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The Supreme Court asked the Centre why the system works to help pharmaceutical manufacturers during a hearing reported by Hindustan Times.

• The bench asked why the government allows a massive difference between the maximum retail price and retailer prices.
• The Centre stated that government policy does not control the entire ecosystem.

The Supreme Court reserved its order after hearing two petitions on medicine pricing, while the Centre noted that Indian medicine prices are among the lowest globally.

The Supreme Court criticized the Rajasthan government during a hearing on pollution in the Jojari, Bandi and Luni river ecosystems, according to Hindustan Times. The bench stated that the entire river system was destroyed while state authorities failed to discharge their duties.

• The court noted that several industries in areas like Sanganer were operating without the required no-objection certificate.
• The top court directed the Rajasthan government to submit a proposal for restoring the river system by the next hearing on November 27.

In August, the court had directed the state government to constitute an integrated coordination group headed by the chief secretary to deal with river contamination.

The Supreme Court refrained from directing the Election Commission of India to preserve files and internal communications concerning decisions on the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, as reported by Hindustan Times.

• The ECI maintained in its counter-affidavit that all decisions regarding the special intensive revision were taken unanimously.
• The Supreme Court issued notice on a fresh petition filed by Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen challenging aspects of the poll panel's functioning.

The bench tentatively posted the matter for November 17, allowing petitioners time to file their rejoinders to the poll panel's affidavit.

The Supreme Court agreed to examine fresh petitions challenging the law mandating the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

• The bench issued notice to the Centre and other respondents on pleas filed by Bhimrao Borkar and Balakrishnan Sathyabhama Mavoji.
• The top court tagged these new petitions with similar pending pleas and scheduled the next hearing for November 30.

The petitioners argued that the government orders replaced a longstanding practice with a version containing explicit and unconstitutional content.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice on a petition by the Digital News Publishers Association challenging provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, as reported by Hindustan Times. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasized that citizens' privacy rights and media freedoms must be carefully balanced.

• The petition challenges Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act for removing the earlier public-interest disclosure safeguard under the RTI Act.
• The Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing in the matter for November 17.

The association represents 21 legacy news publishers and argues that the framework lacks exemptions for journalistic activities and poses pre-censorship risks.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to stay the investigation into two journalists accused of making casteist remarks and obstructing Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat, as reported by Hindustan Times. Justice Mini Pushkarna observed that the probe could not be halted without examining the police status report.

• The court issued notice on the petition filed by the journalists seeking the quashing of the First Information Report.
• The bench refused to restrain the police from taking coercive action against male journalist Gajendra Singh.

The petitioners contended that the FIR was a retaliatory measure following an earlier complaint at Parliament Street Police Station. The matter will be heard next on November 16.