Page 54 - Supreme Court

No hurdle in raising MP district court judges' retirement age to 61: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday said there was no legal impediment in raising the retirement age to 61 years of judicial officers in Madhya Pradesh. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih took note of submissions of the Madhya Pradesh Judges Association and asked the high court to take a decision, preferably in two months, on the issue on its administrative side. The judges association moved the top court in 2018 for raising the retirement age of district judges from the current 60 to 62 years. It later informed the bench that the Association is now seeking enhancement only up to 61 years, aligning with a precedent set in another state. The Association had first made a representation to the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2018. The high court, however, rejected the request, citing the 2002 Supreme Court judgment in the All India Judges Association case, which it interpreted as disallowing such enhancement. On Monday, CJI Gavai, however, referred to

Cash row: SC rejects RTI plea for in-house panel report, CJI's letter to PM

The Supreme Court administration has rejected a plea seeking a report of the apex court-appointed committee, which indicted Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma in the cash discovery row, under the Right to Information Act. The RTI application had also sought the communication of the then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the matter. The apex court administration apparently referred to the confidentiality of the communication and rejected the RTI application on grounds that it may violate parliamentary privilege also. Earlier this month, the then CJI Khanna had wrote to the President and the Prime Minister besides sharing the report of the committee along with the response received from Justice Varma. Now, it is up to the executive and Parliament to decide the future course of action. The in-house procedure entails that the CJI writes to President and the Prime Minister for impeachment after the advice

Supreme Court orders status quo on Bhushan Steel liquidation amid JSW plea

JSW has until June 2 to file a review of the Supreme Court's May 2 judgment, which had rejected its ₹19,700 crore resolution plan and ordered the liquidation of the debt-laden company

SC to hear Karnataka's plea against TDR grant to royal family heirs

The Supreme Court agreed to list for hearing on Tuesday a plea of the Karnataka government challenging grant of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificates to the legal heirs of the erstwhile Mysore royal family in connection with the acquisition of 15 acres of Bangalore Palace Grounds. Initially, a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the state government, as to how it can review the order passed by another bench. On May 22, another bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Aravind Kumar had directed the Karnataka government to issue TDR certificates worth Rs 3,011 crore to the royal heirs in a contempt proceeding. However, the senior lawyer said the TDR provision, introduced through a 2004 amendment to the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, cannot be applied retrospectively to land acquired in 1996 under the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act. He said the 15 acres wer

SC to hear plea against NEET-PG 2025 being held in two shifts on June 15

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea challenging a decision of the National Board of Examination to hold the NEET-PG exam in two shifts. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate courses (NEET-PG), 2025, will be conducted on June 15, in two shifts on a computer-based platform. Its results will be declared by July 15. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih took note of the submissions of the lawyer and said that the plea will be listed for hearing soon. On May 23, the bench had said that the plea will be listed for hearing next week and it was not. The lawyer pointed it out again on Monday. "The bench said it would list the matter this week. It is extremely urgent. The admit cards will be issued on June 2," the lawyer said. It will be listed in a day or two, the CJI said. The bench had on May 5 sought a response from the NBE, National Medical Council, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the ...

SC ruling on job lock-ins may reshape public sector contracts: Experts

This means that employers can now ask for compensation from employees who leave early, if the clause is not unfair or too harsh

IBC not meant to shield violators of consumer rights from prosecution

The Supreme Court observed that staying the penalties imposed by the National Commission would set a dangerous precedent, allowing developers to delay justice by invoking insolvency proceedings

Playing cards without gambling doesn't involve moral turpitude: SC

Playing cards for entertainment and recreation without an element of betting and gambling does not involve moral turpitude, the Supreme Court has said as it restored the election of a man in a cooperative society in Karnataka. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh noted that one Hanumantharayappa YC, who was elected to the board of directors of Government Porcelain Factory Employees Housing Co-operative Society Ltd, was allegedly fined Rs 200 without any trial when some persons, including him were caught playing cards sitting on a roadside. "In the very nature of things, we find it difficult that the misconduct attributed to the appellant involves moral turpitude. It is well known that the expression moral turpitude is used in legal as well as societal parlance to describe a conduct, which is inherently base, vile, deprave or having some connection showing depravity. Every action against which one can raise an eyebrow may not necessarily involve moral turpitude," the ..

