Hookah Can't Be Served Even In Designated Smoking Areas: Allahabad High Court
The petitioners had sought permission for restaurants holding valid food establishment licences to serve hookah in designated smoking areas and had also sought protection from police interference in their business.
Imran Masood, Chandrashekhar Azad criticise UP govt after SC quashes NSA detention in Sambhal case
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) Following the Supreme Courts decision to quash the preventive detention of Mulla Afroz under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with the November 2024 Sambhal violence, Congress MP Imran Masood and Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) president Chandrashekhar Azad on Tuesday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government. The Supreme Court held that the power of preventive detention had been illegally exercised and imposed costs of Rs 10 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh government. The court also set aside the Allahabad High Court order that had upheld the detention. Speaking to IANS, Masood said, It has not only been quashed. Please read the complete news. Along with quashing the NSA, a fine of Rs 10 lakh has also been imposed on the state government. Officials should understand that the agenda they are pursuing with their eyes closed will eventually lead to files reaching the Supreme Court and could send them behind bars. The Saharanpur mosque case will also come up in the same manner, he said. Masood further said, There are documents that are speaking for themselves. You cannot hide those documents. Demolishing mosques and persecuting people based on religion goes against the Indian Constitution. The same Constitution that gives you the authority to hold office also guarantees the protection of our rights. Aazad Samaj Party president and Nagina MP, Chandrashekhar Azad, said the Rs 10 lakh cost imposed by the Supreme Court was inadequate. A Rs 10 lakh fine is too little. The government and police send innocent people to jail on the government's orders, and when the judiciary imposes a fine on them, it is only Rs 10 lakh. In my view, the fine should have been Rs 10 crore, he said. Azad alleged that the NSA was being used to suppress opposition voices and silence cases, adding that he had himself been detained under the law. I am sitting before you today after the government detained me under the NSA despite me being innocent. I was kept in jail for 16 months, he said. The government wants to suppress voices of opposition and silence cases through the NSA. The people will not be suppressed either. When the people and the state stand up, they will remove this government from power, he added. The Supreme Courts ruling came on a petition filed by Mulla Afroz, who was arrested in connection with the Sambhal violence.
SC quashes Mulla Afrozs NSA detention in Sambhal violence case, imposes Rs 10 lakh costs on UP govt
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) The Supreme Court has quashed the preventive detention of UP cleric Mulla Afroz under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with the 2024 Sambhal violence case, holding that a confessional statement made before a police officer cannot, by itself and without independent supporting material, form the basis for preventive detention. A Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu set aside the Allahabad High Court judgment upholding Afrozs detention order, as well as the detention and confirmation orders, and directed that he be released forthwith unless his custody was required in any other case. The apex court also imposed costs of Rs 10 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh government, directing that the amount be paid to Afroz within one month from the date of the judgment. The case arose from violence during a survey of a mosque in Sambhal on November 24, 2024, in which four persons died. Although Afroz was not named in the FIR registered on the day of the incident, he was arrested around 54 days later, on January 17, 2025, in connection with other FIRs. During his custody, an extra-judicial confessional statement was recorded, and a .32 bore pistol was stated to have been recovered. Afroz was granted bail in one of the cases in September 2025, following which the Sambhal District Magistrate passed an NSA detention order on October 13, 2025. The state government subsequently confirmed the detention for a further period of 12 months. By June 2026, Afroz had secured bail in all the criminal cases arising from the incident. The Supreme Court identified two broad issues for consideration -- whether an order of preventive detention could be based on an extra-judicial confession and whether the procedural safeguards under the Constitution and the NSA had been complied with. It held that such a statement, particularly when the appellant had consistently alleged that it was obtained through threats and torture, could not constitute the basis for subjective satisfaction in the absence of independent supporting material. Therefore, we are of the considered opinion that a confessional statement made before a police officer cannot, by itself, and in the absence of any independent material lending support thereto, constitute a basis for forming the subjective satisfaction necessary to sustain an order of preventive detention, the Justice Datta-led Bench said. The apex court said a police confession is treated with suspicion under Section 23 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam and has to be tested against the constitutional protection against self-incrimination under Article 20(3). It observed that if a confession was considered too tainted to be received in evidence for proving guilt, its use as a substantive basis for preventive detention would require a deeper scrutiny. At the same time, the Supreme Court clarified that where a detention authority relies upon other material apart from a confessional statement, the validity of the detention has to be examined on the basis of such independent material. The bench further held that the existence of multiple criminal cases, by itself, could not justify preventive detention unless supported by cogent and reliable material. It observed that preventive detention involves curtailment of personal liberty not for what a person has already done, but for what is apprehended that the person may do in future. Preventive detention has always been regarded as an exceptional measure, the Supreme Court said, adding that it must be invoked with the utmost circumspection. The bench further held that material relied upon to justify preventive detention must establish the necessity of preventing future prejudicial conduct and should not merely reinforce allegations already forming the subject matter of an ongoing criminal prosecution. However, the apex court made it clear that it was expressing no opinion on the merits of the criminal cases against Afroz, which would proceed in accordance with law. The Supreme Court ultimately held that the Allahabad High Court judgment and the detention and confirmation orders could not be sustained in law and set them aside. Recording that the detention order was passed on October 13, 2025 and confirmed on November 28, 2025, for one year, it observed that Afroz had already suffered considerable loss of liberty despite securing bail in all the cases relating to the incident. In such circumstances, the process was made the punishment, it said, allowing the appeal and directing Afrozs release and payment of Rs 10 lakh in costs by the state government.
