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Supreme Court on Monday said the trial of the Manipur ethnic violence cases, probed by the CBI, would be conducted in Guwahati, Assam, where it was transferred to earlier. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna also extended till July 31, 2025, the tenure of a committee headed by Justice Gita Mittal, the former chief justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The panel, also comprising former Bombay High Court judge Shalini P Joshi and Asha Menon, former Delhi High Court judge, was set up on August 7, 2023 by the top court to oversee relief and rehabilitation of the victims of ethnic violence in Manipur. The tenure of the panel was previously extended by the top court by six months on August 5, last year. On Monday, the bench noted the submissions of a lawyer over the fate of the trials in the cases that were transferred to Guwahati for pre-trial proceedings by the bench on August 25, 2023. «We clarify that the trial of transferred cases will be held before the courts at Guwahati,» the CJI said.

Centre for Public Interest Litigation, and tagged it with the pending matter on the same issue. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said that the question is of independence of the institution and alleged that audits by CAG of states like Maharashtra, where the BJP is in power, are being stalled.

Trump on Saturday invoked the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II, granting himself sweeping powers under a centuries-old law to deport people associated with a Venezuelan gang. Hours later, a federal judge halted deportations under Trump's order. The act is a sweeping wartime authority that allows non-citizens to be deported without being given the opportunity to go before an immigration or federal court judge. ALSO READ: Trump invokes the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act

Chief Election Commissioner and an election commissioner last month, needless questions are being raised on whether they were the right individuals for these offices because the Chief Justice of India was not on the selection committee. Argument being that the CJI's exclusion has rendered the selection one-sided as the Leader of Opposition is in the obvious minority. This logic is spurious. Article 324 (2) of the Constitution that outlines the composition and appointment of the CEC and ECs reads as follows: «The Election Commission shall consist of the chief election commissioner and such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix and the appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament, be made by the President.» The President has been appointing the CEC and ECs on the advice of the executive, that is the government of the day. Parliament has not enacted any law to amend this process. The LoP's inclusion in the selection committee for the appointment of any regulatory position started with the Right to Information Act, 2005. Under this law, the President appoints central information commissioners on the recommendation of not the executive but a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, a minister nominated by him and the LoP in the Lok Sabha. In state information commissions, the governor makes the appointment on the recommendation of a committee comprising the chief minister, a minister and the LoP of the state assembly.

Bombay High Court has upheld the mandatory use of FASTag, the electronic toll collection system, and the imposition of double toll fees for vehicles without it. The court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Pune resident Arjun Khanapure, challenging the National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) directive, which mandates that vehicles without FASTags pay twice the regular toll fees. Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre, in their ruling on Thursday, emphasized that the implementation of FASTag is a well-considered policy decision aimed at ensuring efficient and smooth road travel. «The system of FASTag, introduced in 2014, is here to stay,» the judges remarked, stating that there was no legal basis to intervene in the Centre's policy, which is being carried out by NHAI. Khanapure had filed the PIL after NHAI's circular in February 2021, which made it mandatory for all vehicles to use FASTag to pass through toll plazas. He had urged the court to keep at least one toll lane for hybrid payment options, such as cash.

This troubling development comes despite legislative mandates designed to expedite trials, primarily due to the absence of sufficient dedicated courts to handle such cases. The alarming statistics were revealed in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by city-based activist Vihar Durve on February 6, 2025, requesting details on the pendency of POCSO-related cases in the state. A reply provided by the Bombay High Court’s Public Information Officer on March 4 disclosed that the number of pending cases rose from 32,988 at the beginning of 2023 to 41,977 by January 31, 2025. This increase occurred even as laws stipulate the fast-tracking of cases involving child victims. The backlog has been growing significantly each year. In 2024 alone, 12,838 new cases were registered, while only 7,942 were resolved, contributing nearly 5,000 additional cases to the pile. The pendency rate has risen by 11.2% in 2023 and 13.3% in 2024, with 405 new cases added to the backlog in the first month of 2025 alone.

Centre for Public Interest Litigation, also sought direction of the court mandating that the CAG shall be appointed by the President in consultation with an independent and neutral selection committee comprising of the prime minister, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and the Chief Justice of India and in a transparent manner. It said that the direction for appointment of CAG should be similar to the appointment of other bodies including Information Commissions and the Central Vigilance Commission. The PIL will be taken up for hearing on Monday by a bench of justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh. The plea filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan contended that the present mode of appointment of the CAG, which is done solely by the executive i.e. by the prime minister who handpicks any individual and recommends his name to the President for appointment, is unconstitutional as it is violative of Article 14 and several basic features of the Constitution. «The appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India solely by the executive and the Prime Minister of India undermines the independence of the office of the CAG, suffers from grave conflict of interest and thereby is detrimental to good governance and democracy in India. It is also manifestly arbitrary, detrimental to institutional integrity and violates several basic features of the constitution,» the plea said.

