Supreme Court

It is unfortunate that the central government counsel did not respond properly and raise objections against the dilution of the provisions of the Act. Unless immediate remedial measures are taken by the Central Government to undo the damage done by the judgement, the forces inimical to social equality and justice will be further emboldened to perpetrate violence against Dalits.

The constitutional challenge to the Electoral Bonds is on the ground that it flies into the face of the “right to know” in democratic functioning of the polity recognized under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, is arbitrary and thus violative of Article 14 of the Constitution and has been passed by perpetrating a fraud on the constitution by passing it as a money bill, even though it does not qualify as a Money Bill under Article 110 of the Constitution.

The integrity and independence of the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court, is a vital pillar of the Constitution and non-negotiable.

This landmark judgment should pave the way to protect, in this world of technology advance dominated by corporates, misuse of private data and infringing upon the privacy of individuals.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) welcomes the Supreme Court verdict treating arbitrary and instant triple talaq as illegal, delivered by a majority judgement of the five-member bench.

Drawing the wrong interpretation from the Supreme Court decision, the gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam have been closed. The Supreme Court decision had clearly stated that only after proper rehabilitation of the dam-affected was done and after the affected had been given compensation, could they be removed after July 31.

The suggestion made by the Chief Justice of India J S Khehar, asking the parties concerned in the Ayodhya dispute, to settle the matter through talks, is superfluous and unwise.

It is necessary to clarify the difference between making an appeal on any of these elements for electoral gain or the defeat of an opponent candidate and the  raising of issues of social discrimination and injustices.  The latter are essential elements of any electoral discourse for attaining social justice and cannot be prohibited.

The BJP heads the central government and the Haryana government and is a partner of the ruling coalition in Punjab. Given this situation, the central government must urgently intervene to ensure that tensions do not escalate. It is imperative that an agreement be evolved at the earliest.

Following the Uttarakhand experience, this Supreme Court judgment poses a irrevocable question of political morality and accountability of this BJP-led Central Government. The Central Government must fix accountability for this unconstitutional decision.