India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
New Delhi: A woman cannot be treated as "untouchable" for three days in a month and then cease to be considered untouchable on the fourth day, Supreme Court judge BV Nagarathna remarked on Tuesday. The remark came while a nine-judge bench was hearing on petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including Sabarimala temple of Keralam, and on the ambit and scope of religious freedom practised by multiple faiths. The constitution bench comprised Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi. Also Read: Supreme Court of India reopens Sabarimala Temple case ahead of Kerala polls During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, submitted that he has strong objection to an observation in the 2018 Sabarimala judgment that the exclusion of women in the age group of 10-50 years from the temple was a form of 'untouchability', violating Article 17 of the Constitution. In the Sabarimala case, Justice DY Chandrachud was of the opinion that exclusion of women, based on age or menstrual status, from entering Kerala's Sabarimala temple is a form of "untouchability" which places them in a "subordinate" position, perpetuated "patriarchy" and is "derogatory to their dignity. Mehta said, "India is not that patriarchal or gender stereotyped in the way that the West understands." Justice Nagarathna, then said, "Article 17 in the context of Sabarimala, I don't know how it can be argued. Speaking as a woman, there can't be a three-day untouchability every month, and on the fourth day, there is no untouchability." Mehta stated that he was not on the issue of menstruation. He said the bar on women entry in Sabarimala temple was not related to menstruation, and said the restriction was only on the basis of age group. "Let us be clear. Sabarimala concerns only a particular age group. There should be no confusion. Lord Ayyappa temples across the country and the world are open to women of all ages. It is only one temple which has this restriction. It is a sui generis case," he said. The hearing is currently underway. Also Read: Centre backs restriction on women's Sabarimala entry in SC, says religious faith beyond judicial review In September 2018, a five-judge Constitution bench, by a 4:1 majority verdict, had lifted the ban that prevented women between the ages of 10 and 50 from entering the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple and held that the centuries-old Hindu religious practice was illegal and unconstitutional. On November 14, 2019, another five-judge bench headed by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi, by a majority of 3:2, referred the issue of discrimination against women at various places of worship to a larger bench. The bench had then framed broad issues on freedom across religions, saying they cannot be decided without any facts of the particular case.
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed strong disapproval over the repeated doubts raised by political leaders regarding the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The court criticised the tendency of some political figures to question the integrity of the EVM system when they lose elections, while conveniently accepting its legitimacy when they win. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, pointed out the inconsistency in the stance taken by several leaders. "When they win, there is no issue with EVMs, but when they lose, questions are raised abou ...Read More >
Story so far: India celebrated its 75th year of adoption of its Constitution on Tuesday (November 26, 2024) with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint session of parliament. While the Constitution of India hits its diamond jubilee this year, event commemorating is as 'Constitution Day' was started only in 2015. Prior to this, it was called 'National Law Day' -- first initiated by former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Laxmi Mall Singhvi in 1979. "The Indian Constitution is a live, progressive document," said Ms. Murmu adding, "I urge all citizens to imbibe the constitutio ...Read More >
Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan has called for the replacement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with ballot papers, citing concerns over the legitimacy of election results. Ranjan raised doubts about the EVM's accuracy, suggesting that the results may be influenced and advocating for a ballot paper system like many other countries. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also echoed similar sentiments, accusing EVMs of wasting votes from marginalized communities. This comes after the Congress' defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly election. The Supreme Court, however, dismissed a petition seeking th ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Congress on Wednesday gave a notice to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the Lok Sabha to discuss the recent statements made by a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court. "I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance, namely:- The recent statements made by a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court..." said K. Suresh, Congress MP and party's Chief Whip in the Lower Hosue. He said in the notice ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Punjab authorities to promptly tackle the health situation of farmers' leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who is on fast unto death for over 20 days and to take "extraordinary steps" to ensure his health. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan cautioned Punjab authorities on the repercussions if anything untoward happens to the farmer's leader. Also Read | 'Mukadma, Mulzim, Ilzam, Ittila, Chashmdeed': BJP Government in Rajasthan To Replace Urdu Terms in Policing With Hindi Words. "The entire state machinery will b ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jan 27 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Monday suggested Abhishek Lodha and his brother Abhinandan Lodha to try and amicably resolve the issue over the use of 'Lodha' trademark. The Abhishek Lodha-promoted Macrotech Developers Ltd earlier this month filed a suit in the HC against Abhinandan Lodha's real estate firm, House of Abhinandan Lodha, claiming the name 'Lodha' was their trademark and no one else could use it. The suit sought Rs 5,000 crore as damages from Abhinandan Lodha's company. In an interim application, Macrotech Developers sought a perpetual injunction against the defen ...Read More >
