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Justice Dipak Misra sworn in as 45th Chief Justice of India

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8 years ago

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Justice Dipak Misra sworn-in as 45th Chief Justice of India

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]New Chief Justice will have the unenviable task of presiding over politically sensitive cases like the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmbhoomi land dispute, repealing Article 35A in Kashmir, among others

Justice Dipak Misra was, on Monday, sworn in as the 45th Chief Justice of India by President Ram Nath Kovind, taking over the mantle from Justice JS Khehar, who retired on Sunday. The newly sworn-in CJI is scheduled to retire on October 2, 2018 after a tenure that will last for 13 months and six days.

Justice Misra was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court on October 10, 2011 and in the past six years has delivered several crucial judgments – those that were hailed as landmark verdicts and yet others that were criticised by legal experts for bordering on judicial over-reach.

Among the most defining moments of his stint as a judge of the apex court, perhaps came on the intervening night of July 29-30, 2015 when as part of a three-judge Bench, which also included then Chief Justice of India, HL Dattu, he dismissed the mercy petition of Yakub Memon, convicted in the Bombay blasts case. For the first time in the history of independent India, the Supreme Court had held a midnight hearing, discussing the arguments made in the case for nearly 90 minutes before reading out its verdict at 3 am. Memon was hanged at 3 am on July 30, 2015, amidst criticism and applause of the Supreme Court in equal measure.

A judgment passed on November 30, 2016 by a Bench headed by Justice Misra, however triggered a debate over whether an increasingly aggressive brand of nationalist fervour was stifling civil liberties. The verdict gave sanction for playing of the national anthem in cinema halls before the screening of a film began and made it mandatory for everyone present in the audience to stand up while the anthem was being played. In the days following the verdict, while a handicapped person, who could not stand up during the playing of the national anthem in a cinema hall, was severely heckled several similar reports of people being harassed by right-wing lumpens at movie theatres across the country collectively added to the narrative that whether the Supreme Court had erred in its verdict. A few months after the verdict, the Centre had informed the apex court that handicapped people who cannot stand when the anthem is played should be exempted from doing so.

On May 3, 2016, Justice Misra upheld the constitutional validity of the legal provision related to criminal defamation. Justices Misra and PC Pant had held that the reputation of an individual was an equally important right and stood on the same pedestal as free speech. The court said it would be a stretch to say that upholding criminal defamation in modern times would amount to imposition of silence. A section of the legal fraternity and advocates of free speech had termed the verdict as being regressive.

Then, on May 5, 2017, a bench headed by Justice Misra had upheld the execution of the three convicts in the highly publicised Nirbhaya gang rape case.

Just as verdicts passed by him or a bench that he was part of faced scrutiny by legal eagles, Justice Misra’s elevation as the CJI too had become a matter of some debate over the past few weeks. In July this year, Adish C. Aggarwala, president of the International Council of Jurists, had alleged that Justice Misra’s appointment as the CJI would “severely compromise the independence of the judiciary”. Aggarwala had written to then CJI Khehar – who had named Justice Misra as his successor – asking that an ongoing enquiry into allegations that Justice Misra had misrepresented facts in attempting to get hold of public land meant to be distributed to the landless poor for agricultural purposes in Odisha must first be resolved before he takes over India’s highest judicial post.

Aggarwala had raked up allegations made by an Odisha-based activist, Jayanta Kumar Das, who had claimed that back in 1979, when Justice Misra had not joined the judiciary but was a practicing lawyer, he had applied for allotment of the land to develop a fodder farm. While in his application to the Odisha government he had declared that his family owned 10 acres of land, Das had alleged that none of the said land was actually in Justice Misra’s name and that he had allegedly concealed this information in a subsequent affidavit. The affidavit later became the basis for allotment of two acres of land to Justice Misra.

The suicide note of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul too had reportedly made some serious allegations against Justice Misra, which went uninvestigated.

However, these allegations notwithstanding, outgoing Chief Justice Khehar and the Narendra Modi government still went ahead with the appointment of Justice Misra as the CJI, sticking to the seniority rule.

On his hands, the new Chief Justice will have some critical cases to deal with. He might preside over the contentious Babri Masjid demolition case and also deal with the much popular BCCI reforms matter, as well as the Sahara SEBI case. The explosive issue of abrogation of Article 35A in Kashmir is also expected to be heard by the new Chief Justice.

Adding to the challenges he is certain to face is the seemingly perpetual problem of filling up vacancies in High Courts and the Supreme Court. High Courts in India are working with just 56% of their sanctioned strength while the shortfall in the Supreme Court will widen to 6 when Justice PC Pant retires on Tuesday, leaving only 25 judges in the apex court. The contentious MOP (Memorandum of Procedure) continues to remain an unresolved issue between the government and the SC collegiums, which has rejected the idea of including a security clearance clause that would allow the executive to veto superior court appointments in case of a negative remark against a proposed candidate.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Rahul Gandhi to visit Indore over contaminated water deaths, draws mixed political reactions

Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Indore to meet families affected by contaminated water deaths as BJP and Congress leaders exchange sharp yet contrasting responses.

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30 mins ago

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January 17, 2026

By

Rahul-Gandhi

Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit Indore on Saturday amid mounting political and public concern over deaths linked to contaminated drinking water in the city. His visit has triggered varied responses from political leaders, reflecting the tense atmosphere surrounding the issue.

According to the proposed itinerary, Rahul Gandhi will begin his visit at Bombay Hospital, where several people affected by contaminated water are currently undergoing treatment. He is expected to meet patients and their families before proceeding to Bhagirathpura, the area identified as the epicentre of the crisis. There, he will interact with families who lost relatives after consuming contaminated water.

