Utkarsh Anand

Utkarsh Anand is Legal Editor at the Hindustan Times. He writes on law, judiciary and governance.

Articles by Utkarsh Anand

No need to alter age of consent, says law panel

The report was prepared after the high courts of Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh referred the issue to the panel, whose recommendations are not binding on the government though they may have some persuasive value Report advises judge’s discretion, milder punishment under Pocso when sex consensual and age gap less than 3 years

HT Image
Updated on Sep 30, 2023 07:14 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Frame common issues in services law case: SC to Delhi govt, Centre

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, who heads the Constitution bench in the matter, asked the counsel for the two sides to prepare a list of common issues

The Delhi government has challenged the GNCTD (Amendment) Act which gives control of services in the state to the central government. (HT Photo)
Updated on Sep 28, 2023 05:32 AM IST

In setback to Chandrababu Naidu, Supreme Court says will not restrain trial judge

N Chandrababu Naidu’s petition came up before a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti, but it wasn’t heard since justice Bhatti recused from the case

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu leaves for Vijayawada after being arrested by the CID in connection to the alleged corruption charges, in Nandyal on September 9. (ANI)
Updated on Sep 27, 2023 06:18 PM IST

Supreme Court stays defamation proceedings against Union MoS L Murugan

The defamation proceedings were initiated by former MP and DMK leader RS Bharathi in 2021 for Murugan’s reported derogatory statements against the DMK-affiliated Murasoli Trust

The next hearing in the matter will take place after six weeks. (ANI file photo)
Published on Sep 27, 2023 12:14 PM IST

Seven-judge bench to reconsider April arbitration verdict of Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday preferred a seven-judge bench to review its ruling in April that held an arbitration clause is not enforceable in law if the agreement is unstamped or insufficiently stamped.

The April judgment of the Supreme Court is expected to create further delays in appointment of arbitrators by adding one more layer of scrutiny, besides being contrary to India’s pro-arbitration stance. (ANI)
Published on Sep 27, 2023 10:33 AM IST
By, New Delhi

SC to monitor govt action on collegium’s judge picks

The Supreme Court of India has decided to monitor the delays by the Union government in appointing judges. The court will monitor the steps taken by the government every 10-12 days and expressed concern over the long delays in processing recommendations made by the collegium for appointing and transferring judges. The court has asked the attorney general to provide an update on the status of the recommendations on October 9. Several names for appointment as judges and transfers have been pending for months, causing frustration and dissatisfaction among lawyers and the judiciary.

While the A-G asked for a week to come back with the latest status of the recommendations made by the collegium to the government, the bench pointed out that there has been a hiatus of seven months, during which several proposals have remained pending. (File)
Updated on Sep 27, 2023 08:52 AM IST

Top court special bench to review its 2022 PMLA judgment on Oct 18

These two issues were flagged by the court on August 25, 2022, when it had agreed to consider reviewing the previous judgment.

Supreme Court (File)
Updated on Sep 27, 2023 08:44 AM IST
By, Abraham Thomas

SC to check maintainability of Hindu side’s plea on Gyanvapi Mosque

The mosque management committee argues that the suit is barred by the Places of Worship Act, 1991.

Gyanvapi Mosque (File)
Updated on Sep 27, 2023 05:20 AM IST

Manipur crisis: Ensure there are no hurdles to access justice, says SC

Giving audience to those affected by the protracted ethnic strife in Manipur is a “part of the healing process”, the Supreme Court said on Monday.

A burnt structure at Torbung village in Churachandpur on July 23. (Reuters)
Published on Sep 26, 2023 12:26 AM IST
By, New Delhi

“State’s failure”: SC berates UP govt over Muzaffarnagar child slapping incident

The matter had come to light after a purported video of the incident created an outrage on social media last month, and an FIR came to be lodged against the teacher in Muzaffarnagar on August 25

The bench has sought a report from the UP government on the implementation of the RTE Act in relation to the case. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)
Updated on Sep 25, 2023 01:41 PM IST

SC refuses out of turn listing of plea by Chandrababu Naidu in development scam

The investigation against Naidu centres around a scheme that allegedly diverted government funds intended for a skill development project into various shell companies through fraudulent invoices

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu at the Rajahmundry central jail in this file photo (PTI file photo)
Updated on Sep 25, 2023 11:19 AM IST

'I have a lot of time to push more reforms', says confident Modi

Speaking at the International Lawyers’ Conference organised by the Bar Council of India in Delhi, the PM underlined the need to simplify laws for the public.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice DY Chandrachud at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday. (PIB)
Updated on Sep 24, 2023 04:45 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Institutional collaboration plays key role in access to justice: CJI

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud on Saturday said that institutional collaboration is a precursor to solution-finding

Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud highlights the need to collaborate as nations, institutions to find innovative solutions. (ANI)
Published on Sep 23, 2023 11:19 PM IST
By, New Delhi

Criminalising marital rape will have ramifications: Govt tells Supreme Court

The court is seized of a batch of petitions which exempts forceful sexual intercourse by a man with his wife from the offence of rape.

The case was mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud by advocate Karuna Nundy, seeking a date of listing (Sonu Mehta/HT)
Updated on Sep 23, 2023 05:26 AM IST
By, New Delhi

‘It is high time’: Supreme Court calls for a code of investigation for cops

A 2012 report of the Law Commission observed that the principal causes of low rate of conviction in our country include unscientific investigation by police.

