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SC dismisses petition challenging CJI’s role as master of roster

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8 years ago

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SC dismisses petition challenging CJI’s role as master of roster

Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra rules that allocation of cases and constitution of benches is the exclusive prerogative of the Chief Justice

Putting to rest the debate over the role of the Chief Justice as the master of the roster, the Supreme Court, on Wednesday (April 11), summarily dismissed a petition that challenged his powers of allocation of cases to various benches while asserting that there cannot be a “presumption of mistrust” against the head of the apex judicial institution.

The verdict, passed by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra himself and comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, came against a petition filed by Allahabad-based lawyer Asok Pande. The bench, which had heard the plea for less than five minutes on Monday before reserving its order in the matter, termed the petition as “scandalous” while cautioning the petitioner to be “more responsible for the manner in which he seeks to draft pleadings in the future.”

The Supreme Court’s verdict that reaffirms that the Chief Justice is “primus inter pares: the first among equals” and that “in the allocation of cases and the constitution of benches… has an exclusive prerogative”, comes months after the infamous ‘mutiny’ by four of the top court’s senior-most judges who had raised grave doubts on the manner in which Chief Justice Dipak Misra had been allocating cases to certain benches of the Supreme Court. The unprecedented press conference by the four judges, followed by controversial averments by Justice J Chelameswar – the senior-most judge in the apex court after the CJI – had cast a shadow of doubt in the public’s mind over the manner in which the apex court was adjudicating on important cases, including the petitions on the Aadhaar-linking matter and the one seeking an independent SIT probe in the mysterious death of CBI judge BH Loya.

However, Wednesday verdict, authored by Justice DY Chandrachud, effectively puts to rest any possibility of the Supreme Court breaking from its time-tested tradition of vesting in the Chief Justice the powers of constituting benches and the allocating cases to them.

The 16-page verdict by the three-judge bench says: “the petitioner is not entitled to seek a direction that Benches of this Court should be constituted in a particular manner or, as he seeks, that there should be separate divisions of this Court. The former lies exclusively in the domain of the prerogative powers of the Chief Justice.”

On the issue of how judges must be selected for various benches and to hear different kinds of cases that come before the apex court, the verdict says: “the petitioner seems to harbour a misconception that certain categories of cases or certain courts must consist only of the senior-most in terms of appointment. Every Judge appointed to this Court under Article 124 of the Constitution is invested with the equal duty of adjudicating cases which come to the Court and are assigned by the Chief Justice. Seniority in terms of appointment has no bearing on which cases a Judge should hear… every Judge of the Court is entitled to and in fact, duty bound, to hear such cases as are assigned by the Chief Justice…”

“To suggest that any Judge would be more capable of deciding particular cases or that certain categories of cases should be assigned only to the senior-most among the Judges of the Supreme Court has no foundation in principle or precedent. To hold otherwise would be to cast a reflection on the competence and ability of other judges to deal with all cases assigned by the Chief Justice notwithstanding the fact that they have fulfilled the qualifications mandated by the Constitution for appointment to the office,” the verdict adds.

The verdict concludes by saying: “Underlying the submission that the constitution of Benches and the allocation of cases by the Chief Justice must be regulated by a procedure cast in iron is the apprehension that absent such a procedure the power will be exercised arbitrarily. In his capacity as a Judge, the Chief Justice is primus inter pares: the first among equals… Article 146 reaffirms the position of the Chief Justice of India as the head of the institution… As a repository of constitutional trust, the Chief Justice is an institution in himself… The ultimate purpose behind the entrustment of authority to the Chief Justice is to ensure that the Supreme Court is able to fulfil and discharge the constitutional obligations which govern and provide the rationale for its existence. The entrustment of functions to the Chief Justice as the head of the institution is with the purpose of securing the position of the Supreme Court as an independent safeguard for the preservation of personal liberty. There cannot be a presumption of mistrust. The oath of office demands nothing less.”

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West Bengal government to launch Annapurna scheme from June 1, offering monthly aid of Rs 3,000 to women

The West Bengal government has announced the Annapurna Yojana, providing Rs 3,000 monthly financial assistance to eligible women aged 25–60 starting June 1, 2026. Existing beneficiaries of the older scheme will be automatically migrated subject to verification.

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5 hours ago

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May 27, 2026

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The West Bengal government has officially notified the rollout of the ‘Annapurna Yojana,’ a welfare initiative aimed at providing assured monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000 to women across the state. Introduced by the Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, the scheme is structured to foster the socio-economic upliftment of women and will officially come into effect on June 1, 2026.

Under this new initiative, financial benefits will be transferred directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of qualified beneficiaries using the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

Strict eligibility criteria outlined

According to the official government notification, specific guidelines have been established to determine eligibility for the monthly cash assistance:

  • Target Age Group: Eligible women must be between 25 and 60 years of age.
  • Employment Status: Applicants must not hold permanent government employment or receive a regular salary or pension from the central government, state government, statutory bodies, panchayats, municipalities, local bodies, or government-aided educational institutions.
  • Tax Criteria: Women who are income tax payers are excluded from the scheme.

