Supreme Court Observer

🌅 Good Morning! 👨🏽‍⚖️ On 16 May, President Droupadi Murmu promulgated an Ordinance raising the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges. Our analysis: https://bit.ly/4uqsJQK 📊 In our latest court-data, we bring to you a year-by-year rundown of total pending cases each time the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court increased: https://bit.ly/4tIIaT4 🩺 In our newsletter, we write about the NEET-UG 2026 leak, and how it unsettles a promise made before the Supreme Court in the 2024 paper leak case: https://bit.ly/4eVGBO0 📬 In our latest issue of the Supreme Court Observer Law Reports (SCO.LR), we bring you five unmissable judgements from 11 May to 16 May 2026: https://bit.ly/3PeERoB

🌄 Good morning! 🛕 On 14 May, the nine-judge Constitution Bench reserved judgement in the Sabarimala Reference after 16 days of arguments. Our arguments matrix: https://bit.ly/4dNUPzc 📥 Last week, a Division Bench considered whether challenges to the ECI Appointments Act, 2023 should be referred to a larger Bench of at least five judges. Read: https://bit.ly/48Xwx3g 📸 In our latest commentary, activist Rachna Dhingra reflects on how Raghu Rai’s photographs of the Bhopal disaster sustained public pressure and drew global attention to the tragedy. Read: https://bit.ly/4wSuLL9

🌞 Good Morning! 🛕 Yesterday, the Supreme Court reserved judgement in the Sabarimala Reference. Over 16 days of hearings, parties debated denominational autonomy, temple entry, constitutional morality, and the future of the essential religious practices doctrine. More: https://bit.ly/3PtpB78 ⚖️ A Division Bench also heard the Union’s defence of the ECI Appointments Act, 2023, and considered whether the challenge should be referred to a larger Bench of at least five judges. Hearing report: https://bit.ly/48Xwx3g 👩🏻‍⚖️ In Part 3 of our Supreme Court Collegium analysis, we found that women have made up less than 7% of the Collegium’s total membership. Read: https://bit.ly/4ffh9Tx

The Supreme Court reserves judgement in the Sabarimala Reference after 16 days of arguments. Visit the case page to learn more about the background, and access judgement summary and hearing reports: https://www.scobserver.in/cases/kantaru-rajeevaru-indian-young-lawyers-association-sabrimala-review-background/

On Day 16, the Sabarimala Reference is expected to conclude. The nine-judge Bench will hear the amici and rejoinder submissions. Day 16 Report (To-be updated): https://www.scobserver.in/reports/sabarimala-reference-day-16/ Follow this thread on X to get live updates from the Court: https://x.com/scobserver/status/2054790447625839050

🌤️ Good Morning! 🛕 The hearings for the Sabarimala Reference are expected to conclude today. On Day 15, the essential religious practices test came under challenge from both respondents and the review petitioners: https://bit.ly/4dmdrFk 🗳️ Today, the Court is scheduled to hear challenges against the ECI Appointments Act, 2023. Previously, petitioners argued that executive interference in appointments of election commissioners undermines free and fair elections: https://bit.ly/4wbP1GZ 📷 Activist Rachna Dhingra writes that Raghu Rai’s photographs of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy became both moral testimony and evidence in survivors’ fight against the state-corporate nexus. Read our commentary: https://bit.ly/433Q6TT 👩🏻‍⚖️ In Part 3 of our Collegium series, we examine the representation of women in the Supreme Court Collegium over the years. Read: https://bit.ly/4ff

On Day 15 of the Sabarimala Reference, the nine-judge Bench will continue hearing arguments by the Respondents. Day 15 Report (To be updated): https://www.scobserver.in/reports/sabarimala-reference-day-15/ Follow this thread on X to get live updates from the Court: https://x.com/scobserver/status/2054428306527912269

🌇 Good Morning! 📷 Photojournalist Raghu Rai’s images of Bhopal were “stark, unfiltered, and impossible to ignore,” writes activist Rachna Dhingra, who worked closely with survivors of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Read: https://bit.ly/433Q6TT 🛕 Yesterday, respondents in the Sabarimala Reference argued that the Constitution envisions social reform within religion. Read: https://bit.ly/42wrGSR 👩‍⚖️ Since its inception, the Collegium has had only six women members. We explore the history of women judges in the Supreme Court Collegium: https://bit.ly/4ffh9Tx

🚨 Day 14 arguments in the Sabarimala Reference conclude. Read our hearing report: https://www.scobserver.in/reports/sabarimala-reference-day-14/ The Court will be back for Day 15 arguments tomorrow at 10:30 AM. As always, SCO will bring you accurate live updates and hearing reports. Follow SCO on X: https://x.com/scobserver