BJP declares names of six candidates for Uttar Pradesh MLC elections
Digital Desk | Lucknow, Sep 29 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced its list of 10 candidates for the upcoming Legislative Council elections 2026 for two states Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The elections are scheduled in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the Graduate and Teachers' constituencies on October 23. In Uttar Pradesh, a total of 11 seats, comprising Graduate and Teachers' constituencies, are set to go to the polls next month. BJP announced names of six candidates on Tuesday, covering the constituencies namely Varanasi, Jhansi, Meerut, Agra, and Gorakhpur regions. It has fielded nominees Kedar Nath Singh from Varanasi Graduate, Dinesh Goyal from Meerut Graduate, Ashok Kumar Rathore from Allahabad-Jhansi Graduate, Dr Pramod Mishra from Varanasi Teachers', Engineer Hari Kishore Tiwari from Agra Teachers', and Dhruv Tripathi from Gorakhpur-Faizabad Teachers' constituency. The MLC election in Uttar Pradesh is being held as a direct contest between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BJP, with both taking to electioneering. Akhilesh Yadav-led SP has announced names of all 11 of its candidates for the MLC elections. The SP chief, declaring the list while speaking to the media in Lucknow on Monday, sought support for his party's candidates. Notably, the notification for the Legislative Council (MLC) elections in Uttar Pradesh was issued on Tuesday. The deadline for filing nominations is October 6, and the scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on October 7. Candidates may withdraw their nominations until October 9; voting will take place on October 23. The results for Uttar Pradesh MLC elections will be announced on October 27. In Bihar, the MLC elections are slated for eight seatsfour Graduate constituencies and four Teachers' constituencies. They include Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Kosi Graduates, and Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Saran Teachers. While announcing UP MLC candidates on Tuesday, BJP also released the names of its candidates for four Bihar Legislative Council seats for the upcoming biennial elections.
Is access to electricity a fundamental right? Allahabad high court explains
The Allahabad high court delivered a judgment affirming that access to electricity is a fundamental right. The ruling came in response to a petition from Fanindra Das for electricity restoration at a railway colony temple. Previously, the railway authorities denied the request citing regulations on private land. The court highlighted that electricity is essential for living with dignity and declined the railway's objections.
MNNIT Allahabad Junior Research Fellow Recruitment 2026 - Apply Offline
MNNIT Allahabad has released the Recruitment 2026 notification for 01 Junior Research Fellow posts. The offline application process will be conducted from 28-09-2026 to 12-10-2026. Eligible candidates can apply through the official website, mnnit.ac.in.
Cong stages protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Prayagraj farmers to receive PM Kisan funds ahead of Diwali
Over 19,300 codeine syrup bottles seized as STF cracks trafficking network, 3 held
15 UP Battalion NCC bids farewell to Brig Upendra Singh Kandil
UIM launches apprenticeship-embedded BBA, BCA
Yamuna, Ganga swell for third straight day, admin on alert
From amla to Malwa Peda, Prayagraj div flavours clock big sales at UPITS
MNNIT holds educational visit on biogas technology
HC flags shortage of regular faculty in UP medical colleges, seeks details
4 kids of family killed as LPG cylinder blast flattens house in Fatehpur
NLU caste bias row: HC stays judicial inquiry ordered by single judge
Supreme Court Collegium Recommends Three High Court Chief Justices, None in Line to Be CJI
THE SUPREME COURT COLLEGIUM has recommended the elevation of three Chief Justices of High Courts as judges of the Supreme Court. Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court Sunita Agarwal, Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court D.K. Upadhyaya, and Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court Aparesh Kumar Singh have been recommended for elevation as judges of the Supreme Court. The decision was taken by the Collegium comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Vikram Nath, B.V. Nagarathna, M.M. Sundresh and P.S. Narasimha. If the Union Government notifies these three appointments, the strength of the Supreme Court will rise to 37 judges, including the CJI. The Supreme Court will still have one clear vacancy. Justice Sunita Agarwal Justice Agarwal comes from the Allahabad High Court. She was born on April 30, 1966, and was appointed a judge of that High Court on November 21, 2011. She has been functioning as Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court since July 23, 2023. If appointed to the Supreme Court, she will retire on April 29, 2031. Justice D.K. Upadhyaya Justice Upadhyaya also comes from the Allahabad High Court. He was born on June 16, 1965, and was appointed a judge of the Allahabad High Court, along with Justice Agarwal, on November 21, 2011. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on July 29, 2023, and was transferred from there as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court on January 21, 2025. If appointed to the Supreme Court, he will retire on June 15, 2030. Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh Justice Singh comes from the Jharkhand High Court. He was born on July 7, 1965. He was appointed a judge of the Jharkhand High Court on January 24, 2012. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court on April 17, 2023, and was transferred as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court on July 19, 2025. If appointed a judge of the Supreme Court, he will retire on July 6, 2030. None in line to become CJI None of the three would go on to become Chief Justice of India. With the appointment of Justice Agarwal, the Supreme Court will have three women judges, the others being Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice V. Mohana. Interestingly, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, who was appointed to the Supreme Court on June 2, 2026, was junior to Justice Singh in inter se seniority, yet Justice Singh was superseded. Now, with Justice Singh being elevated later, he will become junior to Justice Chandrashekhar in the Supreme Court. No reasons are available for Justice Singhs supersession in June this year.
