Constitutional Bench 2024 roundup
Legal RoundUpSupreme Court Roundups

The Supreme Court’s 2024 decisions have marked a significant turning point in the country’s legal and constitutional framework. Key rulings delivered by Constitutional Benches on Electoral bonds, private property, royalty as tax, AMU’s minority status, sub-classification within reserved categories, etc. have left an impact on fundamental rights, political transparency and tax regime, shaping India’s socio-political landscape, influencing both public policy and the broader democratic process.

Supreme Court Roundup August 2024
Legal RoundUpSupreme Court Roundups

This roundup revisits the analyses of Supreme Court’s judgments/orders on Kolkata rape and murder case; Sub-classification of SC/STs; NEET UG 2024; Patanjali Misleading Ads case; Delhi excise policy scam; Mineral Rights; and more. It also covers top stories; Never reported Judgments; Cases Reported in SCC Weekly in August; Know thy Judges.

Sub-classification of SCSTs (2)
Case BriefsSupreme Court (Constitution/Larger Benches)

“State has neither executive nor legislative power to sub-classify or sub-divide or re-group the castes, races or tribes specified as the “Scheduled Castes” in the Presidential List notified under Article 341. Under the guise of providing reservation or under the pretext of taking affirmative action for the weaker of the weakest sections of the society, the State cannot vary, nor tinker the Presidential List.”

sub-classification of SCSTs
Case BriefsSupreme Court (Constitution/Larger Benches)

“Article 341 does not create an integrated homogenous class. Sub-classification within the Scheduled Castes does not violate Article 341(2) because the castes are not per se included in or excluded from the List.”

Bombay High Court
Case BriefsHigh Courts

The Court reiterated the findings of the Supreme Court in State of Maharashtra v. Milind, (2001) 1 SCC 4, that the benefits drawn by a candidate not belonging to a scheduled tribe, must be considered to having been drawn on the basis of a false caste certificate; such benefits are required to be withdrawn.

Patna High Court
Case BriefsHigh Courts

The Court noted that after the collection of data for Caste survey, there was a frog leap into the amendment enhancing the reservations beyond 50%, which was on proportionate representation in the services of the State and educational institutions, which was clearly not permissible under Articles 15(4) and 16(4).

Madras High Court
Case BriefsHigh Courts

“Once gender identity is given horizontal reservation, it follows that the transgender community, being a socially and educationally backward community discriminated based on gender identity, should also be entitled to similar reservation.”

Delhi High Court
Case BriefsHigh Courts

Clause 8 under ‘Admission Terms and Conditions’ of the Indian Nursing Council (Revised) Regulations and Curriculum for B.Sc. (Nursing Program) Regulations, 2020 reserves seats only for candidates with loco-motor disabilities of 40% to 50% of the lower extremity, thereby excluding candidates with other disabilities such as Muscular Dystrophy, Dwarfism, Acid Attack Victims, Low Vision, Hearing Impairment, Speech Disability, and Intellectual Disability.

MPSS exam
Case BriefsSupreme Court

“One lapse on the part of the State is all it took to generate this litigation, impacting multitudes of job aspirants in the State of Madhya Pradesh. The lapse was the amendment of an existing service rule on 17-02-2020 which was recalled thereafter on 20-12-2021, restoring the rule to its original position, but in the interregnum that amended rule was applied to an ongoing recruitment process.”