The Yearly Reports: What happened in the Supreme Court in 2018

2018 was one of the most eventful years in the history of the Supreme Court of India. The year witnessed the unprecedented Judges Press conference, as the four senior-most sitting judges convened at the residence of Justice Jasti Chelameswar on January 12. They raised apprehensions about the functioning of then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, at a time when allegations of Executive interference into the affairs of the Judiciary were already rife..The year also witnessed several landmark judgments. The Court read down Section 377 of Indian Penal Code to the extent it criminalized consensual sex between adults, irrespective of gender. It upheld the validity of the Aadhaar scheme, while striking down certain provisions of the Aadhaar Act. It also struck down Section 497 IPC which criminalised adultery..The Court’s judgment allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple had major political ramifications, particularly in Kerala, where protests led to large-scale violence..In October, Justice Ranjan Gogoi took over as Chief Justice of India from Dipak Misra J. Subsequently, there was a slew of appointments of judges to High Courts, with the Central government finally clearing many pending files..Below is an exhaustive timeline of all the events that transpired at the Supreme Court in 2018..January.January 4: Then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra relaxes the rules of oral mentioning before the Supreme Court, allowing junior lawyers to mention cases..Court seeks response from the Centre and States over the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act, 2013. .Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) files a petition seeking a review of the Court’s order imposing costs of Rs 25 lakh on it, after it filed a petition seeking investigation into the Medical College Bribery case..January 5: Supreme Court refers the PIL challenging the Constitutional validity of Adultery laws under Section 497 of the IPC to a Constitution Bench..January 8: Court decides to reconsider its decision in the Suresh Kumar Koushal judgment of 2013 that upheld the validity of Section 377. Fresh petitions challenging the validity of Section 377 of the IPC referred to a larger Bench..Court stays the Karnataka High Court order that had quashed the mandatory printing of pictorial health warnings covering 85 percent of packaging on tobacco products under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014..January 9: Court modifies its earlier order and directs that playing National Anthem in cinema halls is not mandatory..January 10: Court upholds the judgment of the Kerala High Court against the demolition of an apartment complex built by DLF in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone Rules. SC asks DLF to pay Rs 1 Crore fine to the Kerala State Coastal Zone Management Authority..A 3-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to re-investigate 186 cases pertaining to the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots..January 11: Petition filed seeking investigation into the death of Special CBI Judge BH Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh Fake Encounter Case..Court directs the Central government and the States of Kerala and Tamil Nadu to constitute a committee to deal with disaster management issues with respect to the Mullaperiyar dam..Collegium recommends the names of Senior Advocate Indu Malhotra and Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court KM Joseph for elevation to the Supreme Court..January 12: In an unprecedented move, four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court hold a Press Conference. Justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur, and Kurian Joseph address the press at Justice Chelameswar’s residence and express reservations about the manner in which cases in the Supreme Court were being allocated to different benches..Court issues notice in the appeal filed against the Gujarat High Court verdict on Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013..January 13: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) passes a resolution urging that all PILs be heard by the Chief Justice of India or the Collegium judges..The Bar Council of India criticises the Judges’ Press Conference further stating that a seven-member committee of the BCI will discuss the issues raised in the Press Conference with the Chief Justice of India and the Collegium Judges..January 15: Additional District Judge (ADJ) Kamini Lau moves the Supreme Court challenging the contempt action initiated against her by the Delhi High Court for allegedly making “unacceptable and unfounded statements” regarding observations made by a Single Judge Bench of the High Court..January 16: Bench presided over by Justice Arun Mishra recuses from the petition seeking a probe into Judge Loya’s death..January 17: Ban imposed on the release of the film Padmaavat in four states challenged in Supreme Court..A Constitution Bench of five judges commences hearing the challenge to the Constitutional validity of the Aadhaar scheme..Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) seeks an in-house inquiry to be initiated against the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in light of “serious allegations” against him in the Medical College Bribery case..January 18: Supreme Court stays the ban imposed on release of Padmaavat in four states..Senior Advocate Indira Jaising moves Court seeking live streaming of cases of Constitutional and national importance..January 19: Court refuses to interfere with the decision of the Delhi High Court to acquit Film Director Mahmood Farooqui in a case of alleged rape of a foreign national..Persons from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes move the Supreme Court seeking exclusion of people of the creamy layer from availing benefits accorded to the SC/STs..January 22: Court transfers all cases pertaining to Judge Loya’s death pending in various High Courts to itself. All the records in the case are directed to be produced before the Apex Court..Court stays the proceedings of a case concerning the imposition of 12 per cent GST on sanitary napkins in the Delhi High Court..The proceedings pending before the Delhi and Chhattisgarh High Courts in the case relating to applicability of GST on lawyers and law firms stayed by the Court..January 23: Court refuses to modify its order that stayed the ban on the release of the film Padmaavat in four states..Court holds that an award passed by an Arbitrator on the question of limitation is an interim award and can be challenged independently under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act..There can be no special consideration allowed to any person on the ground that he/she is a foreign national while deciding on the question of bail, the Court rules..January 25: Court directs the Chhattisgarh High Court to reconsider its order that mandated furnishing of Aadhaar details by bail applicants. .January 29: Court upholds The Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment (Bangalore City) Order 2005, which regulates the functioning of establishments that host live music and performances. This verdict makes it mandatory for restaurants to obtain licences to host such events..Notice issued to the NIA and the State of Maharashtra on the petition filed by Malegaon Blast accused Lt. Col Shrikant Purohit, who is seeking quashing of charges framed against him under the UAPA..January 30: SCBA journal ‘SCBA Times’ formally launched by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra..January 31: Bench led by CJI Dipak Misra says that Single Judge Benches cannot be allowed to perform judicial functions in the National Green Tribunal (NGT)..A two-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court considers the introduction of safeguards to prevent misuse of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989..February.February 1: New Roster system introduced by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in the wake of the Judges’ Press Conference..Court orders that no coercive action can be taken under the Gujarat Self Financed Schools Act, 2017 without the leave of the Court. The Act imposes a cap on school fees payable per year and its validity was upheld by the Gujarat High Court..Collegium recommends Senior Advocate Indu Malhotra and Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph for elevation to the Supreme Court..Collegium recommends Chief Justices for ten High Courts including High Courts at Calcutta and Delhi..February 2: Supreme Court reserves judgment in the case concerning the entry of Foreign Law Firms into the Indian legal market..A Division Bench of the Court refers to a Constitution Bench, the challenge to amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act allowing Jalikattu in Tamil Nadu..Court holds that the limitation period for filing an appeal under provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 cannot be extended beyond what is provided for in the statute..February 3: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) appeals before the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court verdict in the Bofors case twelve years after the accused persons were discharged without a trial..February 4: Court re-affirms that a daughter of a coparcener shall by birth become a coparcener in her own right in the same manner as the son. A Bench of Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan explains the changes in law relating to a joint Hindu family governed by the Mitakshara law, post the 2005 amendment to the Hindu Succession Act, 1956..Petition filed seeking a probe into match-fixing in Cricket by SIT. The petition also prays for a stay on the Indian Premier League (IPL) and similar leagues pending the probe..February 5: Court appoints Senior Counsel Sidharth Luthra as Amicus Curiae in the matter concerning installation of CCTV cameras and recording of proceedings of Subordinate Courts..Bombay Lawyers Association moves Court seeking permission to cross-examine eleven persons in the Judge Loya case..February 6: A three-judge Bench of the Court explains the scope of term “owner” under Section 2(30) of the Motor Vehicles Act..February 7: Court cancels leases of 88 mine leaseholders in Goa that were renewed in contravention of the Court’s 2014 directions..Court holds that only Section 50 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 provides for an appeal in all Arbitration cases for enforcement of foreign awards..February 8: Veteran Army officer moves Supreme Court challenging the FIR registered against members of the Indian Army after the Shopian incident that injured civilians and caused the death of one..February 9: Court seeks assistance of Attorney General for India KK Venugopal in the petition seeking live streaming of cases of national importance..February 10: UP Sunni Waqf Board moves Court against the Allahabad High Court judgment ordering the removal of a Mosque from the premises of the High Court..February 12: Court upholds the high standards of market integrity by allowing an appeal filed by SEBI in a case concerning synchronized trading..February 13: Court dismisses the petition by NGO Swaraj Abhiyan seeking a probe into the alleged anomalies in the purchase of AgustaWestland helicoptera by the State of Chhattisgarh..February 15: Enforcement of an arbitral award through its execution can be filed anywhere in the country where such decree can be executed, Court rules..February 16: Court directs that candidates contesting elections will have to declare their source of income, as well as that of spouses and dependents..Verdict in the Cauvery dispute pronounced, Karnataka directed to release 177.25 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet of water to Tamil Nadu on a yearly basis..February 19: Actress Priya Prakash Varrier along with the producer and the director of the Malayalam film Oru Adaar Love move Supreme Court for quashing of criminal complaints against them in Telangana and Maharashtra..February 23: Retired judicial officers can be appointed judges of the High Court under Article 217(2)(a) of the Constitution of India, Court rules..Court issues notice to Delhi Police in a case filed by Subramanian Swamy seeking a probe in Sunanda Pushkar’s death..Court holds that the power under Section 88 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to release a person on accepting bond cannot be claimed as a matter of right by the accused, but is a discretionary power given to the courts..February 24: Court calls for tighter regulatory framework for Multinational Accounting Firms in India, urges the Central government to look into the regulatory policy governing the same..February 25: P Chidambaram moves Court claiming a violation of his Fundamental Rights by Centre through its various agencies like CBI and ED..February 28: Senior Advocates Aman Lekhi, Vikramjit Banerjee and Sandeep Sethi appointed Additional Solicitors General (ASG) for the Supreme Court..March.March 5: Centre for Public Interest Litigation files an intervention application in the case seeking a probe into the death of Judge Loya..March 7: Court holds that the power of High Courts to issue a writ of quo warranto can be invoked only where it is established that a person is occupying a public office in contravention of the law..The Supreme Court passes interim order stating that Aadhaar will not be mandatory for registering for NEET or other All India Exams and candidates can use valid ID including Driving License, Ration Card, Voter ID etc..March 8: Kerala High Court judgment that annulled the marriage between Hadiya and Shafin Jehan set aside. Supreme Court, however, directs that the ongoing NIA investigation in the case will continue..Collegium recommends making permanent five Additional Judges from Allahabad and Gauhati High Courts..March 9: In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court recognises and gives sanction to passive Euthanasia and living will/advance directive; rules that Right to Life under Article 21 includes the right to live with dignity..March 11: Court dismisses petition praying for implementation of a two-child policy..March 12: Court issues notice to the Bar Council of India (BCI) in a petition seeking ban on MPs and MLAs from practicing law..In an appeal filed by the Hyderabad High Court, Court seeks assistance of Attorney General KK Venugopal to decide the question of whether a victim can conduct prosecution independently or in addition to the public prosecutor under the CrPC..Court holds that oral consent of a counsel representing a party is not sufficient to initiate Arbitration proceedings in the absence of an Arbitration agreement..March 13: Court holds that Foreign Law firms cannot set up offices in India. Rules that they can ‘fly in and fly out’ to advise on foreign law, but on a casual and temporary basis..Court extends indefinitely the deadline for linking Aadhaar with various schemes, including mobile phone numbers and new bank accounts..March 15: Court calls on electronic media to be responsible in its reportage while hearing the petition filed by news portal The Wire against the defamation case filed by Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah..Court holds that the government may impose conditions to restrict and discourage people from entering into the ‘usurious’ business of money lending or pawnbroking..March 19: Court issues notice in a petition filed by the father of Junaid Khan, a victim of mob lynching, who sought a CBI probe to look into the death of his son..Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of the Talwar couple in the infamous Arushi Talwar double murder case challenged in the Supreme Court by the wife of the slain domestic help Hemraj..In the Rohingyas case, Centre makes some strong submissions. Appearing before a Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta questions the intention and bona fides of the petitioners..March 20: Court holds that representations made by a debtor of a Non-Performing Asset must be mandatorily considered by Secured Creditors under Section 13 of the SARFAESI Act. However, this mandate can also be constructively satisfied..In a significant judgment, Supreme Court introduces safeguards to prevent misuse of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 against officers who deal with the complaints under the Act. Holds that prior sanction of appointing authority is required for prosecuting officers for acts done by them with respect to SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 in their official capacity..A Division Bench of the Court refers to a larger Bench the question of discrimination in pension granted to retired High Court judges elevated from the subordinate courts and from the Bar..While adjudicating a batch of petitions challenging the RTI rules framed by different High Courts and other government authorities in the country, Court directs that RTI fees should not exceed Rs. 50 per application and Rs. 5 for photocopying, for all government authorities..March 26: Court issues notice in a batch of petitions challenging the Islamic practices of Polygamy, Nikah Halala, Nikah Mutah and Nikah Misyar while referring the matter to a Constitution Bench..Court holds that the punishment for murder as per Section 302 of Indian Penal code is death or life imprisonment and any punishment less than life imprisonment is illegal and without the authority of law..March 27: Court lays down a slew of measures to prevent gatherings of Khap Panchayats including imposition of Section 144, as well as punitive measures to counter honour killings..Indian National Congress initiates impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra..In a significant order, Court orders 30 per cent hike in basic salary of Judges of the subordinate judiciary..March 28: Collegium recommends five advocates for elevation to the Calcutta High Court and four judicial officers along with one advocate for elevation to the Madhya Pradesh High Court..In an all-important judgment, a three-judge Bench of the Court holds that stay of proceedings in a pending trial, whether civil or criminal, will automatically lapse after six months unless extended by speaking order..March 29: Justice Jasti Chelameswar writes a strongly worded letter to CJI Dipak Misra registering his protest against the interference of the Executive, highlighting the case of elevation of a judge to the Karnataka High Court..March 31: Petition comes to be filed seeking mandatory use of the pre-installed mic system in the Court..April.April 2: Centre seeks review of the Supreme Court’s judgment holding that sanction from the appointing authority needs to be obtained before prosecution under the SC/ST Act..April 3: Court refuses to stay its judgment in the SC/ST case..April 6: A PIL is filed seeking directions to be issued to the Central government to comply with the statutory provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014..Senior