Supreme Court 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.

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.

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.

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.

Delhi Police de-notify Jantar Mantar as protest site, name three new venues

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:07:36 +0530

Delhi Police announced on Monday, 12 October 2026 that Jantar Mantar has been de-notified as a designated protest venue in the capital and that three other sites have been designated in its place. The Hindu, The New Indian Express and Hindustan Times reported the details of the order, which was signed by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and is dated 11 October.

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.

CAPF General Administration Act, 2026 takes effect with Supreme Court challenge pending

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 00:06:33 +0530

The Ministry of Home Affairs has notified that the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026 came into force on Thursday, 8 October 2026, The Hindu, ANI and PTI reported. The notification says the Central government “hereby appoints the 08th day of October, 2026, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force”. It comes while the Act’s constitutional validity is under challenge in the Supreme Court.

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.

The anti-defection law, explained

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 22:50:00 +0530

In 1967, a Haryana legislator named Gaya Lal changed parties several times within a short span, giving Indian politics the phrase “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram”. Nearly two decades later, Parliament responded with the anti-defection law.

What the law says

The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, inserted by the 52nd Amendment Act, 1985, applies to members of Parliament and of state legislatures. A member elected on a party ticket can be disqualified if they: