The Supreme Court of India refused bail to a student accused in the Noida workers’ protest violence case, directing him to approach the Allahabad High Court first while questioning maintainability of petitions filed directly under Article 32.
Justice BV Nagarathna highlighted gaps in India’s arbitration system, noting absence of a dedicated forum for arbitrator misconduct complaints. She observed courts hesitate to remove arbitrators, especially former judges, raising concerns over accountability and effective dispute resolution mechanisms.
Supreme Court Judge Justice BV Nagarathna BV Nagarathna said institutions like the Election Commission of India must remain independent, noting at Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture that insulated bodies such as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and Finance Commission of India safeguard neutrality.
Supreme Court of India imposed Rs.25,000 costs on the Union government and dismissed its appeal against relief granted to a CISF constable by the High Court. The Bench criticised unnecessary litigation, questioning the Centre’s decision to approach the apex court.
Supreme Court Justice Dipankar Datta said the Collegium did not always protect judges who showed courage and integrity in the past. He warned that lack of protection may discourage judges from choosing ethics over career growth.
Supreme Court Justice BV Nagarathna said judges use court vacations to write judgments and work late into the night due to heavy case workload. She also stated that the government is the biggest litigator and a major reason behind judicial backlog in India.
The Supreme Court granted anticipatory bail to former Telangana Intelligence Chief T Prabhakar Rao in the alleged phone tapping case. The Court noted that he cooperated with the investigation and warned against tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.
At the IPI India Award 2025 event, BV Nagarathna said media freedom suffers more from economic and regulatory pressures than censorship. She warned, “A press outlet may be legally free… yet economically constrained,” highlighting threats to independent journalism.
The Supreme Court of India ruled that Hamdard (Wakf) Laboratories’ “Rooh Afza” qualifies as a fruit drink under the Uttar Pradesh Value Added Tax Act, 2008, attracting 4% VAT instead of 12.5%, citing consistent concessional classification across multiple States.
Balancing personal liberty with justice, the Supreme Court granted bail in the Pune Porsche crash case involving the deaths of two software professionals,
directing strict conditions, trial cooperation, and warning that any misuse would result in immediate cancellation of bail.
