Latest news with #SupremeCourtBench
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bihar voter list row hearing LIVE: SC Bench set to hear pleas against electoral rolls revision
A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi is scheduled to hear arguments for and against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll under way in poll-bound Bihar and decide if the drive, initiated by the Election Commission of India, needs to be stayed for the time being. Over 10 petitions filed by Opposition leaders, activists, NGOs and lawyers have been listed before the Bench, which had agreed to urgently list the case on July 10. The petitions have argued that an interim order from the apex court staying the June 24 notification announcing the SIR was necessary as crores of voters, drawn from the poor and marginalised sections of the society, were put on a tight leash to produce documents to prove their domicile or face the prospect of disenfranchisement.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
The Hindu Morning Digest: July 10, 2025
Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Dhulia to hear Bihar electoral roll revision case on July 10 A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi is scheduled on July 10 to hear arguments for and against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll under way in poll-bound Bihar and decide if the drive, initiated by the Election Commission of India, needs to be stayed for the time being. Trump tariffs goods from Brazil at 50%, citing 'witch hunt' trial against Bolsonaro President Donald Trump singled out Brazil for import taxes of 50% on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) for its treatment of its former President, Jair Bolsonaro, showing that personal grudges rather than simple economics were driving the U.S. leader's use of import taxes. The Brazilian real dove more than two percent against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) after President Donald Trump threatened tariffs of 50% on the country's goods. Trump issues more letters to countries in push for tariff deals U.S. President Donald Trump released a fresh set of letters to trading partners on Wednesday (July 9, 2025), setting out tariff rates for seven more countries as Washington pushes to bring about a flurry of trade deals. The letters, addressed to leaders of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Moldova, spelled out duties ranging from 20% to 30% that would take effect on August 1. Bihar Special Intensive Revision: Electoral Registration Officers empowered to decide voter inclusion in absence of documents, says Election Commission of India As controversy rages over the few documents considered valid for voter registration during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, a key figure that has emerged is that of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). The discretionary powers being given to these officials of the State government could taint the SIR process, warn Opposition leaders. Trinamool claims migrant workers from Bengal illegally detained in Odisha A day after Odisha Police rounded up 444 people for 'identity verification', suspecting them to be immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar illegally residing in the State, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) alleged that among the detainees were migrants from West Bengal working in Odisha. No decision yet on NPR updation during Census, say Home Ministry officials The Union government has not yet decided whether to update the National Population Register (NPR) during the upcoming Population Census 2027, senior Home Ministry officials told Census directors during a recent preparatory meeting. When questions were raised about the NPR during a two-day conference of the Directors of Census Operations held on July 3 and 4, participants were told that no decision had yet been made regarding the updation of the database and that they would be informed at an appropriate time, sources told The Hindu. Over 25 crore workers joined the strike, claim trade unions More than 25 crore workers participated in the nationwide general strike on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) against the policies of the Union government, particularly for scrapping the four Labour Codes, the platform of 10 central trade unions (CTUs) said. The leaders of the unions, addressing a workers' rally in New Delhi, said key sectors such as power, mines, minerals, coal, ports and public transport were affected by the strike. 'Those acting against nation must be in jail till trial ends': Solicitor General to Delhi HC on bail petitions of accused in Delhi 2020 riots case Arguing on behalf of the Delhi police against the bail petitions of the accused in the February 2020 riots case, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) that those accused of acting against the nation must remain in jail until they are either convicted or acquitted. Israel insists on keeping troops in Gaza; that complicates truce talks with Hamas As Israel and Hamas move closer to a ceasefire agreement, Israel says it wants to maintain troops in a southern corridor of the Gaza Strip — a condition that could derail the talks. An Israeli official said an outstanding issue in the negotiations was Israel's desire to keep forces in the territory during a 60-day truce, including in the east-west axis that Israel calls the Morag corridor.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Dhulia to hear Bihar electoral roll revision case on July 10
A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi is scheduled on July 10 to hear arguments for and against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll under way in poll-bound Bihar and decide if the drive, initiated by the Election Commission of India, needs to be stayed for the time being. Over 10 petitions filed by Opposition leaders, activists, NGOs and lawyers have been listed before the Bench, which had agreed on Monday to urgently list the case on July 10. Keep it simple: On Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's electoral rolls The petitions listed for hearing, and challenging the SIR, include ones by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, activists Yogendra Yadav, Arshad Ajmal, NGOs Association for Democratic Reforms and People's Union for Civil Liberties. The court has also listed a petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay supporting the SIR. The petitions have argued that an interim order from the apex court staying the June 24 notification announcing the SIR was necessary as crores of voters, drawn from the poor and marginalised sections of the society, were put on a tight leash to produce documents to prove their domicile or face the prospect of disenfranchisement. The petitioners said the last date for submission of the enumeration forms was July 25. Applicants' names would not feature in the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1, 2025, if forms were not submitted in time. The petitioners said the Election Commission must be made to explain the rationale behind the 'ill-timed and hasty' manner of conducting the SIR exercise in Bihar. Mr. Jha has argued that the decision was taken by the poll body without prior consultation with political parties and would be employed to 'justify aggressive and opaque revisions of electoral rolls that disproportionately target Muslim, Dalit and poor migrant communities'. The petitioners contended that the SIR process violated the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The petitioners variously argued that the SIR shifted the onus of being on the voters' list from the State to the citizens. Mr. Upadhyay, on the other hand, voted for periodic conduct of SIRs of electoral rolls across the country. 'The demography of 200 districts and 1,500 tehsils has changed after Independence due to massive illegal infiltration, deceitful religious conversion and population explosion. Demography is destiny, and dozens of districts have already seen their destiny being shaped by those who are not Indians. It is the constitutional duty of the Centre, State and ECI to ensure that only genuine citizens, not foreigners, cast their vote in Parliamentary, State Assembly and Local Body elections. For this, Special Intensive Scrutiny of Electoral Rolls, from time to time, is necessary,' he contended.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Dhulia to hear Bihar electoral roll revision case on July 14
