
Srinagar a paradise, I feel at home here, says CJI
B R Gavai quoted a famous Persian couplet on Sunday, saying he felt at home in Srinagar. The CJI visited the Valley for the first time since the abrogation of
and the 2023 Supreme Court verdict upholding it.
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Speaking at a National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) North Zone regional conference, he stressed the constitutional promise of justice and urged the legal fraternity to work towards ensuring justice for every citizen.
He said the chief justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh high court should consider establishing a separate bench for Ladakh UT, acknowledging the long-standing demand raised by Ladakh Bar.
A day after SC judge and NALSA executive chairman, Justice Surya Kant, launched Veer Parivar Sahayata, the CJI said, 'It is a great initiative and it will provide legal assistance to families of martyrs who have laid down their lives for the country.'

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Mint
a minute ago
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What are End-of-Life Vehicles? Why does SC's hearing on Delhi's blanket ban on overage diesel, petrol vehicles matter?
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta-led government's plea challenging the blanket ban on overaged vehicles. As per the top court's October 29 directive, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years are illegal in Delhi-NCR. It's time to learn more about End-of-Life Vehicles. 'End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV)' is a term that refers to waste vehicles and is used for overage motorcars in Delhi-NCR as per the state laws. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), ELV refers to vehicles that are no longer legally valid as per state law and are declared unfit by the Automated Fitness Centres. Vehicles whose registrations have been cancelled under Chapter IV of the Motor Vehicles Act or have been declared waste vehicles by a Court order also fall into this category and are not allowed to ply on roads. Following directions of the National Green Tribunal, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revised End-of- Life Vehicles (ELV) guidelines in 2018. These guidelines were amended again in 2023 to align with Motor Vehicles Rules 2021. The NGT said in its November 26, 2014, order, 'All vehicles, diesel or petrol, which are more than 15 years old shall not be permitted to ply on the roads and wherever such vehicles of this age are noticed, the concerned authorities shall take appropriate steps in accordance with law, including seizure of the vehicles in accordance with the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act.' The petition moved by Delhi government will reportedly be heard by a three-judge bench. Chief Justice BR Gavai is likely to preside over the hearing. Seeking to recall the top court's October 29, 2018, order upholding the National Green Tribunal's initial directive, the plea urges a comprehensive study focused on scientific methods using emission-based criteria in contrast with the environmental benefits of age-based restrictions. The petition submitted before the Supreme Court on Friday states, 'To tackle pollution in the NCR region, a comprehensive policy is required which gives vehicle fitness based on actual emission levels of individual vehicles as per scientific methods rather than implementing a blanket ban based solely on age." The government argues that Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) engines emit less pollution compared to BS-IV vehicles that were standard when the original order was passed.


New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Kashmir is paradise on earth, Sufism promoted secularism: CJI Gavai
SRINAGAR: Chief Justice of India Justice B R Gavai on Sunday described Kashmir as 'Paradise on Earth' and said that Sufism has truly promoted secularism in the country. While addressing the North Zone Regional Conference of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in Srinagar, the CJI began his speech with the famous Persian couplet: 'Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast' (If there is a paradise on Earth, it is here, it is here and it is only here). 'I am happy that I am again getting the opportunity to meet you in Kashmir, which is known as paradise. Whenever I have visited Kashmir, I have received love from everybody,' he said. 'I feel like I have come to my hometown. I am thankful for all the love and affection showered on me. I have been to all parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh,' he added. 'Kashmir's valleys, mountains, rivers, streams, if we see these, it can be safely said that Kashmir is a true paradise.' The CJI spoke about Kashmir's 3,000-year-old civilisational heritage and its rich culture. He credited Sufism for upholding the values of secularism as enshrined in the Constitution of India. 'Sufism has truly promoted secularism,' he asserted. Referring to secularism in Jammu and Kashmir, the CJI said, 'In Dargahs, every section of society, including Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs, go. Similarly, people of every religion go to Mandirs and Gurudwaras.' Justice Gavai lauded the efforts of NALSA and the J&K Legal Services Authority for convening the interaction. He also reflected on the legal and administrative foundation laid in the region as early as 1846, calling it one of the oldest and most structured legal systems in India. 'From 1928 till before the independence of the country, a high court had been established here and the Maharajas here also respected the orders passed by the high court,' he said. 'In the country's Constitution, we have promised ourselves justice, political, social and economic. We are bound to see that justice is implemented in its true spirit. The legal fraternity needs to have a commitment to the true values of the Constitution,' he added. The CJI said that while Babasaheb B R Ambedkar brought about political justice by adopting the principle of 'one person, one vote and one value', the author of the Constitution also spoke about social compartmentalisation and the difficulty of moving from one compartment to another. 'Our society has been divided into different compartments. The entry from one compartment to another is nearly impossible. On the economic front, our wealth is concentrated in a few hands while the vast majority of the people find it difficult to have two meals a day. We will have to eliminate this inequality and bring about social and economic equality in the true sense. We all have to remain committed to this — whether it is the executive, legislature or judiciary. We are bound to see to it that social and economic justice is implemented in true spirit in this country,' he said. Indirectly referring to the situation in Kashmir over the last 35 years, the CJI said there have been aberrations that need to be undone. 'There have been aberrations, but we have to work to remove these. This dialogue between judges and lawyers will give a new perspective. I am sure this programme will help in rebuilding the traditional and undivided Kashmir where all communities, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, used to live together,' he said. Asserting that lawyers and judges are like two wheels of the golden chariot of justice, the CJI said, 'If you span one wheel, the efficacy of the entire chariot comes to a standstill. For this, lawyers and judges should work together to give justice to the people who live in the last village of this country. Unless people have the knowledge of their rights, the rights are of no use.' In a key policy suggestion, the CJI urged the Chief Justice of the J&K High Court to consider establishing a separate bench for the Union Territory of Ladakh, acknowledging the consistent demand raised by the Ladakh Bar.


NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Top Court To Hear Delhi Government's Plea On Ban Of End-Of-Life Vehicles
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a crucial petition on Monday filed by the Delhi government, challenging the blanket ban on end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), older vehicles operating in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). The case pertains to the enforcement of a rule that prohibits diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from running on Delhi roads, a directive that has impacted thousands of vehicle owners across the region. The Delhi government's plea seeks a review of the 2018 Supreme Court order, arguing that the age-based ban lacks scientific backing and disproportionately affects middle-class citizens who rely on these vehicles for essential and limited use. The petition calls for a more nuanced, emission-based regulatory framework that considers the actual environmental impact of each vehicle, rather than relying solely on age as the determining factor. In its submission, the Delhi government has urged the top court to direct the Central Government or the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to conduct a comprehensive scientific study to assess the real-world impact of such vehicles on air quality. The plea contends that many older vehicles, particularly those compliant with BS-VI (Bharat Stage 6) emission norms or used infrequently, emit negligible pollutants and should not be subject to a blanket ban. 'The current approach mandates collective compliance without distinguishing between highly polluting vehicles and well-maintained, low-use ones,' the petition states, highlighting the disproportionate burden on lower and middle-income citizens. The issue has gained renewed urgency following the nationwide implementation of BS-VI norms, widely regarded as the cleanest vehicle emission standards introduced in India. The Delhi government argues that numerous vehicles affected by the ban are either BS-VI compliant or well-maintained, making their continued use environmentally safe. The petition also underscores the socio-economic consequences of the ban, pointing out that families dependent on older vehicles for daily commuting or livelihood now face hardship due to the inflexible policy.