SC Collegium recommends elevation of Gujarat, Delhi, Telangana Chief Justices as apex court judges
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) The Supreme Court Collegium on Monday recommended the elevation of Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal, Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, and Telangana High Court Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh as judges of the apex court. The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on 28th September, 2026 has recommended elevation of the following Chief Justices of the High Courts as Judges in the Supreme Court: (i) Mrs. Justice Sunita Agarwal, Chief Justice, High Court of Gujarat (PHC: Allahabad) (ii) Mr. Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi (PHC: Allahabad) (iii) Mr. Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, Chief Justice, High Court for the State of Telangana (PHC: Jharkhand), read the SC Collegium's statement published on the apex court's official website. Born on April 30, 1966, Justice Agarwal was initially appointed as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on November 21, 2011. She became Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court on July 23, 2023. Born on June 16, 1965, Justice Upadhyaya was appointed as a puisne Judge of the Allahabad High Court on November 21, 2011 and became a permanent Judge on August 6, 2013. He became the Senior Judge of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on March 28, 2023. Justice Upadhyaya was appointed Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and took the oath on July 29, 2023. He was subsequently transferred as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court and took the oath of office on January 21, 2025. Born on July 7, 1965, Justice Singh was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Jharkhand High Court on January 24, 2012 and was confirmed as a Permanent Judge on January 16, 2014. Justice Singh served as Acting Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court from December 20, 2022, to February 19, 2023. He took the oath as Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court on April 17, 2023, and was subsequently transferred as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, where he took the oath on July 19, 2025.
4 dead as massive cylinder blast brings down 2-storey building in UPs Fatehpur
Can Banks Recover a Dead Borrowers Loan From Life Insurance Money? Allahabad High Court Explains
What happens to an outstanding bank loan when the borrower dies? And can a bank directly take money received by the borrower's spouse from a life insurance policy to clear that debt?These questions have come into focus after an important interim order from the Allahabad High Court involving the Stat...
Allahabad University PhD Correction Window 2026 - Direct Link to Check at allduniv.ac.in
Allahabad University PhD Correction Window 2026 is open from September 27 to 28. Check eligible fields, correction process, important dates and official links.
Labourer found dead in Kaushambi village
Pratapgarh women-led amla economy takes centrestage in PMs Mann ki Baat
Devotees arrive Sangam to perform rituals
Ganga, Yamuna levels rise as rain swells rivers in MP
Woman dies after mud house collapses in Pratapgarh
Prayagraj tourism dept hosts panel on AI & digital innovation
Chirag Paswan interacts with youngsters
Sleeper buses: Allahabad HC seeks affidavit on permits, safety checks after fire
The Allahabad High Court has taken cognizance of a tragic sleeper bus fire incident on the Yamuna Expressway. Nine passengers lost their lives, prompting the court to seek detailed safety information regarding sleeper buses. State officials must submit affidavits detailing bus permits, safety checks, and compliance with standards by October 2026. The court noted existing gaps in safety measures and called for improved inspections of sleeper buses.
