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Introduction The Supreme Court of India has strongly reaffirmed the finality and binding nature of Constitution Bench judgments , rejecting a writ petition that sought to reopen the settled issue of minority educational institutions’ exemption from the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) . In a stern order, the Court not only dismissed the plea but also imposed costs of ₹1 lakh on the petitioner NGO , calling the petition a “gross abuse” of judicial process and a threat to the institutional integrity of the judiciary. Background of the Petition Petitioner and Relief Sought The petition was filed by an NGO, United Voice for Education Forum , invoking Article 32 of the Constitution , seeking: A declaration that the exemption granted to minority educational institutions from the RTE Act is unconstitutional Inclusion of minority schools— aided and unaided —within the ambit of Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act , which mandates 25% reservation at entry leve...

The Supreme Court of India has directed Indraprastha Apollo Hospital to submit its response to a Delhi government report that found serious breaches of the land lease conditions related to the treatment of poor patients. The court’s directive comes after an expert committee revealed significant non-compliance with the hospital’s legal obligations under its land lease agreement. Background of the Case The matter originates from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the All India Lawyers Union before the Delhi High Court , alleging that Apollo Hospital failed to provide free medical facilities to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) patients as mandated under the lease terms. The Delhi High Court, in its 2009 judgment , had directed Apollo Hospital to comply with the conditions of its lease deed, which required the hospital to reserve a fixed quota of free medical services for underprivileged patients. Dissatisfied with the High Court’s order, the hospital—operated by Indr...

1. Background of the Case The Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, has severely criticised the Maharashtra Government for its poor record in carrying out compensatory afforestation in the Aarey region. The issue came up during the hearing of an application filed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) seeking permission to cut trees for the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, a tunnel connecting Filmcity in Goregaon with Khindipada in Mulund. An inspection report presented by Anitta Patil , Director of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) , revealed that out of 20,460 saplings planted as compensatory afforestation, only 50% survived . Most surviving trees were poorly maintained, with stunted growth, low height, and little ecological recovery due to lack of maintenance, poor soil conditions, water scarcity, and grazing . 2. Supreme Court’s Observations The bench comprising CJI Bhushan R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran expres...

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court challenging the legality of continued toll collection from heavy vehicles entering Mumbai through five key entry points. The petition argues that the ongoing toll collection violates constitutional and statutory provisions and imposes an arbitrary financial burden on vehicle owners. Details of the PIL and Parties Involved The PIL, filed by advocate Pravin Wategaonkar , names the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) as respondents. The MSRDC manages major arterial roads in Mumbai and collects toll through contractors. Currently, only heavy vehicles entering Mumbai through five major entry points — Dahisar, LBS Road (Mulund), Eastern Express Highway (Mulund), Airoli Creek Bridge, and Vashi — are required to pay toll tax. Earlier, even light motor vehicles paid tolls ranging from ₹45 to ₹75. However, they were exempted from toll ...

Court’s Strong Observations The Bombay High Court has held that municipal corporations across Maharashtra must be held liable for loss of life, injuries, and damages caused to citizens due to potholes. The court emphasized that it was unacceptable for citizens to suffer without any fault of their own because of the negligence of civic authorities. A division bench of Justice Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Sandesh Patil made these remarks on Friday while hearing a suo moto public interest litigation (PIL) initiated after reports of multiple pothole-related fatalities. Data Collection on Pothole Deaths Ordered The High Court directed all municipal corporations to collect and submit data on pothole-related deaths and injuries within their jurisdictions. It also asked the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to provide details of accidents on roads and flyovers maintained by them. The court observed: “Municipal corporations must be made liable for this. Th...

The Uttar Pradesh government has informed the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court that unsafe and dilapidated portions of 7,630 schools across the state have been demolished between April 1, 2024, and July 31, 2025 . This action, aimed at improving student safety, follows strict adherence to the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Avinash Mehrotra vs. Union of India and Others , which emphasized school safety infrastructure. Compliance with Supreme Court Guidelines The demolition drive targeted government primary, junior high, and composite schools identified as structurally unsafe. According to the state government’s affidavit, a statewide safety inspection is ongoing to ensure compliance with Supreme Court mandates. Additional Advocate General ( AAG ) K.P. Tripathi , appearing before the division bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Brij Raj Singh , informed the court that the tender process for further safety inspections is already underway and is expected to con...

Landmark plea raises concerns on digital inclusion and rights of persons with disabilities Background of the Case On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court issued notices to food delivery giants Swiggy and Zepto , along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) , in a significant case concerning digital accessibility for visually impaired users . The petition, filed by the NGO Mission Accessibility , alleges that these companies' mobile applications are not designed to be accessible to persons with visual impairments, thereby violating multiple legal and constitutional provisions. The case was heard by Justice Sachin Datta , who directed all respondents to file their replies within four weeks . The matter will next be taken up on May 28, 2025 . Key Allegations by the Petitioner The petition, filed through advocates Sarah and Taha Bin Tasneem , with advocate Rahul Bajaj appearing for the petitioner, outlines specific issues related to the user interface...

Petition Filed in Supreme Court Seeks Timely Appointment of Judicial and Technical Members for GST Tribunals A Public Interest Litigation (PIL)  has been moved in the Supreme Court  of India, urging the Central Government to expedite the process of appointing judicial and technical members to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Appellate Tribunal . Filed by Advocate Anoop Prakash Awasthi , the petition seeks to operationalize the tribunal across India, ensuring a functional and streamlined process for GST-related disputes . The petitioner also requests the identification of suitable premises, development of a website, and allocation of budgets to facilitate the smooth functioning of these tribunals. Long-Pending Establishment of the GST Appellate Tribunal The Goods and Services Tax (GST) was implemented in India in 2017 , marking one of the most significant indirect tax reforms in the country’s history. However, one major issue that remains unresolved since the enactment of t...