Page 31 - Supreme Court

Congress takes dig at PM Modi over deaths due to Covid-19 vaccines

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "shrugging away" from its responsibility, a day after the government told the Supreme Court that it cannot be held liable to compensate for the deaths post administration of Covid vaccines. "First: No deaths due to oxygen shortage. Then: No aid to Covid victims. Now: No accountability for vaccine-related deaths. "Prime Minister Modi really knows how to shrug away responsibility. A true event manager!" the Congress said on its Twitter handle. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also took a dig, saying this government is never responsible for anything. "If there is death due to the side effects of Covid vaccine anywhere in the country, then the government is not responsible for it people are getting it as per their wish. This is Modi government's affidavit in the Supreme Court. (Well this government is never responsible for anything)," she said in a tweet in Hindi. In another tweet, she said, "Thank you M

SC to consider listing Bilkis Bano's plea against 2002 rape-murder convicts

Bilkis Bano on Wednesday challenged the remission of sentence and release of convicts in the 2002 rape and murder case filing a plea before the Supreme Court. The top court said it will consider listing the matter for hearing. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the submissions of lawyer Shobha Gupta that the victim herself has challenged the grant of remission and release of the convicts, and the matter be listed for hearing. She said that Justice Ajay Rastogi, who was part of the bench which had heard other similar pleas against the remission, was now part of a Constitution Bench hearing. "The review has to be heard first. Let it come before Justice Rastogi, the CJI said. When the counsel for Bano said let the matter be heard in open court, the bench said, "Only the court concerned can decide that." The CJI said that he would take a call on the issue in the evening. Earlier, a bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and C T Ravikumar

Criminal justice system itself can be a punishment: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has discharged three accused in an alleged 2008 abetment to suicide case in Punjab, saying "the criminal justice system of ours can itself be a punishment"

Cannot be asked to compensate for deaths due to Covid-19 vaccines: Centre

The government cannot be held liable to compensate for the deaths due to an adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) post administration of Covid-19 vaccines, the Centre has told the Supreme Court. The affidavit filed in the apex court by the Centre assumes significance in view of the fact that the government has been zealously pursuing the Covid-19 vaccination programme to fight the pandemic and, as per latest reports, over 219 crore doses have been administered. The affidavit was filed in response to a petition by the parents of two girls who died allegedly due to adverse effects following Covid vaccination. It claimed vaccines manufactured by third parties had successfully undergone regulatory review, and holding the state directly liable to provide compensation may not be legally sustainable. "The vaccines in use under the vaccination program are manufactured by third parties and have successfully undergone thorough regulatory review in India as well as other nations, being

ED's expansion

The agency is entering new areas of surveillance

SC allows Mumbai Metro to pursue application to cut 84 trees in Aarey

Case pertains to construction of Metro car shed on forest land in Aarey which adjoins Sanjay Gandhi National Park; next hearing likely in Feb 2023

SC permits Mumbai Metro to pursue plea for felling 84 trees at Aarey Colony

The Supreme Court on Monday permitted Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd to raise with the relevant authority its plea for felling 84 trees at Mumbai's Aarey Colony for constructing train ramps at its car shed project. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Mumbai Metro, that the felling of 84 trees were needed for constructing ramps for the trains at the car shed. "The MMRCL should be permitted to pursue its application with the Tree Authority for felling 84 trees, the bench said and fixed the main pleas against the Metro project for final hearing in February next year. Earlier, the apex court had in 2019 taken suo motu cognisance of a letter petition addressed to the Chief Justice of India by law student Rishav Ranjan seeking a stay on the felling of trees in the colony. The apex court had restrained the authorities from felling any more trees after the Solicitor .

No legal compulsion to get Covid-19 vaccination, Centre tells SC

The Centre clarified to the Supreme Court that there was no legal compulsion to get a vaccination for COVID-19.

Karnataka's stand on boundary dispute justified: CM ahead of SC hearing

Set for a legal battle with Maharashtra over the border dispute, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday expressed confidence about a "good outcome", as he asserted that as per the Constitution and the States Reorganisation Act, the state's stand is justified. The Chief Minister is in New Delhi and held discussions with senior advocate in the state's legal panel Mukul Rohatgi, in the wake of the case coming up before the Supreme Court for hearing on November 30. "I have met Rohatgi on the border dispute, the advocate general has briefed things, I too shared inputs regarding the background on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue and we discussed the legal status. He told me that all the preparations have been made for tomorrow," Bommai said. Speaking to reporters after meeting Rohatgi in the national capital, he said, the important thing is the maintainability of Maharashtra's case. "In 2017, the then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Deepak Mishra had framed ...

