Page 96 - Supreme Court

SC junks pleas challenging words socialist, secular, integrity in Preamble

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the pleas challenging the 1976 amendment to the Constitution adding terms "socialist", "secular" and "integrity" to the Preamble. A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar had on November 22 reserved its verdict on a batch of pleas filed by former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain and others, challenging the inclusion of the words "socialist" and "secular" in the Preamble to the Constitution. The petitions do not require a detailed hearing, the CJI said. "The two expressions 'socialist' and 'secular' were made in 1976 through amendments and the fact that the Constitution was adopted in 1949 does not make any difference... the retrospectivity arguments if accepted will apply to all amendments," noted the CJI.

SC advocate urges CJI to initiate probe into Jhansi medical college fire

Supreme Court advocate Amit Dwivedi has written to the chief justice of India, seeking a time-bound inquiry into a blaze in the neonatal intensive care unit of a medical college in Uttar Pradesh that killed 17 infants. In the letter to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Sunday, Dwivedi -- who hails from the Bundelkhand region -- sought the constitution of a panel headed by a retired Supreme Court judge "to conduct a time-bound inquiry into the fire incident in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) of the government-run hospital which resulted in the deaths of 15 infants". Thirty-nine newborns were rescued from a devastating fire in the neonatal intensive care unit of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi on the night of November 15. While 10 babies died on the night of the fire, seven more succumbed later. The letter highlighted reports of severe negligence, including the alleged absence of functioning fire extinguishers in the ward. Dwivedi emphasised that ...

Beant Singh assassination convict's mercy plea sensitive matter: Govt to SC

The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that there was sensitivity involved in the matter related to the mercy petition of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the 1995 assassination case of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. A bench headed by Justice B R Gavai was hearing Rajoana's plea seeking directions to commute his death sentence to life term due to the "inordinate delay" in deciding his mercy petition. "There is a sensitivity involved. Some agencies will have to be consulted," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench, also comprising Justices P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan. Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, who also appeared in the matter, said the issue was being reviewed by the government. He said since the issue was sensitive, some more inputs were required in the matter. The bench said it would hear the plea after four weeks. While hearing the petition on November 18, the apex court had put on hold its order asking President Droup

Adani-Hindenburg case: SC plea to take US charges against Adani on record

The petitioner has also called for the conclusive report by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on the probe carried out till now

Some groups trying to use social media to affect cases: ex-CJI Chandrachud

Former Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Sunday said social media is being used by special interest groups to influence outcome of cases and judges need to be wary of them. He also noted that people nowadays want to form an opinion on the basis of 20 seconds they see on YouTube or any other social media platform, saying it poses a great danger. "Today there are special interest groups, pressure groups who are trying to use social media to affect the minds of the courts and the outcomes of cases. Every citizen is entitled to understand what is the basis of a decision and to express their opinions on the decisions of the court. But when this goes beyond the decisions of the court and targets individual judges, then it sort of raises fundamental questions about - Is this truly freedom of speech and expression?" he said. "Everybody, therefore wants to form an opinion in 20 seconds of what they see on YouTube or any social media platform. This poses a grave danger because the process of

SC panel highlights rising debt, stagnant yields in agricultural crisis

A Supreme Court-appointed panel on farmers' grievances and protests has filed its interim report, listing reasons for agrarian distress which among others include stagnant yield, rising costs and debts and inadequate marketing system. The high-powered committee, constituted on September 2 under former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nawab Singh to resolve the grievances of farmers agitating at the Shambhu border, also suggested solutions including examining the possibility of giving legal sanctity to Minimum Support Price and offering direct income support. While forming the committee, the SC had observed farmers' protest should not be politicised. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday took the interim report on record and praised the committee for its efforts and framing of the issues to be examined and defuse the agitation. In its 11-page interim report, the panel said, "It is a well-known fact that the farming community in the country in general and that o

US Supreme Court allows multibillion-dollar class action against Meta

The Supreme Court is allowing a multibillion-dollar class action investors' lawsuit to proceed against Facebook parent Meta, stemming from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. The justices heard arguments in November in Meta's bid to shut down the lawsuit. On Friday, they decided that they were wrong to take up the case in the first place. The high court dismissed the company's appeal, leaving in place an appellate ruling allowing the case to go forward. Investors allege that Meta did not fully disclose the risks that Facebook users' personal information would be misused by Cambridge Analytica, a firm that supported Donald Trump's first successful Republican presidential campaign in 2016. Inadequacy of the disclosures led to two significant price drops in the price of the company's shares in 2018, after the public learned about the extent of the privacy scandal, the investors say. Meta already has paid a USD 5.1 billion fine and reached

SC mulls setting up panel to vet permission for felling trees in Delhi

The bench referred to Section 7(b) of the 1994 Act which says the tree authority shall be responsible for carrying out the census of existing trees and obtaining

Parl panel to discuss code of conduct, post-retirement jobs for judges

Tribunals are institutions set up to reduce the case load on the judiciary with experts from various fields looking into the disputes

Set up check-points on all 113 entry points: SC directs Delhi govt, police

It appointed 13 members of the Bar as court commissioners to visit the entry points to Delhi and verify whether entry of trucks is being stopped

