Clean chit to PM, controversy over collegium, three new Chief Justices
Where many important issues were heard in the Supreme Court this year and many major decisions were taken, for the second time in history, the court got three Chief Justices. The Supreme Court delivered several important judgments this year amid a tussle with the government over the collegium system. These include upholding the SIT’s decision to give a clean chit to the then Chief Minister of the state Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots, controversial money laundering and upholding 10 per cent reservation for EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) in admissions and government jobs. Give verdict.
The apex court hit back at the judiciary from the Center led by Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on issues ranging from the collegium system to bailable and petty PILs and prolonged court vacations.
Why the year 2022 was special for the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court rapped the central government for clearing the names of judges for the top court and also said that if the court does not act in cases of violation of personal liberty, then what is the existence of the court.
Three judges
In the top court’s 72-year history, for the second time after 2002, there were three Chief Justices in a year. Justice U U Lalit became the Chief Justice after the retirement of Justice NV Ramana, who became the 48th Chief Justice in April 2021. Justice DY Chandrachud took over as the 50th Chief Justice of the country on November 9 after the retirement of Justice Lalit.
Justice YV Chandrachud, father of Justice DY Chandrachud, was also the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court 44 years ago. Justice Y V Chandrachud was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from February 22, 1978 to July 11, 1985.
The three Chief Justices, Justice Ramana, Justice UU Lalit and Justice DY Chandrachud recommended eight names for elevation to the Supreme Court in 2022. Three of them went on to become judges of the Supreme Court while five names are yet to be cleared by the Centre.
Live telecasting
In order to bring transparency in its functioning, the apex court has decided to start live telecast of proceedings of constitution benches, create a new system of listing cases, launch an upgraded version of the RTI portal and mobile app, register its presence in cases from the new year. Took important steps like starting ‘Advocate Appearance Portal’.
Hearing on important petitions
Several constitution benches were set up during the year to hear disputes between Delhi and the Center on the division of powers, cases such as demonetisation, Jallikattu, the Maharashtra political crisis, and petitions seeking a collegium-like system for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. Heard on.
Clean chit to PM
Cases related to the Prime Minister in the Supreme Court were also in the headlines. The Supreme Court upheld the clean chit given by the SIT to then Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 63 in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat.
The top court constituted a committee headed by a former Supreme Court judge to probe the security lapses during Modi’s visit to Punjab earlier this year. There was a big political dispute between the Center and the then Congress-ruled state government of Punjab regarding this security lapse.
Big Decision on Reservation
In one of its important decisions, a bench of five judges by a majority of three against two upheld the 10 percent reservation for EWS in government jobs introduced in 2019. The poor belonging to SC/ST/OBC categories are not included in this reservation. The Supreme Court upheld the decision saying that it did not violate the basic tenets of the Constitution.
Money Laundering
The Supreme Court delivered another important judgment when it upheld the powers of the Enforcement Directorate to attach, search and seize money laundered property and arrest the accused/suspected under the Money Laundering Act.
Pegasus Case
The dispute over the alleged unauthorized use of Pegasus also reached the apex court. He said his committee found malware in five of the 29 phones it tested, but the committee could not conclude whether this was due to Israeli spyware.
Sedition Law
In 2022, the apex court stayed the colonial-era sedition law until it was re-examined by an ‘appropriate’ government forum. The Supreme Court directed the Center and the states not to register any FIR under this law till then.
Personal Liberty
Emphasizing on the maintenance of personal liberty of citizens, the Supreme Court dealt with the cases of social activists including GN Saibaba, P Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde.
The apex court stayed the Bombay High Court’s order acquitting former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba in a Maoist links case but granted bail to 82-year-old poet-activist Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, on health grounds.
The apex court dismissed the NIA’s challenge to the bail granted to Teltumbde by the Bombay High Court in the Maoist links case. In one such case, he allowed Navlakha to be placed under house arrest because of his deteriorating health.
Bilkis Bano
The issue of pardon granted to 11 accused in the Bilkis Bano gangrape and murder of seven family members also reached the Supreme Court and it decided to examine the issue of pardon and release of the accused.
Karnataka Hijab Controversy
The apex court came out with a split verdict on the Karnataka hijab dispute. The Hijab ban was upheld by the Karnataka High Court which was challenged in the Supreme Court. A Supreme Court judge dismissed an appeal filed against the Karnataka High Court verdict, while another judge said there would be no ban. Now the Chief Justice will have to constitute a larger bench to decide on this dispute.
