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In a moment that will be remembered in India’s constitutional history, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee became the first sitting CM to personally argue her own case before the Supreme Court —turning a routine election-law dispute into a defining battle over democracy, federalism, and voter disenfranchisement . Appearing before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant , Banerjee urged the Court to “protect democracy” and “protect people’s lives”, as the Court examined the legality and fairness of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Why This Hearing Was Unprecedented While politicians routinely challenge constitutional authorities through lawyers, a sitting chief minister personally addressing the Supreme Court is virtually unheard of . Banerjee, a trained advocate, made a 15-minute oral intervention—granted by the Court itself—asserting th...

Introduction: Budget 2026 at a Crucial Economic Juncture The Union Budget 2026, to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February 2026 , comes at a defining moment for India’s macroeconomic and fiscal trajectory. Just two days ahead of the Budget speech, industry stakeholders, economists, and policymakers are closely watching government signals on growth, inflation management, fiscal consolidation, and sectoral allocations. This will be Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Budget , marking a rare continuity in fiscal leadership. Notably, this is also the first time in over a decade that the Union Budget will be presented on a Sunday , underscoring its exceptional political and economic significance. Constitutional Basis of the Union Budget Article 112 of the Constitution of India The Union Budget is constitutionally referred to as the “Annual Financial Statement” under Article 112 . It mandates the government to present estimated receipts and expenditures of the ...

Background of the Case The Supreme Court is currently examining a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) June 24 notification directing a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The petitions were filed in 2025 and raise serious constitutional and statutory questions concerning voter deletion, citizenship determination, and the scope of the Election Commission’s powers. The matter was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi , which sought to ascertain the true intent behind the SIR exercise. Supreme Court’s Core Question: Citizenship or Electoral Hygiene? During the hearing, the Supreme Court posed a pointed question to the ECI: “When you started this exercise, was citizenship in your mind or are you second-guessing it as a reason to begin this exercise?” The Court noted that the SIR notification primarily cited migration, urbanisation, and the need to update electoral entries as...

I. Introduction The prolonged standoff between Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi and the DMK-led government under Chief Minister M K Stalin has once again come into sharp focus following the Governor’s walkout from the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly . What appears on the surface as a disagreement over speeches and protocol raises deeper constitutional questions about the role of Governors in India’s federal structure , the limits of their discretion , and the authority of elected state governments . II. Background of the Conflict The conflict between the Governor and the state government has not emerged overnight. It has evolved over several years, manifesting through disputes over: The Governor’s Assembly address Delay or refusal to grant assent to Bills Public comments by the Governor on governance issues Alleged interference by the Union government via Raj Bhavans The friction became visibly public when Governor Ravi walked out of the Assembly , refusing to read the full government-ap...

Background of the Case The Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed the Supreme Court that its authority to verify a person’s citizenship during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is strictly confined to determining eligibility for voter registration and does not extend to deportation or termination of citizenship. The submissions were made before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant , along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi , while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the legality of the SIR exercise undertaken by the ECI. What Is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)? The Special Intensive Revision is an electoral exercise conducted periodically by the ECI to: Remove names of deceased voters Delete entries of persons who have permanently migrated Correct duplicate or erroneous voter records The petitioners allege that the current SIR exercise is being used as a backdoor mechanism to determine citizenship , thereby leading to potential disen...

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the interim release of Sonia and her husband Sanjeev Kumar, who were convicted of killing eight members of Sonia’s family in August 2001. The court simultaneously directed the Haryana government to reconsider their premature release application within two months, strictly in accordance with the applicable remission policy. Background of the 2001 Hisar Mass Murder Case On the night of August 23, 2001, eight members of the Punia family were killed at their farmhouse on the outskirts of Hisar. The victims included: • Relu Ram Punia (50), former MLA of Barwala constituency • Krishna Devi (41) • A 14-year-old daughter • Sunil Kumar (23), son from first marriage • Daughter-in-law Shakuntala Devi (20) • A 4-year-old grandson • Two granddaughters, including a two-month-old infant According to the prosecution, Sonia and Sanjeev retrieved an iron rod from the garage after midnight and murdered the family members individually in separate ro...