Govt can't be held liable for deaths from Covid vaccine: Centre to SC

The Centre also emphasised that there is no legal compulsion to get Covid-19 vaccine

Don't make us take a judicial decision: SC to Centre on judges' appointment

A Bench of Justices S K Kaul and A S Oka said the apex court had laid down the timelines within which the appointment process had to be completed

Farmer groups demand end to GM mustard trials; write to PM Narendra Modi

Activists claims Centre misleading SC on GM mustard

'Should not have happened', SC on Law Minister's remarks on collegium

The Supreme Court on Monday took strong exception to Law Minister Kiren Rijiju's recent comment on the collegium system of appointing judges, saying it should not have happened

Right to freedom of religion not fundamental right to convert: Centre to SC

The Centre told the Supreme Court that the right to freedom of religion does not include a fundamental right to convert people to a particular religion.

SC seeks Centre, states reply on PIL for free sanitary pads in govt schools

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, states and Union territories (UTs) on a PIL seeking issuance of directions for providing free sanitary pads to girls studying in classes 6 to 12 in government schools across the country. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the plea of social activist Jaya Thakur, a Madhya Pradesh-based doctor, and issued notices to the central government and all the states and UTs. The top court also sought assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the matter, saying the petitioner has raised the important issue of sanitation and hygiene of girl students in government and government-aided schools.

Discussions on with legal experts on strategy: Bommai on border dispute

Set for a legal battle with Maharashtra over the border dispute, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said discussions are on with the state's legal experts regarding the strategy to be adopted, when the matter comes up for hearing before the Supreme Court. He also remained cautious while responding to demands by people of some villages in Maharashtra, bordering Karnataka, reportedly wanting their merger with the state. "On November 30 there is a case in the Supreme Court, yesterday I held a meeting with the Karnataka Border and River Formation Commission chairperson and former judge of the Supreme Court Justice Shivaraj Patil and other experts regarding the strategy and legal perspective," Bommai said. Speaking to reporters here, he said on November 29, he will hold discussions with senior advocate in the state's legal panel Mukul Rohatgi in New Delhi, regarding the strategy and the matters that might specifically come up during the hearing on Wednesday. The border

Andhra HC cannot be town planner: Supreme Court on high court order

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from farmers and their associations, and the Centre to a plea by the Andhra Pradesh government challenging the high court decision which said the state legislature "lacked competence" to make any law for shifting, bifurcating or trifurcating the capital. It observed the Andhra Pradesh High Court cannot be a "town planner" or an "engineer" and direct the government that the capital city should come up in six months. A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna also stayed time-bound directions issued by the high court, including the one that said the state will construct and develop Amaravati capital city and capital region within six months. The high hourt had also ordered the government and the authorities concerned to complete infrastructure development like roads, drainage and electricity and drinking water supply in the Amaravati Capital City and Region within one month. The SC bench said it needs to examine the issue at length an

Centre rejects Saurabh Kirpal's name for elevation as Delhi HC judge

On November 17, Kirpal told the media that his promotion had been delayed 'at least since 2017' due to his sexual orientation

Bommai to meet Nadda, discuss Maharashtra border dispute with top lawyer

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said he will be visiting New Delhi to meet BJP national President J P Nadda, and also will have discussions with a senior advocate in the Supreme Court regarding the legal battle with Maharashtra over the border dispute. The Chief Minister is expected to travel to the national capital on Tuesday. The meeting with Nadda, gains significance, as he had recently indicated that the much awaited expansion or reshuffle of his Cabinet is likely after the Gujarat Assembly polls. "I'm going to Delhi, where I expect to meet Nadda, I'm yet to get his appointment, I'm hopeful of getting it," Bommai said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, he will also have a meeting with senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi regarding the border issue, and will also be meeting Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. Bommai has been under intense pressure for some time now, over the expansion and rejig of the Cabinet not taking place, to make way for

Border row: Ahead of SC hearing, Bommai to visit Delhi on November 29

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said he would go to Delhi on November 29 to hold a meeting with senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi over the border row between Karnataka and Maharashtra ahead of the case coming up in the Supreme Court on November 30. He was speaking to reporters after a maiden meeting with the newly appointed Karnataka Border and River Formation Commission chairperson and former judge of the Supreme Court Justice Shivaraj Patil. I will visit Delhi on November 29 and will discuss with senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi in detail about everything related to the case right from whatever happened since 2004 when the case was filed by Maharashtra in the Supreme Court and the developments that had taken place in the past and the key highlights of the dispute, the Chief Minister explained. He said that during the meeting with Justice Patil, senior advocate Uday Holla, Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Irrigation Minister Govind