- SC seeks Centre reply on plea against job cuts in the media
- The Supreme Court sought the Centre’s response on a petition by various journalist unions.
- The petition was filed against retrenchments and salary cuts in the media in the wake of the lockdown.
- Minority institution rights not above law or absolute: SC rules on CMC-NEET
- The Supreme Court ruled that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is “regulatory” in nature and in “national interest” to improve the quality of medical education.
- NEET is the entrance examination for admission to graduate and post-graduate medical and dental courses.
- The court stated that rights of religious or linguistic minorities to administer an institution under Article 30 of the Constitution “are not above the law and other Constitutional provisions”.
- The bench ordered that NEET will be the only exam for admission to the medical and dental courses.
- It ordered that institutions cannot be allowed to conduct their own separate exams over and above NEET.
- J&K to SC: Internet used for terror, access not fundamental right
- Jammu and Kashmir administration justified its decision to restrict Internet in the region to 2G speed in front of the Supreme Court.
- It said that “right to access the Internet is not a fundamental right”.
- The justification was made while underlining that “Internet is being used” by terror handlers in Pakistan “to support fallacious proxy wars”.
- The submission was made in response to petitions seeking 4G internet speed in the region.
- SC turns down Vodafone Idea plea for immediate tax refund of Rs 4,579 crore
- The Supreme Court rejected Vodafone Idea’s plea, asking the Income Tax Department to process and deposit tax refunds worth Rs 4,579.7 crore.
- The apex court said that the authorities were justified in holding back refunds until tax returns of the company was perused by the authorities.
- I-T Department authorities have kept tax refunds of the company between assessment year (AY) 2012 and 2017, in abeyance.
- It has done so while claiming that the returns of the company for these years were “under scrutiny”.
- Since a notice had been issued to the company contending the returns they had filed, the refund need not be processed immediately.
- SC directs RBI to ensure its moratorium circular is implemented in letter, spirit
- The Supreme Court expressed doubts on whether banks were passing on the reliefs announced by the RBI to borrowers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdown.
- It asked the apex bank to ensure compliance.
- It said, “in view of the above, we direct the Reserve Bank of India to ensure implementation of the circular dated 27.03.2020 in its letter and spirit”.
- The plea urged the court to set aside the circular.
- The bench refused to interfere after noting none of the petitioners were personally aggrieved.
- SC seeks status report from Maharashtra
- The Supreme Court sought a status report from the Maharashtra government on a PIL questioning the role of the police in the Palghar lynching case and seeking a CBI probe into the episode.