Advocate and Former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan files a petition challenging the powers of the Chief Justice of India as the Master of the Roster..Supreme Court Collegium recommends four names for elevation to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and two advocates for the elevation to the Gauhati High Court..April 9: Court reserves its verdict in a petition praying that rules be framed for constituting benches and allotting jurisdiction to different benches in the Supreme Court and High Courts..Court delivers its reasoned judgment in the Hadiya case about a month after setting aside the Kerala High Court judgment which annulled the marriage between Hadiya and Shafin Jehan..April 10: Court issues notice to the Centre in a petition challenging the vires of various provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC)..April 11: The petition praying for framing of rules to regulate the constitution of benches in the Supreme Court and the High Courts dismissed by the court..Court refuses to examine the issue of whether the concept of consent of parties is clear in the Hindu Marriage Act..April 12: Justice Kurian Joseph writes to CJI Dipak Misra urging him to act on the non-appointment of judges by the Central government..April 13: Court seeks the assistance of Attorney General KK Venugopal and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the PIL filed by former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan on the master of roster power exercised by the Chief Justice of India..Court takes suo motu cognizance of the conduct of lawyers in Jammu post the Kathua rape and murder case wherein a group of lawyers prevented a lawyer from representing the victim’s family..April 15: A 3-Judge Bench refers to a Constitution Bench the case concerning the scope of power of state governments to legislate on the admission procedure and reservation policy for in-service candidates to PG Medical Courses..April 16: Court dismisses petition seeking to scrap the lifelong pension given to former Members of Parliament (MPs)..The father of the Kathua rape and murder victim moves the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the trial in the matter outside the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Court issues notice to Jammu and Kashmir..Court reiterates that the power to order specific performance of contract is discretionary and cannot be claimed as a matter of right..Court holds that in cases that rest on circumstantial evidence, a complete chain without a snap must be proven..April 18: Anti-suit injunctions should be granted sparingly and not as a matter of routine, Court holds in a petition seeking injunction of divorce proceedings in a USA court..The Court urges Jay Shah and news portal, The Wire, to resolve the defamation case amicably..National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions has original jurisdiction to decide on the minority status of an existing educational institution, holds Supreme Court..April 19: Court dismisses petitions filed seeking independent probe into the death of the Special CBI Judge BH Loya who was hearing the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case..Youth Bar Association files petition seeking directions to be issued to the Supreme Court Collegium and Calcutta High Court Collegium to fill up vacancies in the Calcutta High Court..April 20: Court seeks the assistance of Attorney General KK Venugopal in a petition filed to restrain legislators and media from holding discussions on Judges..Central government supports the petition against the practice of Female Genital Mutilation practised by the Dawoodi Bohra community..71 MPs from Opposition parties at the Centre initiate impeachment motion against the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra..Court issues notice to all NLUs in petition filed by Professor Shamnad Basheer seeking a permanent body to conduct CLAT every year..April 23: Court holds that erstwhile executive officers cannot be absorbed into the State Judicial Service as judges based on their ad-hoc service..Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejects the notice of motion moved by opposition parties for the impeachment of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra..April 25: Collegium recommends four judicial officers and one lawyer for elevation to the Gujarat High Court, one name for elevation to the Bombay High Court, two for elevation to the Madras High Court and three names for elevation to the Chhattisgarh High Court..Centre clears the appointment of Indu Malhotra as a Judge of the Supreme Court..April 26: 100 lawyers file a petition in the Supreme Court over the issue of the Centre stalling of appointment of Justice KM Joseph to the Supreme Court..April 27: Collegium resolves to appoint Chief Justices to three High Courts – Manipur, Meghalaya, and Punjab & Haryana..Court reserves its verdict in the PIL filed by Shanti Bhushan on the issue of Chief Justice of India exercising the powers of Master of the Roster..Court stays the proceedings in the Kathua rape and murder case in the Trial Court..April 28: Court holds that the requirement of presence of a gazetted officer during search and seizure process under the NDPS Act is a mandatory provision..April 29: It is sufficient to furnish photcopies of records before Trial and Appellate Courts, rules Court..May.May 1: Court directs High Courts across the country to constitute 3-member committees to monitor trials under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act..May 2: Collegium defers decision on elevation of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph..Court gets a creche facility with a capacity of 30 children..Questions of seat and venue of Arbitration along with jurisdiction of Indian Courts in International Arbitration referred to a larger Bench for examination..May 3: Petition filed against the non-appointment of Justice KM Joseph and setting aside of the rejection by the Central government of his candidature as a judge of the Supreme Court..Centre prays that the review of the SC/ST judgment be placed before a larger Bench..May 4: CJI Dipak Misra states that mentioning for early listing of cases should henceforth be made before the Registrar (Judicial)..Justice RK Agrawal retires as a Supreme Court Judge..May 7: Court holds that former Chief Ministers cannot occupy government bungalows while striking down the law enacted by the Uttar Pradesh government to that effect..Rajya Sabha Speaker Venkaiah Naidu’s decision to reject the impeachment motion against CJI Dipak Misra challenged in Supreme Court..Trial in Kathua rape and murder case transferred to Pathankot, with the Court directing that the proceedings be held in-camera..Constitution Bench comprising Justices AK Sikri, SA Bobde, NV Ramana, Arun Mishra, and AK Goel constituted to hear CJI impeachment case..May 8: The petition challenging the rejection of impeachment motion against CJI Dipak Misra withdrawn..Advocate Prashant Bhushan files an RTI application to find out how the Constitution Bench to hear the CJI Impeachment case was constituted..May 9: State governments can reserve land owned by them for mining only with the approval of the Central government, Court holds..Court rules that it can place reliance upon Parliamentary Standing Committee Reports in cases filed before it under Article 32 or Article 136 of the Constitution..Justice Jasti Chelameswar turns down invitation to attend his farewell function..May 10: Court dismisses petition challenging the Congress manifesto, claiming it is violative of the Constitution of India and the Representation of People Act..May 11: BCCI directed to deposit Rs 100 crore as a condition for a stay of an arbitral award against it in favour of Kochi Cricket Pvt. Ltd..Accredited journalists permitted to carry mobile phones inside the courtrooms of Supreme Court..Court urges all the High Courts to set up Internal Complaints Committees in accordance with the Vishakha guidelines in all district Courts..Collegium resolves to reiterate Justice KM Joseph’s name for elevation to the Supreme Court, while also recommending names for appointment of other High Court Chief Justices..May 14: Witnesses in Kathua rape and murder case move Supreme Court alleging torture by investigating officers..Court rules that a victim or a de-facto complainant, under the proviso to Section 24(8) of the CrPC, cannot be permitted to conduct prosecution either independently or in addition to the public prosecutor by putting further questions in evidence during a trial or other proceedings..May 15: Court sets aside the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that had convicted cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu for culpable homicide in a case of road rage..May 16: A 3-Judge Bench refers to a larger Bench question of whether the grant of anticipatory bail should be limited to a definite period of time..Court castigates the concerned trial courts, the Gujarat High Court and the State prosecution for serious lapses in the investigation and trial of a 1992 riot case..The Court directs the Centre to set up a three-member committee to look into the problems plaguing the Tribunals in India..In a late night move, Congress leaders approach the Supreme Court with a petition challenging the decision of Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala to allow the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the government in the State..May 17: A 3-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court