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CJI talks of attempt to weaken judiciary, says need to overcome personal ambitions

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8 years ago

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CJI talks of attempt to weaken judiciary, says need to overcome personal ambitions

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, who faced severe criticism from four senior-most SC judges in January this year regarding administrative matters of the top court and an abortive move to impeach him, made an indirect reference to the matter in his address on the occasion of the Independence Day today.

Speaking after hoisting the national flag in Supreme Court at the function organised by Supreme Court Bar Association, the CJI said “to criticise, attack and destroy a system is quite easy” but “what is difficult and challenging is to transform it into a performing one”.

“For this, one has to transcend one’s personal ambitions and grievances. Rather constructive steps need to be taken with positive mindset of reform, no matter howsoever small”, he said while addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag at the Supreme Court.

He said “concrete reforms must be undertaken with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure” and that “it is necessary to be productive instead of being counter-productive”.

He added that there may be some elements who may endeavour to weaken the institution. “But we refuse, you and I altogether, to succumb to them…We have to serve the lady of justice, the queen of justice. She holds the scales of justice symbolising that the act of delivering and imparting justice has to be balanced as far as possible and that is the basic essence of justice. Anyone who tries to create any kind of dent in that balance is hurting the queen of justice. And when queen of justice sheds tears, possibly all of us will shed tears”, the CJI sought to remind.

Claiming democracy was at stake, the judges had pointed fingers at the administration of the Supreme Court and flagged their concerns about assignment of sensitive cases to junior judges.

CJI Dipak Misra had faced severe criticism from four senior-most SC judges in January this year when, in an unprecedented step, the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court held a press conference to raise certain grievances about the administrative orders of the CJI.

The judges had said they were discharging their debt to the nation and that addressing media was their last resort.

Referring to the mention of “polity of identity” in Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad’s speech at the event, CJI Misra said: “I am happy that the Law Minister has talked about the identity of the citizens. This identity has to be founded on the idea of humanism which is fundamentally constitutional and legitimate.

“How far we follow this path only the future will tell.”

Speaking earlier, the Law Minister, while recalling the trauma of partition, said that despite large-scale destruction and dislocations, India chose not to be theocratic. Referring to the different phases of development over last seven decades, the Law Minister said initially it was a “polity of want, then came polity of identity and now we have polity of aspiration and hope”.

Prasad also flagged the issue of frivolous PILs. PILs were “respected” and “accepted”, Prasad said adding the “judiciary must intervene to set things right” where there was “deprivation of the rights of the poor, the marginalised, abuse of power for nepotism it personal purposes, or downright corruption by executive heads, political or bureaucratic”.

He added that “while I notice with satisfaction that the Supreme Court is imposing a lot of cost on fly by night PILs, but there need to have some kind of audit, some kind of understanding the larger perspective of PIL is not lost”.

The Law Minister also called for striking a healthy balance between the three organs of the state, saying that governance of the country must be left to the elected representatives as governance and accountability go together.

There have been voices from the executive about interference from courts. The SC has pulled up the government on a number of issues, giving stern directions on several issues like police reforms, mob lynching, aadhaar, etc.

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

Published

19 mins ago

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August 16, 2026

By

Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

Published

1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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