Supreme Court To Hear Challenge To Ex-Parte Foreigner Tribunal Orders Declaring Persons As Non-Citizens

The Supreme Court yesterday agreed to hear the Special Leave Petition filed by two persons, who claim that they are Indian nationals but were declared as foreign nationals by the Foreigners Tribunal ex-parte despite having documents in their favour.A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddhin Amanullah was hearing SLPs filed by one Abdul Subhan and Ajbahar Ali, who have been ex-parte declared as foreigners by The Foreigner Tribunal. As per Abdul Subhan's pleas, through 'Sarkari...

Judge-To-Population Ratio Was Ordered To Be Made 50 Per Million By 2007, But Not Even 25 Per Million In 2024 : Supreme Court Laments

The Supreme Court lamented the low judge-to-population ratio in India, which leads to the huge work stress on judicial officers, making them prone to making mistakes.The Court recalled that in 2002, a direction was passed in the All India Judges Association case that by 2007, the judge-to-population ratio in the trial judiciary should be 50 per million. However, even in 2024, this ratio is not even 25 per million.A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka, Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice...

Sanatana Dharma Row| Supreme Court Extends Interim Order Exempting Udhayanidhi Stalin's Personal Appearance Before Trial Courts

The Supreme Court today (November 22) extended the interim order granted to Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for exemption for physically appearing before lower courts conducting proceedings against his 'Sanatana Dharma' remarks. The bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar was hearing the plea by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's for clubbing of criminal cases registered against him across multiple states over his controversial 'Sanatana Dharma'...

Supreme Court Gives Union Final Opportunity To File Reply In PIL Alleging Exchange Of Currency Defaced By Kashmiri Separatists At RBI Branch

Expressing that the Union is not taking the matter seriously, the Supreme Court today granted final opportunity to the Union of India to respond to a public interest litigation seeking CBI enquiry into the Jammu Regional Branch of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) where defaced Indian currencies worth Rs.30 crores were allegedly exchanged by a separatist group in 2013.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order, stating,"Learned counsel for Union of India seeks more time to file...

After Supreme Court's Rap, Goa Notifies Pension Rules For Bombay HC Goa Bench Staff In Line With Principal Bench

The Goa government informed the Supreme Court on Friday (November 22) that it has brought the pension payment norms for employees of the Bombay High Court's Goa Bench in line with those of the principal Bench at Mumbai and the Nagpur and Aurangabad benches.A bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih disposed of a suo moto case concerning the grievances of former employees of the Bombay High Court's Goa Bench over delayed pensionary benefits.“There is no dispute that now the...

"Why Corporator's Wife Given 2 Licenses?" : Supreme Court Questions Maharashtra Govt On Matheran E-Rickshaw Licenses

Dealing with issues arising out of a pilot e-rickshaw project in the pedestrian hill-town of Matheran (Maharashtra), the Supreme Court recently expressed displeasure with the state authorities for allegedly granting licenses to persons other than the original handcart pullers (as suggested in earlier orders to compensate them for their loss).A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan was considering the application filed by three representative associations of horsemen, or ghodawala...

Show If Every DRT Has 30 Staff Members : Supreme Court To Finance Ministry

The Supreme Court on Thursday (November 22) directed the Ministry of Finance to submit an affidavit by January 2, 2025, detailing the available staff strength at each of the 39 Debt Recovery Tribunals across the country.A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih was dealing with a case concerning the judicial staff of DRT Visakhapatnam having been diverted to fulfil certain data collection tasks mandated by the Ministry. This had affected the tribunal's functioning...

Avoid Personal Criticism Of Judicial Officers : Supreme Court Expunges High Court's Adverse Remarks Against Sessions Judge

While expunging from a judgment of the Delhi High Court certain adverse remarks made against a Sessions Judge, the Supreme Court on Friday (November 22) emphasised the need for restraint on the part of superior courts while commenting on judicial officers.While the superior courts, in the exercise of their appellate/revisional powers, can set aside the orders passed by the lower courts, they should avoid personal comments against the judicial officers. Though strong language can be used to...

Supreme Court Transfers Trial Pending Against Choreographer Remo D'Souza In 2016 Cheating Case From UP To Delhi

The Supreme Court today transferred the trial in a 2016 cheating case pending against choreographer and film director Remo D'Souza from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order, partly allowing the appeal filed by D'Souza against an Allahabad High Court order, whereby his plea to quash the criminal proceedings was dismissed. The order was dictated thus:"Leave granted. Though the impugned order before us passed by the High Court of...

Supreme Court Seeks Responses Of Union & States On Plea To Establish Transgender Welfare Boards

The Supreme Court today directed the Union Government and States and Union Territories, who have not entered appearance, to file an affidavit within 8 weeks on a Public Interest Litigation seeking the establishment of the Transgender Welfare Boards.A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V.N. Bhatti was hearing a PIL filed by Kinner Maa Eksamajik Sanstha Trust seeking the establishment of the Transgender Welfare Board to address social welfare issues of a trans person and to appoint a Standing...

'When Organised Crimes Are On Rise, Should Legislature Think Of Safeguards For Accused?' : Supreme Court In Plea Challenging BNS, BNSS Provisions

While hearing a petition challenging the constitutional validity of provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), the Supreme Court today questioned as to whether there should in fact be protective safeguards in place insofar as persons accused of organized crimes are concerned.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan heard the matter. It may be recalled that the BNSS and BNS replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure and the...

Delhi Air Pollution | Parents Belonging To Underprivileged Sections Urge Supreme Court To Review Suspension Of Physical Classes

The Supreme Court on Friday (November 22) heard an application filed by parents of students belonging to the underprivileged communities raising concerns about the Delhi Government's order suspending physical classes for students up to Class 12 amidst the air pollution crisis.The bench of Justice AS Oka and Justice AG Masih was hearing a batch of petitions regarding the worsening air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Notably, the suspension orders came after the Court on November 18, directed...