The top court cited the concerns raised in a 2003 report by the justice VS Malimath-led committee on reforms of the criminal justice system (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)
Published on Sep 23, 2023 12:21 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Months after fire at Delhi neighbourhood, SC denies reprieve to coaching centres

SC refused to interfere with a high court order directing the closure of all coaching centres allowed under mixed land use if they did not comply with norms

61 students were injured in a fire at a coaching centre in Mukherjee Nagar in June. (HT Archive)
Published on Sep 22, 2023 11:20 PM IST

SC issues notice to Udhayanidhi Stalin over his ‘eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ remarks

The SC bench issued notices to the state government and Udhayanidhi even as it observed that the petitioner had the option of approaching the jurisdictional high court in first instance

Tamil Nadu youth affairs and sports minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin. (PTI Photo)
Published on Sep 22, 2023 01:33 PM IST

SC backs early release of convicts after long incarceration

The Supreme Court favoured premature release of convicts who have served a long period of incarceration if they show reformation

Supreme Court says denying premature release to convicts who have served extremely long periods of incarceration signifies society’s resolve to be harsh and unforgiving. (HT Archive)
Published on Sep 22, 2023 12:14 AM IST

SC/ST quota in Houses must continue: Centre tells top court

Initially, the reservation was provided in Parliament and state assemblies under Article 334 for a period of 20 years.

The court said that it would start hearing the matter from November 24, asking all the parties to submit their written submissions and compilation of cases within four weeks (HT Photo)
Published on Sep 21, 2023 12:14 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Women’s quota a fraught move tangled in political history

The history of this battle for greater representation calls for a deeper examination of the issue and potential reforms in India's democracy and institutions.

Women MPs walk to the new Parliament on Tuesday. (PTI)
Updated on Sep 20, 2023 05:52 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Set timeline to decide on petitions against Shinde camp: SC to speaker

It asked solicitor general (SG) Tushar Mehta to inform the court after two weeks about the stage of the adjudication

Mehta pointed out that speaker is also a constitutional authority, adding it may not be proper to demand a daily itinerary from him. The bench, however, retorted: “But he is a tribunal under the Tenth Schedule and is amenable to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.” (File)
Published on Sep 19, 2023 12:21 AM IST

No Supreme Court reprieve for Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren against ED summons

The ED had summoned Soren to appear before it on September 18, but the CM did not appear on that day since the case was listed before the top court on the same day

The summons issued to Soren on Sunday was the fifth summons in less than three months. (HT File Photo)
Published on Sep 18, 2023 02:04 PM IST

‘Conflict of interest’: Plea in Supreme Court for fresh panel on Adani probe

Acting on a clutch of petitions demanding a probe into the matter, the Supreme Court on March 2 set up a six-member panel

The panel was set up by the court through its order on March 2. (Sanchit Khanna | HT Photo)
Updated on Sep 18, 2023 02:20 PM IST

Sedition law: What has changed after Supreme Court's 1962 order

The Supreme Court's decision will re-examine the law in light of evolving constitutional principles and the interplay of fundamental rights.

The Supreme Court in Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)
Updated on Sep 18, 2023 05:01 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Working to lay down objective criteria to pick Supreme Court judges: CJI

CJI pointed out that the collegium, which comprises the first five judges in the apex court, now have access to data on the judges, their judgments.

Justice Chandrachud acknowledged that one of the chief criticisms of the collegium pertained to lack of factual data before it to evaluate candidates being considered for appointments (HT File)
Updated on Sep 16, 2023 05:02 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Free speech is about putting forth view without prosecution fear: Supreme Court

The top court underscored the importance of free speech, saying even a factually incorrect report may not attract a penal offence under Section 153A of IPC.

The bench also took a grim view of the Manipur high court admitting a PIL seeking to quash the EGI report, alleging a nexus between the body and “narco-terrorist groups” (ANI)
Updated on Sep 16, 2023 05:04 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Supreme Court seeks Centre, high courts' view on hybrid hearing

The decision comes two days after the Union cabinet sanctioned the infusion of a huge corpus of ₹7,210 crore for the third phase of the eCourts mission

Supreme Court (ANI)
Updated on Sep 16, 2023 02:36 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Won’t press for K Kavitha’s questioning in Delhi excise policy case: ED to SC

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had summoned K Kavitha for questioning in New Delhi on Friday over the alleged scam related to now-scrapped Delhi excise policy

Bharat Rashtra Samithi legislator K Kavitha. (PTI)
Updated on Sep 16, 2023 05:02 AM IST

There is right to midday meal, not the menu: Supreme Court

In its order, the bench recorded that there is no legal breach in the policy decision of the UT administration to exclude meat products from the midday meal.

Children’s right on midday meal not on the menu, says Supreme Court. (HT Archive)
Updated on Sep 15, 2023 04:07 AM IST
By, New Delhi

Some convicts more privileged than others: Supreme Court on Bilkis Bano case

The court emphasised that the real issue before the court was whether the power to grant remission was exercised correctly by the Gujarat government

According to the records placed before the bench, some of the convicts in the case were out on parole for over 1,100 days as they served the sentence (ANI)
Updated on Sep 15, 2023 06:00 AM IST
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