News archive

Former Supreme Court judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul writes in his forthcoming memoir that the collegium is not isolated from political pressure, according to Hindustan Times. He traces the dynamic to the government's resentment over the 2015 scrapping of the National Judicial Appointments Commission.

• Justice Kaul writes that consultation often turned into pre-approval where the government sought nods before formal deliberations.
• He recounts an instance where he walked out of a meeting after the government questioned a minority candidate's background.

Former Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud responded that official records show all collegium decisions were unanimous and Justice Kaul never recorded a dissent.

The Allahabad High Court declared unconstitutional a state welfare scheme provision that made an injury report indicating penetrative sexual assault mandatory for claiming financial assistance, according to Hindustan Times.

• The court held that the condition violated Article 14 because it could deny rehabilitation to victims for reasons unrelated to relief needs.
• Authorities were ordered to release 3 lakh rupees to a minor petitioner from Jaunpur within 10 days of the judgment.

The petitioner's claim had earlier been rejected because consent was not given for that specific medical examination. The criminal trial under the Pocso Act remains pending.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed communications from the Mohali district administration asking private unaided schools to deploy teachers for Census duty, according to Hindustan Times.

• The association argued that sudden staff withdrawal would disrupt classroom teaching, examinations and institutional activities.
• The court observed that the Census Act provisions do not prima facie include teachers exclusively employed in private unaided schools.

The bench has posted the matter for further hearing on February 10. A similar issue involving private school teachers had earlier led to a stay by a coordinate bench in Haryana.