CASE STUDIES
There were some momentous twists and turns in India’s national journey in 2019, and the Supreme Court of India was often in the driver’s seat. Key highlights:
JANUARY
Court upholds constitutional validity of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016
Conditions laid down by Maharashtra government to run dance bars in Mumbai relaxed
FEBRUARY
Bihar government slammed for mismanagement of shelter homes; SC orders transfer of Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case from Bihar to a court in New Delhi; CBI’s then interim chief M. Nageswara Rao held to be in contempt of court for transferring, in violation of an earlier order, its former joint director A.K. Sharma, who was probing the case
MARCH
In a stated attempt at ‘healing’, court refers the contentious Ayodhya dispute to mediation by a three-member panel
APRIL
Political parties directed to submit details of donors and amounts of electoral bonds to the Election Commission in a sealed cover
Allegations of sexual harassment against then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi rock the Supreme Court
MAY-JUNE
In-house panel clears then CJI Gogoi of wrongdoing (in harassment case); report not made public
Dozens of complaints regarding the EC’s inaction on violation of the model poll code reached the Supreme Court. On the Court’s prodding, action was taken against the likes of Yogi Adityanath and Mayawati; Narendra Modi and Amit Shah were cleared
J U LY
RERA registration of Amrapali Group cancelled
Gujarat High Court Bar Association moves SC on the Centre’s refusal to clear the elevation of Justice Akil
Kureshi as Madhya Pradesh High Court chief justice
AUGUST
Daily hearing of Ayodhya title suits begins on August 6
Petitions filed challenging the communications lockdown in Kashmir and the abrogation of Art. 370 in J&K
SEPTEMBER
40-day daily hearings of
Ayodhya title suits continue as do the persistent adjournments of the ‘Kashmir petitions’
Court directs the UP government to set up an SIT to investigate sexual harassment allegations against former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand of the BJP
OCTOBER
Court imposes liability of over Rs 80,000 crore on telcos in judgment on scope of ‘adjusted gross revenues’; reports say Vodafone may exit Indian market
NOVEMBER
Landmark verdict awards disputed Ayodhya site to Hindus
Court reserves judgment in petitions challenging the lockdown in Kashmir
Justice S.A. Bobde takes over as CJI
DECEMBER
Hearing starts on petitions challenging the abrogation of Art. 370 in Kashmir
No court action on the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act