The report, titled ‘Pendency to Protection’ shows that Delhi courts achieved a milestone in 2025,disposing of 1,792 POCSO cases against 1,006 new filings, giving the capital the nation’s second highest disposal rate.
Today, On 4th January, The Supreme Court rejected Karnataka’s plea to classify necrophilia as rape under Section 375 of the IPC. Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah stated that making such legal changes is the responsibility of Parliament. The Bench emphasized that courts cannot expand the definition of rape beyond the existing legal framework. Any modification to the law must come through legislative action.
Courts should be extremely cautious in entertaining bail applications by those accused of serious offences like murder, rape and dacoity after the trial of such cases has started and the prosecution has begun examining witnesses, the Supreme Court recently observed. A Division Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan added that it is only if the trial gets unduly delayed for no fault of the accused that the court may be justified in granting bail in such cases after the start of trial.
The Supreme Court emphasised that the State instrumentalities have the duty to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting, as effectively as it may, a social order, in which justice – social, economic, and political – shall inform all the institutions of national life and endeavour to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities, and opportunities. The Bench observed, “An underlying current throughout the Constitution is the theme of “social justice”.
The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) penned a detailed letter on November 29 addressing the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna raising critical concerns regarding the current practices of issuing hearing sequences and granting passovers. This letter sheds light on the operational challenges faced by advocates, clerks, and other stakeholders in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court clarified that it does not have the authority to set speed limits on roads, leaving this task to government experts. It overturned a Madras High Court decision that reduced a speed limit and emphasized that courts cannot change speed regulations in response to accidents. Speed limits are defined by the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and MoRTH guidelines.
![[Inhumane Prison Conditions] ‘Last Person Matters Most’: SC On Freeing Eligible Female Undertrial Prisoners](https://i0.wp.com/lawchakra.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-17-2.png?resize=447%2C367&ssl=1)
The Supreme Court instructed the Maharashtra Home Secretary to file an affidavit within two weeks explaining the lack of video conferencing for producing accused individuals in court. The affidavit must address the availability of facilities, allocated funds for installations, and their implementation status, following multiple trial postponements due to non-production.