Assam Beef Ban: A political row has erupted over the Assam government's decision to ban the public consumption of beef in the state with the Opposition labelling it "against the right to freedom" while the ruling BJP lauding the state Cabinet's call. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced on Wednesday that his government has decided to ban the consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and public places, drawing sharp reactions from the Opposition. Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan ...Read More >
Khargone (MP), Dec 11 (PTI) Spiritual leader Sant Siyaram Baba passed away on Wednesday at 94 following a brief illness at his ashram on the banks of the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh, an official said. Siyaram Baba breathed his last around 6.10 am in his ashram in Bhattyan village, said Khargone district Superintendent of Police Dharmaraj Meena. Condolences poured in from various quarters. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, former CM Digvijaya Singh, and ex-Union minister Arun Yadav among others expressed grief over the death of the Hindu seer, a revered figure in the Nimar region ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (VOICE) The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that no fresh suits would be registered under the Places of Worship Act in the country, and in the pending cases, no final or effective orders would be passed till further orders of the Apex Court. A Special Bench headed by CJI Sajiv Khanna asked the Union government to file within four weeks its reply to the clutch of petitions challenging the validity of the 1991 Act, which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. The Bench, also c ...Read More >
New Delhi: Observing that "criminalisation of politics is a very major issue", the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and Election Commission of India (ECI) to respond to a PIL challenging election of convicted persons as MPs/MLAs. The development took place during the resumed hearing of a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, seeking lifelong disqualification of MPs and MLAs convicted of criminal offences. The PIL has challenged provisions of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) that bar convicted politicians from contesting polls for six years after serving jail terms. A be ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Feb 10 (VOICE) Telangana's Minister for Industry and Information Technology D. Sridhar Babu has strongly condemned the attack on Chilkur Balaji Temple head priest C. S. Rangarajan and made it clear that the government will not tolerate anarchic elements hijacking Hinduism to spread hate and terror.Terming the attack on the chief priest and administrator of the temple as a heinous act, he said that the government would deal with such evil acts with an iron fist. "Although the main accused is in police custody, this isn't just a crime -- it's an attack on our values and faith! Using ...Read More >
New Delhi, Nov 26: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to introduce ballot paper in place of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines). A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P.B. Varale rejected the prayer to return to the ballot system due to the alleged manipulability of EVMs. "When you lose, EVMs are tampered with; when you win, EVMs are fine," remarked the apex court, when the petitioner referred to the statements made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his predecessor Jagan Mohan ...Read More >
BUDAUN: A court hearing a plea of a Hindu outfit, which had sought permission to worship at Jama Masjid Shamsi here claiming it was a temple, on Tuesday asked the Muslim side to complete their arguments by December 10. Arguing his case, the lawyer for Shamsi Shahi Jama Masjid Intezamia Committee and Waqf Board Asrar Ahmed questioned the locus standi of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha to file the petition in the matter. Urging the court to dismiss the plea, the counsel submitted that the mosque is about 850 years old. He stated that there is "no existence of a temple" there and worship by Hin ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 6 (ANI): The Lok Sabha as part of the Winter Session of the Parliament has been adjourned until 11:00 am on December 9, as announced by the Speaker on Friday. The proceedings of the lower house were adjourned until 12 pm earlier in the day as disruptions continued for the ninth consecutive day of the winter session, with opposition members raising slogans and creating ruckus over various contentious issues. Also Read | Hashimpura Massacre Case: Supreme Court Grants Bail to 8 Convicts in Infamous 1987 Massacre Case. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made a fervent appeal ...Read More >
The Supreme Court halted new temple-mosque legal battles. The court will review the 1991 law impacting religious site status. This law froze the status of religious sites as of August 15, 1947. Several cases, including Gyanvapi and Shahi Idgah, challenge this law. The law's validity is being questioned. The court's decision impacts ongoing and future disputes.In its ruling on the keenly-watched Place of Worship Act case, the Supreme Court said on December 12 that no new Mandir-Masjid suits are to ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has directed that no new lawsuits related to places of worship (temples, mosques, or shrines) can be filed until further notice. This decision was made during the ongoing hearing of petitions challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The ruling prohibits the lower courts from issuing any survey orders or interim orders that might alter the status or nature of any religious site. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar, and Justice K.V. Vishwanathan, issued this order while hearing sev ...Read More >
Nagpur, Dec 15 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday slammed the opposition parties, accusing them of not believing in the Constitution. Fadnavis landed in Nagpur to a grand welcome from party workers and people. Talking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Fadnavis said, "It is a joyous moment that after becoming the chief minister, I have come to my janmabhoomi and karmabhoomi (birthplace and workplace). Nagpur is my family, and it is welcome by my family." Fadnavis took oath as the chief minister for the third time on December 5 after the Mahayuti combine swept the Novem ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed strong disapproval over the repeated doubts raised by political leaders regarding the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The court criticised the tendency of some political figures to question the integrity of the EVM system when they lose elections, while conveniently accepting its legitimacy when they win. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, pointed out the inconsistency in the stance taken by several leaders. "When they win, there is no issue with EVMs, but when they lose, questions are raised abo ...Read More >