Bahujan Samaj Party founder late Kanshi Ram on his 91st birth anniversary, with senior leader Rahul Gandhi saying his struggle for the rights of Dalits, deprived and exploited «will continue to guide us» at every step in the fight for social justice. «Respectful tributes to the great social reformer, Honourable Kanshi Ram Ji, on his birth anniversary. His struggle for the rights of Dalits, deprived and exploited will continue to guide us at every step in this fight for social justice,» Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also paid tributes to the late Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader. «We pay our humble tributes on the birth anniversary of great social reformer, Manyawar Kanshi Ram Ji, who contributed significantly in connecting the Dalit, deprived, exploited and backward classes of the society with the mainstream of Indian politics,» Kharge posted on X. «He left an indelible mark as a pioneer of equality and social justice,» he added. Born in Punjab's Rupnagar on March 15, 1934, Kanshi Ram worked for the upliftment and political mobilisation of people belonging to backward classes.

Donald Trump delivered what sounded like one of his typical meandering, grievance-laden campaign speeches on Friday, but it was where he did it — inside the U.S. Department of Justice — that mattered. The appearance marked Trump's clearest exertion yet of personal control over the country's federal law enforcement apparatus, which is normally run by appointees who keep at least an arm's length from the president to avoid the appearance that politics are governing prosecutorial decisions. Trump, instead, embraced the notion of the agency as his own personal tool of vengeance. «As the chief law enforcement officer in our country, I will insist upon and demand full and complete accountability for the wrongs and abuses that have occurred,» Trump told the audience, with Attorney General Pam Bondi (who is technically the country's chief law enforcement officer) and FBI Director Kash Patel in the audience. One of Trump's favorite campaign songs, «YMCA,» played after he wrapped up his nearly hourlong address inside the department's ceremonial Great Hall. Here's a look at what Trump said, what the reality is and the significance of his words.

state-sponsored vigilantism" to crush dissent after the «Women, Life, Freedom» protests in 2022, a UN investigation said Friday. Iran is making «concerted state efforts to stifle dissent, perpetuating a climate of fear and systematic impunity», the United Nations' Independent International Fact-Finding Mission said in a new report. These involve «the increased use of technology and surveillance, including through state-sponsored vigilantism». Iran was rocked by demonstrations after the September 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who had been arrested for allegedly violating the strict dress rule for women based on Islamic sharia law. Widespread anger led to weeks of taboo-breaking protests against the Islamic republic's system of government under supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Goa Bench of Bombay High Court has struck down a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1974, that allowed the creation of zones within zones, holding that it was concerned with private land owners' interests. Three citizen organisations had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the HC contending that section 17 (2) of the Act was «mutilating» the Regional Plan. Notified in March 2023, the section was aimed at allowing the authorities to correct inadvertent errors or rectify inconsistent or incoherent zoning. The Regional Plan is a long-term land-use development blueprint prepared by the Town and Country Planning Department of Goa to guide infrastructure, zoning, and environmental conservation in the state. A division Bench of Justices Nivedita P Mehta and M S Karnik on Thursday struck down section 17 (2), holding that it was not in «furtherance of development in the public interest by maintaining a balance between sustainable development vis-a-vis environmental issues», but was concerned with private land owners' interests. The petitioners had argued that the section was being misused to change the status of large tracts of land for commercial purposes. According to the state, between March 2023 and January 2 of this year, there have been 353 approvals under section 17(2) which affect an area of about 26,54,286 square metres, noted the bench.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India's judiciary is grappling with the unintended consequences of live-streamed court cases as short, often out-of-context, clips go viral on social media, fuelling misinformation. And that has reignited the debate whether the proceedings should be shared live online at all.

A lawyer has argued in a London Court that global mining giant BHP should be held liable for Brazil’s worst environmental disaster 10 years ago when a dam collapse released toxic mining waste that killed 19 people and devastated villages