holds a midnight hearing in the Karnataka Assembly case. Hearing begins at 2 AM..The Court refuses to stay the swearing-in of BS Yeddyurappa as Chief Minister of Karnataka; says swearing in will be subject to the outcome of the petitions filed..Veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani, who had retired from the legal profession, mentions the Karnataka elections case before the CJI Bench in his personal capacity, terms the Governor’s order “a gross abuse of Constitutional power”..Supreme Court allows witnesses in Kathua case to be accompanied by their family members during investigation after allegations of torture by Police..Senior Advocates Shanti Bhushan and Dushyant Dave pay a heartfelt tribute to Justice Chelameswar in open Court one day ahead of Justice Chelameswar’s last working day as a Supreme Court judge..Application filed before the Supreme Court seeking to restrain BS Yedyurappa from nominating a member of the Anglo-Indian community as an MLA before the floor test..May 18: Supreme Court orders a floor test for the Karnataka Assembly, effectively staying the Karnataka Governor’s decision to give BS Yedyurappa 15 days time to prove majority..Various members of the Bar bid adieu to Justice Chelameswar in open Court in the absence of a farewell function..Congress-JDS alliance files an application before the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of KG Bopaiah as the pro tem Speaker..May 19: Court allows KG Bopaiah to continue as the pro tem Speaker in the Karnataka Assembly and directs that the floor test proceedings be telecast live..May 21: Bombay Lawyers Association files a review petition against the judgment delivered by the Court in the case of Judge Loya’s death..Supreme Court imposes costs of Rs 1 lakh each on Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Microsoft and WhatsApp for their lethargic response in disclosing steps taken to curb the circulation of child pornography on their platforms.May 22: Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to BJP leader S Ve Shekhar in the wake of case registered against him for posting derogatory content about women journalists on his social media platform..May 23: Petitions challenging the problems faced by candidates of CLAT 2018 is heard by the Court, which directs that petition copies to be served to NUALS, Kochi and the Central government..May 24: Supreme Court asks NUALS, Kochi to make wholesome suggestions to redress complaints against CLAT 2018..PIL filed seeking action against responsible persons in the Thoothukudi Police firing, where several anti-Sterlite protesters were killed..May 25: NUALS, Kochi agrees to constitute a grievance redressal committee to deal with complaints against CLAT 2018..May 26: Court stays NGT order which had directed that Delhi Airport vehicles should run on CNG..May 30: Court refuses to stay the publication of result of CLAT 2018 which was marred by a number of technical glitches forcing several candidates to approach Courts for redressal of their grievances..June.June 5: Court temporarily permits the Centre to allow reservation in promotions for its employees belonging to the SC/ST community..June 6: Court clarifies that the seat allotment for various NLUs based on the CLAT 2018 will be subject to the outcome of the petition in the Court..June 8: Senior Counsel Gopal Subramanium appointed by the Court as Amicus Curiae in the case concerning mismanagement of the Jagannath Temple..June 13: Court directs NUALS, Kochi to apply the compensatory scheme suggested for the candidates who lost time in CLAT 2018 and to publish a revised merit list..June 19: PIL filed against the Dharna held by AAP leaders at the residence of Lt. Governor of Delhi..June 22: Justice Jasti Chelameswar retires as a Judge of the Supreme Court. [Video].June 25: Non-accredited journalists allowed to carry mobile phones inside courtrooms of the Supreme Court..June 27: In the case concerning disqualification of Tamil Nadu’s MLAs, Court appoints Justice M Sathyanarayanan of the Madras High Court as the third judge to decide on the issue..Court allows Centre to probe the charges of disproportionate assets against the ED Investigating Officer Rajeshwar Singh, who was probing the Aircel Maxis case..June 28: PIL filed seeking definitive time-frames for making Judicial Appointments..July.July 2: Court dismisses the petition challenging the appointment of KV Chowdary as Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and TM Bhasin as Vigilance Commissioner..Court issues notice to Centre and eight States in a PIL concerning filling up of vacancies of Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners of States..Court seeks UP Government’s response in a PIL filed seeking a probe into encounter killings in the state..Court holds that the burden of proof on accused claiming the defence of insanity is not as stringent as the burden of proof on the prosecution..The retrospective amendment to the FCR Act by the Centre challenged before the Supreme Court..July 3: Court rules that police officers are authorised to procure fingerprints of arrested persons even without obtaining a Magistrate’s order to that effect..The Court refuses to stay the circular of the RBI that disallows dealing of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin..July 4: Court rules that the Lt. Governor of Delhi is bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers of Delhi government..July 5: Court issues notice to Centre and states in a PIL filed seeking reservation for orphans in government jobs and educational institutes..July 6: Court directs the management of the Jagannath Temple, Puri to consider allowing entry to persons of all faiths in the Temple..In a judgment in the petition filed by Shanti Bhushan, Court reiterates that the Chief Justice of India is the Master of the Roster..Constitution Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra along with Justices Rohinton Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud, and Indu Malhotra set up to hear cases concerning Section 377, Sabarimala Temple entry, adultery law, and decriminalisation of politics..Justice AK Goel retires as Supreme Court judge, appointed as the Chairman of the NGT on the same day..July 8: Constitution Bench will decide on the question of whether religious functions can be held in public spaces..July 9: Court directs AG KK Venugopal to devise guidelines for live streaming of cases of national importance..Court dismisses review petition filed by the convicts of the 2012 Delhi Gang-rape Case..Jammu and Kashmir directed to transfer the accused in the Kathua rape and murder to Gurdaspur Jail..July 10: Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court begins hearing challenge to the validity of Section 377 IPC..July 11: Centre makes its stand clear on adultery laws and tells the Court that decriminalisation of adultery will be a threat to the sanctity of marriage..Court rules that private hospitals in Delhi built on land given on concessional rates have to give free treatment to the poor or their lease will be cancelled..Centre says it will not contest the challenge to Section 377 and leaves it to the “wisdom of the Court”..July 12: Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi resigns as Additional Solicitor General..July 13: Supreme Court agrees to hear PIL by TMC Legislator Mahua Moitra challenging the Centre’s move to set up a mechanism to monitor social media movements of individuals..July 14: Kerala Church Sex Scandal reaches Supreme Court, with the main accused seeking anticipatory bail..July 17: Court urges the Parliament to enact a separate law to deal with cases of lynching..The Court reserves its judgment in the case challenging the validity of Section 377 IPC..Constitution Bench begins hearing the challenge to the validity of the ban imposed on entry of women between ages 10 and 50 into the Sabarimala Temple..July 19: Court refuses to stay the Madras High Court judgment that upheld the nomination of three BJP leaders to the Puducherry Assembly..July 20: The Court reserves its judgment in the Ayodhya-Babri case on the question of whether the Ismail Farooqui case needs to be referred to a larger bench..Collegium reiterates Justice KM Joseph for elevation to Supreme Court, recommends Justices Indira Banerjee and Vineet Saran for elevation to the Supreme Court..Collegium recommends Justice MR Shah to be appointed Chief Justice of Patna High Court, Justice Gita Mittal as Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, and Justice Aniruddha Bose as Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court..Collegium recommends transfer of Chief Justice of Patna High Court, Rajendra Menon to take over as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court; also recommends Chief Justices for Madras, Kerala, and Orissa High Courts..July 21: PIL filed in the Supreme Court challenging the government’s notification to invite lateral entry in Civil Services at Joint Secretary level for short-term services..July 23: Court holds that there cannot be a complete ban on holding demonstrations in Central Delhi, while clarifying that the government can regulate the same by way of guidelines..AG KK Venugopal suggests that live streaming of cases of national importance can be started with cases heard by Constitutional Benches in the Court of the Chief Justice of India..Court holds that while detaining someone under the National Security Act, 1980, detaining officer must submit a report to the state government at the earliest