CIC Rules BCCI Not Public Authority Under RTI Act, Revives Debate on Section 2(h)

SC Stays HC Order Declaring NSEI as 'Public Authority' Under RTI Act Section 2(h)

The Supreme Court has stayed a Delhi High Court order that declared the National Stock Exchange of India (NSEI) a 'public authority' under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. This means citizens cannot currently enforce their right to information from NSEI. The case challenges whether a stock exchange, though controlled by the government, should be treated as a public authority.

Madras HC Rules Child Can Claim Reservation Through Mother, Rejects Patrilineal Caste Tracing

The Madras High Court has ruled that a child can claim Scheduled Caste (SC), Most Backward Class (MBC), or Other Backward Class (OBC) reservation benefits through their mother's nativity if the child is born and brought up in that community, rejecting the 'patriarchal society' argument. This landmark judgment links the core of reservation to social disadvantage, not lineage, and has direct implications for the interpretation of equality under Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.

Madras HC: No Sanction Needed Under BNSS Section 218 for Disproportionate Assets Cases

The Madras High Court has ruled that no prior sanction is required under Section 197 CrPC or Section 218 BNSS to prosecute public servants for disproportionate assets, because such an offence has no nexus with official duty. The ruling, which refused to discharge former DMK Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam and his family, clarifies a key examiner-relevant dimension of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

TN Withdraws RTI Exemption for Law and Order Dept Under Section 24(4); 2,000+ Citizens Seek CJI Intervention on SIR

Tamil Nadu government withdrew its controversial order exempting the Public (Law and Order) Department from the RTI Act after widespread backlash. Separately, over 2,000 citizens have written to the Chief Justice of India to stay the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and initiate suo motu proceedings against the Election Commission's conduct.

ECI Delists 334 RUPPs; ₹11,813 Cr Tax Exemption Lost on Political Donations – Need for CAG Audit

Political parties in India enjoy unprecedented tax exemptions and opacity in donations. A recent BBC investigation and ADR report reveal that Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) received huge donations without contesting elections. The exchequer lost ₹11,813 crore in taxes over a decade. The Election Commission lacks power to deregister shell parties, and the author calls for mandatory CAG audit, expenditure limits, and a digital portal for financial transparency.

SC 9-Judge Bench Rules BWSSB Triple Test Not Binding for IRC 2020 Section 2(p)

The Supreme Court's 9-judge bench has held that the landmark 1978 'Triple Test' for defining 'industry' under the ID Act will not be a binding precedent for interpreting the identical provision in the new Industrial Relations Code, 2020. This could weaken worker protections just as more workers move to the private sector post-liberalisation.

SC Seeks Centre Reply on PIL: Minors' Online Accounts Without Valid Contracts Under Section 11 Indian Contract Act

A PIL filed by Just Rights for Children Alliance has challenged the practice of allowing minors to independently sign up for digital platforms without verified parental consent. The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre, highlighting the legal gap between Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act (barring minors from contracts) and existing IT/DPDP rules.

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.