Kuki-Zo organisations are seeking creation of a Union Territory in the wake of the ethnic violence in Manipur. The exercise will be titled as Kuki-Zo People's Referendum Ballot, and this will an exercise of their adult franchise as per the Indian Electoral Roll The ballot will have a question and will be submitted at designated polling station. The question does you, as a Kuki-Zo person residing in Manipur, support the creation of a Union Territory comprising all Kuki-Zo villages, to be governed directly by the Central Government of India, ensuring safety, justice, and equitable development? One can tick or use impression. The voter can use the box, yes, I support the creation of a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo people. No, I support continuation under the State of Manipur in its present form”. There will details of voter as per the ID card, name of the voter, Age, gender of the voter, Father's Name, Village/District, Polling Station Name & Code. There will be polling official besides name of the polling official, designation or organisation. “This referendum is conducted by the Kuki-Zo people in a democratic expression of their political self-determination, ensuring adherence to electoral norms as per the Indian Constitution”. Naga National Council had claimed to do plebiscite on May 16 1951 and claimed that 99.9% of the Nagas wanted independence from India. Normal life continued to be affected in Kuki-Zo areas of Manipur for the fifth day on Thursday due to the indefinite shutdown called by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC)to protest the resumption of the bus services between the state capital Imphal and the hill districts and the police action in the tribal areas on Saturday.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday called the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath a «Tees Maar Khan». He further stated that CM Yogi loves the number of thirty as he uses it in almost every case. His reaction follows the decision by the local administration in Uttar Pradesh after which several mosques were covered with tarpaulin sheets ahead of the Holi festival. The move aims to prevent any untoward incidents and maintain communal harmony during the celebrations. The SP chief stated that people from all the communities have always celebrated all festivals together. Addressing a press conference, Yadav said, «I extend my heartfelt greetings on the occasion of Holi to people of the country. This is a festival of colours which brings joy and happiness. We wish that the Ganga-Yamuna tradition of our country flourishes and people lives together with brotherhood as they have lived since many years. People from all communities have celebrated all festival together. We are connected through festivals and businesses associated with it...» «On the other hand, our Chief Minister is Tees Maar Khan, because he loves the number of thirty. The number of people died was 30, the economic activity amounted to Rs 30 crores… Nobody can give us the account of Tees Maar Khan except our Chief Minister...» he added.

Daredevil: Born Again continues its run with Episode 3 set to release on March 11, 2025. The series follows Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer with enhanced abilities, as he fights for justice while Wilson Fisk aims for political power.

Trump administration has ended $20 billion in funding for greenhouse gas reduction projects in a move that climate advocates and Democrats say illegally seizes money allocated for clean energy and transportation for disadvantaged communities. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin had publicized his campaign to claw back money from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which Congress appropriated under the Biden administration to kick-start projects aimed at curbing pollution. In a statement late on Tuesday, the EPA said it had clawed back the funds, saying the program did not align with the agency's priorities and citing concerns with potential fraud, waste and abuse, although it gave no details. The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI are reviewing the program, it added. The EPA said it would work to use the funds «with enhanced controls» within the law but did not say specifically what it would do with the money.

Delhi High Court on Tuesday said Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik among others could challenge the Centre revoking the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela also requested the single judge, hearing the wrestlers' plea against the 2023 WFI election, to expedite the proceedings. The Centre on March 10 revoked its order suspending the WFI on December 24, 2023 for lapses in governance and procedural integrity by the new body, elected on December 21, the same year, and restored its status as a national sports federation. The bench, while closing the proceedings on WFI's appeal against the single judge's order on restoring Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) ad-hoc committee to run its affairs, observed the committee had to work only till the Centre's suspension was in force. Referring to the March 10 decision, the court observed nothing remained to be adjudicated in the WFI appeal. «Needless to state, it will be open to any party, if aggrieved by the order dated March 10 passed by the sports ministry, to challenge the same before appropriate court,» it said.

Anil Thomas Gabriel, who was shot dead in Jordan on February 10, has demanded justice, insisting his son was not a terrorist but an Indian citizen. Anil's father, Gabriel Thomas, spoke to ANI, stating, «Anil Thomas called me after he landed in Jordan on February 7. When he left from here, he carried all the necessary documents, including his visa. He was not alone--his brother-in-law also travelled with him. Later, we were told that someone had been shot, but they couldn't find Anil Thomas. It was only later that we learned he had been killed.» Thomas continued, «We sent an email to the Indian Embassy, and when we received a response, we found out about his death. He was shot in the forehead. We demand justice. Why was my son shot? The government must investigate. As a father, it is my duty to fight for the truth. We have already submitted a petition to the MP. This incident happened in Jordan, not Israel. The embassy may say many things, but they were not there. There are eyewitnesses who saw what really happened--Thomas was shot while walking. The bullet hit the leg of the person accompanying him, but my son was shot in the forehead, which is unacceptable. My son was not a terrorist--he was an Indian citizen. If needed, they could have shot him in the leg, but they aimed to kill. This is an injustice, and the government must take action to ensure we get justice.»

anti-India activities, particularly by Khalistani extremists, pointing to external affairs minister S Jaishankar's security breach in London last week. A pro-Khalistan extremist breached the security barricades and tore an Indian flag in front of Jaishankar's convoy in London, the first such incident faced by the minister during an overseas trip. Jaishankar was on a visit to the UK from March 4 to 9. During his visit, Jaishankar also met the UK home secretary. At the meeting, the minister brought up the safety and security of India's missions/posts and diplomats and reiterated the need to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks on the premises of the Indian high commission in London.

ICICI Securities Ltd from the bourses. Last year in August and October, Mumbai and Ahemadabad benches of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved applications filed by the ICICI Securities Ltd and ICICI Bank to delist the private sector lender’s securities company from the bourses.