[2nd National Mediation Conference in Odisha]

Justice Sachin Datta, Delhi HC judge: Mediation is no longer the poor cousin of Arbitration or litigation and is becoming the prefered one. Mediated justice is also faster.
6600 cases were referred for mediation in Delhi. 3,400 cases were settled. Success rate was more than 50 percent and at 34 percent at pre litigation stage. As far as Delhi is concerned the record is very satisfactory. Lawyer mediators have been the unsung heroes and heroines in this. Justice Surya Kant: We cannot compare arbitration and mediation fees. There is a lot of expectation from this new mediation act and it is a ray of hope for structured mediation..I have also gone through the provisions.. but we have to see if the act meets with all the expectations or there are some legislative lacunae which is left behind.

CJI BR Gavai along with other dignatories to shortly speak at the inaugral session of the 2nd National Mediation Conference, 2025. AG Orissa Pitambar Acharya reads the message from PM Modi: it is noteworthy that the conference seeks to promote mediation as ADR at various stages of litigation. Our nation has had a culture of mediation that blends tradition and formal systems of justice delivery. When such processes are incorporated into modern systems they strengthen access to justice while preserving local harmony. Alongside modernisation and legal reforms it reflects India’s blend of timeless traditions of justice with 21st century lens.

Supreme Court hears case involving the custodial death of a 25-year-old tribal youth.

Bench: Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan Yesterday, the Court had come down heavily on the CBI and the State for not being able to arrest the two accused officers who are absconding despite a categorical order in May directing their arrest.

Read more: barandbench.com/news/supreme-c…

#SupremeCourt hears the case Lt. Col. Pooja Pal & Ors. v. Union of India in which the female army officers with Short Service Commissions are seeking to be granted Permanent Commission... They allege that they have been unfairly denied PC due to systemic gender discrimination

ASG Bhati: Women will continue to come and in different arms. It all has to amalgamate in the system of the army and not create a special dispensation cannot be created for 5 years or 10 years. We have to see if conditions are met as in previous judgments. We are not on individual cases and army is not opposing them. Point is whether these 11 batches and next batches where will this end? ASG: From commissioning till superannuation, the entire process is very important for the army. Officers at brigadier level etc had a value judgment of 5 marks... The board also has the authority to mark an officer as Zulu which means no eligible.. then even if score is 95.. they are not granted PC...

Justice Kant: Yes like going on too many holidays etc.

ASG: sometimes disciplinary or vigilance issues.

Justice Kant: we are on the fact that despite complete objectivity and bona fide opinion.. if an evaluation is made..

Day 3: Supreme Court constitution bench resumes hearing on the issue of whether a judicial officer who has completed 7 years of practice as a lawyer is entitled to be appointed as a district judge against the Bar quota.

Bench: CJI BR Gavai, Justices MM Sundresh, Aravind Kumar, Satish Chandra Sharma and K Vinod Chandran.

#SupremeCourt Sr. Adv. Nidhesh Gupta resumes his arguments.

Gupta: 233(2) is not for in service candidates. I will try my point good by placing various judgements.

Justice Sundresh: we are in agreement with that already.

Gupta: 233(2) is concerning direct recruitment and it is limited to those from the bar. The Shetty commission has understood it like that and even the constituent assembly debates hint towards that.

Former CJI UU Lalit to shortly speak at the SCBA lecture series on “BNS 2023 and IPC 1860: continuity, change, and challenges”.

#SupremeCourt #SCBA Justice Lalit: I don’t claim to be an expert on the criminal side, but let me address you. There have been schools of thought that said that BNS is nothing but old wine in a different bottle. And there are people who say it has sought to make certain changes.

Supreme Court resumes hearing Surendra Gadling’s plea for bail in connection with the 2016 Surajgarh arson case.

Bench: Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi.

#SupremeCourt Matter to be taken up post lunch at 2pm.

Constitution bench of #SupremeCourt led by CJI BR Gavai to hear whether a judicial officer, who has already completed seven years as a lawyer is entitled to be appointed as a District Judge against the bar vacancy Sr Adv Jayant Bhushan: Any construction of statute which makes the provision redudant cannot be accepted.

As to the issue of eligibility under Article 233, and the discussions both at the executive level and among practitioners, certain points are important. We need to strengthen the process so that, number one, the selection and appointment to the post of District Judge ensures quality. When quality comes, integrity comes with it, and with integrity, outcomes are fruitful.

A system must provide certainty and comfort. We cannot have a situation where, like a student who only brings marks without understanding the concept, the system focuses only on appearances. Over time, such a system becomes dangerous. That is why we need deliberation at the right level ....a proper round-table approach.

I was recently at the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Bombay, speaking in a different context. The point was that our legal framework must match up to global requirements ... not only in commercial courts, but in every court across the country. Land, for instance, is not merely property; it is also part of our human, economic, and financial resources. Every component contributes to the nation’s economic, political, and social growth.

In this understanding, no court or forum can be said to be less important. Judicial appointments must therefore be viewed in this larger framework. If we come of age in our approach, celebrate it, and communicate effectively, then with the environment we have today, India will be able to go further and ensure that the District Judiciary becomes a proud part of our justice system.

Supreme Court to hear today actor Jacqueline Fernandez’s plea against a Delhi High Court order refusing to drop money laundering proceedings against her in the ₹215-crore Sukesh Chandrashekhar case.

Bench: Justices Dipankar Datta and AG Masih

@Asli_Jacqueline

#SupremeCourt #conmansukesh #jacquelinefernandez Sr. Adv. Mukul Rohatgi: this is a case of a Bollywood star.

Justice Dutta: Vijay Madanlal is still the law?

Rohatgi: I am a film star. This man is a constar who is in jail. He is accused of impersonating ministers etc. he makes calls to people. He shows to various people from jail that as if he’s a minister somewhere and he’s not in jail. He tells the complainant who is a rich lady, whose husband was in jail. He says if you give me 200cr and I am secretary in govt etc I will get you bail. She says she has parted with money to Sukesh’s people. That’s the case. I have nothing to do with it. This man was infatuated with me. He sent gifts to me etc. bags. It is no allegation that I have helped him launder that 200cr. Please keep this in view. I am not named in the predicate offence in extortion. No part of that 200cr never came to me.

#Breaking: Punjab and Haryana High Court has initiated a suo motu case over the recent incident of a lawyer roaming with a sword inside the court premises, and the alleged assault on Bar members by him.

The Court today asked the Chandigarh Police to file its response. The Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter on the basis of a Bar Association letter.

Delhi's Rohini Court to hear shortly journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta's appeal against a gag order restraining him from publishing defamatory content against Gautam Adani's Adani Enterprises.

Hearing to start at 10AM.

#Adani @paranjoygt #GautamAdani District Judge Sunil Chaudhary to hear the case.

Supreme Court hears a batch of pleas by women Army SSC officers seeking permanent commission, alleging denial on grounds of discrimination and arbitrary decisions by the IAF.

Bench: Justices Surya Kant, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, and Justice NK Singh Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy argues that this is a rigorous selection process consisting of several stages, which precludes the argument that women officers are less suitable. Stage one is the screening test with Officer Intelligence Ratings, followed by further stages... both women and men undergo the same competition, which is identical for both.

Supreme Court hears a PIL concerning caste discrimination, harassment, and institutional failure in higher educational institutions.

Bench: Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi

#SupremeCourt #UGC SG Tushar Mehta: we have published draft regulations. 391 suggestions and inputs were received. Thereafter an expert committee was formed. They have gone into it… Some of the suggestions have been found to be favourable. And a report has been filed before a UGC.

Supreme Court to resume hearing today pleas challenging the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.

Bench: Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi

#SupremeCourt #BiharSIR #BiharElections2025 On the last hearing, the Court had directed the ECI to issue a formal notice stating that Aadhaar will be accepted as an identity proof document for the inclusion of a voter to the revised voters' list being prepared as part of the exercise.

Read coverage here: barandbench.com/news/litigatio…

Supreme Court hears a plea in connection with the pendency of criminal trials against alleged gangsters in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

Bench: Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi In July 2025, Apex Court expressed serious concern over the pendency, noting that there exists a significant delay between the framing of charges and commencement of evidence in these cases.

Supreme Court Judges Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan, along with Prof (Dr) C Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, to participate in the launch of Commentary on Mediation Act, 2023 by Advocate-on-Record Nandini Gore. The book is published by Mohan Law House The guests unveil the book

Delhi High Court is hearing the petition filed by Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan seeking protection of her personality rights. Justice Tejas Karia is hearing the matter.

Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi is arguing for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Supreme Court hears a plea against illegal organ transplant

Justice Surya Kant : This is a medical issue how do we decide it

Dr S Ganpathy: Recently a few weeks back CJI while addressing Bar Association Amravati stated that not parliament but constitution was supreme and to uphold the same judiciary intervene. This is a case about brain death and the word is a misnomer and this is a term coined to get organs from those who are not dead..

Justice Kant: It's impossible for me to grasp this medical language. Justice Kant: We may agree with you... But there is doctrine of separation of powers... How do we direct parliament ?

Justice Bagchi: Issue is legislative. Right to abort, is a legislative right. Passive euthanasia was recognised by this court. How can courts replace with something else when legislature takes irreversible cessation of brain activities as brain death.. how can we change it ?

Supreme Court Justice BV Nagarathna to shortly speak at the convocation ceremony of National Law University, Delhi.

#SupremeCourt #NLUD Justice Nagarathna: dear graduates, today is not merely the conclusion of your academic journey but the beginning of your voyage into justice, law, and public service.

Punjab and Haryana High Court refuses immediate hearing of PIL on #PunjabFloods

The officers are right now dealing with the ground situation, they will have to sit down and file affidavit for this. We don't want to do that: Chief Justice Sheel Nagu They will be extricated from that flood relief and they will be sitting on a table, preparing an affidavit for your petition, which we don't want to do: Chief Justice Sheel Nagu

Supreme Court resumes hearing the suo moto case on struggles faced by cadets who were disabled during military training.

Bench: Justices BV Nagarathna and PK Mishra. Order: Ld ASG appearing for the respondents has filed status report. The same is taken on record. She submitted that in response to the notices issued by this Court the Govt. Of India, Ministry of Defence, Dept. of ex-servicemen welfare has thought of medical benefits being extended in the form of ECHS to all invalidated out-cadets without any subscription fee. In as much as the one time subscription fee of 1.2 lakhs currently payable by ESM officers need not be paid by such out-boarded cadets due to attributability or aggravation by military training