without any undue delay..July 27: Court asks Centre to file an affidavit indicating the steps intended to be taken to fill up vacancies in the Information Commissions..July 28: While hearing the case concerning extra-judicial killings in Manipur, Court summons CBI Director Alok Verma to be personally present to apprise the Court of the progress in the investigation..July 30: Court dismisses appeal filed by Dayanidhi Maran and others against the Madras High Court judgment that refused to discharge Maran in the Telephone Exchange case..Court pulls up CBI Director Alok Verma over the agency’s inaction in arresting those named in chargesheets for serious crimes in the case concerning extra-judicial killings in Manipur..July 31: Court orders that no coercive action be taken pursuant to the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC)..Court dismisses review petition in Judge Loya case..Court holds that confession of a co-accused cannot by itself be taken as a substantive piece of evidence against another co-accused..August.August 1: PIL filed before the Supreme Court praying for appointment of Justice KM Joseph as a judge of the Supreme Court..A Constitution Bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra along with Justices Kurian Joseph, Rohinton Nariman, Sanjay Kishan Kaul, and Indu Malhotra is set up to hear the case relating to reservation for SC/ST in the matter of promotions..August 2: Supreme Court takes suo motu cognizance of the Muzzafarpur Shelter Home Case and urges media to exercise restraint while reporting on this case..August 3: Centre informs the Court that the controversial plan to set up social media monitoring hub by I& B Ministry and its RFP is withdrawn, rendering the petition against it infructuous..Court refuses to interfere with the Delhi High Court’s decision to grant bail to Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media Case..In relation to the Sarada Chit Fund Scam, Court directs Enforcement Directorate not to take any coercive action against Nalini Chidambaram..August 4: Appointment of Justices Vineet Saran, Indira Banerjee, and KM Joseph as judges of the Supreme Court notified by the Centre..August 6: Supreme Court notifies guidelines for Senior Designation of lawyers..August 7: Justices Vineet Saran, Indira Banerjee, and KM Joseph take oath as judges of the Supreme Court..A Habeas Corpus Writ petition for production of activist Talib Hussain filed in Supreme Court on the ground that he is being subjected to third-degree torture by the police..Court imposes a blanket ban on media on publication of images of victims of sexual offences..August 8: Attorney General KK Venugopal tells the Bench headed by Justice Madan Lokur that the Court must exercise restraint while dealing with PILs..August 9: Court approves the draft Constitution for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) with some modifications..Court directs initiation of a fresh insolvency resolution process against Jaypee Infratech Limited..Constitution Bench of the Court begins hearing the case on Criminalisation of Politics..August 10: In a batch of petitions filed by distressed homebuyers, Court warns Amrapali group of dire consequences if they fail to raise money to finish the housing project..Petition seeking direction to the Centre to compel WhatsApp to appoint a Grievance Officer, as mandated by the Reserve Bank of India, filed in Supreme Court..Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Sachin Pilot move Supreme Court praying that VVPAT slips be verified with votes counted in at least 10 per cent randomly selected polling stations in each Assembly constituency..August 11: Dalit leader and founder of the Bhim Army Chandrashekhar Azad, alias Ravan, moves Court challenging his detention under the National Security Act..August 13: Survivor of a mob lynching case in Hapur, UP moves Supreme Court alleging that there was an effort to paint the incident as “road rage”; Court issues notice to the state and directs the Inspector General of Police, Meerut Range to file a report about the incident..Court holds that lawyers appointed as Additional District Judges (Fast Track Court) on an ad hoc basis are eligible for pension and gratuity..August 14: More than 350 Army Officers move Supreme Court alleging dilution of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and claiming that the Court-monitored SIT investigation in cases of extra-judicial killings in Manipur demoralises the Forces..Court clarifies that moratorium under Section 14 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) does not apply with respect to personal guarantees..Court launches apps for litigants and lawyers under the e-Courts program..Court orders Legal Services Authorities of all States to extend video conferencing facility for accused lodged in jail..Dismissal from service does not automatically result in forfeiture of gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, Court rules..Stay on the judgment of the Karnataka High court, which had quashed the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014, made “absolute” by the Court; This effectively meant that 85 percent of the principal display area of the packaging of tobacco products’ should have specified health warnings till the matter is decided one way or the other..August 16: Petition filed seeking management of water levels in Mullaperiyar dam in the wake of the Kerala floods..In the NRC case, Court asks for data on all the individuals left out of the draft..Court directs bodies set up under Disaster Management Act to take steps to control the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam..In a bid to control pollution, Court directs that vehicles plying in NCR Delhi region should display colour coded stickers to denote the type of fuel used by them..August 17: In cases under NDPS Act where burden of proof is reversed, the investigation must be free from apprehension of bias or unfairness, holds Court..The case concerning One Rank One Pension for judges referred to a larger Bench..Court holds that it is permissible for States to impose educational restrictions and domicile and residence requirements for availing state quota in admissions to Medical Institutes..August 20: Court issues notice to the Centre in a petition seeking to declare Sports as a Fundamental Right under Article 21..Supreme Court judges contribute Rs. 25,000 each towards the Kerala flood relief fund..August 21: Court rules that the option of NOTA cannot be made applicable to Rajya Sabha elections..Right of an insurance company to reject a claim on account of delay in intimation does not get waived merely because it appointed a surveyor, rules Court..Convictions based on circumstantial evidence cannot be upheld when there is a defect in the investigation and the chain of evidence is incomplete, Court holds..August 22: Court rules that a challenge to an Arbitral award is a “dispute” under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code..While setting aside a conviction in a rape case, Supreme Court observes that courts shoulder a great responsibility while trying an accused on charges of rape and must deal with such cases with utmost sensitivity..August 24: Court issues notice and seeks Election Commission’s response in petitions seeking verification of VVPAT with counted votes and voter list in text format..Court allows West Bengal State Election Commission to declare Panchayat polls results from uncontested seats. .Attorney General KK Venugopal submits written guidelines to facilitate live streaming of proceedings of cases of national importance..Supreme Court staff members contribute one day’s salary for Kerala flood relief fund..August 25: Centre’s move to reverse the Court’s judgment that “diluted” the SC/ST Act challenged before the Court..Court seeks West Bengal’s response in petition seeking CBI probe into the killing of BJP workers in the State..August 26: Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala, Binoy Viswam moves the Court seeking direction to the Centre to accept foreign funding for the flood affected Kerala..August 27: In a show of solidarity with those affected by Kerala flood, Supreme Court judges, journalists and lawyers get together to raise funds for the relief and rehabilitation work. Justice KM Joseph and Kurian Joseph sing at the event which also witnessed cultural programs by including song by Bollywood singer Mohit Chauhan..August 28: Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra asked by the Law Ministry to name the next Chief Justice of India..Court asks Assam NRC Co-ordinator to submit a report on the ramifications of allowing claims pertaining to change in legacy..Testimony of a witness cannot be discarded in toto merely due to the presence of embellishments or exaggerations in such testimony, reiterates Court..August 29: Supreme Court Bar Association contributes Rs. 51 lakh towards Kerala flood relief fund.. Five activists move the Supreme Court challenging the Pune Police’s crackdown on activists and lawyers including Sudha Bhardwaj and Gautam Navlakha, pursuant to the Bhima Koregaon incident..Justice DY Chandrachud remarks during the hearing in the Bhima Koregaon case, “Dissent is the safety Valve of democracy.”