Prachi Bhardwaj, Author at SCC Times

Limit arrests, release prisoners on parole: Read Supreme Court directions on containing COVID-19 spread in overcrowded prisons

India has more than four lakh prison inmates. Some of the prisons in India are overburdened and are housing inmates beyond optimal capacity.

Case Briefs High Courts

[COVID-19 surge] Del HC| Severe shortage of Tocilizumab injections; 500 vials would not be sufficient for large number of critical COVID-19 patients in Delhi

Delhi High Court: Taking note of the “imminent need” for drug – Tocilizumab for treating critically ill patients in Delhi, Pratibha M.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Madras High Court’s remarks harsh, metaphor inappropriate but can’t be expunged; Supreme Court junks EC’s plea seeking restrain on Media reporting Court proceedings

During the course of the hearing, the Madras High Court had allegedly orally observed that the EC is “the institution that is singularly responsible for the second wave of COVID-19” and that the EC “should be put up for murder charges”.

Case Briefs Supreme Court (Constitution/Larger Benches)

Maratha Reservation unconstitutional| The timeline of the case and the 3 questions that received unanimous opinions of all 5 judges

“Sufficient and adequate representation of Maratha community in public services is indicator that they are not socially and educationally backward.”

Case Briefs Supreme Court

COVID-19| Schools can’t profit from unutilised facilities; Rajasthan Schools to provide 15% deduction of annual fees for academic year 2020-21: Supreme Court

“The school Management supposedly engaged in doing charitable activity of imparting education, is expected to be responsive and alive to that situation and take necessary remedial measures to mitigate the hardship suffered by the students and their parents. It is for the school Management to reschedule payment of school fee in such a way that not even a single student is left out or denied opportunity of pursuing his/her education, so as to effectuate the adage “live and let live”.”

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Supreme Court to decide constitutionality of Section 124A IPC. Read why it came into force and why 5-judge bench in Kedar Nath Singh verdict found it constitutional

Supreme Court: The 3-judge bench of UU Lalit, Indira Banerjee and KM Joseph, JJ has issued notice in a plea seeking declaration

Supreme Court Roundups

Supreme Court Monthly Roundup – April 2021

TOP STORIES Constitution Bench No more “mechanical” conversion of complaints under Section 138 NI Act from summary to summons trial; Magistrates “must”

Hot Off The Press News

COVID-19 surge| Supreme Court’s Summer Vacation preponed

Considering the alarming surge in the COVID-19 cases in the country, the Supreme Court has preponed it’s Summer Vacation. As per the

OP. ED.Tributes and Obituaries

Soli J. Sorabjee: A champion of human rights and Jazz!

Former Attorney General and an outstanding lawyer, Soli J. Sorabjee succumbed to COVID-19 on April 30, 2021 at the age of 91.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Distribution of COVID essentials like oxygen, Remdesivir| “Not substituting the jurisdiction of the High Courts”; Supreme Court explains why it intervened

“The role of this Court in the present situation is complementary to the role and functions being performed by the High Courts. Neither is intended to substitute the other.”

Case Briefs Supreme Court

A blind Scheduled Caste woman raped! Supreme Court explains intersectional oppression and how it needs to be addressed

“The experience of rape induces trauma and horror for any woman regardless of her social position in the society. But the experiences of assault are different in the case of a woman who belongs to a Scheduled Caste community and has a disability because the assault is a result of the interlocking of different relationships of power at play.”

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Gangster previously prosecuted in 15 cases gets bail in a murder case! Supreme Court sets aside Allahabad High Court order

“There is no doubt that liberty is important, even that of a person charged with crime but it is important for the courts to recognise the potential threat to the life and liberty of victims/witnesses, if such accused is released on bail.”

Know thy Judge OP. ED.Tributes and Obituaries

The Judicial Legacy of Justice MM Shantanagoudar

“An irreducible core of right to life is “dignity”. Right to human dignity comes in different shades and colours. (…) The right

Hot Off The Press News

Sitting Supreme Court judge Justice MM Shantanagoudar passes away

In a sad news coming from the Supreme Court, Justice MM Shantanagoudar has passed away on 24.04.2021 after a prolonged illness. He

Appointments & Transfers News

Justice NV Ramana sworn in as the 48th Chief Justice of India

Justice NV Ramana took oath as the 48th Chief Justice of India in a small ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan due to

Case Briefs Supreme Court

COVID-19 surge| As nation gasps for breath, Supreme Court calls for “even handed” distribution of COVID essentials like oxygen, Remdesivir; asks Centre to submit a “national plan”

“The High Courts have passed certain orders which may have the effect of accelerating and prioritising the services to a certain set of people and slowing down the availability of these resources to certain other groups whether the groups are local, regional or otherwise.”

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Ad-hoc judges to be appointed to deal with unprecedented pendency of cases in High Courts. Supreme Court issues guidelines and “trigger points” for activation of dormant Article 224A

“Article 224 A should not be made a dead letter, more so when the need is so pressing.”

Case Briefs Supreme Court

With 220 vacancies, “the High Courts are in a crisis situation”; Here’s what the Supreme Court advised to facilitate timely appointments

“The High Courts are in a crisis situation. There are almost 40% vacancies in the High Courts, with many of the larger High Courts working under 50% of their sanctioned strength.”

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Deficiencies in Criminal Trials and pendency of cases| Supreme Court directs all High Courts to adopt the Draft Rules of Criminal Practice, 2021

Supreme Court: After noticing common deficiencies which occur in the course of criminal trials and certain practices adopted by trial courts in

Hot Off The Press News

COVID-19 surge| Supreme Court to hear only urgent matters from April 22, 2021. Here’s the list of matters that can be treated as “urgent”

The Supreme Court has notified that only urgent matters will be listed for hearing w.e.f. 22.04.2021. The Circular, further, states that the