Shubhanshu Shuklas journey from Earth to ISS finds a place in UP schoolbooks
No Bela Kachhar bus stand for Magh Mela, buses to enter city directly
PCS 2026 vacancies jump from 500 to 728 as applications hit record 8.9 lakh
SSC reduces CGL 2026 vacancies to 10,731 across ministries
Mahant Narendra Giri fifth death anniversary observed in Prayagraj
Rain, cloud cover keep Prayagraj cool for third day, farmers on the edge
Yamuna eway bus fire: HC seeks data on permits, fire safety and inspections of sleeper buses
THE FIRST ARGUMENT by R.K. Garg I encountered was in Ranjit D. Udeshi v. State of Maharashtra , which was part of our criminal law course in the Faculty of Law. Garg was counsel for Udeshi, the owner of the Popular Book Stall in Bombay, who had been convicted for obscenity under S.292 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 for selling D.H. Lawrences novel Lady Chatterleys Lover. Garg argued that S.292 was an unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a). The judgment of the Court by Justice M. Hidayatullah paid a compliment to the counsel for the appellant. Our brilliant criminal law teacher Dr A.S. Bedi, referring to that compliment, said, Mr Garg is a great lawyer indeed. But the judgment went against the appellant. The Court upheld both the section and the conviction, declaring Lady Chatterleys Lover obscene. In condemning a piece of literature, Dr Bedi told us, Justice Hidayatullah wrote a piece of literature himself. I was sceptical of that, and disappointed by the judgment. Justice Hidayatullah was the 1960s equivalent of todays woke judge. He was educated at Cambridge, was a barrister at law, and seemed to be a synthesis of erudition, liberalism and cosmopolitanism. How could he and the Supreme Court through him purport to say a piece of literature was obscene? And, in my innocence, I thought, if a counsel was being complimented for his argument, he should have won the case. It is only later that I realized that the losing counsel will sometimes get the consolation prize of a compliment; I have received some in my time. I had, of course, heard of R.K. Garg even earlier, in my years in school. My mothers first cousin, M.K. Ramamurthi, along with R.K. Garg, D.P. Singh and S.C. Agrawal had set up a litigating law firm in the Supreme Court called Ramamurthi and Co., which became very well known. They were from different parts of the country. Ramamurthi was from Tamil Nadu, Garg from Uttar Pradesh, D.P. Singh from Bihar and S.C. Agrawal from Rajasthan. I am writing about Ramamurthi in another chapter of this book, so I only need to tell you about D.P. Singh and S.C. Agrawal. D.P. Singh, a lawyer from Bihar, later became a Senior Advocate and a Congress MP. Singh was a vocal supporter of the major constitutional amendments that Indira Gandhi brought about to implement her socialist vision and was an articulate defender of the supersession of judges in 1973. S.C. Agrawal was the sole non-political member of the team. He was the workhorse of the firm, excelling in drafting. He later became a Judge of the Rajasthan High Court and then served with distinction as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1990 until 1998. Rajendra Kumar Garg was born in October 1928. His hometown was Saharanpur known for its high-quality iron and brass locks in western UP. After his school education there, he studied at Ewing Christian College, Allahabad. He obtained a masters degree in philosophy and a degree in law from Allahabad University. Those were the glorious days of that great university. The English department had two young lecturers who became legendary names in Hindi and Urdu literature. The first was Harivansh Rai Bachchan, and the second was Raghupati Sahai, better known as Firaq Gorakhpuri. Firaq was to become Gargs lifelong friend. Poignantly, when Firaq died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), his body was brought to Gargs house in Niti Bagh. In his student days, Garg was a prominent leader of the All India Student Federation and, in a natural progression, became a leader of the undivided Communist Party of India. He started his practice in Saharanpur in 1953 and was also elected vice-chairman of the Saharanpur municipality. He shifted to Allahabad in 1955 and joined the chambers of the progressive lawyer S.N. Dwivedi, who later became a Judge of the Allahabad High Court and eventually a Judge of the Supreme Court. Justice Dwivedi was in the minority of six in the Kesavananda Bharati case, holding in favour of Parliaments unlimited power to amend the Constitution. Such was his ardour for parliamentary supremacy that when he was elevated to the Supreme Court, he told a gathering of lawyers who had come to say goodbye to him at the railway station that he was going to Delhi to overrule Golak Nath. In 1960, R.K. Garg decided to shift to Delhi. He wrote to the Attorney General, Motilal Setalvad: You are the most eminent lawyer in independent India, and I shall consider myself fortunate if I am given the opportunity to join your chamber as I desire to learn to defend the interests of the working class, whom I politically represent. It is to the credit of the staid and dour M.C. Setalvad that he agreed to take a firebrand communist into his chamber. Till the end, Garg revered Setalvad, and no one who went to brief Garg could miss his photograph on his office wall. In his advocacy, Garg was vociferous and strident, and had the delightful habit of looking back after what he thought was a punchline to see if the rest of the courtroom liked his argument. I have often wondered why and how, in this obsequious and milord-ing profession, lawyers like Garg and Ramamurthi were aggressive. I believe that in the geriatric Supreme Court, in which they set up practice, in a court dominated by the likes of Setalvad, C.K. Daphtary and A.C.V. Viswanatha Sastri, youngsters could not afford to be meek. And thus, stormy petrels like them would not curb their natural style. Most judges took Gargs aggression in their stride, but not Justice A. Varadarajan, who, sitting as a junior judge with Justice Murtaza Fazl Ali, insisted (much to the discomfiture of the senior judge) on issuing a notice of contempt