.August 30: Court holds that a person belonging to a Scheduled Caste/ Tribe (SC/ST) in one state cannot be deemed to be a Scheduled Caste/Tribe in relation to any other state to which he migrates for the purpose of employment or education..August 31: Court quashes the FIR against actress Priya Prakash Varrier in the case against her for allegedly hurting religious sentiments..Supreme Court defers the hearing in the petition challenging the Constitutional validity of Article 35A till the second week of January 2019..Justice Indira Banerjee reveals in open Court that an attempt was made to influence her in a certain case..September.September 1: Justice Ranjan Gogoi endorsed as the next Chief Justice of India..Court stays construction activities in states and union territories without a Solid Waste Management Policy..Petition filed challenging the validity of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir on the grounds that it is violative of the Constitution of India..September 3: Constitutional validity of the Waqf Act, 1995 challenged..September 4: Supreme Court transfers the Bhushan Steel case to itself from Delhi High Court..September 5: State of Maharashtra tells Supreme Court that arrested/detained activists in Bhima Koregaon case have links with banned terror groups..Media gag imposed by Patna High Court on coverage of Muzaffarpur Shelter Homes Case challenged before the Supreme Court..Court extends the deadline for receipt of claims of those who have been left out of the Draft NRC..Petition filed seeking to restrict access to EVMs to only authorised engineers..Court dismisses petition seeking a ban on publication and circulation of Malayalam novel ‘Meesha’ authored by S Hareesh..September 6: In a landmark judgment, Supreme Court strikes down Section 377 of the IPC to the extent that it criminalised consensual sexual relations between adults of the same sex..Court pulls up the Pune Police for holding a Press Conference in the Bhima Koregaon case and casting aspersions on the Supreme Court Judges hearing the case..September 7: Court issues notice to the Centre in a batch of petitions challenging the amendment to the SC/ST Act..September 10: Court seeks report from the Trial Judge hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case on his plan to conclude the hearing by 2019..September 11: Court agrees to hear ArcelorMittal’s appeal against the NCLAT order refusing to clear the company’s eligibility to bid before paying its dues..UIDAI’s social media agency proposed to be set up to monitor social media challenged. AG KK Venugopal tells Court UIDAI willing to accommodate recommendations made..Court issues notice against the Patna High Court‘s media gag on covering Muzaffarpur Shelter Homes Case..Court directs demolition of illegal concrete structures on forest land in Faridabad, Haryana..September 13: Court admits review petition against the Court’s verdict in the Navjot Singh Sidhu assault case..Justice Ranjan Gogoi appointed the 46th Chief Justice of India..Public Prosecutors owe their duty towards the Court and must not be totally guided by the government, reiterates Supreme Court..September 14: Court modifies its judgment on safeguards against misuse of Section 498A IPC and scraps the no arrest rule..ISRO Scientist Nambi Narayan awarded compensation of Rs 50 lakh for being falsely charged and arrested for espionage..Court issues a number of directions to the Centre and states for the benefit and rehabilitation of leprosy patients and for spreading awareness for the same..September 15: Supreme Court confers Senior gown on 25 retired High Court Judges..September 16: Nair Service Society (NSS) moves the Supreme Court seeking a declaration that the determination of backward class of citizens for the purpose of Article 16(4) of the Constitution, cannot rest on caste as a factor..September 19: Court directs that the process of accepting objections to exclusions from the NRC draft should begin from September 25..September 20: Court lifts the ban imposed by Patna High Court on media from covering the Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Case..Court reserves its judgment in the case concerning arrest of activists in the Bhima Koregaon case..September 21: Court holds that default sentences, the sentences awarded in lieu of non-payment of fine, cannot run concurrently inter se..Court reaffirms that an appeal under Section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act is essentially in the nature of first appeal..September 24: 3-Judge Bench presided over by CJI Dipak Misra refers the question of validity of Female Genital Mutilation practised in Dawoodi Bohra community to the Constitution Bench..September 25: Court holds that it cannot bar those candidates from contesting elections against whom charges have been framed in criminal offences..Court sets up a three-member committee headed by Justice (Retd.) Amitava Roy to look into prison reforms..Court rules that Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MPs and MLAs) cannot be barred from practicing law..An arbitration clause has to be read in a holistic manner so as to determine jurisdiction. The ‘place’ mentioned in an arbitration clause does not assume the status of ‘seat of arbitration’ unless the condition attached to the former is satisfied, rules a three-judge Bench of Supreme Court..Petition challenging the Triple Talaq Ordinance filed before the Supreme Court..September 26: Court says that the judgment dealing with reservation in promotions need not be referred to a larger bench..In another major verdict, a Constitution Bench of the Court upholds the validity of Aadhaar by a 4:1 majority while striking down some provisions..Court allows live streaming of cases of national importance and says guidelines for the same will be framed..September 27: Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court unanimously strikes down Section 497 of IPC that criminalised Adultery..Court declines to refer the Ram Mandir-Babri case to a Constitution Bench and holds that the Ismail Farooqui judgment need not be revisited..Court directs that no FIR or Criminal complaint must be entertained against Salman Khan over the film “Loveyatri”..September 28: In a judgment which subsequently snowballed into a major controversy, Court by a 4:1 majority allows entry of women of all ages in the Sabarimala Temple..Court refuses to constitute an SIT to probe the charges against activists arrested in Bhima Koregaon matter and directs that they be place under house arrest for four weeks..Court reserves its verdict in the application filed seeking recusal of Justices Madan Lokur and UU Lalit from hearing the cases concerning Manipur extra-judicial killings..October.October 1: Chief Justice Dipak Misra retires from office..Court rules that doctors cannot be held guilty of medical negligence only because patient suffers ailment after surgery..Court issues a slew of directions to contain and prevent the incidents of mob violence against cultural programs across the country..October 3: Ranjan Gogoi appointed 46th Chief Justice of India, first CJI from the North East..Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi halts the practice of mentioning, save in urgent matters, until parameters for the process are worked out..Court upholds validity of the Goods and Service Tax (Compensation to States) Act, 2017 and the Goods and Services Tax Compensation Cess Rules, 2017..Court holds that if the extra-judicial confession of an accused is voluntary, a conviction can be based on it..Nativity cannot be the sole basis for selection of judicial officers, Court upholds Hyderabad High Court guidelines for appointment of judges in Telangana..October 4: Court dismisses petition filed by the wife of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt challenging his detention in relation to a 22-year-old drug planting case..Court dismisses plea filed against the deportation of seven Rohingyas who had entered India in 2012..October 5: Senior Advocate PS Narasimha resigns as Additional Solicitor General (ASG) citing personal reasons..October 8: Court issues notice to the Central government and the Election Commission of India in a petition by Tripura People’s Front seeking that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated with respect to the State of Tripura..Petitions filed seeking a review of the Constitution Bench’s decision in the Sabarimala case..October 10: Tushar Mehta appointed Solicitor General of India.Court orders that an assessment of “live transcription” technology be made for recording of evidence..October 12: Court issues notice in a plea for reinstatement of a subordinate judge who had alleged sexual harassment by a High Court judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.Supreme Court stays order of Uttarakhand High Court which had directed a blanket ban on Fatwas by religious bodies..Court reiterates that the ground of moral turpitude cannot be mechanically invoked to deny appointments to public services..As part of a compassionate scheme, Project Sahyog, Court condones a delay of over 5888 days in filing a Special Leave Petition for the remission of a life sentence..Court holds that an Urban Improvement Trust is not covered by definition of ‘local authority’ within the meaning of Explanation to Section 10(20) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Hence, it is not entitled to tax exemption under the said provision..Court upholds Constitutional validity of Section 19(11) of the Tamil Nadu Value Added Tax Act, 2006 which lays down limitation for claiming input tax credit..October 22: Court takes suo motu note of vacancies in the subordinate judiciary, seeks information from High Courts and state governments across the country on the matter..October 23: Court refuses to impose a complete ban on firecrackers ahead of Diwali. However, it