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

SC & HCs Affirm Women's Bodily Autonomy: Menstrual Leave, Choice of Partner, Homemaker Value

In five recent rulings, the Supreme Court and various High Courts have strongly affirmed women's bodily autonomy, dignity, and personal liberty. Key judgments include upholding the right to choose a partner, recognizing the invaluable contribution of homemakers, and directing consideration of paid menstrual leave for women conductors. These rulings signal a progressive judicial shift that places women's agency over traditional social norms.

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.

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 Upholds SC Order: Scheduled Caste Status Only for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists

The Bombay High Court rejected a Muslim man's plea to be declared a Scheduled Caste, upholding the 1950 Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order which restricts SC status to Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists. The Court ruled it is bound by existing Supreme Court precedent under Article 141, even while a constitutional challenge is pending in the apex court. This decision reinforces the legal position that religious conversion can lead to loss of SC status.

Maharashtra Panel Recommends BNS Amendment for Defamatory Social Media Posts; Shreya Singhal Precedent

A Maharashtra government panel has recommended amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to specifically criminalize defamatory social media posts, reviving the spirit of the now-struck-down Section 66A of the IT Act. This raises critical constitutional questions about balancing free speech (Article 19(1)(a)) with the right to reputation (Article 21), especially after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A in Shreya Singhal vs Union of India (2015) for vagueness and overbreadth. For exam aspirants, understanding the legal framework of defamation, the concept of reasonable restrictions, and the proportionality standard is crucial.

SC Upholds Telangana MLA Danam Nagender Disqualification Under Anti-Defection Law (Tenth Schedule)

Supreme Court upheld the disqualification of Telangana MLA Danam Nagender for defecting from BRS to Congress. The court rejected the 'ghar wapsi' argument, reinforcing that voluntarily giving up party membership under the Tenth Schedule cannot be condoned by claiming regret. This judgment reaffirms judicial review over Speaker's decisions in anti-defection cases.

Dalits Account for SC Population 32% in Punjab – Remittances Drive Social & Political Assertion Ahead of 2027 Assembly Polls

Punjab’s Dalits (SC population ≈32%, highest among Indian states) are leveraging foreign remittances (especially from Dubai, UK, US, Canada) to build mega-religious complexes like the Shiromani Shri Guru Ravidass Mandir, marking a shift from historical marginalisation. With the 2027 Assembly polls approaching, all major parties (Congress, BJP, AAP, SAD) are aggressively wooing this one-third voter base, making this a key social/political force in Punjab.

Himachal HC Holds Surrogate Mothers Entitled to 180 Days Maternity Leave Under CCS Rules

Himachal Pradesh High Court ruled that commissioning mothers via surrogacy cannot be denied maternity leave, even if the state has not adopted the Centre's 2024 rules. The court reaffirmed that motherhood cannot be distinguished by the method of birth, setting a binding precedent for the state.