SC likely to deliver full drought verdict; four new judges to be sworn in today
Supreme Court will rule on the validity of the provisions of the Indian Penal Code criminalising defamation
New Delhi: The last day before Supreme Court shuts for its summer break promises to be riveting. Among hearing in other cases, it will deliver its verdict on the validity of criminal defamation and lay down additional steps to be undertaken to combat the drought situation in the country.
Four new judges—justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar, Ashok Bhushan and L. Nageswara Rao—will on Friday take oath and start hearing cases in the Supreme Court.
Judgment on validity of criminal defamation
The Supreme Court will rule on the validity of the provisions of the Indian Penal Code criminalising defamation. Read more
Four new judges to be sworn in
Four new judges to the Supreme Court will be sworn in on Friday by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur. Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar, Ashok Bhushan and L. Nageswara Rao will begin their first hearings of apex court cases on Friday. Their warrants of appointment came through on 11 May.
Remaining parts of drought verdict likely today
The remaining two parts of the three-part drought verdict is also expected on Friday. The first part, seeking a national policy on drought, was delivered on 11 May. The verdict comes in the petition filed by Swaraj Abhiyan, a non-profit organisation with Yogendra Yadav at its helm.
Revocation of President’s rule in Uttarakhand
Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi will place a copy of the revocation of President’s rule in Uttarakhand before the Supreme Court on Friday. The court earlier permitted the government to lift President’s rule in the state, after Harish Rawat won the trust vote held on Tuesday. Read more
Conviction of Rungta brothers
The Delhi high court will hear the appeal against the first conviction in the coal scam. A special CBI court convicted R.S. and R.C. Rungta, directors of Jharkhand Ispat Pvt. Ltd (JIPL), and awarded them a four-year jail sentence.
Judge Bharat Parashar on 28 March convicted the Rungta brothers on charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating on obtaining licences for the North Dhadu coal block in Jharkhand. Read more
Vodafone-tax department dispute
The taxman’s challenge against a Bombay high court decision in the Vodafone case is coming up for its first hearing before the Supreme Court on Friday. In April, the income tax department informed that it would appeal the Vodafone transfer pricing case.
Minimum import price on steel
Pleas to transfer cases challenging the minimum import price (MIP) of steel products by the Union government and the Indian Steel Association will be heard on Friday. Read more
One such case is pending before the Delhi high court where the Steel Wires Manufacturers Association questioned the jurisdiction of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade which issued a notification on 5 February imposing MIP on 173 steel products ranging between $341 and $752 per tonne.
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