Page 47 - Supreme Court

Himachal to earn ₹250 cr extra from 18% royalty on Karcham-Wangtu project

A spokesperson for the state government stated that with this decision, the government would receive an annual additional income of approximately Rs 150 crore

SC rules in favour of Himachal in power dispute with JSW Hydro Energy

Supreme Court upholds Himachal Pradesh's claim to 18% free power from JSW Hydro Energy, rejecting plea to align supply with CERC's 13% cap under 2019 regulations

SC agrees to hear Adani Krishnapatnam Port's appeal against NGT order

Supreme Court seeks replies from CPCB and others after Adani port challenges NGT's penalty for coal dust pollution and environmental clearance violations

Ashoka prof Mahmudabad can return to social media, SC raps SIT on probe

The Supreme Court bench expressed concern over the Haryana Police SIT's investigation, observing that it had "misdirected itself" in handling the case

US sends third-country deportees to small African kingdom of Eswatini

The United States has sent five men to the small African nation of Eswatini in an expansion of the Trump administration's third-country deportation programme, the US Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday. The US has already deported eight men to another African nation, South Sudan, after the Supreme Court lifted restrictions on sending people to countries where they have no ties. In a late-night post on X, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the men, who are citizens of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen and Laos, had arrived in Eswatini on a plane. She said they were all convicted criminals and individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back. There was no immediate comment from Eswatini authorities over any deal to accept third-country deportees or what would happen to them in that country. The Trump administration has said it is seeking more deals with African nations to take deportees from the US. Some have pushe

SC defers hearing on 'Udaipur Files', tells makers to await govt decision

Supreme Court says accused in Kanhaiya Lal murder case, on which 'Udaipur Files' is based, can't recover reputation if the film is released

SC seeks UP govt reply on plea against amended law on religious conversion

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought Uttar Pradesh government's response on a plea against certain provisions of the 2024 amended UP law on unlawful religious conversion. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notice to the state asking for its response. It tagged the plea for hearing with other similar petitions. The top court was hearing a plea filed by academician Roop Rekha Verma, who hails from Lucknow, and others against the amended law. The petitioners have called certain provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act amended in 2024 "vague and overly broad" arguing their ambiguity infringed upon free speech and religious propagation.

Lack of toilets in courts: SC anguished over non-filing of reports by HCs

The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed its anguish over 20 high courts not filing compliance reports following its verdict on ensuring toilet facilities in all courts and tribunals in the country and gave them eight weeks to do so. It was the last opportunity, a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said. Failure to file the reports in the next eight weeks will have consequences, the bench noted sternly. In January 15, the court ruled that access to proper sanitation is recognised as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. Issuing a slew of directions, it asked high courts, state governments and UTs to ensure availability of separate toilet facilities for men, women, persons with disabilities and transgender persons in all court premises and tribunals. It also asked for a status report within four months. On Wednesday, the bench noted that only the high courts of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Calcutta, Delhi and Patna had filed affidavits giving details o

Companies affected in IPR cases can press criminal charges as 'victim': SC

Supreme Court allows companies affected by IPR violations to file appeals as 'victims' under the Code of Criminal Procedure, enabling them to pursue criminal proceedings in such cases

States should frame land-for-land policies in rarest of rare case: SC

The Supreme Court has cautioned states against their "land-for-land" policies and said such schemes should be floated in rarest of the rare cases. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan further said a plea of deprivation of right to livelihood under Article 21 of the Constitution to oppose the land acquisition by the state was unsustainable as it called the litigation pursued by Haryana as an eye opener" for all states. The bench was acting on a batch of pleas filed by the Estate Officer of Haryana Urban Development Authority and others challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's 2016 decision that upheld the trial court decrees favoring oustees. We have made ourselves very explicitly clear that in cases of land acquisition the plea of deprivation of right to livelihood under Article 21 of the Constitution is unsustainable, Justice Pardiwala said in a 88-page verdict on July 14. The high court held displaced landowners, whose land was acquired by Haryana authorities

Authorities can decide parole, furlough when appeal pending in SC: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ruled prison authorities can decide a plea of parole and furlough even when the matter was pending in the Supreme Court. A bench of Justices Pratibha M Singh and Amit Sharma observed the Delhi Prison Rules did not bar consideration of parole and furlough if a convict's appeal against the conviction was pending in the Supreme Court. The bench, however, noted whether the relief could be granted or not was a different issue altogether and depended on the facts of each case. Furlough and parole envisage a short-term temporary release of convict from jail. "It is an altogether different question as to whether in the facts of a specific case, the prison authorities ought to grant parole or furlough, if the Supreme Court is seized of the matter either in a Special Leave Petition or in an Appeal. The grant or non grant of the parole and furlough on merit would depend on the facts of each case," the bench said. While parole is granted to the prisoner to meet

