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Wrap-up: The court is on the job!

The Supreme Court has been extremely busy. Here are key developments from the week.

India’s LGBT stand is back in focus
Two things happened for India’s LGBT community this week. The Supreme Court has referred a plea seeking quashing of section 377 of the IPC which criminalises homosexuality in the country, to a Bench already seized of the matter.

And then, on July 1, the Court said lesbians, gay, bisexuals cannot be treated as “third gender” for any quota benefits in education or jobs, dismissing a clarification petition filed by the Centre. In 2014, the Court held that transgenders would be entitled to all fundamental rights.

The Centre then filed an application seeking clarification whether lesbians and gays would also be covered by the ruling. Counsel Anand Grover, appearing for the gay community said the Centre’s application intended to scuttle the implementation of the judgment.

Triple Talaq — does it go against the Constitution?
The Supreme Court has also decided to examine the legal validity of the ‘triple talaq’ system under Sharia law, which enables Muslim men to unilaterally exercise the power of divorce. The Court will also examine to what extent it can interfere in the Muslim personal laws, if they are found to be violative of the fundamental rights of citizens enshrined in the Constitution.

No SUV ban?

And then on Wednesday, the SC indicated it will consider lifting the ban on registration of SUVs and diesel cars with engine capacity of 2000cc and above and suggested the imposing of a one-time environment compensation cess on showroom values. “We are open to the registration subject to some kind of one-time cess,” observed a three-judge Bench.

One more shot at Kohinoor
The Supreme Court agreed to hear another plea seeking a direction to the Centre to try to bring back the Kohinoor diamond from the United Kingdom and tagged it for hearing with a similar pending PIL.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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