Supreme Court Observer

🪴 Good Morning! 🛕 Yesterday, the Union outlined the scope of religious rights and the role of a religious denomination in the Sabarimala reference. The Bench repeatedly questioned the limits of judicial intervention in disputes over religious practices: https://bit.ly/4t0MNrU 📚 In “An Accidental Lawyer”, Senior Advocate K.K. Venugopal describes the Supreme Court proceedings surrounding the Babri demolition in 1992. Our excerpt from his book: https://bit.ly/48FpZWz 🌐 The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has invited feedback on the draft amendments to the IT Rules 2021 by 14 April. In our newsletter, we examine what they would mean for the digital media landscape. Read: https://bit.ly/4m9AQgY

We bring you the first publicly available dataset on Collegium membership in Supreme Court history. YouTube: https://youtube.com/shorts/xvDkbamjogQ?si=mIXGxjbaFuiPAYRX Insta: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW6GqEIjqKI/?igsh=N2hpaXgyMXg2cmc1 Access the complete data-set here: https://bit.ly/4crAqPS Stay tuned for the upcoming parts to this series!

On Day 3 of the Sabarimala Review, a nine-judge bench, led by CJI Surya Kant, including Justices Nagarathna, Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, A.G. Masih, P.B. Varale, R. Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi, will hear submissions by parties in favour of the review. Follow thread for live updates from the hearing https://x.com/scobserver/status/2042106655283015906

☀️ Good Morning! 9️⃣ Yesterday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta concluded arguments in the Sabarimala Reference and critiqued the Courts use of “constitutional morality” in cases involving religion. Read: https://bit.ly/4tFLvmq ⚖️ The Supreme Court did not maintain a public record of the Collegium’s membership or resolutions until 2017. To bridge this gap, we bring you the first publicly available dataset on Collegium membership in Supreme Court history: https://bit.ly/4crAqPS 📬 Our new Issue of the Supreme Court Observer Law Reports, brings five important judgements from last week. Read: https://bit.ly/4sZ6GzQ

We are set to report on Day 2 of the Sabarimala Review hearing. Follow our live tweets on X for real-time updates on the arguments and observations from the Court. Report (To be updated): https://www.scobserver.in/reports/sabarimala-review-day-2/ X Live Tweet Link: https://x.com/scobserver/status/2041741065502519504

☀️ Good Morning! ⚖️ On Day 1 of the Sabarimala review, a nine-judge bench heard arguments from the Union against the essential religious practices test. Our report: https://bit.ly/3NOG05B 🗃️ Over last year, the Court witnessed the highest jump in pendency with over 12,000 cases added to the docket. We analyse the data: https://bit.ly/3O0BKQv 📄 Five unmissable judgements from 24 March to 4 April are featured in our latest Issue of SCO.LR. Read: https://bit.ly/4sZ6GzQ

☀️ Good Morning! 🗳️ Yesterday, a Bench led by CJI Surya Kant directed that the investigation into the gherao of judicial officers in Malda during the West Bengal SIR be taken over by the National Investigation Agency. Read: https://bit.ly/4veSYKC 🌐 While the draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021 appear to be attempts to protect the Indian internet user, they risk imposing control under the aegis of seeking intermediary accountability. Read more in our newsletter: https://bit.ly/4m9AQgY 🗃️ March 2026 closed with 93,143 cases pending in the Supreme Court. This is an increase of 1141 cases compared to last month. Read: https://bit.ly/3O0BKQv

☀️ Good Morning! 📊 Part 1 of our Collegium series brings you the first publicly available data set listing all the members of the Collegium since 1993. Read: https://bit.ly/4crAqPS 📄 The Union government recently stated that the average time to dispose a PIL is “not known”. Two days later the Court disposed of a four decade old MC Mehta petition. In our analysis, we write about the closure and why these numbers matter. Read: https://bit.ly/4cruXsh ⚖️ March 2026 saw the return of nine-judge benches after almost two years. The Court also delivered key decisions in cases of significance. Our monthly review: https://bit.ly/4bUzELb

☀️ Good morning! ⚖️ In our latest analysis, we write about Justice KV Viswanathan’s recent recusal and what makes it one of the most unusual in the Supreme Court’s recent history. Read: https://bit.ly/4m7fpNx 🎤 In our coverage from the 7th Courts and Constitution Conference 2026, we bring you highlights from the panel which revisited the ECIs SIR before the 2025 Bihar elections. Read: https://bit.ly/3PD8srH 🌸 Key highlights of the Spring Session in the Supreme Court included a nine-judge bench hearing on a 48-year old matter regarding the definition of “industry”, a mixed bag of bail directions in the 2020 Delhi Riots case and denial of tax exemption for Tiger Global. Read: https://bit.ly/41Ehpn7

☀️ Good Morning! 🗳️ Yesterday, the Supreme Court observed that the West Bengal SIR was on track and recorded that more than 47 lakh objections have been disposed of. Read: https://bit.ly/4bNCzVX 🌸 Media attention remained high on the Chief Justice’s court this session, as controversies erupted around judicial action on curriculum framing and the Court’s retreat from regulations on caste-based discrimination. More in the 2026 Spring Session Review: https://bit.ly/41Ehpn7 📬 In the latest issue of SCO.LR, we bring five important judgements on reservations in TET, permanent commission for women in the armed forces, caste status for persons who convert, and more! Read: https://bit.ly/4cevqOl

