The Supreme Court on Wednesday, August 19, gave the Odisha Sentence Review Board one final opportunity to decide on the premature release plea of Dara Singh, alias Rabindra Kumar Pal, who is serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons. A Bench of Justice Manoj…
The Supreme Court on Wednesday stressed the need to institutionalise and strengthen the National Testing Agency (NTA) to prevent question paper leaks and ensure secure and efficient conduct of entrance examinations. A Bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe said the NTA must have experienced personnel, robust infrastructure and updated technology to preserve…
The Chief Justice of India on Monday virtually inaugurated newly constructed court complexes at Irinjalakuda and Chavakkad in Kerala’s Thrissur district, describing the development as a “kind of homecoming” that would take the justice delivery system closer to citizens residing in smaller townships. The CJI, who addressed the gathering through video conference, expressed regret over…
The Supreme Court on Wednesday urged the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to examine whether certain restrictions on firecrackers could be relaxed ahead of the upcoming Diwali season, particularly those relating to noise limits. A Bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PB Varale asked the CPCB to explore whether a limited relaxation could be…
There is no room for caste-based discrimination in places of worship, the Madras High Court recently observed while addressing allegations that non-Brahmin devotees were being treated differently at the Arulmigu Devaraja Swamy Temple in Kanchipuram. A Bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice E Manoharan emphasised that religious traditions cannot be invoked to discriminate against…
The Bombay High Court at Goa on Tuesday cancelled the bail granted to Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra and Ajay Gupta, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa, where a fire in December 2025 claimed 25 lives. Justice Neela Gokhale allowed the appeal filed by the State of Goa challenging the bail…
The Delhi High Court has held that a consensual sexual relationship between two adults cannot, merely on the basis of a subsequent allegation of a promise to marry, be automatically clothed with criminality. The Court underscored that the decisive question is whether the alleged false assurance of marriage had, in fact, vitiated or tainted the…
Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant on Tuesday virtually inaugurated new District Court complexes at Irinjalakuda and Chavakkad in Kerala’s Thrissur district, underscoring the imperative of strengthening judicial infrastructure to make the justice delivery system more accessible to litigants beyond major urban centres. The CJI was scheduled to attend the inauguration in person but…
Newly elected Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Pradeep Rai, in an interaction with the Supreme Court Bench, underlined the Bar’s commitment to maintaining a constructive and collaborative relationship with the judiciary, while acknowledging the guidance and institutional support extended by the Court. Addressing the Bench, Rai said that the guidance of the Judges was…
Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai has been elected President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), securing a decisive mandate in the 2026 election and assuming stewardship of the premier representative body of advocates practising before the Supreme Court. Rai emerged victorious with 822 votes, defeating Senior Advocate Anupam Lal Das, who secured 451 votes. The…