Former Chief Justice of India T S Thakur has decided to skip the book release function of former R&AW chief A S Dulat's book, "The Chief Minister and The Spy", citing the political storm over certain parts of the book concerning National Conference president Farooq Abdullah. Thakur stated that the controversy and its political overtones would be an embarrassment for him, given his long association with the Abdullah family and his desire to remain apolitical. He also noted that Farooq Abdullah has publicly "disowned, if not denounced" the statements attributed to him in the book. The book release function was scheduled for Friday, April 18, 2020.
64-year-old Thakur did not attend court on Thursday.
The 46-year-old MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh was among the 15 new Cabinet ministers who took oath in the first major rejig and expansion of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government after it returned to power for a second term in May 2019.
Justice Tirath Singh Thakur was on Thursday sworn in as 43rd Chief Justice of India by President Pranab Mukherjee at an elegant function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
With a term ending in January 2017, he has to move fast to tackle the tough tasks cut out for him, says M J Antony.
Justice J Chelameswar, a senior judge of the SC and a member of the five-member collegium, has written to the CJI seeking transparency in the appointment of higher judiciary judges.
He also said nation can't progress unless judiciary gets ready to handle the challenges.
Justice Thakur said access to justice was a fundamental right and governments cannot afford to deny it to the people.
Thakur also said that more destruction, damage and bloodshed in this world has taken place on the account of religious beliefs.
"At times judges feel that the delay in the disposal of cases is only because the Bar does not, at times, cooperate," he said at the function to inaugurate 150th anniversary of the Allahabad high court.
He said following the Law Commission's recommendation, the Supreme Court in 2002 had also supported increasing the strength of the judiciary. A Parliamentary Department Related Standing Committee on Law then headed by Pranab Mukherjee had also recommended taking the judge to people ratio to 50 from 10.
A Supreme Court judge hearing a plea seeking a direction to the government to decide the date of birth of Army Chief General V K Singh recused himself from the case on Friday. A bench of Justices B S Chauhan and T S Thakur told the petitioner, The Grenadiers Association, that the matter would be placed before another bench for hearing after Justice Thakur recused himself from the case.
PM says rendering free legal aid to the poor should be a criterion in selection of judges.
'All judges are conscious of the historical legacy they leave behind. Chief Justice Thakur understands the important question of Constitutional law involved and the change in public mood,' lawyer Anand Grover tells Sunil Sethi.
President Pranab Mukherjee administered the oath of office and secrecy to Justice Kehar at the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the Board of Control for Cricket in India over not completely complying with the recommendations of the Lodha Panel.
He also made it clear that judiciary cannot depend on executive in choosing judges.
The Supreme Court on Monday expressed unhappiness over Narayanswami Srinivasan's participation in a Board of Control for Cricket in India meeting in Chennai on February 8.
The government has acceded to some demands of the collegium including removing the cap on the number of jurists and lawyers who can be appointed to the Supreme Court as judges.
Former Board of Control for Cricket in India president Narayanswami Srinivasan tendered unconditional apology in the Supreme court for presiding over the Board's working committee meeting in Chennai on February 8.
Landmark judgments follow new CJI's assumption of office.
Modifying its order, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said real estate barons Ansal brothers will undergo a two-year rigorous jail term in the Uphaar fire case if they fail to pay Rs 30 crore each within three months.
Chief Justice of India Justice T S Thakur today said that "corresponding upgradation" of judiciary was a must to face the challenges of emerging social and economic scenario and observed that "unpolluted and speedy justice still remains a distant dream".
There are 18 judges per 10 lakh people as compared to 50 judges recommended by the Law Commission in its 1987 report
CJI Thakur, who is demitting office on Tuesday as the Chief Justice of India, has been regularly questioning the government over the appointment of judges for higher judiciary
Real estate barons Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking de-sealing of the Uphaar cinema hall where 59 cine-goers had lost their lives in 1997 in a blaze when a Bollywood movie was being screened.
The SC assured the AVUT that it will accord an early open court hearing.
Real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal on Wednesday escaped being jailed in the 18-year-old gruesome Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy in which 59 people died.
In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Monday removed Board of Control for Cricket in India president Anurag Thakur, while secretary Ajay Shirke was also removed from his post.
Real estate barons Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal on Monday assured the Supreme Court that they would not leave India till it commences hearing on the plea seeking review of the 2015 verdict in the Uphaar fire tragedy case asking them to serve a two-year jail term if they fail to pay Rs 30 crore each as fine.
The Supreme Court expressed displeasure over real estate baron and convict in Uphaar fire tragedy case Sushil Ansal leaving the country without taking its permission.
The CJI also said the tribunals 'are not equipped and are lying empty and today a situation has come that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the Tribunal'.
Narayanswami Srinivasan suffered a major setback on Thursday as the Supreme Court barred him from contesting any election of the Board of Control for Cricket in India on grounds of conflict of interest.
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