A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi is scheduled on July 14 to hear arguments for and against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll under way in poll-bound Bihar and decide if the drive, initiated by the Election Commission of India, needs to be stayed for the time being. Over 10 petitions filed by Opposition leaders, activists, NGOs and lawyers have been listed before the Bench, which had agreed on Monday to urgently list the case on July 14. Keep it simple: On Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's electoral rolls The petitions listed for hearing, and challenging the SIR, include ones by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, activists Yogendra Yadav, Arshad Ajmal, NGOs Association for Democratic Reforms and People's Union for Civil Liberties. The court has also listed a petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay supporting the SIR. The petitions have argued that an interim order from the apex court staying the June 24 notification announcing the SIR was necessary as crores of voters, drawn from the poor and marginalised sections of the society, were put on a tight leash to produce documents to prove their domicile or face the prospect of disenfranchisement. The petitioners said the last date for submission of the enumeration forms was July 25. Applicants' names would not feature in the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1, 2025, if forms were not submitted in time. The petitioners said the Election Commission must be made to explain the rationale behind the 'ill-timed and hasty' manner of conducting the SIR exercise in Bihar. Mr. Jha has argued that the decision was taken by the poll body without prior consultation with political parties and would be employed to 'justify aggressive and opaque revisions of electoral rolls that disproportionately target Muslim, Dalit and poor migrant communities'. The petitioners contended that the SIR process violated the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The petitioners variously argued that the SIR shifted the onus of being on the voters' list from the State to the citizens. Mr. Upadhyay, on the other hand, voted for periodic conduct of SIRs of electoral rolls across the country. 'The demography of 200 districts and 1,500 tehsils has changed after Independence due to massive illegal infiltration, deceitful religious conversion and population explosion. Demography is destiny, and dozens of districts have already seen their destiny being shaped by those who are not Indians. It is the constitutional duty of the Centre, State and ECI to ensure that only genuine citizens, not foreigners, cast their vote in Parliamentary, State Assembly and Local Body elections. For this, Special Intensive Scrutiny of Electoral Rolls, from time to time, is necessary,' he contended.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
A blot on democracy: Why we must not forget lessons from the Emergency
June 25 marks the 50th anniversary of a 21-month period in independent India's history of authoritarian excesses, activated by a constitutional suspension of civil liberties and the collective failure of institutional checks and balances. The Emergency was rubber-stamped by the President, the Cabinet, and Parliament under the specious threat of external aggression and internal disturbances to India, and given heft by an infamous Supreme Court Bench judgment that overrode the protections of habeas corpus. Together, these retreats from democratic values by those that should have defended them enabled the regime under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to detain opponents indefinitely and with impunity, and muzzle the press in an unprecedented manner. Shielded by Article 352, Indira Gandhi embarked on a drastic programme of population control that violated the civil rights of thousands of families, and a slum demolition project, which resulted in police killings of protesting residents. This saga of human rights infringement, conceived not by elected officials or the bureaucracy but by the extralegal exercise of power by her son, was virtually unknown to large sections of Indians, thanks to the comprehensive news blackout and drastic press censorship. At a time when commentary is gaining traction about insidious attempts to diminish the freedom of the press, it is worth remembering the extreme pressures that were brought to bear on India's Fourth Estate during the Emergency, as well as its consequences. These oppressions included cutting off electricity to major newspaper houses in New Delhi within hours of the Emergency being declared to prevent them from printing. Not surprisingly, in an atmosphere of sustained intimidation, where arbitrary imprisonment without bail was the norm, many editors chose the line of least resistance. The more intrepid tested the boundaries of authoritarianism, such as the Indian Express, which famously published a blank opinion page as mute protest against the suppression of free speech. With the principal source of information emanating from state-controlled Doordarshan and All India Radio propaganda, ordinary Indians' understanding of the degree of repression was limited. In a democracy, a free press does not only fulfil the function of educating people and offering them a range of ideological choices and opinions. It also plays a critical role for the government of the day. Speaking truth to power has the additional, if uncomfortable, virtue of offering the ruling regime clues to what people may be thinking. Silencing these voices was the fundamental mistake that Indira Gandhi made with her press censorship. Lulled by only positive opinions by those around her, she chose to call elections, which unseated her and her party from power. Fifty years on, the Emergency will be remembered by an ageing generation of people that lived through it. For Indians born from the 1990s onwards, the surging national self-confidence and prosperity of post-liberalisation India may swamp an understanding of this dark period. But its legacies can cast a long shadow, since the institutional structures and culture of governance remain unchanged. It took till 2017, for instance, for the Supreme Court to override the 1975 restrictions on habeas corpus. Between June 25, 1975, and March 21, 1977, the Emergency made a mockery of the foundational ideas of the Indian republic. It demonstrated the dangers of wilfully weakening the guardrails of democracy by those elected to protect them. Those lessons should not be forgotten today.
