Supreme Court of India’s busy Summer Vacation 2017

The Supreme Court of India’s summer vacation this year might turn out to be a very busy one. In at least three cases, the Court has made it clear that they will be listed for final hearing during the summer holidays..The Supreme Court of India has a long summer vacation of more than one and a half months. This year, the Court shuts on May 11 and re-opens on July 3..Usually a vacation bench sits during the summer holidays to hear cases, which require urgent hearing. However, the last two years saw two prominent cases being heard during the vacation. In 2015, the case challenging the Constitutionality of National Judicial Appointments Commission was heard while in 2016, the Jayalalithaa Disproportionate Assets Case was heard..This year, the Court has gone further by expressing its inclination to hear three cases. Below are the three cases which the Court will be hearing during summer vacation this year:.Triple Talaq, Polygamy and Nikah halala.In Re: Muslim Women’s Quest For Equality Jamiat Ulma-I-Hind – Suo Moto Writ Petition (Civil) 2/2015.Petition challenging the Constitutionality of Muslim practices of polygamy, triple talaq (talaq-e-bidat) and nikah halala..When the matter was heard on February 14, the Bench presided by Chief Justice JS Khehar and comprising Justices NV Ramana and DY Chandrachud said that it will hear the case in the first week of summer vacation..“We will post it for hearing in the first week of summer vacation”, remarked Justice Khehar..The Court has now asked the parties to frame the issues and decide on the lawyers who will be arguing the matter..Whatsapp user data protection.Karmanya Singh Sareen & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. – SLP (Civil) 804/2017.Petition seeking guidelines to regulate Whataspp..The genesis of the petition, filed by one Karmanya Singh Sareen, lies in the change of privacy policy of Whatsapp in 2016. Pursuant to that, Whatsapp sought to share information of users with Facebook..“In August 2016, suddenly Whatsapp announced a change in its privacy policy and users were asked to agree to the new privacy policy by which Whatsapp announced sweeping changes. In effect, the new Privacy Policy sought to share the entire ‘information’ including the users’ phone number, contacts and data with Facebook.”.The petitioner had challenged this in Delhi High Court contending violation of right to privacy..The High Court, in its judgment had given only a limited relief prompting Sareen to appeal to Supreme Court..The Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud issued notice to the Centre on January 16..Most interestingly, the Court said that it will hear the case only during summer vacation and that Senior Advocate Harish Salve should appear and argue for the petitioner..The matter is now listed for final hearing on May 12, 2017..Illegal Immigration and Section 6A of Citizenship Act.Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors. – Writ Petition (Civil) 562/2012.A case relating to illegal migration into the State of Assam. It involves many significant issues including Constitutionality of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act and whether there is a rational basis for having a separate cut-off date for regularizing illegal migrants who enter Assam as opposed to the rest of the country..The Court is also considering whether an influx of illegal migrants into a State of India constitute “external aggression” and/or “internal disturbance”..The case has now been referred to a Constitution Bench to decide on the Constitutionality of section 6A and will be heard during the summer vacation. It is likely to be listed on May 11.