The Week That Was: The Supreme Court of India

The Supreme Court of India saw some high octane in its corridors, with altercations between members of the legal fraternity threatening to prove catastrophic for clients. On the whole though, the week sailed by without major hiccups. .Read the highlights below..Monday, September 19.Plea on Maratha Quota dismissed.The apex court refused to entertain a plea for action on the pending adjudication over petitions challenging Maharashtra government’s 16% quota to Marathas in jobs and education..The order came in a plea filed by petitioner Vinod Narayan Patil who sought urgent hearing of his plea. He had alleged that the Bombay High Court, which had stayed the quota in November of 2014, has not even fixed the matters for final hearing and adjudication despite an order from the apex court..A bench of CJI TS Thakur and AM Khanwilkar, however, allowed the petitioner to approach the High Court for expeditious hearing..Notice to Bihar strongman Mohdammad Shahbuddin.Notice was issued to Bihar politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, whose bail has been challenged by petitions filed by both the Bihar government as well as by Chandu Babu, whose sons were murdered by Shahabuddin. Acting on his plea, the Court sought a response from the former parliamentarian and fixed the matter to be heard again on September 26..Tuesday, September 20.Challenge to Maharashtra Law CET dismissed by Supreme Court.The petition filed by law aspirant Kedar Warad against Maharashtra’s CET for law was dismissed. On August 29, Justices Madan B Lokur and RK Agarwal, had issued notice in Warad’s petition, asking both the Bar Council of India and the Maharashtra government to file a response. But this week, the same bench came down on the petitioner for what it deemed as a suppression of material facts as he had appeared for the exam himself. .Cheque for repayment of installment but described as “security” covered by S. 138 .The dishonour of a post-dated cheque given for repayment of loan installment which is described as “security” in the loan agreement is covered by Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The decision was rendered by a Bench of Dipak Misra and AK Goel, JJ in an appeal filed against a Delhi High Court judgment..Search Engines to ‘Auto-block’ Search on Pre-Natal Sex Determination.Search engines of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft will now have to “auto-block” pre-natal sex determination ads. The three were also ordered to develop a method to auto-block both existing ads and ads that might appear in the future. The court also ordered the companies to block search results of certain proposed lists of words (or keywords), which have been approved by the concerned Ministry..Cauvery dispute continues even as Court modified order after order.The Centre was asked to constitute a Cauvery Management Board (CMB), an expert resolution body, to resolve the Cauvery issue. The court also directed the Karnataka government to release 6,000 cusecs of water per day till September 30..On September 5, the Supreme Court had directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day till September 16. The order was later revised with the Court ordering the release of 12,000 cusecs of water per day till September 20..Wednesday, September 21.Court comes down strongly on “absurd” liquor law.The court made some strong remarks against the prohibition under the new law on serving liquor in the areas designated for dancing terming it as “absurd”. The Maharashtra government, however, responded by saying that right to have liquor is not a fundamental right but a privilege which State is entitled to regulate. .The court also questioned the decision to bring dance bars under CCTV surveillance. The court, however, did not stay the new law, but allowed three dance bars to operate under the old law. The case will now be heard on November 24..Mosquitos impleaded in chikangunya PIL?.The Apex Court will hear a PIL alleging that the apathy of Delhi civic bodies has led certain areas to become breeding grounds for infestation and outbreak of diseases like chikungunya..As reported by The Times of India, a Bench presided by CJI Thakur asked the hassled doctor who appeared in the matter whether he has made all mosquitoes party in the case, too. That got a laugh from all and sundry. The matter is expected to be taken up tomorrow. .Thursday, September 22.Solving the NEET quandary: One state at a time!.As frantic parents thronged the hallowed halls of the Apex Court, a five judge bench, headed by Justice A R Dave, directed that the counselling for NEET in Madhya Pradesh to be conducted, effectively setting aside the earlier rounds of counselling. .Friday, September 23.Relaxation in jail sentence as ‘special case’ for molestation accused DGP?.The conviction of former Haryana DGP S P S Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case was upheld. However, the 18-month jail term awarded to him by a Haryana trial Court was reduced to around six months. The relaxation by V Gopala Gowda and R K Agrawal JJ was made in view of his advanced age as a “special case”..Ban on publication of names of lawyers and judges in media reports?.An appeal against a Madras High Court judgment directing the media to not publish names of lawyers and judges was dismissed. Justices Ranjan Gogoi and PC Pant refused to admit the appeal filed by advocate Baskar Mathuram remarking that there “is nothing in the case”. .Sahara Chief Subrata Roy was saved by an ‘unconditional apology’.A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur very nearly cancelled the “interim arrangements” of granting Subrata Roy parole after market regulator SEBI’s counsel Pratap Venugopal told the bench that all the properties given by Sahara to the market regulator were already attached by the IT authorities..Apparently annoyed over the misleading statements given by the counsel, as well as the brazen misbehaviour of Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhavan, the Chief Justice immediately ordered the cancellation of parole but later relented after Kapil Sibal was rushed in to tender an ‘unconditional apology’. Dhavan, on the other hand, chose not to bow to the whims of the CJI..CBI probe into slain journalist’s death.The CBI was asked to proceed with its probe into the murder of ‘Dainik Hindustan’ journalist Rajdeo Ranjan. It also asked the Bihar police to provide protection to his family, which has claimed threats from RJD leader and gangster Mohammed Shahabuddin. The court has ordered the probe and protection on the basis of a petition filed by Ranjan’s wife who has also sought transfer of the case from Siwan in Bihar to Delhi..Dhal Singh escapes noose despite a judge’s dissent.Dhal Singh Dewangan, who was sentenced to death by the Chhattisgarh High Court for killing his wife and five minor children, was acquitted by a 2:1 majority by the top court..Justices Ranjan Gogoi and UU Lalit set aside the confirmation of death penalty, holding that the prosecution, on the basis of admissible evidence on record, has not proved its case against Dewangan. Justice Prafulla C Pant dissented, upholding the conviction but awarding a life term instead.