Samay Raina, others appear in SC over remarks 'ridiculing' disabled

Five social media influencers, including "India's Got Latent" host Samay Raina, on Tuesday appeared before the Supreme Court in a case seeking action against them for ridiculing persons suffering from disabilities. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi recorded the presence of the social media influencers and asked them to file their replies to the petition. It also asked them to appear again in-person on the next date of hearing of the case. The top court, however, granted exemption to influencer Sonali Thakkar alias Sonali Aditya Desai to appear virtually on the next date of hearing due to some physical condition. The bench said the social media influencers will have to file their replies in two weeks and no further extension will be granted to them and that their absence on the next date of hearing will be viewed seriously. The top court asked Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, to prepare social media guidelines by keeping balance of freedo

SC asks UP, Uttarakhand govt to reply on QR code rule for Kanwar eateries

According to the petitioner, the directives issued by the two governments would enable the pilgrims to access the details of the owners

SC to hear pleas for review of 2022 verdict upholding ED powers on Jul 31

The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed July 31 for hearing a batch of pleas seeking review of the 2022 verdict that upheld the Enforcement Directorate (ED) powers of arrest and attachment of property involved in money laundering, search and seizure under PMLA. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi adjourned the matter, which was listed for hearing on Wednesday, to July 31 after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said he was not available. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, said he has no objection, if the matter is listed on July 31. On May 7, the top court asked the Centre and the petitioners to frame issues to be adjudicated in challenge to a verdict which upheld the ED's powers to arrest and attach property of the accused. The Centre had contended that the hearing on the review petitions cannot go beyond the two specific issues flagged by the bench which issued notice on the petitions in August 2022. Sibal had earlier ...

SC urges self-regulation, stresses value of free speech on social media

The Supreme Court on Monday said citizens must know the value of freedom of speech and expression and observe self regulation as it mulled guidelines to regulate offensive posts on social media. A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan was hearing a plea of one Wazahat Khan booked in FIRs in several states, including West Bengal, for his objectionable posts on X against a Hindu deity. On June 23, the top court granted him interim protection from coercive action till July 14. Khan had filed a complaint against another social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli for allegedly making communal remarks in a video. Offensive comments should not be made in response to similar posts, his lawyer said in court. The citizens must know the value of the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression. The State can step in case of violations Nobody wants the State to step in (sic), Justice Nagarathna said. The judge continued, All this divisive tendency on social med

Supreme Court dismisses tax demand raised by CBIC against IndiGo

The Supreme Court has dismissed CBIC's plea to retrospectively levy IGST on aircraft parts re-imported by IndiGo, reinforcing the principle of legal certainty in taxation

Understand the legal and financial implications before gifting property

A registered gift deed transfers property ownership permanently and cannot be revoked unilaterally, unless specifically stated-donors and donees must plan with caution

Freedom of speech being abused over objectionable cartoons on PM, RSS: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday said the right of freedom of speech and expression was being "abused" while hearing the plea of a cartoonist accused of sharing alleged objectionable cartoons of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS workers on social media. "Why do you do all this?" a bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar asked the counsel of cartoonist Hemant Malviya, who sought anticipatory bail in the matter. Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing Malviya, said the matter was over a cartoon made in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. "It may be unpalatable. Let me say it is in poor taste. Let me go to that extent. But is it an offence? My lords have said, it can be offensive but it is not an offence. I am simply on law. I am not trying to justify anything," she said. Grover agreed to delete the post made by Malviya. "Whatever we may do with this case, but this is definitely the case that the freedom of speech and expression is being abused," Justice Dhulia ...

Centre opposes Kerala's stand in SC to withdraw case against Governor

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned to July 25 the pleas of the Kerala government against Governor over the delay in approving bills passed by the state assembly. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar deferred the matter after attorney general R Venkataramani sought time. Senior advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for the Kerala government, sought to withdraw the plea saying that the issue had become infructuous in view of the recent judgment passed in the Tamil Nadu Governor case. Venkataramani and solicitor general Tushar Mehta opposed the submission and urged the court to await the top court's decision on the reference of President under Article 143 of the Constitution over the grant of assent to bills. Mehta said the Kerala government's petition could also be referred to be tagged along with the presidential reference. Calling it strange , Venugopal asked how could his plea be opposed. "Why my lords are hesitant for the state to withdraw the petition? There has

Shiv Sena symbol row: SC to hear Uddhav Thackeray faction plea in Aug

The Supreme Court on Monday set August to hear a plea of Uddhav Thackeray-led faction against the Maharashtra assembly speaker's decision to give the "bow and arrow" party symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said the issue had been pending for long and the uncertainty cannot be allowed to continue. "We will be fixing the matter in August for final disposal of the main case," the bench told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Uddhav faction. Sibal said they wanted an expeditious disposal of the case in view of the local body elections in the state. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for the Shinde faction, said the court had previously refused an urgent hearing on the issue. Sibal said the assembly speaker's decision to hand over the symbol to the opposite party in 2023 based on the legislative majority was contrary to a Constitution bench verdict of the top court. Justice Kant then said, "We w