The Supreme Court’s latest observations during the petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar raise important constitutional and statutory questions. The core issue is whether the Election Commission of India (ECI) can inquire into "doubtful citizenship" while revising electoral rolls, without assuming the authority to declare someone a citizen or non-citizen. Issue 1: Court Clarifies ECI Is Not Claiming Power to Determine Citizenship The Supreme Court clarified that the ECI has not claimed any constitutional authority to decide citizenship. The bench noted: ECI’s question is not about declaring someone a citizen or non-citizen, but about whether it can conduct inquisitorial inquiries into doubtful entries during voter roll revision. The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked: If an electoral roll has doubtful inclusions, would it not fall within ECI’s constitutional mandate to investigate? This sets th...

Supreme Court judge Justice B.V. Nagarathna delivered a significant address at the international convention titled “The Independence of Judiciary: Comparative Perspective on Rights, Institutions and Citizens” held at O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat. Her remarks highlighted the core elements that safeguard the rule of law in a constitutional democracy—judicial independence and supremacy of the law. Judicial Independence and Supremacy of Law: The Twin Guarantees of Rule of Law Justice Nagarathna emphasised that judicial independence and the supremacy of law function together to ensure that the rule of law remains insulated from political pressures. According to her, insulating judges from extraneous and political influences is essential to preserve the integrity of judicial decision-making. She reiterated that these two principles form the foundation of a democratic legal system and must never be taken for granted. Faith in the Constitution and Faith in the Courts Justice ...

The Supreme Court of India has once again turned its attention to the contentious issue of reservation in Maharashtra’s local bodies. During a hearing on a contempt petition, the Court directed the State to provide a complete list of all local bodies where the total reservation—covering Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC)—exceeds the 50% constitutional ceiling. This order comes amid preparations for upcoming elections and ongoing disputes about the implementation of the Court’s earlier directions, particularly the 2021 “triple test” requirement. Background: Contempt Petition and the 2021 Triple Test Judgment The current proceedings arise from a contempt petition alleging that Maharashtra failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling. That judgment mandated that any OBC reservation in local bodies must satisfy a three-step test , now widely known as the "triple test": Establish a dedicated commission to conduct a conte...

The Allahabad High Court has strongly criticised the functioning of Uttar Pradesh’s birth certificate issuance system, describing it as a “mess” and reflective of dishonesty operating at multiple administrative levels. The court’s observations came during the hearing of a writ petition that exposed the ease with which multiple birth certificates with conflicting details can be obtained in the state. Case Background: Two Birth Certificates, Two Different Dates of Birth Facts of the Petition The issue surfaced during the hearing of a writ petition filed by an individual named Shivanki . The Deputy Director of UIDAI, Regional Office, Lucknow, submitted documents that revealed the petitioner possessed two separate birth certificates , both issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, but: from two different authorities, and with two different dates of birth. Details of the Conflicting Certificates Certificate 1: Issued by: Primary Health Centre, Manauta Date of bir...

The Supreme Court has delivered a significant judgment in a long-running dispute originating from advertisements displayed during the 1996 Wills World Cup. By affirming the 2025 Calcutta High Court order, the Court has clarified the meaning of “public place” under municipal taxation law and set important procedural standards for local authorities. Background of the Dispute The controversy dates back to advertisements displayed inside Eden Gardens Stadium during two major World Cup events: Inaugural ceremony on 11 February 1996 Semi-final match on 13 March 1996 On 27 March 1996, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) issued a tax demand of ₹51,18,450 to the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) under Section 204 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, alleging that advertisements displayed inside the stadium attracted advertisement tax. CAB challenged the tax demand before the Calcutta High Court, ultimately resulting in a litigation battle that lasted nearly three d...

I. Introduction: Politics of Power and Perception As Maharashtra inches closer to its crucial local body elections , the state’s political landscape is witnessing renewed turbulence. The Ajit Pawar–Parth Pawar land deal controversy has not only intensified intra-alliance tensions within the ruling Mahayuti coalition , but also given the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a strategic upper hand. For the BJP, this controversy has emerged as a “handy controversy” — one that could strengthen its negotiating position in seat-sharing talks , particularly across urban centers like Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nashik, and Mumbai . II. The Ajit Pawar Land Deal Controversy Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar finds himself under scrutiny after allegations surrounding a questionable Pune land transaction involving his son, Parth Pawar . According to government insiders, an inquiry committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Vikas Kharge has been constituted to investigate the matter, wi...