directs that sale and manufacture of green and low emission crackers alone be allowed..Court allows Reliance Communications to pay its dues to Ericsson by December 15..National Register of Citizens (NRC) co-ordinator Prateek Hajela submits a report before the Supreme Court stating that five documents should not be allowed to be used for claiming inclusion in NRC..Court warns the Rajasthan government to take the issue of illegal mining in Aravalli hills more seriously..Court refers the question of appointment of Election Commissioners under Article 324 on the Indian Constitution to a Constitution Bench..October 24: Petition filed in Supreme Court challenging the Constitutional validity of Section 375 (defining the offence of ‘rape’) of the Indian Penal Code on the ground that the provision is not gender-neutral..Court rules that no Bharat Stage IV (BS IV) vehicles shall be sold or registered in the country from April 1, 2020 onwards..Former Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie and advocate Prashant Bhushan approach the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe into the Rafale deal..October 25: NGO Common Cause moves Supreme Court against Central government order sending CBI Director Alok Verma on leave..Supreme Court upholds the rule which prescribes SCBA membership as a condition for Chamber Allotment in the Supreme Court..October 26: Petition seeking extension of the scope of Vishaka guidelines to religious and spiritual places is filed..CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana moves Court challenging the order by the Central government to send him on leave..Court orders that the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) inquiry initiated against CBI Director Alok Verma be completed within two weeks under the supervision of former Supreme Court judge, AK Patnaik J..Court observes that a second marriage cannot be held against a divorcee to deprive him of the custody of his children born of the failed wedlock, more so when the divorce was obtained by mutual consent..Court rejects Review Petition against judgment upholding arrest of activists in the Bhima Koregaon case..Court clarifies that a deed executed as gift deed but subject to conditions is incomplete and can be cancelled before the conditions are fulfilled..Investigation against former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka R Ashoka by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the state stayed by Supreme Court..Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid case adjourned for January 2019..October 29: Court stays Bombay High Court order which had set aside the extension of time granted for the completion of investigation in the Bhima Koregaon case..Court sets aside a decision of the Gujarat High Court which had granted bail to a rape accused on the basis of the results of a Lie Detector Test, Brain Mapping, and Narco-Analysis..Court directs the Transport Departments of National Capital Region (NCR) to immediately announce that all Diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old and Petrol vehicles which are more than 15 years old shall not ply in NCR..Whistle-blower in the CBI infighting, Sathish Sana approaches the Supreme Court seeking police protection..October 30: Court allows Sathish Sana, whistleblower in the CBI infighting saga, to seek police protection..DSP Ajay Kumar Bassi files an intervention application in the Alok Verma matter pending before the Supreme Court..Court lays down guidelines for trial courts to follow in the conduct of a criminal trial..Court upholds validity of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Eighth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff Order, 2017 and the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017..Court observes that nobody has the right to rape a woman even if she is habituated to sexual intercourse..Court seeks more details from the Central government on the Rafale deal, including pricing of the aircraft and its advantages. The same was directed to be handed over to the Court in a sealed cover..Court clarifies that a live-in partner would also be entitled to approach the Court for maintenance under the provisions of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005..November.November 1: The Central government clears the appointments of Justices MR Shah, Ajay Rastogi, Hemant Gupta and R Subhash Reddy to the Supreme Court..Court clarifies that a borrower can challenge proceedings under the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002 even on symbolic dispossession of assets..November 2: Four new judges, Justices MR Shah, Ajay Rastogi, Hemant Gupta and R Subhash Reddy, sworn into the Supreme Court..NGO Centre for PIL approaches Supreme Court praying that names of lawyers and judges who have been reiterated by the Collegium for appointment as High Court judges be cleared expeditiously for appointment by Central government..November 3: Petition filed challenging the Constitutional validity of a circular issued by the Central government by which the media was “advised” to refrain from using the word ‘Dalit’ while referring to members of the Scheduled Caste..November 6: Court directs maintenance of status quo as it existed on September 7, 2018 with respect to the administration of the Mahabaleshwara Gokarna Temple in Karnataka..November 10: PIL filed seeking steps to prevent persons in inebriated state from casting votes..November 12: Court dismisses plea of by Army officers seeking the recusal of Justices Madan Lokur and UU Lalit in the case relating to the extra-judicial killings in Manipur..Court refuses to entertain petition challenging rape laws for not being gender neutral..Attorney General KK Venugopal expresses his consternation in the dismissive treatment of petitions by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi at the admission stage. Chief Justice Gogoi assures the AG that the Court has taken the concern expressed into consideration in the right spirit..Court expresses shock over the Bihar police’s failure to arrest the ex-cabinet minister Manju Verma in relation to the Muzaffarpur Shelter Home case..Court reiterates that an Environmental Clearance cannot be given retrospective effect, while fixing responsibility on Sarda Mines Private Limited (SMPL) for carrying out illegal mining activities in excess of the terms of its mining lease..Court sets aside an order passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court convicting an advocate for contempt over a Facebook post that was critical of a sitting judge..November 13: Court agrees to hear Sabarimala Review Petitions in open court on January 22, 2019..Court issues notice in a petition praying for implementation of the provision concerning appointment of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO) in a uniform and rational manner..To address long-standing concerns over the audibility of judges say during court proceedings, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi announces in open Court that the judges will use mics..Court stays the arrest of a rape accused who had claimed that the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act) were incorrectly invoked against him..Supreme Court reiterates that a court’s power under Section 319 of the CrPC to arraign an accused beyond those named by the police, should not be mechanically exercised in the absence of cogent reasons for the same..November 14: Court reserves verdict in the petitions calling for a probe into the Rafale deal..November 15: Court rebukes High Courts and states for the lackadaisical approach towards the appointment of judges to the subordinate judiciary and providing infrastructure for courts and judges. Court also passes extensive directions to be complied with in the matter..November 16: In the case relating to the infighting within the CBI, Court directs that a copy of the Central Vigilance Commission report on CBI director Alok Verma be given to him so that he can respond to the same..Court observes that the since the Motor Vehicles Act is for the benefit of victims, it relieves them from strict compliance..November 17: Ashwini Kumar Gupta, DYSP of CBI. seeks intervention in Alok Verma’s petition concerning his ouster from the CBI..Court stays Rs 420 crore penalty imposed by CCI on Hyundai..November 19: Court dismisses petition filed by Dalmia Bharat’s Rajputana Properties challenging the NCLAT order by which Ultratech Cement’s resolution plan for Binani Cement was upheld..Court directs Bombay High Court to decide on the issue of sanctions for trial against Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit in the Malegaon blasts case..Another CBI officer, Manish Sinha, approaches the Supreme Court, alleging that attempts have been made to stymie the investigation into former CBI Director Rakesh Asthana by involving “high and mighty” officials of the Government of India..Travancore Devaswom Board moves the Supreme Court seeking more time to implement the September 28 judgment in the Sabarimala Temple Case..Court holds that a High Court’s power under Section 482 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 can be exercised to quash an FIR even after the filing of a charge sheet..November 22: Court lets BJP Delhi Chief Manoj Tiwari off with a warning in the contempt matter against him in the Delhi Sealing Drive case..Court expresses concern over prisoners enjoying special facilities in jails, making a specific reference to Tihar Jail..Court stays judgment of the Madras High Court which had