?First Par meet not necessarily first session?
The Supreme Court has held that the first meeting of Parliament each year need not necessarily be considered as its first session. A five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, dismissed a petition filed by RPI(A) leader Ramdas Athawale, who had challenged the decision of the Lok Sabha Speaker to treat the first meeting of the House in January 2004 as the continuation of the winter session which was adjourned sine die on December 23, 2003. Athawale had contended that though the winter session was adjourned, it could not be termed as continuation when it met in the new year in January.
Upholds HC order on Sajjan bail plea
The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court order granting anticipatory bail to senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases. ?We are not inclined to interfere with the Delhi High Court order,? a Bench headed by Justice P Sathasivam said. The court pointed out that the background of the case is peculiar and considering all the circumstances, there is nothing wrong in grant of anticipatory bail. The court dismissed the petitions filed by families of the riot victims.
Rejects PIL against Shiv Sena, MNS
The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a PIL seeking de-recognition of the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Nava Nirman Sena (MNS) and prosecution of its leaders for their alleged hate campaign against non-Maharashtrians, particularly north Indians. The petition filed by Mohan Pandit through counsel Manish Mohan cited various instances of the two political parties targetting north Indians during railway recruitment exams in 2008, assault of Samajawadi MLA Abu Azmi in state Assembly and other incidents. The PIL sought a direction to the EC to de-recognise the election symbols of the two politcal parties.
Asks Centre, Raj to report on illegal arms sale
The Supreme Court has directed the Center and Rajasthan to file status reports on the action taken against army and civilian officers allegedly involved in illegal sale of arms and issuance of licences to dubious persons. A Bench of Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Deepak Verma granted four weeks for the response and also asked the petitioner advocate Arvind Kumar Sharma to file objections, if any, to the earlier affidavits filed by the Centre and the Rajasthan government.