to him. Varadarajan retired in August 1985, and the matter lay hidden in the depths of the Courts registry till Gargs passing. However, behind the aggression and flamboyance lay a formidable intellect. There was both depth and width of knowledge, not only of law but of politics, literature and philosophy. As Chief Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah said at the Full Court Reference held on his passing, His was an enormous mind indeed. Gargs intellectual integrity made him a bit of an oddball in party politics. He was an elected member of the UP Legislative Assembly on a Communist Party of India (CPI) ticket from 1973 to 1977. I had always wondered why a person of such formidable talent and stature was not chosen by the CPI to represent it in Parliament. The party was evidently uncomfortable with him because of the Congress Partys comfort with him. In fact, his election to the UP Legislative Assembly on a CPI ticket was also with the support of the Congress. He was ultimately expelled by the Communist Party of India. Interestingly, Garg was in favour of the supersession of judges, and had backed Indira Gandhis progressive policies. He also did not oppose the Emergency. In fact, the CPI (his party at the time) supported it. Garg was, however, uncomfortable with the emergence of Sanjay Gandhi, and memorably described him as an extra-constitutional centre of power. Gargs contributions to the jurisprudence of the Court starts from the 1960s, and continued till his premature death in 1994. They were in the fields of personal liberty, freedom of speech, the right to life, criminal law, independence of the judiciary, public service law, and in varied areas of constitutional law and interpretation. Full Court References are rarely able to capture all the contributions of a lawyer to the jurisprudence of the court, but in the case of Garg (and a few months earlier in the case of his comrade Ramamurthi), the many cases argued by him are mentioned. In an era where fees were freely given in cash, and that was in fact the norm in criminal cases, Garg was known to deposit and declare every rupee that he earned. So he had the moral authority and standing to approach the Supreme Court himself as an honest taxpayer to challenge the Special Bearer Bonds Scheme. This was a scheme introduced by the post-Emergency Indira Gandhi government allowing the investment of black money into non-taxable, anonymously held bonds. The aim was to raise investment for the government by providing immunity from prosecution to those who put their undisclosed funds into government bonds. He failed in his challenge, but succeeded in getting a dissent from Justice A.C. Gupta. Decades later, my mind went back to Garg, as the Supreme Court struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme, and as Justice B.V. Nagarathna wrote her powerful dissent in the demonetization case. Gargs long-time junior, Sunil Kumar Jain, recalls his senior as a kind person but a hard taskmaster. If they were working late into the night on a case, Garg himself would drive Sunil home to his flat in Lajpat Nagar. But he also recalls the many dressing-downs he received, during some of which he actually wept. Communal harmony was a cause dear to Garg. This was not surprising because Saharanpur had a large Muslim population, and he was educated in that great GangaJamuni town of Allahabad in its pre-Prayagraj avatar. One weekend in July 1994, when he was in the midst of hearings in the Presidential Reference on Ayodhya, he travelled to Saharanpur to address a meeting on secularism.9 Tragically, he died in a road accident during that trip. The circumstances of his passing left many of us teary-eyed. One of those who died with Garg in the accident was a communist friend of his. Sunil Jain recalls that the last rites for both were conducted together. Poignantly, a wreath on behalf of the Communist Party of India was placed on the body of the colleague but not on that of Garg. Expulsion from a communist party is no different from excommunication by a conservative religious sect; it goes right up to your grave. For me, it was a double whammy because my senior, Ramamurthi, had passed just the previous year, in 1993. In one of two instances of which I am aware of a court noting with regret the passing of a lawyer who had been arguing before it in an ongoing hearing, Justice S.P. Bharucha wrote: We are indebted to the learned Attorney General for the assistance that he has rendered to the Court. We are indebted to counsel who have appeared in these matters; if we single out Mr. R.K. Garg, it is because of his untimely demise. The other instance is Gobinda Mukhoty, about whom I write separately. The Full Court Reference to Garg in the Supreme Court on 10 August 1994 was one of the most memorable I have ever witnessed (I must confess that in the last couple of decades, I have stopped attending Full Court References because they have become mechanical and mindless repetitions of biodatas). The Attorney General Milon Kumar Banerji said, One Rajendra Kumar Garg, never a second again. One could see how moved Chief Justice Venkatachaliah was, and his description of Garg as the pillar of the alternative argument is unforgettable.
Allahabad University Faculty Recruitment 2026 - Walkin
Allahabad University has invited the Recruitment 2026 notification for 06 Faculty posts. Eligible candidates can attend the walk-in interview on 14-10-2026 at the designated venue. The detailed notification is available on the official website, allduniv.ac.in
MP Rathore Discharged In Rape Case
The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench has discharged Congress MP Rakesh Rathore in a rape case, ruling that the prosecution material indicated a long-standing consensual relationship between him and the complainant, contrary to allegations of rape on the promise of marriage. The court deemed the allegations contradictory and unfounded, setting aside a lower court's order.
SC Seeks Faster Appointments To Debt Tribunals
The Supreme Court asked the selection committee to expedite appointments of chairpersons to the vacant Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals in Allahabad and Kolkata.