awarded 196 grace marks to nearly 24,000 students who had taken the NEET undergraduate exam 2018 in Tamil..November 25: Court directs the Registrars General of all High Courts to ensure that all records which are transmitted to the Supreme Court be translated to English from the vernacular language..November 26: Court issues notice in a petition filed by the NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation challenging the amendments made to the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2018..November 27: Application filed seeking a direction to the Centre to frame a comprehensive legislation against custodial torture..Court issues notice in an application seeking de-allocation of the Parsa-Kente Extension Coal Block which was allotted to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd..A 3-judge Bench of the Court decides to reconsider the law relating to a daughter’s coparcenary rights after the 2005 Amendment to Hindu Succession Act..Court dismisses review petition filed against the 2015 judgment which had stuck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC)..November 28: Court expresses inclination to hand over the responsibility of conducting the CLAT to the National Testing Agency..A day before his retirement, Justice Kurian Joseph bats for re-examining the need for retaining death penalty as a punishment in the statute book..Court observes that when the investigation in a case concerning abetment to commit suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has not been completed, High Courts cannot adjudge the mental state of the alleged offender/abettor to quash the same..November 29: Justice Kurian Joseph retires..November 30: Senior Advocate Gopal Subramanium withdraws as Amicus Curiae in the Jagannath Puri Temple case..Publishing House Juggernaut Books approaches the Court challenging the stay imposed by the Delhi High Court on the release of the book titled ‘Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev’..Supreme Court dismisses the petition filed by over 350 serving Army officials against the Court-ordered Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the extrajudicial killings in insurgency-hit Manipur..December.December 3: Court refuses to entertain a PIL seeking the creation of All India Judicial Services for recruitment of judges..Court directs the Maharashtra government to submit a copy of the chargesheet filed in the Pune court against activists arrested in relation to the Bhima Koregaon violence..Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi orally observes in open Court that the pendency of various questions of law in the Supreme Court was clogging the wheels of justice in subordinate courts..Court reiterates that the writ jurisdiction of Constitutional Courts, including that of a High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution, cannot be invoked to replace alternative remedies in ordinary disputes..Court rules that bulk possession of manufactured drugs without any valid authorization can be tried under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985..Court reiterates that once a workman voluntarily abandons his service, Section 25F of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 would cease to apply to him as he could not be deemed to be in “continuous service” at the time of his retrenchment..December 4: Court orders that that cases against sitting and former lawmakers be heard on a priority basis. This order was made applicable to the States of Kerala and Bihar..Court gives go-ahead to the Income Tax department to reopen the assessment for the year 2011-12 for Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Oscar Fernandes..Supreme Court modifies earlier order concerning the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe 186 cases in the 1984 riots in which violence was perpetrated against the Sikh community..Court holds that the High Court cannot reverse a judgment of acquittal merely because another view is possible..Court reiterates that once an arbitrator has been appointed and he has assumed his role, the Court cannot be approached to appoint another arbitrator under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996..December 5: Supreme Court approves the Witness Protection Scheme 2018. The Court directs that the same shall be enforced by the Central and state governments till the enactment of a suitable Parliamentary or state legislation in this regard..Supreme Court declines to entertain urgent listing of a PIL seeking an inquiry into the comments made by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Kurian Joseph in a recent interview given to Times of India..December 6: Court reserves its verdict in the petitions filed by CBI Director Alok Verma and NGO Common Cause challenging the decision of the Central government to send Verma on leave..Court upholds the Central government’s nomination of three BJP members as MLAs in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly..In the case concerning protection of children from pornography, WhatsApp tells Supreme Court that the removal of objectionable content relating to child pornography from the platform is “not possible” on account of end-to-end encryption..December 7: Court issues notice to the Enforcement Directorate in a petition by Vijay Mallya challenging the proceedings to declare him a Fugitive Economic Offender..Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi berates advocate ML Sharma for filing frivolous public interest litigation (PIL) petitions, opining that the time has come to ban Sharma from filing PILs..Court adjourns the hearing in the petition relating to NRI voting rights to January 2019..Court agrees to hear a plea preferred by cricketer S Sreeasanth against the lifetime ban on playing cricket imposed on him by the BCCI for his alleged role in the IPL spot fixing..December 10: Court dismisses petition filed by BJP leader and former MLA Gagan Bhagat challenging the dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly..Court asks for a consolidated list of charges and allegations in the petition alleging corruption on the part of newly appointed Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court, RK Gautam J..Court issues notice to five states in a PIL challenging amendments made to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act(Land Acquisition Act), 2013..Court issues notice in a petition contending that wherever the appointing committee of statutory bodies includes the Leader of Opposition, the same may be read to mean the leader of the single largest opposition party..Court stays order of the Rajasthan High Court which had imposed a gag on Bar & Bench and other print and electronic media from reporting on the controversy surrounding the appointment of Rajasthan Additional Advocate General Abhinav Sharma..Court holds that an arbitration clause cannot oust the jurisdiction of consumer courts, notwithstanding the amendments made to Section 8 of the Arbitration Act..December 11: Reiterating the provisions in the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the Court restrains the media from revealing the names and identities of victims of sexual assault, in any manner..Court expresses inclination to hand over the investigation in the deaths of Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi, and Gauri Lankesh to a common investigating agency..December 12: Court commutes the death sentence of MA Antony, convicted in the Aluva murder case, to life imprisonment..Court extends deadline for filing of claims and objections for inclusion in National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam to December 31..Court holds that winding up cases under Section 20 of the defunct Sick Industrial Companies (SIC) Act pending before the High Court must be transferred to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) once a party files an application as per Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code..Senior Advocate Rakesh Kumar Khanna elected President of the Supreme Court Bar Association..December 13: Court issues notice to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for failing to disclose criminal cases pending against him in his 2014 election affidavit..Court records pertinent observations regarding the definition of a death row prisoner and his rights in relation to meeting lawyers, family members etc..Court issues a number of directions on the issue of rights of the elderly under Article 21, in a petition filed by former Law Minister Dr. Ashwani Kumar..December 14: Court dismisses petitions calling for probe into Rafale Deal..Court reiterates that there is no provision in the CrPC or any other statute which debars a complainant from making a second complaint on the same allegations, when the first complaint did not lead to conviction, acquittal or discharge..Court issues notice in challenge to 65-year-old land acquisition proceedings..December 15: In a big win for the Japanese Drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo, the Supreme Court stays the sale of Fortis Healthcare to Malaysia’s IHH Healthcare..The Central government files an application seeking a correction in the Court’s judgment in the Rafale case, citing grammatical misinterpretation of their submissions before the Court..December 31: Justice Lokur retires. “An emotional moment for me. My association with Madan Lokur J. is close to half a century“ – CJI Gogoi

The Yearly Reports: What happened in the Supreme Court in 2018

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