Maharashtra's 5% Muslim Quota Lapses: Bombay HC Upheld It in 2014 Citing Sachar Report, Ceiling Breach

Maharashtra Govt Hints at Kunbi Caste Certificates for Maratha Quota; Sept 12 Deadline

Maharashtra government signals willingness to discuss Maratha community's demand for Kunbi caste certificates, a key to OBC reservation. Activist Manoj Jarange has set a September 12 deadline for acceptance, threatening Mumbai protests. The Kunbi linkage is crucial as it provides a legal path to quota under existing OBC framework, avoiding Supreme Court's 50% ceiling issues.

Bombay HC Rules Community Health Volunteers Entitled to Minimum Wage Under 1948 Act

The Bombay High Court has ruled that community health volunteers working for the BMC are entitled to minimum wages under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, rejecting the argument that their honorarium exempts them. This judgment strengthens labour rights for contractual and volunteer workers, an important topic for UPSC labour jurisprudence and social security.

Bombay HC Sets Aside Discriminatory Manual Scavenging Compensation for Private Workers; Orders ₹30 Lakh

The Bombay High Court struck down portions of Maharashtra Government Resolutions that discriminated against private sanitation workers by paying them lower compensation than government workers for deaths due to manual scavenging. The court ordered ₹30 lakh compensation to the kin of five deceased and directed identification of all such deaths within six months, highlighting persistent caste-based discrimination.

SC to Decide on Tamil Nadu’s Power to Grant Reservation to Muslim Converts from Backward Classes

The Supreme Court will soon pronounce judgment on whether Tamil Nadu can provide reservation benefits to individuals who convert to Islam from backward classes, most backward classes, denotified communities, and Scheduled Castes. This case challenges the constitutional validity of a 2024 Government Order that aims to preserve affirmative action despite religious conversion, and has implications for secularism and equality under Articles 15(4) and 16(4).

Bombay HC Overrules Trial Court in Tarun Tejpal Case: Victim's Past Sexual History Inadmissible

The Bombay High Court's ruling in the Tarun Tejpal case highlights persistent judicial bias against rape survivors, with courts focusing on victim's character instead of accused's conduct. Legal experts emphasize that the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013 defines consent as positive agreement, yet patriarchal notions still influence rulings. For UPSC, this connects to judicial reforms, gender justice, and landmark cases like Mathura and Vishaka.

Bombay HC: Private Forest Vesting Under 1975 Act Not Automatic, State Must Follow Procedure

The Bombay High Court ruled that the Maharashtra government cannot automatically declare private lands as 'private forests' under the 1975 Act without following due procedure, overriding the presumption that any forest land vested in the State on August 30, 1975. This judgment, based on Supreme Court precedents, affects hundreds of landholders and clarifies a recurring legal dispute between property rights and forest conservation.

Kerala HC Upholds 4% Disability Quota in Promotions, Sets Aside Contempt Interim Order

Kerala High Court has upheld the 4% disability quota in promotions, confirming the Kerala Administrative Tribunal's 2022 order in favour of an employee with 40% benchmark disability. It, however, set aside the tribunal's 2024 interim contempt order, ruling that positive directions cannot be issued in contempt proceedings. The judgment reinforces Supreme Court precedents in Siddaraju and Leesamma Joseph.

SC Dismisses Plea to Abolish Hanging; PM CARES Fund Donations Jump 592% to ₹480 Crore in 2024-25

Today's news highlights key developments for exam aspirants: the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of execution by hanging but left the door open for a government review; the PM CARES Fund disclosed a massive 592% jump in donations to ₹480 crore but spent only 0.1% of it; and the SC sought a government response on a standardized probe for paper leak cases. These stories cover constitutional law, transparency in public charities, and governance reforms.