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Sunanda Pushkar death: Delhi HC gives Delhi Police 2 weeks to file status report

Published

9 years ago

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The court tells Delhi police that it will not monitor probe in the high-profile case but “we want to know the cause of (Sunanda’s) death and where we have reached since January 2014 (when the investigation began)

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has filed a PIL with the Delhi High Court seeking a time-bound court-monitored multi-disciplinary probe into the death of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. The bench of Justices GS Sistani and Chander Shekhar are hearing this case.

On the last date of hearing (August 1), the Delhi Police had filed copies of the status report which the counsel for Sunanda Pushkar’s son Shiv Menon, wanted to examine. The court has not taken lightly to the fact that the final report has not been filed even three and-a-half years after the death.

“We would like to know where you have reached,” the court asked the Delhi police, adding: “You have made things peculiar. We hear cases that are older… For us, this case is as good or bad as any other matter. We want to know what happened for three years.”

The court gave Delhi Police two weeks to come up with the status report, failing which, the court warned, “we will look into it”.

At the last hearing Sunanda’s son Shiv Menon had said that he was highly concerned about the steps taken. The court had said that he and the petitioner should exchange the copies of their applications. It may be recalled that Menon had objected to Swamy’s intervention and had questioned his locus standi in this case.

On Wednesday Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain was present from the Union of India. He said: “I want to make a submission, that so far as that petition is concern, this is not an adversarial petition. Petitioner has brought in a certain aspect. Ultimately, it has to be analysed by this court. And we have brought the investigation documents which can be shown to the bench in the chamber, all senior officers are present from Delhi Police”.

“In this matter samples have gone to scientific labs in the US three times. I don’t want to open my report in the court room. The DCP is here, please have the report in your chambers,” Jain said to the bench.

The ASG also said: “On our part there has not been any delay, and after seeing the report you may find this. If you still feel not satisfied you can take action.”

The bench said: “As you were not here Mr Sanjay Jain, we want to share with you the synopsis of previous hearings. We want to know why the status report has not been filed in the death of Sunanda Pushkar since January 2014. We have told the son (Menon) that we are not opposing the petition, but we want to know the cause of the death and what has been done so far. Where we have reached since Jan 2014, we want to know.”

Respondent Jain said: “Ultimately, the analysis of the report will say where we have reached and for that it is essential to see the report.”

The bench said: “We are not monitoring your investigation and we are not questioning your investigation. We just want to know where we have reached up till now.”

The bench then asked Swamy if he had anything to say.

Subramanian Swamy

Swamy said: “I am not seeking the exclusion of the Delhi Police from the SIT investigation. I want them to be part of the CBI enquiry or the SIT investigating team. I want their cooperation in the matter. The police journal says that the name of the poison is not important but also says that when it comes to drawing a conclusion it is poison you have to investigate. Four times they have said that this is an unnatural death and the cause of death is poison. They have gone to the FBI and all the things, in all what they have done so far is delay the proceedings.

“The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) clearly said that this is a case of poisoning and it is an unnatural death. I wrote last year to the government saying that this should be referred to a SIT. The government said ‘we are into the investigation and this would delay the proceedings’. Today also they are saying the same thing,” said Swamy. “They have gone around the world to know the name of the poison and now they say the name of the poison is irrelevant.”

The bench asked the government counsel: “We want to know how close we are in the investigation.”

Counsel Jain said: “Certain agencies are examining the matter and the cause of death. Some said it is poison and some said it is not. Thereafter it was sent to the US forensic lab. We have to analyse the answers which have come. This will take some time.”

The bench asked for a clarification: “By you, is it unnatural death?”

Counsel Jain’s reply was not clear. He said: “The individual is totally immaterial in this case.”

That was when the bench said: “We are saying something, listen to us. We posted it after two weeks and in the meantime please read the report and if something different comes out please tell us. Otherwise, we will look into it.”

Then the bench told Swamy: “We don’t know whether they are going to file the closure report or a charge sheet. If they file a charge sheet your problem is solved.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Amit Shah counters delimitation concerns, says southern states to gain Lok Sabha seats

Amit Shah assures Parliament that southern states will gain Lok Sabha seats after delimitation, countering opposition criticism during the women’s reservation debate.

Published

3 hours ago

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April 16, 2026

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Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday addressed concerns over the proposed delimitation exercise, asserting in the Lok Sabha that southern states will not lose representation but instead see an increase in their number of seats.

His remarks came during a heated debate linked to the implementation of women’s reservation, where opposition parties have raised fears that population-based delimitation could reduce the political weight of southern states.

Shah rejected these claims, calling them misleading, and said the proposed framework ensures fairness while expanding the overall strength of the Lok Sabha.