Automatic migration and scrutiny rules

The new order clarifies that all current beneficiaries of the erstwhile Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme will be automatically migrated to the Annapurna Yojana. However, the transition involves a rigorous filtering process. Individuals identified as deceased, shifted, deleted, or recorded as absentee electors during the SIR-2026 exercise or voter slip distribution will be systematically excluded from the beneficiary list.

On the other hand, individuals who have filed appeals before the SIR Tribunal or submitted applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will continue to receive financial assistance until their applications are legally resolved by authorities.

Application process for new beneficiaries

For fresh applicants, a dedicated online portal for the Annapurna Yojana will be launched on June 1, 2026. To ensure transparency, all new applications will undergo a strict multi-tier verification process by designated local administrative officials:

  • Rural Areas: Block Development Officers (BDOs) will manage the verification and inquiries.
  • Urban Areas: Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) will oversee the process.
  • Kolkata: Officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will handle applications within their jurisdiction.

Following field inquiries, verified reports will be uploaded directly to the digital portal. The respective District Magistrates and the KMC Commissioner will serve as the final sanctioning authorities in their corresponding jurisdictions to approve the disbursement of funds.

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay travels to New Delhi for first official meeting with PM Narendra Modi

Newly sworn-in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay embarked on his first official visit to New Delhi to hold a high-level meeting with PM Narendra Modi, focusing on economic aid, fertilizer supply, and water rights disputes.

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6 hours ago

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May 27, 2026

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Tamil Nadu CM Vijay and PM Modi

Marking his maiden official visit to the national capital since assuming office, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday to deliberate on a wide range of state-specific matters. The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief, who led his fledgling party to a historic victory in the recent assembly elections, took the oath of office on May 10. While the Prime Minister had previously extended his congratulations via social media, this marks the first formal in-person meeting between the two leaders.

According to official sources, the Chief Minister departed from Chennai on a chartered flight at 10:00 AM. The high-profile meeting with the Prime Minister is slated for 4:30 PM, where Vijay is expected to submit a comprehensive memorandum outlining Tamil Nadu’s long-pending welfare and developmental demands.

Key state matters on the table

The core of the discussions is expected to center around financial assistance and clearances for major infrastructure projects in the state. Media reports indicate that the Chief Minister will heavily push for additional funds to bankroll ongoing developmental initiatives.

Furthermore, the interstate Mekedatu water dispute remains a high-priority issue. Chief Minister Vijay has already written to the Prime Minister, urging him to instruct the Union Jal Shakti Ministry and the Central Water Commission (CWC) to reject the Detailed Project Report submitted by Karnataka for a reservoir at Mekedatu.

Other critical administrative concerns to be raised include ensuring an uninterrupted supply of fertilizers for the upcoming Kharif farming season and the removal of the 11 percent import duty on cotton to protect the raw material supply chain for the state’s textile industry.

A packed diplomatic itinerary

Accompanied by a team of senior officials and select cabinet colleagues, the Chief Minister’s itinerary extends beyond the Prime Minister’s Office. Vijay is likely to sit down with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to directly advocate for financial backings for key state portfolios.

The new administration has also drawn national interest for its structural innovations, including retaining critical departments under the Chief Minister—such as Home, Police, and Women Welfare—and carving out a dedicated cabinet-level Artificial Intelligence department, making Tamil Nadu only the second state in the country to do so.

Navigating a complex political landscape, the TVK-led government, which holds 108 seats in the assembly and enjoys backing from coalition partners including the Congress, Left parties, VCK, and IUML, is also using this trip to engage with national opposition leaders. Chief Minister Vijay is scheduled to meet Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi during his stay in the capital.

Before wrapping up his tour, the Chief Minister is slated to participate in a cultural event at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where he will formally inaugurate a statue of the revered Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar installed by the Tamil Nadu government. Sources indicate that Vijay will conclude his official engagements and return to Chennai on Thursday.

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Assam clears Uniform Civil Code bill, becomes third state after Uttarakhand and Gujarat

Assam has officially become the third state in India to pass the Uniform Civil Code bill. The legislation was cleared by the state assembly on Wednesday despite strong objections raised by opposition lawmakers who claimed it impacts minority rights.

Published

7 hours ago

on

May 27, 2026

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himanta

The Assam Legislative Assembly on Wednesday passed ‘The Uniform Civil Code, Assam, 2026 Bill’, making it the third state ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to adopt a uniform legal framework after Uttarakhand and Gujarat.

Opposition flags concerns over rights during house debate

The bill was taken up for final passage in the state assembly on Wednesday, sparking a heated discussion among lawmakers. During the legislative floor debate, opposition MLAs strongly voiced their concerns regarding the proposed law, stating that the legislation will hurt and compromise the fundamental rights of a certain section of society.

Despite objections from the opposition benches, the treasury benches cleared the passage of the bill, cementing Assam’s position as the latest state to move away from diverse personal laws in favor of a uniform code. Media reported that the legislative move follows extensive political discussions in the state surrounding civil regulations. With this enactment, Assam joins Uttarakhand and Gujarat, which have previously passed their respective uniform civil codes.

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