SC orders centre, police to monitor truck entry at 113 checkposts in Delhi

The top court clarified that Stage-IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) would remain in effect until further orders, even if AQI levels drop below 450

SC flags lapses in Grap-IV in Delhi-NCR, seeks report on truck entry

The Supreme Court criticised delays in enforcing Grap-IV curbs as Delhi's AQI hit 'severe-plus' earlier this week; seeks reports on non-essential heavy vehicle entries at 13 major checkpoints

SC reviews validity of 'socialist', 'secular' in Preamble, ruling on Nov 25

The 42nd Amendment of the Indian constitution has been subjected to judicial review. The Supreme Court noted that Parliament's actions during the Emergency could not be dismissed entirely as invalid

'Eradicate Sanatan' remark: SC defers hearing plea of Udhayanidhi Stalin

The Supreme Court on Friday deferred the hearing on a plea of Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin seeking clubbing of multiple FIRs lodged against him over his purported "eradicate Sanatan Dharma" remark. A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar posted the hearing in February, 2025. It further said the interim order granting the politician exemption from appearing physically before trial courts would continue till further orders. Arguing for Stalin, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi and other counsel pointed out that several respondents (complainants) had not filed their replies on the plea. On March 4, the top court rebuked Satlin over his remarks, asking why he had moved the court with a plea to club the FIRs against him after abusing his right to freedom of speech and expression. Stalin, the minister of youth welfare and sports of Tamil Nadu, is a well-known film actor and son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK chief M K Stalin. Speaking at a

SC gives Centre final chance to respond on defaced currency in J-K

The Supreme Court on Friday granted a last opportunity to the Centre to file its response on a PIL seeking CBI probe into the RBI exchanging defaced currency notes worth Rs 30 crore allegedly belonging to a Kashmiri separatist group. While noting enough time had been given to the Union of India to file its reply, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan granted four more weeks "in the interest of justice". The top court was hearing a PIL filed by one Satish Bhardwaj, who alleged in 2013 the Jammu branch of RBI exchanged the currency notes amounting to Rs 30 crore allegedly belonging to a separatist group called "Kashmir Graffitti". Bhardwaj's plea said, "The act of the Jammu branch of Reserve Bank of India to exchange the defaced/imperfect Indian currency notes worth Rs 30 crore -- that too done by a separatist group of Kashmir with the main aim of destabilising peace and harmony in the region of Jammu and Kashmir and to create an environment of tension and terror in the mind

SC seeks Gyanvapi Masjid Committee's reply on plea for area's ASI survey

Bench said it will also hear same-day other petitions relating to the case, including an application to consolidate all suits and transfer them from the Varanasi district court to the Allahabad HC

SC issues notice to Gujarat govt on Asaram's plea for sentence suspension

The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Gujarat government on a plea filed by jailed self-styled godman Asaram seeking suspension of the life sentence imposed on him by a trial court in a 2013 rape case. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Aravind Kumar told the counsel appearing for Asaram that it would examine the issue only if there are medical grounds. "We will issue notice, but we will consider only on medical conditions," the bench said while posting the matter for hearing on December 13. The Gujarat High Court on August 29 had rejected Asaram's plea for the suspension of life imprisonment in the case by a Gandhinagar court in 2023. Refusing to suspend the sentence and grant him bail, the high court had observed that no case for relief was made out. The sessions court in January 2023 convicted Asaram in the 2013 rape case, filed by a woman who was living in his ashram near Gandhinagar at the time of the crime. Asaram is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail in ...

Sambhal mosque controversy: Govt and SC must take cognizance, says Mayawati

BSP president Mayawati on Friday appealed to the government and the Supreme Court to take cognizance of the controversy regarding the Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district. "The news of the sudden controversy, hearing and then the hasty survey regarding the Shahi Jama Masjid of Sambhal district of UP is in the national discussion and media headlines," the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president said in a post on 'X'. "But the government and the honourable Supreme Court must also take cognizance of spoiling the harmony and atmosphere in this way," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. A survey of the Jama Masjid was conducted earlier on Tuesday on the orders of a court in Sambhal district. It is claimed that this mosque has been built by demolishing a temple. Petitioner advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain had said on Tuesday that the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) directed to constitute an 'Advocate Commission' for the survey of Jama Masjid. The court has said that

PM security lapse in Punjab: SC rejects plea seeking witnesses' statements

The Supreme Court Friday turned down the Punjab government's plea seeking statements of witnesses who have deposed before former apex court judge Indu Malhotra to probe the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state in January 2022. A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan asked the state government to independently conduct the enquiry against delinquent officers without the aid of the statements. The top court appointed a committee headed by former judge Indu Malhotra on January 12, 2022, to probe the security breach. "After receipt of report of the committee, matter was taken up on August 25, 2022. Copy of report was directed to be supplied to Centre and state government. It was directed that report shall be kept in sealed cover in the safe custody of secretary general of this court," the bench said. "It seems the Punjab government has now sent a letter seeking statements of witnesses to conduct further proceedings against delinquent ..

Manish Sisodia seeks SC's relief on bail condition in Delhi excise case

Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia has approached the Supreme Court seeking relaxation of his bail condition that requires him to appear before the investigating officer twice a week