Dharmasthala case: SC declines to hear plea against gag order on media coverage
The gag order pertained to reports on the alleged murder of women in Dharmasthala in the state's Dakshina Kannada district.
The plea, filed against an ex parte interim order of a local court, questioned the legality of the directive which directed as many as 390 media houses to remove nearly 9,000 links and stories related to the Dharmasthala burial case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and Joymalya Bagchi asked the petitioner as to why the high court had not been approached. "You go the high court first," the CJI said.
The gag order was reportedly passed in a defamation suit filed by Harshendra Kumar, Secretary of Sri Manjunathaswamy Temple institutions, who highlighted the spread of allegedly false and defamatory content online, despite there being no specific allegations against him or the temple authorities in any FIR.
Recently, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara asserted that a thorough investigation must precede any conclusions regarding the alleged murder of women in Dharmasthala. Prior to this, the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations.
The plea in the top court was filed by YouTube channel Third Eye against a Bengaluru court order restraining the publication of any defamatory content against Harshendra Kumar D, brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, in relation to the Dharmasthala temple burial case.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
T domicile clause for med college admissions flawed: SC
1 2 New Delhi: Supreme Court on Wednesday faulted the Telangana govt's domicile policy, which mandates a student to have pursued Classes 9 to 12 in the state to be eligible for admissions to state quota medical seats through NEET and said it was far removed from the ground reality. "These days, many students, to avail better coaching facilities for competing in medical and engineering entrance examinations, pursue their Class 11 and 12 at places like Kota. Should they be barred from getting admitted on the ground that they are not domiciles of Telangana?" a bench of CJI B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and Joymalya Bagchi asked. "You must have a humane approach. We do not want such students to be harassed. All students whose parents are domiciled in Telangana would be eligible for state quota seats irrespective of the place from where they passed Class 11 and 12," the CJI said, with a warning, "Either you (the govt) resolve the issue, or we will set it right." You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Appearing for students facing the domicile bar despite their parents being born in Telangana and continuously residing in the state, advocate Raghenth Basant told the bench that it has created a piquant situation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Boost Your Online Presence Today [Join Now] Undo "Children of a person from Kerala, who is posted in Telangana for the last four years, on completing Class 9-12 in Telangana would be eligible for admissions to medical seats under state quota. But students who study outside, despite their parents being natural residents of Telangana, would not be eligible to avail these state quota medical seats," he said. He urged the court to modify the domicile criteria by allowing children of every resident of Telangana, irrespective of where they completed their schooling, to get admitted to medical colleges under state quota seats. The SC posted the matter for further hearing on July 29, by when the Telangana govt will have to come with an answer to the court's query.
The Hindu
34 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Fixing Delhi's air quality crisis
July and August are prime months for Delhi to prepare for air pollution episodes in autumn and winter, which are now a defining feature of the National Capital Region (NCR). The electoral mandate this year has created a rare moment of political alignment across most States in the Delhi-NCR, opening the door for coordinated action on air quality. Delhi's air pollution stems from both local sources and emissions from neighbouring States. To achieve the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, emission reductions across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) are essential. As the sources of air pollution are similar across the larger IGP airshed, the mitigation measures are also similar. These measures are enshrined in most city and State action plans, including scaling up the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana to reduce household biomass burning, reducing emissions from freight movements across city boundaries, and using cleaner fuels and installing pollution control devices in industries. However, implementation has lagged due to fragmented governance structures. For instance, multiple agencies manage Delhi's roads — some under the Delhi government and others under the Centre. This makes coordinated action on road dust (responsible for PM10 emissions) difficult. As a result, while roads in areas such as Lutyens' Delhi are well-maintained, many others remain neglected. Similar issues persist across States. While the National Clean Air Programme notes the importance of regulating industrial fuels, not all States have a clearly defined fuel list. Pet coke, a high-emission fuel, is banned only in some States. Age limits for vehicles also differ, allowing older, more polluting vehicles to move freely across borders. Given the transboundary nature of pollution, the gains of one State are often undermined by inaction in another. The need for regional coordination against transboundary pollution has been acknowledged globally. India is also a signatory to several agreements, including the Stockholm Declaration (1972), the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (1979, Geneva), the Rio Declaration (1992), and the Malé Declaration for South Asia (1998). The Malé Declaration, in particular, urges South Asian countries to build a scientific base, formulate regional action plans, and enable joint interventions. However, in India, there is no legal mandate to support such efforts. Although the Supreme Court has routinely stepped in (e.g., by issuing subsidies for crop residue management machinery across States), most policy instruments have failed due to the lack of regional cooperation. For instance, while brick kilns within Delhi-NCR are mandated to shift to zig-zag technology, nearby districts still operate older kilns. To manage transboundary pollution, India has a promising institutional framework under the Commission for Air Quality Management for National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM). CAQM holds considerable overriding powers for implementing clean air strategies, yet its impact depends on how actively it can align state actions with regional targets. The current political mandate aligning the Centre and most NCR States (Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana) presents the right opportunity. States can draw from the Malé Declaration's tenets and collaboratively define emission standards and sectoral targets. Under the directive of CAQM and backed by Central funding, region-wide action could scale up mitigation measures. The entire IGP should be treated as part of a larger airshed. As freight and buses ply freely across State borders, a regional strategy backed by political will is essential. Biomass burning in the residential sector generates more pollution than transport and needs stronger action across the entire airshed. Further, if all line departments issue directives based on a joint mandate from the States, these strategies could be streamlined. While this coordination has historically been challenging, the current electoral mandate can enable the States to promulgate achievable regional targets. Now is the time to build on the momentum for clean air, not just in Delhi but across the IGP. The decisive mandate of February 2025 could make October 2025 more breathable. Swagata Dey heads the Air Quality Policy and Outreach group at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Plea in Supreme Court seeks sacking of BJP minister over Col Qureshi remarks
A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the removal of Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah for his remarks against Indian Army officer Col Sofiya petition filed by Congress leader Jaya Thakur said Shah's statement sparks separatist feelings and threatens country's unity."The statement of the minister that Col. Sofia Quraishi is the sister of the terrorist who carried out the attack at Pahalgam encourages feelings of separatist activities by imputing separatist feelings to anyone who is Muslim, which thereby endangers the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India. That speech directly violated the oath prescribed under schedule 3 of the Constitution of India," the plea The apex court on May 28 ordered closure of proceedings before the Madhya Pradesh High Court against Shah for his remarks, saying it would look into the asked for a status report from the special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the Madhya Pradesh government in compliance with the top court's earlier May 19, the top court chided Shah and constituted a three-member SIT to probe the FIR lodged against came under fire after a video, which was circulated widely, showed him allegedly making objectionable remarks against Col Qureshi, who gained nationwide prominence along with another woman officer, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during the media briefings on Operation Madhya Pradesh High Court rebuked Shah for passing "scurrilous" remarks and using "language of the gutters" against Col Qureshi, and ordered police to file an FIR against him on the charge of promoting enmity and drawing severe condemnation, Shah expressed regret and said that he respects Col Qureshi more than his sister.- EndsTune InMust Watch
