Supreme Court Observer

What is the nature of the Supreme Court's work and how do we make sense of the chaotic courtroom environment? What is the gap between judicial pronouncements and their real-world impact, and what is the role of a reporter in making complex legal intricacies accessible to the public?More answers to these questions in our episode! #SCO #SCObserver #SupremeCourtObserver #Judiciary #IndianJudiciary #SupremeCourtofIndia #LawNews #LegalUpdates #UPSC #

A Supreme Court decision from 2011 has become the central focus of the Vice Presidential elections in 2025. The reason: the Opposition's VP candidate was on the Supreme Court Bench that struck down the 'Salwa Judum' initiatives. Home Minister Amit Shah attacked the decision as having delayed the elimination of the "maoist" movement. We unpack the case and its ramifications!

Join us for an insightful conversation with Justice S. Muralidhar, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and former Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, as he discusses his latest work as editor and curator of “(In)Complete Justice? The Supreme Court at 75.”In this interview hosted by Gauri Kashyap for the Supreme Court Observer (SCO), Justice Muralidhar reflects on 75 years of the Supreme Court, drawing on essays contributed by judges, lawyers, scholars, and researchers. The discussion covers:Why it is important to study and document the Court’s functioning.The decline of Constitution Benches and its implications.The challenge of multiplicity of opinions and readability of judgments.The Court’s growing pendency crisis and inconsistencies in case admissions.How digitisation and data transparency, through tools like the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), are reshaping access to information.His experience curating voices and perspectives on the Court’s journey so far.This conversation offers a unique window into the Supreme Court’s evolving role in Indian democracy, its strengths, and the challenges it faces ahead.

As CJI B.R. Gavai completes half of his six-month tenure as Chief Justice of India, we look at the administrative actions and judicial decisions that have defined his term so far. With a few months left in his tenure as the 52nd CJI, what legacy will he leave behind?

On July 31, a Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai gave the Telangana Speaker three months to decide on the disqualification petitions of 10 MLAs. By stipulating a timeline for the Speaker to rule on defection petitions, the Court went beyond the ‘Shiv Sena verdict’. Could it have gone further?

When judges speak in court, their words can mean more than just legal pronouncements. In the age of livestreaming and live-tweeting, oral remarks are often pulled from the courtroom and thrust into the news cycle.But how seriously should we take these off-the-cuff comments? Do they reveal a judge's true mind, or are they simply a tool to test legal arguments?In this video, we delve into the recent observations made by Supreme Court judges, from Justice Dipankar Datta's "true Indian" remark to Chief Justice B.R. Gavai's "class of parasites" comment. We explore what these statements mean for judicial propriety, the role of media scrutiny and the future of courtroom proceedings.This analysis is based on our weekend newsletter by Senior Associate Editor V. Venkatesan.Read the full article here: https://www.scobserver.in/journal/off-the-cuff/

The Supreme Court has introduced reservations for SC and ST staff in its own ranks—15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs. The move brings the Court in line with the very constitutional principles it has long upheld for others. We summarise everything you need to know

Earlier this week, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from office, citing health concerns. Unlike the President’s office, there is no provision for an Acting Vice President in the Constitution. This raises some legal and procedural questions, especially since the VP’s office will remain vacant until a new one is elected. So what happens next? What does the law say? Why is a casual vacancy in the office of the VP treated differently from that of the President? We break down the constitutional considerations. Read the full story on scobserver.in!#SupremeCourtObserver #SCObserver #SCO #SupremeCourt #VicePresident #President #Constitution #IndianJudiciary #ConstitutionAssemblyDebates

The Supreme Court is back from its summer break—and it’s hit the ground running. In its first week back, the Court delivered over 50 judgments, tackling everything from corporate victimhood to marital privacy, child custody, death penalty sentencing, and inheritance rights for tribal women.This video breaks down the biggest legal developments from the first week after the Supreme Court’s summer break, including:🔹 A game-changing ruling on companies as victims in criminal law🔹 The admissibility of secretly recorded calls in matrimonial disputes🔹 A rare reversal in a custody case based on a child’s mental health🔹 Key death penalty commutations and what they reveal about judicial reasoning🔹 A strong affirmation of tribal women’s inheritance rights🔹 The ₹2.6 crore expense over tinted glass panels in the Court’s corridorsPlus, a milestone for us at Supreme Court Observer — we’ve published all SCO.LR Issues from January to July! That’s 130 key judgments, simplified for you.

On 10 July, the Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. As the Court adjourns the issue until the end of this month, we look at how the institution has dealt with cases concerning the elections and the ECI's independence. Read our newsletter and find out more!

Can state governments tax DTH providers? Is the transmission of signals to air channels a service or entertainment for the purpose of taxation? What did the Supreme Court say and how does it contribute to a struggling DTH market?

Can you request a narco-test (popularly called the truth serum test) in your defence in a criminal case? If yes, what are the guidelines to be followed? Recently, in Amlesh Kumar v State of Bihar, the top court clarified that while it was not an “indefeasible” right, the accused could request it at an “appropriate stage” of trial.

A case that dominated the news cycle during the Court’s Summer Session (April-June) was the challenge to the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. Petitioners sought an interim stay on the legislation while the Union resisted it. We summarise the key arguments in the case.

The Supreme Court's logo is back to its monochrome design after a the new Chief Justice rolled back the revised logo launched to celebrate 75 years of the Supreme Court. Is the move an indication of a broader shift favouring continuity and rootedness over reinvention and experimentation? Watch and find out!

TRIGGER WARNING: RAPERecently, the Supreme Court spared a person convicted under The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) from a 20-year jail sentence. Our latest video tell you what happened and explains the Court's decision.

Last month, Justice B.R. Gavai took oath as India's 52nd CJI. His first week was already packed with challenges: a Presidential reference, 82,000+ pending cases, and the looming Justice Varma controversy.What's in store for the Supreme Court? Dive into our latest podcast for the full story!

Chief Justice B.R. Gavai’s early days set the tone for a happening term. In our latest video, break down the major developments, challenges and what lies ahead for India's 52nd Chief Justice.

On 30 May, Justices N.V. Anjaria, Vijay Bishnoi and A.S. Chandurkar took oath as judges of the Supreme Court. They were recommended by the Collegium led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai on 26 May. The Union notified their appointments on 29 May.These appointments increase representation from the High Courts of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bombay.Who are they? Find out

A professor is facing jail for a Facebook post that praised the army and criticised hate, in light of the Pahalgam Attack and Operation Sindoor.He was arrested for "endangering the country’s sovereignty, unity and integrity,” “promoting enmity between different groups, and “insulting the modesty of a woman.” The Supreme Court gave him interim bail—but restricted him from speaking about the topic and set up a Special Investigative Team (SIT) to "analyse his words."Why did the Court find the need to set up an SIT? What words did it find to be criminal? How important is it that we know what the Court's reasons are for taking such decisions?

How much criticism should the Court be able to withstand, before it begins to see it as speech that harms public perception on the dignity and authority of the Court?Through the comments made by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, we explore the Supreme Court's contempt jurisdiction.