Judiciary on Indian Politics

Supreme Court says internet access is a fundamental right of children, cautions on bans

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:06:28 +0530

The Supreme Court has said that the right to access and use the internet is a fundamental right of every individual, including children, and has cautioned against blanket restrictions on children’s online access. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran made the observations in an order dated Thursday, 15 October 2026, which became public on Saturday, 17 October, according to Hindustan Times and The Indian Express. The order text itself could not be accessed for this report; the wording below is as quoted by those outlets.

Madras High Court clears RSS route marches in Tamil Nadu for 25 October and 1 November

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:06:07 +0530

The Madras High Court on Friday, 16 October 2026, allowed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to hold route marches in Tamil Nadu on 25 October and 1 November, according to Hindustan Times and LiveLaw. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan disposed of the RSS’s petition after the Advocate General told the court that the state agreed to the marches, subject to modifications by local police.

ED summons former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan for questioning on 23 October

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 21:06:18 +0530

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to appear at its zonal office in Kochi on 23 October 2026 in connection with the alleged Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL)-Exalogic payments, according to Hindustan Times and The Indian Express. The Indian Express reported that the summons came hours after the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing on his plea against a Kerala High Court order for an FIR. Hindustan Times, citing officials familiar with the matter, said it is the first time the agency has summoned him in the case.

Supreme Court may set up bench in Dussehra break to hear Pinarayi Vijayan's FIR plea

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:06:09 +0530

The Supreme Court on Friday, 16 October 2026, did not grant an urgent hearing to former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s plea against a Kerala High Court order directing that a First Information Report (FIR) be registered in the CMRL-Exalogic case, according to Hindustan Times and The Indian Express. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said it may constitute a bench during the Dussehra vacation, and otherwise hear the matter when the court reopens on 26 October.

Kerala High Court dismisses leave to appeal against FIR order in CMRL-Exalogic case

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:05:55 +0530

The Kerala High Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026, dismissed applications by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena and her husband, former minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas, seeking leave to appeal against a Single Judge’s direction to register a First Information Report (FIR) against them in the CMRL-Exalogic case, according to The Hindu, LiveLaw and The New Indian Express.

Supreme Court upholds quashing of Tamil Nadu order on quota for converts to Islam

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:06:00 +0530

The Supreme Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026, dismissed an appeal by the Tamil Nadu government against a Madras High Court ruling that struck down a State order on reservation for people who convert to Islam. A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Shree Chandrashekhar held that a person who converts from the Hindu social order to a non-Hindu one cannot claim affirmative action under Article 16(4) of the Constitution merely on the basis of backwardness associated with the earlier status, according to Bar & Bench, The Hindu and The News Mill. The judgment text was not available to us; this report relies on those outlets’ accounts of it.

Supreme Court stays trial in defamation case against Rahul Gandhi over 2018 remarks

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:06:16 +0530

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, stayed the trial in a criminal defamation case against Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, which is pending before a Mumbai magistrate’s court. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Aparesh Kumar Singh issued notice on his petition, returnable in four weeks. “In the meantime, further proceedings before the trial court shall remain stayed,” the order said, as quoted by LiveLaw. The order text itself was not available to us; this report relies on Bar & Bench, Hindustan Times and LiveLaw.

Karnataka High Court strikes down law raising SC and ST quotas beyond 50% ceiling

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 09:06:25 +0530

The Karnataka High Court on Monday, 12 October 2026, struck down provisions of a 2022 State law that had increased reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) from 15% to 17% and for Scheduled Tribes (STs) from 3% to 7%. A bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K S Hemalekha held that the increase, which took total reservation in the State to 56%, breached the 50% ceiling, according to Bar & Bench. The judgment text was not available to us; this report relies on that outlet’s and The Indian Express’s accounts.

INDIA bloc leaders file Supreme Court petition on SIR and Election Commission decisions

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 21:14:16 +0530

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and ten other INDIA bloc leaders filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on Monday, 12 October 2026, against the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and how the Commission reached decisions during it. Hindustan Times reported that the plea was likely to be heard on Tuesday, 13 October.

Kerala vigilance bureau registers two FIRs in CMRL-Exalogic case naming Pinarayi Vijayan

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:08:14 +0530

Kerala’s Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) registered two first information reports (FIRs) on Monday, 12 October 2026, in the CMRL-Exalogic case, naming former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena and former minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas as accused, according to The Hindu, The New Indian Express and The Federal. The FIRs are registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. An FIR records allegations for investigation; it is not a finding of guilt, and those named have not been convicted of anything.

Supreme Court holds Sunday sitting, directs no detentions except by law in Delhi

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 18:06:26 +0530

The Supreme Court held an unscheduled Sunday sitting on 11 October 2026 and directed the Union government and Delhi Police to allow free movement of people and traffic and to run Metro and rail services, “subject to law and public order”, The Hindu reported. The bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana was hearing petitions over the detentions and travel restrictions in Delhi on Saturday, 10 October, around a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Madhya Pradesh High Court strikes down 2019 law raising OBC quota to 27%

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 12:07:00 +0530

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday, 9 October 2026, struck down a 2019 State law that had raised reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in public services from 14% to 27%. A Division Bench of Justices Anand Pathak and Vinay Saraf in Jabalpur held the amendment unconstitutional in a 159-page order, according to The Hindu and The Indian Express. The judgment text was not available to us; this report relies on those two outlets’ accounts of it.

Supreme Court says no complete Metro shutdown in Delhi ahead of 10 October protest

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:06:18 +0530

The Supreme Court on Friday, 9 October 2026, directed that Delhi Metro and railway services not be completely suspended ahead of a protest planned for Saturday, 10 October, against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing petitions against the closure of 57 Metro stations and the cancellation of long-distance trains to Delhi, Bar & Bench reported.

Supreme Court directs Centre to form committee on statutory regulation of pharma marketing

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:05:51 +0530

The Supreme Court on Thursday, 8 October 2026, directed the Union government to constitute a committee to examine whether pharmaceutical companies’ marketing practices should be brought under a legally enforceable framework, The Hindu, Verdictum and LiveLaw reported. The Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a petition by the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives’ Associations of India (FMRAI).

CJI agrees to examine plea to recall split verdict in election commissioners law case

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:05:51 +0530

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, agreed to examine an application seeking recall of its 23 September split verdict in the challenge to the law on appointing election commissioners, The Hindu, Scroll.in and ThePrint reported. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan mentioned the application orally before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who agreed to examine it and take a call on hearing it.

Supreme Court declines to disturb interim bail of Congress's Nandigram bypoll candidate

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:05:46 +0530

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, refused to interfere with a Calcutta High Court order granting interim bail to Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate in the Nandigram Assembly bypoll, The Hindu, NDTV and Deccan Herald (the last two carrying PTI reports) said. The Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, disposed of the State of West Bengal’s challenge to the bail order.