Seat count to rise with expansion of Lok Sabha

The government has indicated that the total number of Lok Sabha seats could increase significantly as part of the delimitation process. In this expanded House, the combined representation of southern states is expected to rise from 129 seats at present to around 195 seats.

Shah emphasised that no state will lose seats in absolute terms, and the exercise is designed to reflect population changes while maintaining balance across regions.

State-wise projections shared in Parliament

During his address, Shah also provided indicative figures for individual southern states, suggesting notable increases in representation. According to the projections:

  • Tamil Nadu could see its seats rise substantially
  • Kerala, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh are also expected to gain additional seats
  • Karnataka’s representation may increase as well

These figures were presented to counter the argument that delimitation would disproportionately favour northern states.

Political debate intensifies over linkage with women’s quota

The delimitation exercise has been closely linked to the rollout of women’s reservation, which proposes one-third seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

Opposition leaders have questioned this linkage, arguing that tying reservation to delimitation could delay its implementation and raise federal concerns. Some leaders have also warned that the move could impact national unity if apprehensions among states are not addressed.

The government, however, maintains that the reforms are necessary to ensure equitable representation and to align the electoral system with demographic realities.

Centre dismisses ‘false narrative’ on southern states

Shah reiterated that concerns about southern states losing influence are unfounded. He said the delimitation process will increase representation across regions and described the criticism as a “false narrative” aimed at creating confusion.

The issue is expected to remain a key flashpoint as Parliament continues discussions on the women’s reservation framework and related legislative changes.

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PM Modi assures no discrimination in women’s quota, delimitation debate intensifies in Parliament

PM Narendra Modi has assured that women’s reservation will be implemented without discrimination, amid a heated debate over delimitation in Parliament.

Published

10 hours ago

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April 16, 2026

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PM modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that there will be no discrimination in the implementation of women’s reservation, as Parliament witnessed a sharp debate over the proposed linkage between the quota and delimitation exercise.

During the ongoing special session, the government reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair representation while addressing concerns raised by opposition parties regarding the timing and structure of the legislation.

The proposed framework aims to reserve 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, its implementation is tied to a fresh delimitation exercise, which is expected after the next census.

Opposition questions timing and intent

Opposition leaders have raised concerns that linking the women’s quota to delimitation could delay its implementation. They argue that the process of redrawing constituencies may push the actual rollout further into the future.

The issue has triggered a broader political confrontation, with multiple parties questioning whether the move could alter representation across states.

Some critics have also alleged that the delimitation exercise could disproportionately benefit certain regions based on population, a charge the government has rejected.

Government reiterates commitment to fair implementation

Responding to these concerns, the Centre has maintained that the reforms are necessary to ensure accurate and updated representation based on population data.

Leaders from the ruling side have repeatedly emphasized that the process will be carried out transparently and without bias. The assurance that there will be “no discrimination” is aimed at addressing fears among states and opposition parties.

The debate marks a key moment in Parliament, with both sides engaging in intense exchanges over one of the most significant electoral reforms in recent years.

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Give all tickets to Muslim women, Amit Shah says, attacking Akhilesh Yadav on sub-quota demand

A sharp exchange between Amit Shah and Akhilesh Yadav in Parliament over sub-quota for Muslim women highlights key divisions on women’s reservation implementation.

Published

12 hours ago

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April 16, 2026

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A heated exchange broke out in Parliament during discussions on the women’s reservation framework, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav locking horns over the demand for a sub-quota for Muslim women.

The debate unfolded as the government pushed forward key legislative measures to implement 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Akhilesh Yadav argued that the proposed reservation must ensure representation for women from marginalised communities, including Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Muslim women. He said that without such provisions, large sections could remain excluded from political participation.

He also questioned the timing of the bill, alleging that the Centre was avoiding a caste census. According to him, a census would lead to renewed demands for caste-based reservations, which the government is reluctant to address.

Government rejects religion-based quota

Responding to the demand, Amit Shah made it clear that reservation based on religion is not permitted under the Constitution.

He stated that any proposal to provide quota to Muslims on religious grounds would be unconstitutional, firmly rejecting the idea of a separate sub-quota for Muslim women within the broader reservation framework.

The government has maintained that the existing framework already includes provisions for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) women within the overall reservation structure.

Wider political divide over implementation

The issue of sub-categorisation within the women’s quota has emerged as a major flashpoint, even as most opposition parties broadly support the idea of women’s reservation.

Samajwadi Party leaders reiterated that their support for the bill depends on inclusion of OBC and minority women, while the government continues to defend its constitutional position.

The debate is part of a broader discussion during the special Parliament session, where multiple bills linked to delimitation and implementation of the women’s quota are being taken up.

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