BJP veteran welcomes visit, stresses democratic role of opposition

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and senior BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan welcomed Rahul Gandhi’s visit, adopting a conciliatory tone and underlining the importance of opposition voices in a democracy.

“This is how democracy works,” Mahajan said, adding that the opposition has a responsibility to raise issues affecting the public. She recalled that when her party was in the opposition, it fought strongly to earn people’s trust by standing with them during difficult times.

Chief minister warns against ‘politics over tragedy’

In contrast, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav issued a sharp warning without naming Rahul Gandhi directly, cautioning against what he described as politicisation of a tragedy.

“We have faced this difficult phase with sensitivity,” the chief minister said. He added that Indore would not tolerate politics being played over deaths and stressed that protests must remain constructive, warning of serious consequences if the issue is used for political gain.

Closed-door meeting fuels political discussion

Adding to the political churn, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari met Sumitra Mahajan at her residence in a closed-door meeting. The discussion focused on the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident and possible long-term solutions, fuelling speculation across political circles.

Speaking to the media later, Patwari said the tragedy should not be turned into a political contest. “This is not just a political issue, it is a serious public health issue,” he said, noting that several parts of Madhya Pradesh are facing problems related to contaminated drinking water.

Patwari stressed that ensuring access to clean and potable water should take precedence over political rhetoric. He said the government must focus on protecting Indore’s reputation and safeguarding the future by strengthening the city’s water supply system.

Responding to queries, Sumitra Mahajan said Patwari had been meeting her for a long time and spoke positively about his efforts. She confirmed that the discussion centred on the Bhagirathpura incident and said she offered suggestions, calling for collective efforts to resolve the crisis.

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Suvendu Adhikari files Rs 100-crore defamation suit against Mamata Banerjee

Suvendu Adhikari has moved an Alipore court seeking Rs 100 crore in damages from Mamata Banerjee, alleging defamation over coal scam claims.

Published

41 mins ago

on

January 17, 2026

By

Suvendu-Adhikari

West Bengal opposition leader and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari on Friday filed a defamation suit against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking Rs 100 crore in damages for allegedly linking him to a coal scam.

In a post on social media, Adhikari said the suit was filed before the court of the civil judge (senior division) at Alipore after Banerjee did not respond to a legal notice sent to her earlier.

Adhikari accused the chief minister of making what he described as “imaginary allegations” and said her silence on the defamation notice had compelled him to move court.

“I honour my commitments while you obfuscate issues and people. Your deceptive silence to the defamation notice pertaining to your vile imaginary allegations of my involvement in some alleged coal scam will not help you salvage the situation,” Adhikari wrote on X.

He added that he had kept his word of initiating legal action and shared a photograph related to the registration of the civil suit.

Adhikari also stated that if damages are awarded in his favour, the amount would be donated to charity.

Legal notice and allegations

According to Adhikari, the legal notice sent through his advocate referred to statements made by Banerjee on January 8 and 9, during which she allegedly linked him and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to an alleged coal scam while claiming to possess evidence.

In the notice, Adhikari had asked Banerjee to substantiate the allegations within 72 hours, failing which he would proceed with a defamation suit.

Adhikari, who was earlier a minister in the Trinamool Congress government, joined the BJP ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections and is currently the leader of the opposition in the state assembly.

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Ajit Pawar concedes civic poll setback, says public mandate is supreme

Ajit Pawar has accepted defeat in Maharashtra’s civic polls, acknowledging the public mandate and pledging stronger efforts to rebuild trust ahead of future elections.

Published

50 mins ago

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January 17, 2026

By

Ajit Pawar

Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Friday accepted the verdict of the recently concluded municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra, stating that the public’s mandate must be respected above all else.

Following near-clear results in the 29 municipal corporations across the state, Pawar took to social media to formally acknowledge the party’s poor performance in several major urban centres. He said the outcome reflected the will of the people and congratulated all winning candidates.

“The public’s mandate is supreme, and we accept it with complete respect. I heartily congratulate all the winning candidates and wish them success in their upcoming terms,” Pawar said.

Ajit Pawar promises renewed effort after losses

Addressing the party’s inability to achieve the expected results, the NCP leader said his faction would introspect and work harder to regain the confidence of voters.

“In this local body election, where we did not achieve the expected success, I assure you that we will work with more responsibility, honesty and double the vigour to regain the public’s trust,” he said.

He also urged newly elected representatives to focus on public issues and speed up development work. At the same time, Pawar encouraged party workers and candidates who lost the elections to remain committed to public service, underlining that serving citizens should remain the central objective.

Setback in traditional strongholds

The civic poll results have been viewed as a significant setback for Ajit Pawar, particularly in western Maharashtra. Despite choosing to contest independently in several areas—separate from Mahayuti partners BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena—to demonstrate the strength of his faction, the NCP suffered major losses in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Both municipal corporations, long regarded as strongholds of the Pawar family, witnessed a decisive lead and victory for the BJP, leaving Ajit Pawar’s faction trailing in third or fourth position.

In Mumbai and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the party struggled to make an impact, failing to secure even double-digit seats in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Political observers believe the strategy of “friendly contests” against the BJP did not yield the desired outcome. The results indicate that the traditional Pawar support base may have split between Ajit Pawar and his uncle Sharad Pawar’s faction, indirectly benefiting the BJP.

The outcome of the 2026 civic polls is being seen as an important signal ahead of the 2029 Maharashtra Assembly elections, pointing to shifting political equations within the ruling alliance.

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