🚨 Day 14 arguments in the Sabarimala Reference conclude. Read our hearing report: https://www.scobserver.in/reports/sabarimala-reference-day-14/ The Court will be back for Day 15 arguments tomorrow at 10:30 AM. As always, SCO will bring you accurate live updates and hearing reports. Follow SCO on X: https://x.com/scobserver

🪴 Good Morning! 🛕 Today, a Constitution Bench will continue hearing the Sabarimala Reference. Here’s what happened on Day 13: https://bit.ly/4f8ZooQ 🗳️ Yesterday, the Supreme Court said challenges to the West Bengal election results would require separate proceedings, after petitioners argued that SIR related deletions exceed victory margins in 31 constituencies: https://bit.ly/3PeJ3EM 📚 Volume 5 Issue 2 of the Supreme Court Observer Law Reports (SCO.LR) highlights five important judgements from last week. Read now: https://bit.ly/4wp02VA

🏙️ Good Morning! 🏛️ The Supreme Court recently set aside “caste-coloured” bail conditions requiring Dalit and Adivasi activists to sweep a police station premises. We analyse the order: https://bit.ly/4dwKcAN 📈 In April 2026, pendency in the Supreme Court reduced by 320 cases despite 9 judges being occupied in a Constitution Bench hearing: https://bit.ly/3R3VIuG ⏪ Our Monthly Review of April 2026: https://bit.ly/4nj0jVU 🗳️ Last week, the Supreme Court heard challenges to the validity of the ECI Appointments Act, 2023. Petitioners argued that the law undermined free and fair elections: https://bit.ly/4wbP1GZ

🌸 Good Morning! 🛕 On Day 13 of hearing the Sabarimala Reference, respondents argued that the authority of religious denominations cannot extend to bodily autonomy. Read: https://bit.ly/4f8ZooQ 🗳️ Yesterday, petitioners challenging the constitutionality of the ECI Appointments Act, 2023 argued that the law undermines free and fair elections. Hearing report: https://bit.ly/4wbP1GZ 👨🏻‍⚖️ A bill approved by the Union Cabinet aims to raise the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges. The proposal suggests that a bigger strength would translate to speedy justice: https://bit.ly/4tmnH6n

Yesterday, petitioners challenging the constitutionality of the ECI Appointments Act, 2023 argued that the law undermines free and fair elections. Hearing report: https://bit.ly/4wbP1GZ

On Day 13, the nine-judge Bench will continue to hear respondents in the Sabarimala Reference. Yesterday, respondents argued that excommunication owing to inter-faith marriages violates women's autonomy and dignity. 🧵 Follow this thread for live updates from the Court: https://x.com/scobserver/status/2052258217439412382?s=20 Day 13 Report (to-be updated): https://www.scobserver.in/reports/sabarimala-reference-day-13/

🌞 Good Morning! 👨🏻‍⚖️ On 5 May, the Union cabinet approved a bill to raise the sanctioned strength of the top court from 34 to 38 judges. Our report: https://bit.ly/4tmnH6n 🛕 On day 12 of the Sabarimala Reference, respondents placed a common defense of individual dignity and freedom against what they described as “untrammeled” denominational power. Read: https://bit.ly/42g5Piu ⚖️ Yesterday, a two-judge bench heard petitions challenging executive dominance in appointment of election commissioners. Our report: https://bit.ly/4wgyaCO

Yesterday the Union Cabinet approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 to raise the sanctioned strength of the top court from 34 to 38 judges. This proposal suggests that a bigger strength would translate to speedy justice as pendency trends reach new records. Our report: https://www.scobserver.in/journal/cabinet-clears-bill-to-expand-supreme-court-strength-to-38-judges/

🌞 Good Morning! 🛕 On Day 11, the respondents challenged the validity of the Sabarimala Reference and addressed issues of temple entry, identity and denominational control. Arguments will continue today. Read: https://bit.ly/42cE0HQ ⏰ In our analysis, we examine if the Sabarimala hearings adhered to the Court mandated timelines: https://bit.ly/4tTZsNO 📮 In our latest issue of the Supreme Court Observer Law Reports (SCO.LR), we shortlist unmissable judgements from 27 April to 1 May 2026: https://bit.ly/49gEUa3 ⚖️ We trace the evolution of the Supreme Court jurisprudence on the essential religious practices (ERP) doctrine over 19 cases: https://bit.ly/4u1LppB

Day 11 of the Sabarimala Reference: Arguments today focused on the validity of the reference, with respondents urging the Court to balance religious denominational rights over competing individual claims. Hearings continue tomorrow. Report: https://www.scobserver.in/reports/sabarimala-reference-day-11/

Day 11 of the Sabarimala Reference: Arguments today focused on the validity of the reference, with respondents urging the Court to balance religious denominational rights over competing individual claims. Hearings continue tomorrow. Report: https://www.scobserver.in/reports/sabarimala-reference-day-11/