Kottayam (Kerala), Dec 12 (PTI) The historic struggle for equality that took place in Vaikom a century ago, popularly known as the Vaikom Satyagraha, was not a movement confined to Kerala but marked the starting point for various other struggles for social justice, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday. In his address at Vaikom in this district after inaugurating the renovated Thanthai Periyar Memorial and Periyar Library, Stalin said that while impressive strides have been made in areas of social justice and economy in 100 years, a lot more has to be achieved. Stalin inaugur ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], February 3 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report on the examination of certain leaked audio tapes which allegedly implicate Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh for instigating ethnic violence in the state. A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said the CFSL report should be submitted in six weeks in a sealed cover. Also Read | Bengaluru Water Crisis: Residents Brace for Harsh Summer As Groundwater Levels Drop Dangerously Low. The bench then posted the hearing in the week commenci ...Read More >
Gandhinagar, Feb 4 (PTI) The BJP government in Gujarat on Tuesday formed a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to assess the need for the Uniform Civil Code in the state, and also draft a bill for the same. While the Opposition said the decision was aimed at diverting attention from pressing issues ahead of the upcoming local body polls, the government claimed rights of the tribal communities will be protected if the UCC is implemented. The five-member committee, to be headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai, will submit its report within 45 days, following which a decision abou ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Election Commission (EC) on a PIL challenging its decision to increase the maximum number of voters per polling station from 1,200 to 1,500, saying it is "concerned".A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar asked senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the poll panel, to file a short affidavit explaining the rationale behind the decision. ...Read More >
New Delhi: In an important direction, the Supreme Court on Thursday restrained all the courts in the country from entertaining and passing any effective interim or final orders on any lawsuits seeking relief including a survey of religious places under the 1991 law. The direction of a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan came on a batch of pleas and cross pleas relating to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. ...Read More >
Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's hunger strike enters its 17th day. His health is critical. The Supreme Court urges dialogue between the government and Dallewal. Dallewal demands MSP guarantee and other farmer-centric issues. He has written an open letter to the Prime Minister. Farmers' organizations continue their protests at the Punjab-Haryana border.The Supreme Court on Friday expressed serious concern over the deteriorating health of Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who ...Read More >
New Delhi, January 13 (VOICE) Acting swiftly on the recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium, the Centre on Monday cleared the appointment of Patna High Court's Chief Justice Krishnan Vinod Chandran to the apex court. In a post on X, Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced that the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), was pleased to appoint Justice Chandran as a Supreme Court judge. "In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Kri ...Read More >
New Delhi, January 27: The Supreme Court has upheld an order passed by the apex court registry in August 2024 refusing to admit a lawyer's application seeking direction to SEBI to submit its conclusive probe report into the Adani-Hindenburg controversy. Advocate Vishal Tiwari had moved an appeal against the order passed by the Registrar on August 5 last year. Earlier on July 15, 2024, the top court had dismissed a review petition filed against its earlier verdict refusing to form any SIT or group of experts to conduct an investigation. After perusing the review petition, a bench, headed by th ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday closed the proceedings before the Madhya Pradesh High Court against state minister Vijay Shah in connection with his remarks against Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The officer gained nationwide prominence along with another woman officer, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during the media briefings on Operation Sindoor. The matter came up before a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the top court that parallel proceedings were going on before the High Court against the minister. T ...Read More >
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 2 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) President Farooq Abdullah claimed that Muslims are feeling unsafe and stated that there is no discrimination based on religion, as guaranteed by the Constitution. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir also said that the government should treat Muslims without any discrimination. "...There is no doubt that Muslims are feeling unsafe. I will ask the govt of India to stop that. 24 crore Muslims cannot be thrown into the ocean. They (the govt) should treat Muslims equally, there is no di ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed courts across the country to refrain from admitting or passing any new orders on pleas seeking surveys of mosques to determine if temples lie beneath them. This decision extends to existing suits, halting any further orders on the matter. The directive was issued as the apex court continued hearing petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. This Act prohibits filing lawsuits to reclaim places of worship or alter their character from what existed on August 15, 1947. Judicial Revie ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday granted conditional future bail to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in a money laundering case related to the cash-for-job scam. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said that Chatterjee shall be released on February 1, 2025 subject to the trial court framing charges before the winter vacation and examination of vulnerable witnesses by the second and third week of January 2025. Also Read | Atul Subhash Suicide Case: Wife Nikita Singhania Absconds, Karnataka Police Arrest Her Mother, Brother From Uttar Pradesh's Jaunp ...Read More >