Prayagraj health department launches seven-zone dengue prevention drive
Prayagraj purohits roll out Pitru Package with online rites for devotees worldwide
Prayagraj traffic halts for hours after truck breaks down on bridge
Deendayals Antyodaya vision still guides nation-building: BJP
UP Board extends deadline for 2027 exam centre finalisation
Prayagraj devotees brave rain for Ganesh idol immersion
Vidya Bharatis Vande Mataram campaign draws 50,000 students
Rain alert: Schools up to class VIII closed today
HC orders DGP to probe use of seized SUV in raid, fatal crash
Upadhyay, Mishra bag top posts in HCBA polls
The high court says acceptance of possession does not automatically waive compensation for delay.
Sambhal mosque row: Supreme Court reserves verdict on pleas against survey
The Supreme Court reserved its verdict on pleas filed management committee of Sambhal's Jama Masjid challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court. The SC bench consisted of P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe. Earlier, the High Court had dismissed the mosque committee's plea against the survey ordered by the Sambhal court. The apex court has maintained in its order for its parties to maintain status quo.
SC reserves verdict on plea against survey order in Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar Temple dispute
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its judgment on a plea filed by the Muslim side challenging a survey order issued by a court in Chandausi regarding the Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradeshs Sambhal district. A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe reserved the verdict after hearing submissions from the mosque committee, Hindu plaintiffs, and the Uttar Pradesh government. Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi and advocate Nizam Pasha appeared for the mosque committee, while advocate Hari Shankar Jain represented the Hindu plaintiffs. Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj appeared for the Uttar Pradesh government. The special leave petition (SLP) has been filed by the Committee of Management of Jami Masjid, Sambhal, challenging the trial courts order appointing an Advocate Commissioner to survey the mosque premises in connection with the ongoing dispute over the site. The Hindu plaintiffs have claimed that the mosque was built over a pre-existing temple structure and have sought judicial intervention in connection with the alleged Harihar temple at the site. On the other hand, the mosque committee has contested the maintainability of the suit and questioned the manner in which the survey was ordered, including the appointment of an Advocate Commissioner. The matter reached the Supreme Court after the Allahabad High Court upheld the Chandausi trial courts direction permitting the survey and declined to stay the proceedings. The apex court had earlier directed the parties to maintain status quo at the disputed site while examining the SLP challenging the survey proceedings. The dispute assumes significance in the context of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which bars conversion of the religious character of a place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. However, the Hindu side has contended that the dispute falls outside the scope of the 1991 Act, besides referring to provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The Shahi Jama Masjid dispute had earlier witnessed tensions on the ground, with violence breaking out in Sambhal during a court-ordered survey, resulting in multiple fatalities. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has also stated before the court that the Shahi Jama Masjid is a centrally protected monument and raised issues concerning its status and records relating to its use as a place of public worship. The Supreme Court, after hearing submissions from the mosque committee, Hindu plaintiffs, and the Uttar Pradesh government, reserved its judgment on the SLP challenging the survey order.
Got keys to your home after years of delay? You may still claim interest for lost time
In India, homebuyers can seek interest compensation for delays in property possession from developers. Recent judicial decisions confirm that taking possession does not forfeit the right to claim such interest. Notably, the Allahabad High Court supported a homebuyer over a substantial delay in receiving possession. Claims can rely on agreements, payment records, and RERA regulations, emphasizing the importance for buyers to understand their rights amid developer delays.
Allahabad High Court orders UP to grant old pension benefits to three retired seasonal amins
The News Mill
Man held for burglary at his brothers house
43 underprivileged families to get homes in Karchhana under CM Housing Scheme
HC orders probe after C-section performed on minor rape survivor despite MTP directive
Prayagraj digs into royal past as Raj govt stakes claim to 38 acres
88.8% turnout in principal recruitment exam for aided colleges
Cant deprive even crime accused of travel abroad: HC allows senior scribe to fly to NY
Certificate or ceremony: What legally validates an Arya Samaj marriage?
Allahabad HC says an Arya Samaj certificate alone cannot establish a valid Hindu marriage; essential rites under Hindu Marriage Act should have been performed, a position the Supreme Court has backed
The top courts interim order has come on an appeal against the High Courts order quashing the detention of a student under National Security Act and directing payment of 5 lakh to the student, to be recovered from the salaries of the DM and other officials involved
SC modifies order giving relief to Noida DM in NSA case
The Supreme Court has modified its interim order, staying the strictures and compensation directive passed by the Allahabad High Court against Noida DM Medha Roopam. The High Court had ordered Roopam to pay Rs 5 lakh from her salary for the detention of student Akriti Chaudhary under the NSA, criticising the DM's conduct. The Supreme Court's interim order specifically stays paragraphs 27 to 33 of the High Court judgment, which contained the strictures and cost award, but does not stay the quashing of Chaudhary's detention.