☀️ Good Morning! 🌐 The Supreme Court of the United States recently held that Internet Service Providers are not liable for piracy and copyright infringement committed by its users. In our newsletter, we explore the global concern around ISP liability in piracy prevention: https://bit.ly/4v0yGV7 ⚖️ How long does the Collegium take to publish recommendations for SC appointments each time a new CJI assumes office? Read: https://bit.ly/4suxKXf 📩 In the latest issue of the Supreme Court Observer Law Reports, we bring you five key judgements from 23-27 March. Read: https://bit.ly/4cevqOl

🌅 Good Morning ⚖️ Last week, the Supreme Court held that religious conversion results in “immediate and complete loss” of Scheduled Caste status. We examine its implications. https://bit.ly/4dJx8bG 👨🏻‍⚖️ Currently the Supreme Court is functioning with 33 judges, one short of its sanctioned strength of 34. Is it unusual for the Collegium to delay filling a vacancy for so long after a new CJI takes charge? https://bit.ly/4suxKXf ⛑️ Our explainer distils some of the key precedents that informed the definition of "industry" laid down in 1978: https://bit.ly/4bO31NH

☀️ Good morning! ⚖️ On Tuesday, the Court held that the Scheduled Caste status does not extend to individuals who convert to religions other than Hinduism, Buddhism or Sikhism. We analyse the verdict: https://bit.ly/4dJx8bG 9️⃣ Earlier this month, the Supreme Court heard challenges to the 1978 Bangalore Water Supply judgement which widened the scope of “industry” under the Industrial Disputes Act. We look at nine judgements that were cited in the decision: https://bit.ly/4bO31NH 👨🏻‍⚖️ The Court is currently functioning at 33 judges, one short of its sanctioned strength. We take a look at the number of days taken by the Collegium to publish a recommendation for Supreme Court appointments each time a new CJI assumes office. Read: https://bit.ly/4suxKXf

The Supreme Court Observer is the media partner for the 7th edition of the Courts and the Constitution Conference, jointly organised by NALSAR University of Law, the Law and Other Things Blog, and BML Munjal University. The Conference has emerged as a leading forum for rigorous and reflective engagement with constitutional governance and adjudication. It examines the most significant constitutional developments from the previous calendar year, as it brings together voices from the bench, bar, academia, journalists and the student community. Stay tuned to scobserver.in for coverage and highlights from the conference.

🌅 Good Morning! ⚖️ On 24 March, the Supreme Court held that religious conversion results in an “immediate and complete loss” of Scheduled Caste status, irrespective of birth. Read more: https://bit.ly/4dJx8bG 👨🏻‍⚖️ The Court is currently functioning at 33 judges, one short of its sanctioned strength, with no elevations during CJI Surya Kant’s 122-day tenure so far. We look at the time taken to recommend judges during tenures of other CJIs: https://bit.ly/4suxKXf 🗳️ In the West Bengal SIR, the Court directed that issues relating to publication of rolls, access and implementation be placed before the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. Hearing report: https://bit.ly/3PwpPu3

🌅 Good Morning! 🗳️ Yesterday, the Supreme Court deferred roll-related concerns in the West Bengal SIR to the Calcutta High Court. Read: https://bit.ly/3PwpPu3 ⚖️ A Bench led by CJI Surya Kant questioned the delay in implementing the Court’s directions on providing legal aid to victims of the Manipur violence. Read: https://bit.ly/3Prt0mQ 🏭 In our newsletter, we write about how a nine-judge constitution Bench must now decide whether the broad definition of "industry" still holds—and if an unnotified amendment can guide that answer: https://bit.ly/4dNV2To 📩 Our latest issue of SCO.LR, brings you five important judgements from last week. Read: https://bit.ly/47ep0MA

☀️ Good Morning! 🏭 On 19 March, a nine-judge Constitution Bench reserved judgement on the scope of “industry” defined under the Industrial Disputes Act. Our arguments matrix: https://bit.ly/4d2d5VK 🎶 In a copyright dispute between Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar and A. R. Rahman, the Supreme Court declined to “express any prima facie opinion on merits”. Read more: https://bit.ly/4bHWNiD 📩 Our latest Issue of the Supreme Court Observer Law Reports brings you five important judgements from 16 March to 20 March 2026. Read: https://bit.ly/47ep0MA

☀️ Good morning! 🇦🇫 For the South Asian Constitutional Law Series, Amal Sethi writes about the many challenges of constitutionalism in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Read: https://bit.ly/4lGfPKA ⚖️ On 18 March, the Supreme Court issued a circular laying down new modalities for letters seeking adjournment. More: https://bit.ly/4smhk3a 🏭 In a commentary, Justice K. Chandru, former judge of the Madras High Court, writes that the nine-judge bench hearing on the definition of “industry” is "a waste of judicial time." Read: https://bit.ly/4lO5oF0 🎶 Aparajita Lath writes that the SC missed an opportunity to clarify the law on originality and authorship in Indian classical music when it backed off from the Dagar-Rahman copyright dispute. Read: https://bit.ly/4bHWNiD

☀️ Good morning ⚖️ Yesterday, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court reserved judgement in the case considering the scope of the term “industry” and the functions which may be excluded from it. Our report: https://bit.ly/40DBSbn 3️⃣ The 9-judge Bench heard arguments for 3 days, including from trade unions favouring a wider interpretation and states proposing to restrict it. In our explainer, we wrote that the case could swing the country’s labour jurisprudence: https://bit.ly/4bnYktW 🏥 Last week, the Court directed the Union of India to formulate a no-fault compensation policy for deaths allegedly due to the Covid-19 vaccine. The Court refused to specifically attribute any individual death to the vaccine. Read: https://bit.ly/4btZNyL