SUPREME COURT

Sedition law ‘colonial’, used against Gandhi, Tilak: SC

Sedition law ‘colonial’, used against Gandhi, Tilak: SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Centre on the utility of having sedition law even after 75 years of independence. The Court also expressed its concern on sedition law being misused by police against persons who speak against the government. A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said: “It is a colonial law used by the British to silence Mahatma Gandhi, Tilak. Still, it is necessary after 75 years of independence?” Chief Justice told Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, “I am indicating, what I am thinking”. The bench cited the example of continued usage of section 66A of the…
Read More
SC says Facebook needs to be accountable, upholds Delhi Assembly’s right to summon it in riots case

SC says Facebook needs to be accountable, upholds Delhi Assembly’s right to summon it in riots case

Noting attempts by Australia, the UK and the US in reining in social media platforms, given complaints about their manipulative behaviour in a free speech-advocating democracy, the Supreme Court on Thursday said such platforms with a potential to influence public opinion must be held accountable for spread of disruptive messages and hate speeches.While dealing with the controversy over the Delhi Assembly committee summoning Facebook Vice-President Ajit Mohan for spread of hate messages during Delhi riots, a bench of Justices S K Kaul, Dinesh Maheshwari and Hrishikesh Roy said, “Entities like Facebook have to remain accountable to those who entrust them…
Read More
SC said Rath Yatra will be held only in Puri, rejects all petitions

SC said Rath Yatra will be held only in Puri, rejects all petitions

Declining permission to a statewide celebration of Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Odisha, with only exception to the Puri Jagannath temple, Chief Justice NV Ramana on Tuesday revealed that he too has been waiting fervently to be part of the annual ritual, however, Covid-19 was still playing spoilsport. The Chief Justice told petitioners, seeking the Rath Yatra in other places alongside Puri: “You want to pray to the God. You can do it from home. I also wanted to go to Puri but I couldn’t in the last one and half years. This isn’t the time”. In June, the…
Read More
Unpardonable’: SC slams Centre over apathy on registering migrant workers

Unpardonable’: SC slams Centre over apathy on registering migrant workers

All states must implement "One Nation, One Ration" scheme for migrant workers by July 31, the Supreme Court said today, underlining that the states must also "run community kitchens to feed the migrants till the end of the pandemic". For registration of the migrant workers, the top court has told the central government to put in place a portal by July 31. A two-judge bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and MR Shah said, "The central government must develop and put in place a portal for registering unorganised and migrant workers, and start the process, not later than July 31." "Lackadaisical…
Read More
Delhi Schools Can Charge Fee For Now, Supreme Court Refuses To Interfere into this matter

Delhi Schools Can Charge Fee For Now, Supreme Court Refuses To Interfere into this matter

The Supreme Court has refused to stay a Delhi High Court order cancelling that schools in delhi could not collect annual charges or development fees until they physically re-open. The High Court quashed Directorate of Education (DoE) orders issued in April and August 2020. The High Court's order was challenged by the Delhi government and others govts, including students and parents, as well as being challenged in the top court. The Supreme Court today said that the High Court was examining the original order - issued by a single-judge bench .The single judge verdict had quashed two office orders of April…
Read More
The Supreme Court directed the state boards to notify assessment scheme for Class 12 in 10 days

The Supreme Court directed the state boards to notify assessment scheme for Class 12 in 10 days

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the state boards to notify their respective assessment schemes for Class 12 students within 10 days, after the cancellation of physical examination, and also declare results before July 31. A bench comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari said: “We direct all the State Boards to ensure that the Schemes are formulated and notified at the earliest and not later than 10 days from today and also declare the results of internal assessment by July 31, which is the time-line specified for CBSE and ICSE.” In its order, the top court said: “In addition,…
Read More
Supreme Court reserved its decision on a Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia payment to Covid’s kin

Supreme Court reserved its decision on a Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia payment to Covid’s kin

The Supreme Court Monday reserved verdict on the pleas seeking directions that ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh be paid to the families of those who have died of COVID-19. A special vacation bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah heard Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate S B Upadhyay and other lawyers for almost two hours. The Centre had earlier told the apex court that the ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh cannot be paid to the families of those who have died of COVID-19 as the finances of state governments and the Centre are under…
Read More
Delhi riots: SC refuses to stay HC order granting bail to 3 students

Delhi riots: SC refuses to stay HC order granting bail to 3 students

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the Delhi High Court order granting bail to three student activists~Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita, and Natasha Narwal in the February 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, which claimed the lives of 53 people and left hundreds injured. The release of respondents (accused) will not be interfered with at this stage. It will be subject to the final order, the court said. The top court issued a notice in the Delhi Police’s appeal against the Delhi High Court order in the Delhi Riots case registered against the three student activists under the Unlawful…
Read More
Stakeholders query weightage to Class X, XI scores: CBSE

Stakeholders query weightage to Class X, XI scores: CBSE

Several students, parents and educationists criticised the formula announced by the Central Board of Secondary Education for awarding marks to its outgoing Class XII students, especially the weightage given to their Class X and XI scores. The critics said there was no correlation between the subjects taught in Classes XII and X, making such weightage irrelevant, and that students generally did not take the Class XI exam seriously and underperformed in it. “The CBSE took the past three years’ performance into consideration (as a tool for moderation) to ensure there was no spiking of marks by schools,” Priyadarshi Nayak, principal…
Read More
SC directs CBSE, CISCE to place on record objective criteria for assessment of Class 12 students.

SC directs CBSE, CISCE to place on record objective criteria for assessment of Class 12 students.

The Supreme Court on Thursday said it was happy to note that the government has cancelled the class 12 board exams, and directed the CBSE and CICSE to place on record well-defined objective criteria for assessment of students in two weeks. A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari asked Attorney General K K Venugopal and advocate J K Das, appearing for the CISCE, to place on record the parameters within two weeks. We are happy to note that the government has taken the decision to cancel class 12 board exams but we want that the objective criteria…
Read More