Wrong Precedent: Lawyers Body Protests Supreme Courts Handling Of Noida DMs Plea
THE LAWYERS ASSOCIATION FOR CONSTITUTION (LAFC) has written to the Chief Justice of India questioning the special listing and muted live proceedings in the case of Noida District Magistrate Medha Roopam. LAFC has sent an open letter to the Chief Justice of India protesting the listing of two petitions filed over strictures passed against Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam. The letter, dated September 24, objects to the matter being placed before a particular bench outside the ordinary roster, and to the muting of the video conferencing feed during the hearing. The out-of-turn listing of the case has received special treatment and tends to set a wrong precedent, the LAFC wrote. The letter noted that Roopam also happens to be the daughter of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, namely Gyanesh Kumar. Allahabad High Court Quashing NSA Against Akriti and Indicting Civil Servants Captures Sardar Patel and Ambedkars Vision The underlying case The dispute traces back to protests by workers in Noida demanding wage revisions. A student, Akriti Chaudhary, was detained under the National Security Act in connection with the unrest. The Allahabad High Court quashed her detention and directed Roopam to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation from her own salary. Paragraphs 27 to 33 of that judgment recorded strictures against the DM, holding that she desired to set an example out of Chaudhary to deter others from exercising their right to freedom of speech and expression in public spaces in support of labourers. Roopam and the Uttar Pradesh government moved the Supreme Court against the order. The petitions, SLP (Crl.) Diary No. 56202/2026 and SLP (Crl.) No. 18010/2026, came up before a bench of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice N K Singh. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the state, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for Roopam, and Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves for Chaudhary. Muted proceedings, then a clarified order During the September 23 hearing, the bench muted the audio of the video conferencing feed, cutting off media access since reporters cannot enter the courtroom in person. The Court reserved orders on interim relief that day. Later on September 23, the Court stayed paragraphs 27 to 33 of the High Court judgment, the portion recording strictures and directing salary recovery. Notice was issued, and the matter was listed for October 7. The Court clarified that the stay did not extend to the quashing of Chaudharys NSA detention itself, which stands. On September 24, the Court revised its order to make this distinction explicit, specifying that the stay operates only on the adverse remarks against the officer and the compensation direction. The LAFCs objection While the LAFCs in its letter has not disputed the merits of the stay, it has raised complaints such as that the case did not fall before this bench under the prevailing roster for NSA matters, that it appears to have been specially assigned, and that muting the live feed in a case important for media and the public undermines the openness that video conferencing is meant to provide. The special listing before a particular bench has also not enhanced confidence in the judicial process, the letter states.
SC modifies its order, stays strictures passed by Allahabad HC against Noida DM
The Supreme Court modified its interim order regarding Noida District Magistrate Medha Roopam's actions. It stayed the Allahabad High Court's strictures and compensation directive related to the unlawful detention of Akriti Chaudhary. The Supreme Court's order prevents recovery of the Rs 5 lakh compensation from Roopam's salary until further hearing. In an earlier decision, the High Court quashed Chaudhary's detention under the National Security Act.
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SC stays Allahabad HC order quashing students NSA detention
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the operation of the Allahabad High Court judgment, directing the recovery of Rs 5 lakh compensation from the salary of the Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate and other officials for student activist Akriti Chaudhary's detention under the National Security Act (NSA). The apex court also stayed the High Court order, which quashed the student's detention under the NSA. A Bench of Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and NK Singh passed the interim order while hearing separate petitions filed by Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam and the Uttar Pradesh government challenging the judgment of the Allahabad High Court. The apex court granted permission to file the special leave petition (SLP) in the matter filed by Medha Roopam and issued notice to Akriti Chaudhary and other respondents. It also issued notice in the petition filed by the Uttar Pradesh government and other officials. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Chaudhary, accepted notice on her behalf. The respondents were granted two weeks' time to file their replies. After hearing senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi, Colin Gonsalves and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on the question of interim relief, the Supreme Court ordered that the operation of the impugned judgment, particularly paragraphs 27 to 33, will remain stayed until the matter is heard on merits. The Justice Sharma-led Bench posted both matters for further hearing on October 7, 2026. The Allahabad High Court, in its judgment passed on September 2, had allowed the habeas corpus petition filed by Chaudhary and held that her continued incarceration under the NSA was violative of her rights under Article 21. It directed that Chaudhary be set at liberty if she was not wanted in any other case and ordered payment of Rs 5 lakh compensation, to be recovered from the salary of the District Magistrate, Gautam Buddha Nagar, as well as other officials found responsible, ight down to the SHO of the Police Station who had prepared the initial report leading to her detention. The case arose from labour unrest in Gautam Buddha Nagar in April 2026, when workers protested over low wages, long working hours and inadequate pay. The Uttar Pradesh government had claimed that Chaudhary acted as an agent provocateur and that her activities and dissemination of information contributed to violence that erupted from April 13. However, Chaudhary had contended that the proceedings against her were an attempt to stifle her freedom of speech and expression and that there was no material warranting her detention under the stringent provisions of the NSA. The High Court observed that the alleged violence had commenced only after Chaudhary was taken into custody. It also examined WhatsApp conversations and stated that the state government had failed to identify a single message or video clip showing that she had incited violence or disclosed any conspiracy to provoke rioting, arson or destruction of property. The High Court further observed that the videos relied upon by the authorities showed people gathered peacefully and did not indicate that the crowd was armed or agitated. Any detention under the NSA is an exception. It is not a substitute to ensure that a person who may receive bail on account of merits of his case is still detained in custody under a concocted reasoning by the State, the High Court had said. It had also held that the grounds of detention were repetitive, speculative and are only opinion-based and lacked supporting material for the District Magistrate's conclusions. The High Court further observed that a notice issued under Section 130 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) appeared to have been prepared after Chaudhary's arrest, describing the procedure as ex post facto the arrest and nothing more than a sham. On the compensation issue, the High Court had criticised the conduct of the Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate and observed that the officer was expected to carefully examine the material before invoking the NSA against a female student activist. It had said the conduct of the District Magistrate was worthy of derision and held that the officer had desired to set an example out of the petitioner and deter others from exercising their right to freedom of speech and expression in public spaces in support of the labourers. The High Court had further observed that the District Magistrate was guilty of violating his oath of allegiance and held that the case warranted compensation. It had also stressed that peaceful agitation is protected by the Constitution and compared the role of protests to a safety valve in a pressure cooker, helping release accumulated public grievances rather than allowing them to build up to a point where violence becomes inevitable.
