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Background of the Case The Union government has informed the Supreme Court of India that it cannot investigate corruption and nepotism allegations against Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu , as the matter pertains to state jurisdiction. The Centre clarified that issues concerning the Code of Conduct for Ministers and public procurement rules fall within the state government’s domain , not the Centre’s. The statement came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by two non-profit organisations — Save Mon Region Foundation and Voluntary Arunachal Sena — seeking a probe into alleged irregularities in the award of public contracts to firms linked to Khandu’s family members. The Petition and Allegations The petitioners accused Chief Minister Pema Khandu , his father’s second wife Rinchin Drema , and his nephew Tsering Tashi of benefitting from public contracts awarded by the Arunachal government. They alleged that such actions violated: The Code of ...

The Bombay High Court has issued a significant environmental directive, ordering six district administrations in the Konkan region — Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Sindhudurg — to transfer 10,000 hectares of mangrove land to the Maharashtra Forest Department within two months . The order, passed by a division bench comprising Justice Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Sandesh Patil , came in response to a contempt petition filed by the Mumbai-based NGO Vanshakti in 2018 . The case underscores the persistent failure of local administrations to implement earlier court orders aimed at protecting the state’s vital mangrove ecosystems. Background of the Case The petition by Vanshakti , an environmental NGO, was filed after the state failed to comply with the Bombay High Court’s 2018 directions mandating the transfer of mangrove lands to the forest department’s mangrove cell for protection. According to Vanshakti, although 4,000 hectares of mangrove land ...

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Supreme Court of India , challenging the Bombay High Court’s order that declared the arrest of former Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) chief Anilkumar Pawar as illegal and ordered his immediate release. The ED, through a Special Leave Petition (SLP) , has also sought a stay on the High Court’s order pending final adjudication. The plea is expected to be heard on Friday before the Supreme Court bench. High Court’s Findings: Arrest Declared Illegal and Arbitrary In a strongly worded order, the Bombay High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad criticised the ED’s actions, terming the arrest “arbitrary, illegal and unsupported by evidence.” The court observed that the arrest violated Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 , as well as Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution of India , which guarantee equality before law, freedom of mov...

In a significant ruling reinforcing the separation of religion and state finances, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has prohibited the state government from utilising temple donations for public welfare or non-religious schemes. The decision, delivered by a Division Bench of Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Rakesh Kainthla , marks an important precedent for protecting religious endowments and ensuring accountability in temple administration. The Case: Petition for Transparency and Religious Autonomy The order came while disposing of a petition filed by Kashmir Chand Shadyal , who sought strict compliance with the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984 . The petitioner raised concerns that donations made by devotees to temples were being diverted toward general government welfare schemes — a move that, he argued, violated both the intent of the Act and constitutional principles protecting religious freedom. The court agreed, ru...

Nearly two decades after one of India’s most horrifying crime sprees shocked the nation, the families of the Nithari victims have once again been gripped by despair. As the Supreme Court reserved its verdict in the last pending case against Surendra Koli , one of the two main accused, its remarks suggesting that upholding his conviction would be a “travesty of justice” have reignited old wounds in Noida’s Nithari village . Families React: ‘We Have Lost All Hope’ For the families who lost their children in the 2006 Nithari killings , the recent court developments have reopened painful memories. A 63-year-old father , whose 10-year-old daughter’s remains were recovered from the now-infamous D-5 bungalow in Sector 31 , said: “My daughter went missing while returning from school. Since then, I fought for justice, selling everything I had. But now, we have lost all faith. Only God can punish the killers of my child.” His wife added that she had foreseen the collapse of the case wh...

In a matter closely watched by legal and constitutional experts, the Supreme Court of India has reserved its verdict in the case concerning Justice Yashwant Varma, addressing the interplay between internal judicial inquiries and Parliament's powers to initiate impeachment proceedings.