'Cheap publicity': SC slams plea over CJI Gavai's Maharashtra visit

Supreme Court dismisses PIL seeking probe into protocol breach during CJI BR Gavai's Maharashtra visit, calling it a 'cheap publicity' stunt and imposing ₹7,000 cost on petitioner

State legislatures are in a rush, spend little time in scrutinising Bills

Their record in debating and scrutinising legislation and Budgets is weak as Governors are accused of stalling

People betting, gambling in name of IPL via online apps: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday said people were betting and gambling in the garb of Indian Premier League and sought the Centre's response on a PIL seeking to regulate betting applications. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued notice to the Centre on a plea filed by K A Paul, who claimed many children had died suicide after using online betting and gambling applications. The petitioner alleged several online influencers, actors and cricketers were promoting such online apps, luring children in the process. Paul said in case of cigarettes, packs had pictures indicating the ill-effects of smoking, but in case of betting apps, no such caution was publicised and even former Indian team cricketers promoted the applications during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The bench said, "In the name of IPL, a lot of people are betting and indulging in gambling. This is a serious issue." Paul claimed of representing "millions of parents" whose children have died in the

Supreme Court rejects Rajasthan discoms' appeal in Adani Power case

Supreme Court upholds Aptel ruling in favour of Adani Power, dismisses Rajasthan discoms' appeal over compensation linked to Coal India's levy under power agreement terms

SC calls for judicial audit, dedicated courts to handle NIA trials

The Supreme Court on Friday underlined the need for dedicated courts for NIA cases while calling for a "judicial audit" of laws enacted by the Centre and the prospective ones by the states. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said the cases entrusted to the NIA were of heinous cases, having pan India ramifications. The top court said each such case contained hundreds of witnesses and the trial did not progress with the required pace as the presiding officers of the court were busy with other cases. "In the absence of judicial audit of cases likely to be generated with the enactment of law, the trial of such cases had brought burden on the court," the bench said. The top court further said the only appropriate course meant setting up special courts where trial of cases only related to special statutes could be carried out with a day-to-day hearing. "The decision of creating additional courts and requisite infrastructure is in the policy domain of the executive which

Maternity leave part of reproductive rights; SC sets aside Madras HC order

The top court ruled in favour of a Tamil Nadu teacher denied leave for her first child from second marriage, calling maternity benefits a fundamental right

BCI missteps on new rules for opening the market to foreign lawyers

BCI's new rules take immediate effect, with no prior notice, consultation, or transition-raising urgent concerns amid India-US trade talks

SC allows Delhi govt to withdraw AAP-era cases against Centre, LG

The Supreme Court permits Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government to withdraw multiple petitions filed by previous AAP administration against Centre, LG over control of services and governance issues

SC seeks Centre's response on PIL seeking to regulate online betting apps

The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Centre's response on a PIL seeking to regulate all online and offline betting applications. A bench of justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued the notice on a plea filed by K A Paul, who claimed that many children committed suicide after getting involved in online betting and gambling applications. The petitioner also alleged that a lot of online influencers, actors and cricketers were promoting these online apps due to which children were getting lured to betting. Paul, who appeared in person in the court, said, "I am here on behalf of millions of parents whose children have died in the past couple of years. More than 1,023 people committed suicide in Telangana, as 25 Bollywood and Tollywood actors/influencers played with the lives of the innocents." He also claimed that an FIR was lodged in Telangana against the influencers, as the matter violated fundamental rights. The bench said it cannot do much as these were aberrations of soci

'Youth at risk': SC issues notice to Centre on plea to ban betting apps

The Supreme Court asked the Union government to respond to a plea raising alarm over betting-related addiction, suicides and celebrity endorsements of gambling platforms

SC upholds states' power to levy entertainment tax on DTH, cable services

The Supreme Court upholds dual taxation on broadcasting, says states can levy entertainment tax alongside centre's service tax, and dismisses appeals by major DTH operators

SC grills Rajasthan on Kota student suicides: 'Why only in Kota?'

The Supreme Court on Friday grilled the Rajasthan government over the surge in student suicides in the city of Kota calling the situation "serious". A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said 14 suicide cases were reported from the city so far this year. "What are you doing as a state? Why are these children dying by suicide and only in Kota? Have you not given a thought as a state?" Justice Pardiwala asked the counsel representing state of Rajasthan. The counsel said a special investigation team (SIT) was formed in the state to examine cases of suicides. The top court was hearing a matter over the death of a 22-year-old student studying in IIT, Kharagpur. The student was found hanging in his hostel room on May 4. It was also dealing with another case of a girl, who was a NEET aspirant and was found hanging in her room in Kota where she lived with her parents. The bench learnt that an FIR was lodged in connection with the death of IIT Kharagpur's student. The top cou