SC Stays Rs 5 Lakh Compensation Order Against Noida DM Medha Roopam, CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Daughter
The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Allahabad High Court's order requiring Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation from her salary over the detention of student Akriti Chaudhary under the NSA. A
Noida District Magistrate Gets Relief, Supreme Court Pauses Rs 5 Lakh Compensation
The Allahabad High Court had directed Noida DM Medha Roopam to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh from her salary to the student activist.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Allahabad High Court's order directing Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam to pay Rs 5 lakh from her salary as compensation to student-activist Akriti Chaudhary, who was...
BJP retains Shrikant Sharma as Himachal in-charge, UPs Darshana Singh as co-in-charge
Digital Desk | Shimla, Sep 23 (IANS) The national leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while announcing organisational appointments, on Wednesday retained Shrikant Sharma, the legislator from Mathura, as the partys in-charge for Himachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, Darshana Singh, a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, was appointed co-in-charge of the state BJP. Additionally, BJP MLA Reena Kashyap from the Pachhad Assembly constituency in Himachal has been given an important organisational responsibility as co-in-charge of the Jammu and Kashmir BJP. In the national-level list, Dr Satish Poonia has been appointed as the BJPs in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir. Shrikant Sharma, a former energy minister of Uttar Pradesh, has held several organisational and media-related responsibilities in the party, including serving as the party's national secretary and handling key responsibilities in its national media setup. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sharma was appointed the BJPs election in-charge for Himachal Pradesh and was subsequently given the permanent responsibility of state in-charge. The BJP won all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh in the 2024 general elections. Darshana Singh, who has been appointed co-in-charge of Himachal Pradesh, is a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh. Her first term in the Upper House began on July 5, 2022. She is a postgraduate. She began her active political career in 2008 and became president of the Mahila Morcha in Chandauli district in 2011, a member of the state executive of the Mahila Morcha in 2013, the partys Kashi region secretary in 2015 and president of the BJP Mahila Morcha in Uttar Pradesh in 2018. She has also served as national vice-president of the BJP Mahila Morcha. Before entering politics, she worked with the Allahabad centres of All India Radio and Doordarshan. She holds a postgraduate degree in history. Himachal lawmaker Reena Kashyap, who represents Pachhad in Sirmaur district, has been given the responsibility of co-in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir. The organisational list names Poonia as the Jammu and Kashmir in-charge and Kashyap as co-in-charge. Kashyap was first elected as an MLA from Pachhad in an October 2019 assembly bypoll. She retained the seat in the December 2022 Assembly elections. The appointments give Himachal BJPs organisational leadership responsibilities at the national level, with Sharma continuing in the state and Kashyap taking up an organisational role in Jammu and Kashmir, said the state BJP unit. It congratulated Sharma, Darshana Singh and Reena Kashyap on their new responsibilities and thanked the national leadership for the appointments.
SC reserves order on Noida DM Medha Roopam's plea against Rs 5 lakh recovery in NSA case
The Supreme Court has reserved its order regarding Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam's plea. Roopam's plea challenges the Allahabad High Court's ruling that quashed student activist Akriti Chaudhary's NSA detention. The High Court also mandated compensation to Chaudhary to be deducted from Roopam's salary. Senior advocates presented conflicting arguments on the legality of Chaudhary's detention and the handling of proceedings.
Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday, September 22, freed a Ghaziabad woman from her fathers custody and allowed her to live with her Muslim husband. Justice Sandeep Jain ordered the release of 26-year-old Sonika Chauhan, allowing her to live with her husband Akbar Khan. Justice Jain passed the order on a habeas corpus petition Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
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UP has been directed to appoint a senior public prosecutor for the trial and place the decision on record in two weeks. The alleged disappearance of the site plan relating to the incident from the trial court record was also raised.
