From Kathua case to Aadhaar, SC to have a busy week
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court (SC) will on Monday give its verdict on a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging amendments to the Uttar Pradesh (UP) legislation allowing former heads of the state to occupy government accommodation. A bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi will pronounce the ruling.
Although the PIL spoke against the UP law, the court had called upon all the states to give their response to the petition because it felt that a decision might impact similar rules and legislations existing in other regions.
The top court will also hear on Monday transfer petition filed by the father of the eight-year-old girl, who was sexually assaulted and murdered in Kathua, to shift the trial out of Jammu. The father’s plea has been opposed by the accused who have been demanding a CBI inquiry into the case.
A PIL to stop media and parliamentarians from discussing the removal motion against any judge of a constitutional court will also be taken up on Monday.
Attorney General KK Venugopal is likely to give his views on the demand made by the petitioner, a Pune-based NGO, saying a conduct of the judge can be discussed in the House only after a committee appointed by the House returns a finding against him. The PIL was filed at a time when the draft removal motion against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra was circulated widely by the Congress, which publicly spoke of garnering more support for its move.
The bench led by CJI will also hear the Centre’s submission on what steps has it taken to constitute a draft mechanism to implement its judgement on the distribution of Cauvery water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The Centre and UP government will also have to respond to the SC on the latter’s suggestion to hire experts to preserve the Taj Mahal.
According to the SC’S directions, the government is also expected to place its stand, in writing, on its proposal to offer permanent commission to women officers in the Army. During the last hearing, the Centre had said that it was open to the idea but needed six months to work out the modalities.
Hearing on petitions challenging the Aadhaar law is likely to conclude this week with the petitioners now rebutting the government defence in the case. Senior advocate Shyam Diwan had last week started with the rebuttal after Attorney General wrapped up the rejoinder to the petitioners’ argument on behalf of the Centre.