Page 7 - Supreme Court

Stray dogs case: SC reserves order on pleas against earlier rulings

The Supreme Court also directed the Animal Welfare Board of India to process applications from NGOs seeking permission to set up animal shelters or animal birth control facilities

SC stays implementation of new UGC norms; 2012 regulations to continue

The Supreme Court observed that there is complete vagueness in Regulation 3 (C) (which defines caste-based discrimination), and it can be misused

SC refuses to issue directions for welfare measures of domestic helps

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a comprehensive legal framework and enforcement of minimum wages for domestic workers, saying it cannot issue a writ asking the Centre and states to consider amending existing laws. The top court also observed that trade unionism has been largely responsible for stopping the industrial growth in the country. "How many industrial units in the country have been closed thanks to trade unions? Let us know the realities. All traditional industries in the country, all because of these 'jhanda' unions have been closed, all throughout the country. They don't want to work. These trade union leaders are largely responsible for stopping industrial growth in the country," Chief Justice Surya Kant said. "Of course exploitation is there, but there are means to address exploitation. People should have been made more aware of their individual rights, people should have been made more skilled, there were several other reforms which ...

SC rejects Tata Sponge Iron petition against Odisha entry tax law

Supreme Court rejects Tata Sponge Iron's challenge to Odisha Entry Tax Act, upholds High Court ruling and denies refund claim

Supreme Court raps states over poor stray dog control as bite cases surge

The Supreme Court pulled up states over poor stray dog control, flagging low sterilisation, lack of shelters and rising dog bite cases, while questioning weak data and delayed action

Mamata demands SC monitored probe into Ajit Pawar's death in plane crash

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of Ajit Pawar in a place crash, alleging that "all other agencies" have been "completely compromised" Stressing that the truth would not emerge through existing mechanisms, Banerjee said only a probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court would be credible. "We trust only the Supreme Court. All other agencies have been completely compromised," she told reporters here before leaving for Singur. Pawar (66), the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, and four others were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed near Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning.

SC to hear PIL alleging rights violations in probe of Ahmedabad plane crash

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a PIL of an NGO alleging that the official probe into the June 12 Air India plane crash violated citizens' fundamental rights to life, equality and access to truthful information. Air India's Boeing 787-8 flight AI171 en route to London's Gatwick airport was operated by pilot-in-command Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Captain Clive Kunder. The crash took place after the flight took off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew on board. On Wednesday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was told by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for PIL petitioner NGO 'Safety Matters Foundation', that so far, neither the Centre nor the the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) have filed their replies to the petition. "The entire pilots association are saying there is a problem in the Boeing 787 aircraft which needs to be grounded," Bhushan submitted. "SIR (hearing on pleas

Supreme Court agrees to list for hearing plea against UGC regulation

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to list for hearing a plea challenging a recently notified University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation on the ground that it has adopted a non-inclusionary definition of caste-based discrimination and excludes certain categories from institutional protection. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions of a lawyer seeking urgent hearing of the plea. "There is a possibility of discrimination against the general class. My case is 'Rahul Dewan and Ors vs Union'," a lawyer said. "We know what is happening. Make sure defects are cured. We will list it," the CJI said. The new regulations mandating all higher education institutions to form "equity committees" to look into discrimination complaints and promote equity were notified on January 13. The University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, mandated that these committees must include

SC sets aside Gujarat HC order on taking back grazing land from APSEZ

The apex court held that the order was passed without granting Adani an opportunity of hearing, either before the state authorities or the High Court

SC refuses to halt CCI probe into JioStar over 'abuse of dominance'

On February 28, 2022, the CCI recorded a prima facie view that the conduct warranted scrutiny and directed its Director General to investigate under Section 26(1) of the Act

SC asks states, UTs to submit data on acid attack cases in four weeks

Taking strong note of acid attack cases, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked all states and Union territories to provide a slew of information, including the year-wise details of the number of such cases and their status in courts, besides the rehabilitation measures to support the victims. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi asked states and UTs to provide information about the number of cases in which charge sheets are filed in trial courts. They will also have to provide information about the number of cases decided or pending at the trial court levels. Seeking the details in four weeks, the bench asked them to also provide information about the number of appeals filed in appellate courts, including the high courts, in such cases. The bench asked them to also provide brief particulars of each victim, her academic qualification, employment and marital status and the medical treatment and the expenses incurred or to be incurred.

SC invokes Article 142 to cut loan liability of woman widowed by Covid-19

Invoking Article 142, the Supreme Court reduced a widow's loan liability after her husband died during the Covid pandemic, holding that strict enforcement of the bank's demand would cause extreme hard

Plea in SC challenges definition of caste discrimination in 2026 UGC rules

A plea was filed in the Supreme Court challenging a recently notified University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation, alleging that it has adopted a non-inclusionary definition of caste-based discrimination and excludes certain categories from institutional protection. The plea submitted that regulation 3(c) of the recently notified UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026 is "non-inclusionary" and fails to protect students and faculty who do not belong to reserved categories. The plea, filed by Vineet Jindal, assailed the regulation on the grounds that caste-based discrimination is defined strictly as discrimination against members of the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). It said by limiting the scope of "caste-based discrimination" only to SC, ST, and OBC categories, the UGC has effectively denied institutional protection and grievance redressal to individuals belonging to the "general" or non-reserv

Government has no say in judges' transfers, says SC judge Justice Bhuyan

Transfer of judges is an internal matter of the judiciary and the government has no role to play in the process, Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said here on Saturday. Independence of judiciary was "non-negotiable", he said, delivering G V Pandit Memorial Lecture at the ILS Law College here. "Transfer of a judge is always for the better administration of justice. It is an internal matter of the judiciary. The government can have no say in that," Justice Bhuyan stated. "By the very nature of things, the Centre can have no say in the transfer and posting of judges. It cannot say that such and such a judge should not or should be transferred, or if transferred, to such and such High Court," he added. Independence of the judiciary is a basic feature of the Constitution, Justice Bhuyan further said. "It is non-negotiable. It is for the judiciary, or rather the members of the judiciary, to see to it that its independence is maintained at all costs in order to ensure its contin

EC uploads names on logical discrepancies list after Supreme Court's order

The Election Commission on Saturday evening uploaded on its website the names of people on the list of SIR logical discrepancies list following an order of the Supreme Court, a poll panel official said. The district electoral officers will now download the list and display it on panchayat bhavans and block offices as directed by the court. The Supreme Court on January 19 directed the EC to display the names of those on the "logical discrepancies" list at gram panchayat bhavans, block offices of talukas and ward offices in West Bengal by Saturday. The court noted that 1.25 crore voters in the state figure on the "logical discrepancies" list. "The lists of unmapped voters and those with logical discrepancies are on our website," the official told PTI. Logical discrepancies in progeny linking with the 2002 voter list include instances of a mismatch in the parent's name and the age difference between a voter and their parent being less than 15 years or more than 50 years. The poll pan

Supreme Court seeks status report from CBI, ED on probe into RCom group

The plea contends that the FIR registered by the CBI in August 2025, along with parallel ED proceedings, addresses only a limited portion of the alleged wrongdoing

SC flags registry lapse over connected bail pleas before different Benches

The Supreme Court flags a serious registry lapse after connected bail pleas from the same case were listed before different Benches, seeking accountability

Jairam Ramesh moves SC against ex post facto environmental clearances

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said he has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging ex post facto environmental clearances, asserting that they are bad in law, detrimental to public health and make a mockery of governance. In a post on X, Ramesh said, "Encouraged by the Supreme Court's review on December 29th 2025 of an earlier verdict on the redefinition of the Aravallis, I have just filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging ex post facto environmental clearances." "Retrospective environmental clearances are bad in law, are detrimental to public health, and make a mockery of governance," the former environment minister said. Ramesh said they give an easy way out to those who are actually wilful defaulters. Ignorance of the law cannot be an excuse for violating it, he added. Last month, the Congress general secretary had urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of three "urgent" environmental matters. In a post on X, Ramesh referred to the apex

SC seeks responses on ASI takeover plea for Thirupparankundram temple

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government and others on a plea seeking directions on the ASI's takeover of the Thirupparankundram temple and daily lamp lighting on top of the 'deepathoon' (stone pillar). A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi issued notices to the Union of India, Tamil Nadu government, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and others on a plea filed by the Hindu Dharma Parishad. During the hearing, the top court was informed that the Madras High Court on January 6 had upheld the single judge's order on lighting the lamp. The top court was hearing a plea filed by Hindu Dharma Parishad seeking directions that the ASI take control of the Thirupparankundram Lord Murugan Subramaniya Temple at Madurai and on lighting one lamp on top of the 'deepathoon' at all times. The plea has also sought directions that every year on the day of Karthigai in the month of Karthigai, the entire hill be lit with lamps and Murug

SC issues notices to Anil Ambani, ADAG on PIL alleging banking fraud

The Supreme Court on Friday issued fresh notices to Anil Ambani and the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) on a PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into alleged massive banking and corporate fraud involving the firm and its group companies. The top court asked the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, to file status reports in sealed cover in ten days on their ongoing probes into the alleged fraud. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the fact that Anil Ambani and the ADAG had already been served with the notices of the PIL filed by petitioner and former Union secretary E A S Sarma. On November 18, last year, the bench issued notices to the Centre, CBI, ED, Anil Ambani and ADAG on the PIL. The bench said it was granting the last opportunity to Anil Ambani and the ADAG to appear and file their responses in the case. The bench asked the Bombay High Court's Registrar General to ensure servic