked the high courts to send judicial officers on deputation to meet the requirements. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Centre and sought assistance from Attorney General R Venkataramani on the issue. "Petition to be supplied to the office of Attorney General to ensure that the unfilled posts are filled at the earliest in the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. As a stop gap measure tribunals may request HC to send judicial officers on deputation where such officers can be spared," the bench said. The top court was hearing a PIL filed by a ex-vice president of the ITAT Parveen Kumar Bansal concerning vacancies in Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that all posts of officers, including registrars, are lying vac

SC agrees to Reliance plea for conciliation with Centre in KG basin dispute

The Supreme Court has agreed to a fresh request from Reliance Industries Ltd to resolve the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute amicably with the Centre. A bench of Chief Justice of India and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of mentioning by senior advocate Kapil Sibal. Sibal told the court that a plea for conciliation has been made, after which Attorney General R Venkataramani said the government is willing to consider the request. The top court agreed to adjourn the hearing to the third week of July after Venkataramani said the government was not averse to exploring the bilateral dispute resolution process. "We will be most happy if the dispute is resolved through conciliation. If you come out with a settlement, we will dispose of the appeal," the CJI said. On May 20, the apex court had declined a submission by Reliance Industries to put the hearing in the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute on hold for the time being as the company and t

Neet (UG) cancellation: SC raps NTA, says it hasn't learnt its lesson

The Supreme Court questioned the NTA over the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 and sought details on steps taken to implement reforms after the 2024 paper leak controversy

Aravalli expert panel must consult all stakeholders, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court said the proposed panel to define the Aravalli hills should engage experts and stakeholders while keeping the committee compact

Twisha Sharma case: 'Deeply pained,' says SC; CBI to take over probe

The top court approved a CBI probe into the death of Twisha Sharma, while asking both sides and the media to avoid public commentary during the ongoing investigation

Stray dogs case: SC asks petitioner to move Punjab HC over Mann's remarks

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain the mentioning of a plea which alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has said that the apex court has given a "free hand" to kill stray dogs. "Just because a chief minister makes a statement, does that mean we have to change our order?" a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta told the counsel, who mentioned the matter. The counsel said after the top court's May 19 order in the stray dogs case, the Punjab chief minister had allegedly tweeted that the Supreme Court "has given a free hand to kill stray dogs". "You go to the Punjab High Court," the bench observed, adding, "We are not entertaining your mentioning". The counsel claimed that stray dogs were being killed after the top court's order. In a significant verdict delivered on May 19, the top court allowed euthanasia of rabid, incurably ill, dangerous and aggressive dogs to curb threat to human lives, saying the right to live with dignity encompasses the right

SC seeks Centre's response on plea to ban child employment in orchestrax

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, child rights body NCPCR, and the NHRC on a PIL seeking an absolute ban on the employment of children and adolescents in orchestras, dance troupes, massage parlours, and spas. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of the submissions of senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for child rights collective 'Just Rights for Children Alliance' (JRCA), and issued the notices to Union ministries of labour and law and justice. Phoolka argued that minor girls aged 10 and 11 years were being employed in orchestras and dance bars. "For spas and massage parlours, some states have made rules of 18 years as the minimum age," he said. Terming the situation "serious", the bench also issued notices to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the PIL. "Issue a writ of mandamus or appropriate directions ..

Pained by narrative of judiciary shielding accused: SC on Twisha death case

Observing that it was "pained" by the narrative that the judiciary was shielding the accused, the Supreme Court on Monday said it would ensure a fair, independent, and impartial CBI probe into the death of former model-turned-actor Twisha Sharma. Sharma, 33, was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on May 12, with her family accusing her in-laws of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. Her in-laws, however, claimed she suffered from drug addiction. The police have registered an FIR against the woman's husband, Samarth Singh, a lawyer, and her mother-in-law, former district judge Giribala Singh, on charges of dowry harassment. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked the media to exercise restraint while reporting developments in the case. "We are slightly in pain because of some of the actions. We will request our media friends to not go for the statements of the victim's family or the other family. Let the .

Neet-UG paper leak: NTA has not learnt lessons, says SC; issues notices

The Supreme Court on Monday said it was sad that NTA has not learn lessons from the earlier NEET paper leak as it sought response from the Centre, NTA and CBI on pleas for replacement of the testing agency with a robust and autonomous body to conduct the medical entrance exam. A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe directed that copy of petitions be served to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta besides other parties and asked the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting the NEET exam, to file an affidavit by Thursday on compliance of directions issued by the court in 2024. "It's sad that they have not learnt their lessons. The matter travelled to this court earlier also. There was a committee, a monitoring committee which made some recommendations and they were accepted. We want NTA to file an affidavit on the steps taken for compliance of recommendations suggested by the committee," the bench said. The top court, which issued notice on a plea filed by

UAPA cases in 2024 were fewest in a decade, but convictions surged

UAPA cases hit a decade low in 2024, but convictions surged sharply as the Supreme Court revisited prolonged incarceration under the law

Supreme Court lifts curbs on academics over NCERT's judiciary chapter row

The Court said the Centre and State governments would be free to independently decide whether to engage them in future projects

NCERT book row: SC modifies earlier order concerning three academics

The Supreme Court on Friday modified its March 11 order that had directed the Centre, states and others to disassociate from three academics, following a row over an NCERT book chapter containing "offending" contents on corruption in the judiciary. The apex court left it open to the Centre, states, Union territories, public universities and institutions that receive funds from the central or state governments to take an independent decision on the issue, without being influenced by its observations made in the March 11 order. A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi also recalled the part of the March 11 order that had recorded that the three academics -- Professor Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar -- had "deliberately and knowingly misrepresented the facts" in order to project a negative image of the Indian judiciary to the students of Class 8. The bench passed the order while hearing a plea moved by t

Vedanta unit Talwandi Sabo Power faces ₹127 cr penalty after SC ruling

Vedanta Ltd has said that its subsidiary Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) has been held liable to pay approximately Rs 127 crore, plus applicable late payment surcharge, to Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) following a Supreme Court judgment. In a regulatory filing on Thursday, Vedanta said the Supreme Court has set aside the judgment passed by the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), and has restored the order passed by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC). By the said order, the apex court has upheld the alleged penalty on TSPL for misdeclaration of availability for January 2017 in terms of the Grid Code, along with the applicable Late Payment Surcharge, the filing said. Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd is a 1,980 MW super-critical coal-based thermal power plant located at Banawala in Mansa district, Punjab. The filing further said that TSPL will pay an amount of approximately Rs 127 crore and applicable Late Payment Surcharge to PSPCL. TSPL supplies 1

Bar council moves SC to finalise 10% co-option formula for women

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has moved the Supreme Court seeking approval for a merit-based "co-option" mechanism to ensure 30 per cent women's representation in state bar councils. The BCI, the apex bar body, has proposed to fill a 10-per cent co-option quota by selecting women candidates who have secured the highest number of votes among those not elected, rather than through subjective appointments. The proposal aims to complement the 20 per cent seats reserved for women through direct election, bringing the total representation to the 30-per cent mandate previously set by the apex court. BCI chairperson and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, in a statement, said the bar body has considered the submissions made by stakeholders before the apex court-appointed High Powered Election Supervisory Committee on the co-option of women members in state bar councils. "This issue concerns not merely filling seats, but the larger institutional objective, which is ensuring that women ...