The Supreme Court’s seven-judge Bench has closed the legislative privileges reference arising from the 2003 N. Ravi case as infructuous, since the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution was withdrawn in 2004, leaving the questions of law open.
The Supreme Court has indicated that it may close the seven-judge reference on legislative privileges, after it was told that the 2003 Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution at its root was withdrawn in 2004, with the Chief Justice of India saying the Court will not indulge in a mere academic exercise. New Delhi: The Supreme Court […]
Digital news outlet The News Minute and its Editor-in-Chief Dhanya Rajendran have asked the Supreme Court to let them intervene in the seven-judge Bench reference on the scope of legislative privileges under Article 194(3), arguing that breach-of-privilege proceedings against journalists would have a chilling effect on press freedom, ahead of the hearing from October 6.
Senior journalist Ajit Anjum has sought to intervene in the seven-judge Bench reference on legislative privileges, arguing through AoR Neha Rathi that privileges under Articles 105 and 194 are functional, must be read harmoniously with fundamental rights, and that standards are needed on when fair criticism of legislative proceedings may breach privilege; the Bench begins hearing on October 6.
Journalist Seema Chishti, Editor at The Wire, has sought to intervene in N. Ravi v. Speaker, Legislative Assembly, Chennai, the seven-judge Constitution Bench reference on whether legislative privileges under Article 194(3) can override free speech under Article 19(1)(a), listed for hearing from October 6, arguing that privileges are not absolute.
The Supreme Court’s 2025 landmark judgments exposed deep structural flaws in governance, from delays and institutional inertia to misuse of discretion. The Court flagged failures in federal relations, anti-defection rulings, electoral processes, tribunals, investigations, and legislative privileges.
