Uttarakhand's UCC – Unifying Laws Or Dividing Communities? [Part-I]

All the transient provisions in the Constitution, such as for language, reservation, special status to Jammu and Kashmir, or the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), were treated as transient because there was no unanimity at the time of the Constituent Assembly debates. Now, the BJP-led Uttarakhand government has passed the UCC Bill into law on February 7, 2024. Here, I deliberately skirt any potent argument[1] against framing a law that even the 21st Law Commission headed by Justice B.S. Chauhan declined...

Electoral Bonds Data Given To ECI In Two PDF Files With Purchaser & Political Parties Details : SBI Chairman Tells Supreme Court

The Chairman of the State Bank of India (SBI) on Wednesday (March 13) filed a compliance affidavit, informing the Supreme Court that the Bank has furnished the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The details have been provided in two separate information packets - the first containing details of the purchasers of the electoral bonds, and the second...

MMDR Act Ousts State's Power Over Taxing Minerals; Limitation Imposed In National Interest : Union Tells Supreme Court [DAY 6]

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (March 12), resumed its 6th day of hearing on the matter pertaining to the imposition of royalties on mining. The Constitution Bench delved into the Constituent Assembly Debates to dissect the legislative intent of Entry 54 List I which gives the Union the powers over the regulation and development of mines and minerals. The Union submitted that the Mines...

'CAA Will Ensure Only Muslims Excluded From NRC Will Face Action' : Assam Congress Leaders Approach Supreme Court

The Leader of Opposition in the Assam Assembly, Mr. Debabrata Saika, and Congress MP from Assam, Mr. Abdul Khaleque, have filed an interim application in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Rules 2024 notified on March 11. The application contends that these rules are unconstitutional and violate the Assam Accord. The application is filed in...

Kerala Rejects Union's Offer To Allow Borrowing Of Rs 5K Crores With Conditions, Urges Supreme Court To Hear Suit On Merits

After the State insisted that it had the legal entitlement, the Court agreed to hear the plea for interim relief on March 21.

Supreme Court To Hear Pleas To Stay Election Commissioners Act On March 15

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (March 13) agreed to hear on March 15 the petitions challenging the appointment procedure of Election Commissioners under the new Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 (Act).The petitions, moved by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Dr. Jaya Thakur...

Farmers' Protest | Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Ex-BJP MLA's Plea To Remove Protesters From Delhi Borders; Asks Him To Approach HC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (March 12) declined to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking the immediate removal of farmers from the borders of Delhi, amidst the ongoing farmers' protest demanding minimum price guarantees for their crops.Social worker and former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nand Kishore Garg, in a bid to clear the border areas, approached the apex court...

High Court Must Not Hesitate In Quashing Criminal Proceedings Which Are Essentially Of Civil Nature: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court reiterated that the High Court by exercising their inherent power must quash the prosecution based on the criminal complaint arising out of a civil transaction."...although the inherent powers of a High Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure should be exercised sparingly, yet the High Court must not hesitate in quashing such criminal proceedings which...

SCBA Executive Committee Condemns President Adish Aggarwala's Letter Asking To Withhold Enforcement Of Electoral Bonds Verdict

The executive committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has strongly denounced the recent letter penned by its president, Senior Advocate Dr Adish C Aggarwala, urging President Droupadi Murmu to withhold the enforcement of the Supreme Court's verdict on electoral bonds. Not only have they distanced themselves from Aggarwala's stance, but has also unequivocally condemned the...

Political Background Not Sufficient Reason To Deny Judgeship: Supreme Court Collegium Rejects Centre's Objection Over CPI(M) Affiliation

On March 12, 2024, the Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud recommended the name of Shri Manoj Pulamby Madhavan for appointment as Judge of the Kerala High Court.In evaluating the suitability of Shri Manoj, the collegium evaluated and scrutinized all the materials available on record. The Department of Justice had observed that Shri Manoj was a CPI(M) sympathiser and was appointed as a Government Pleader in 2010 and 2016-2021 by the LDF Government.The collegium...

Supreme Court Rebukes Gujarat Magistrate For Remanding Accused Despite SC's Interim Bail; Reserves Judgment On Contempt Plea

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (March 12) reserved judgment on a contempt petition filed against the police officers and a Judicial Magistrate from Gujarat for arresting and remanding an accused ignoring an interim anticipatory bail order passed by the Supreme Court.During the hearing, the bench made several strong remarks deprecating the conduct of the police and the Magistrate. To give...

SC Collegium Recommends Judicial Officer As Additional Judge of J&K High Court

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of Judicial Officer Mohammad Yousuf Wani as an Additional Judge of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.A resolution passed by collegium comprising Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud along with Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B R Gavai reads,“Having regard to the material on record and all relevant factors, the Collegium is...