Supreme Court 9-Judge Bench Hears FGM Case; Tests Article 25-26 vs Article 21 on Child Rights

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.

Supreme Court Expands to 38 Judges: Diversity Deficit Exposed as Women Only 4.15%

Parliament passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, adding 4 judges to the apex court (strength now 38). However, the article underscores a glaring lack of diversity: women constitute only 4.15% of all SC judges ever appointed, and caste representation in High Courts remains abysmally low. For exam aspirants, this links directly to the collegium system, judicial appointments, social justice, and pendency crisis.

Supreme Court Landmark Judgment on Sex Work: Article 142, Consent, and Rights Framework

The Supreme Court in May 2026 delivered a landmark judgment on sex work, holding that consenting adult sex workers cannot be forcibly rescued and affirming their constitutional rights despite social disapproval. The judgment invokes Article 142 for legal force, spans nearly 300 pages, and departs from global anti-trafficking assumptions, but raises concerns about institutional implementation and caste discrimination.

Supreme Court Nine-Judge Bench Revisits 'Industry' Definition: Bangalore Water Supply Case (1978) Under Scrutiny

The Supreme Court's nine-judge bench is set to rule on the definition of 'industry' under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, potentially expanding or contracting labour protections for workers in hospitals, educational institutions, and government welfare schemes. This landmark decision could impact millions of employees and reshape industrial relations law.

Supreme Court Rules 1978 'Industry' Definition Not Binding on Industrial Relations Code, 2020

The Supreme Court's nine-judge Constitution Bench ruled that the 1978 landmark precedent defining 'industry' will not automatically apply to the new Industrial Relations Code, 2020. This severs the worker-friendly expansive interpretation, creating a clean slate for future labour disputes under the new code.

Rajya Sabha Passes Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026, Raising Judge Strength to 38

The Rajya Sabha has cleared the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, raising the apex court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. The Bill replaces a May ordinance, but Opposition MPs questioned the ordinance route and highlighted the persistent diversity deficit in judicial appointments. This is a high-yield Polity topic for Prelims and Mains, with concrete data on SC/ST/OBC/minority/women representation and judiciary infrastructure.

Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Delhi-NCR Sexual Assaults, Cites Article 21 and Nirbhaya Parallel

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of recent sexual assault cases in Delhi-NCR, flagging lax patrolling and administrative failures that make public spaces 'zones of high risk'. The court invoked Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) and drew a painful parallel to the 2012 Nirbhaya case, demanding accountability and a measurable response from authorities. This has major implications for law enforcement accountability, women's safety, and judicial oversight.

Election Commission's SIR Deletes 13 Crore Names from Draft Rolls; Raises Questions on Population & Voting Rights

The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has led to the deletion of 13 crore names from draft rolls, including nearly one-third of Delhi's electorate. This article by a former Chief Election Commissioner uses satire to highlight the absurdity of treating electoral roll deletions as a solution to India's population problem, while drawing parallels with the Assam NRC and warning of potential disenfranchisement of eligible citizens.