The Bombay High Court has held that ex-gratia compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) could not be denied merely because the hospital where a frontline health worker was deployed had not been formally requisitioned or notified as a dedicated Covid-19 treatment centre. The Division Bench of Justice RG Avachat and Justice Ajit…
The Supreme Court has imposed exemplary costs of Rs 5 lakh on the Union Government for prolonged and wilful non-compliance with judicial directions in relation to the appointment of a former Indian Revenue Service officer as Member (Accountant) of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), holding that the case reflected institutional delay bordering on mala…
By Sanjay Raman Sinha Last week, a voice from within the Supreme Court disrupted the usually choreographed harmony of judicial consensus. The dissonance was unmistakable. The anxiety palpable. And the subtext carried an undisguised alarm. In an uncommon display of public dissent, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan recently questioned the Collegium’s decision to transfer a High Court…
By Annunthra Rangan In a world increasingly defined by tariff wars, disrupted supply chains, and the weaponisation of trade, India and the European Union have made a consequential move. On January 27, 2026, after nearly two decades of intermittent negotiations, the two sides signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The timing is deliberate. With…
The Supreme Court on Friday prohibited the administration of stem cell therapy (SCT) as a routine clinical intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), noting that it lacked empirical validation and was not recognised within the framework of accepted medical practice. The Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan observed that the therapy may…
The Supreme Court on Friday highlighted the multifaceted role of men in menstrual hygiene, noting that menstrual health was a societal concern, which required the active participation of all genders. The Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan observed that treating menstruation as solely a “women’s issue” perpetuated stigma and undermined the constitutional…
By Vickram Kilpady Caste has returned to the headlines—and how. Almost 40 years after the Mandal Commission agitation convulsed the nation, the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) new regulations notified on January 13, 2026, to curb caste discrimination on campuses have reopened a familiar Pandora’s box. Several petitioners recently moved the Supreme Court seeking to have…
By Kenneth Tiven The surprise in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is not simply the violence—it is the refusal. At a moment when many feared Americans were ready to fold the tent on constitutional democracy, Minnesotans instead reached back to the spirit of July 4 and made clear that this anniversary year need not be democracy’s last. What…
The Supreme Court has held that the right to menstrual health and access to menstrual hygiene management facilities form an integral component of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21. The Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan passed the order while adjudicating a matter concerning the pan-India implementation of the Union…
A Delhi court sought the response of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Delhi Police on a revision petition challenging the dismissal of a criminal complaint alleging hate speech in connection with a political rally held in Karnataka during the 2023 Assembly elections. Special Judge Jitendra Singh of Rouse Avenue Court passed the order while…