A living archive of the Supreme Court of India. Reporting on the SCI since 2017.
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This month, the Supreme Court held that a person who converts to Islam cannot, by that act alone, avail reservation as a member of the Backward Class.
We examine three similar decisions and a common question that has been pending before Court for over 20 years. Watch:
In our analysis, we examine how Surendra Koli’s death lays bare the system's own shortcomings in cases of alleged custodial torture and wrongful incarceration. Read more: scobserver.in/journal/freedo…
On 15 October, the Supreme Court Bar Association filed a contempt petition against journalist Nikhil Wagle and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut for their remarks criticising CJI Surya Kant’s refusal to meet opposition leaders during the CEC protests.
Our Saturday Desk Brief writes about how the Court will decide the distinction between criticism of the institution and the threat to administration of justice. Read more: scobserver.in/journal/bar-as…
In our newsletter, we write about the 47 lakh voter deletions in Delhi during Phase III of the SIR, and how concerns over mechanical notices escalated into a formal legal challenge. Read: scobserver.in/journal/sequel…
SCOLR Daily | Case #210
R. Saravanan v Periyar University
Date: 16 October 2026 | Citation: 2026 SCOLR 10(3)[15]
The Supreme Court held that a decision of a Single Judge of a High Court under Article 226 cannot be overturned through an appeal under Clause 15 of Letters Patent, which enables an intra-court appeal to a Division Bench of the High Court.
Read: scobserver.in/supreme-court-…
#judgementoftheday
On 12 October, the Supreme Court clarified that the new Form 6 was “neither approved nor disapproved” in its 27 May judgement, despite the ECI’s claim that the declaration had been upheld. We analyse the move: scobserver.in/journal/sequel…
SCOLR Daily | Case #209
Deepak Raheja v Omkara Assets Reconstruction
Date: 15 October 2026 | Citation: 2026 SCOLR 10(3)[14]
The Supreme Court held that the threshold for satisfying the meaning of “default” to initiate insolvency procedure under Section 7 of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 is prima facie finding of financial debt rather than complete adjudication of the claims.
Read: scobserver.in/supreme-court-…
#judgementoftheday
Our newsletter traces how the ECI’s Form 6 requirements changed across the SIR of electoral rolls: From the Annexure D added in Phase I to the mandatory mapping declaration in Phase II. Read: scobserver.in/journal/sequel…
On 21 October, a Special Bench convened during the Supreme Court’s Dussehra holidays to hear two matters, a nomination plea by the YSRCP, and former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s challenge to an FIR order. Read our detailed hearing report: scobserver.in/journal/scs-ho…
On 6 October, Justices Sunita Agarwal, Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Aparesh Kumar Singh took oath as the Judges of the Supreme Court, increasing the sitting strength of the Court to 37 out of its sanctioned strength of 38 judges.
With the Court nearly at full strength, we review which High Courts are represented on the Bench and which are not. Read more: scobserver.in/journal/region…
SCOLR Daily | Case #208
Yes Bank v Axis Trustee
Date: 15 October 2026 | Citation: 2026 SCOLR 10(3)[13]
The Supreme Court held that the Administrator appointed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under Section 36ACA of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 lacks the statutory authority to write down Additional Tier 1 (AT-1) Bonds once the Union Government intentionally omits the write-down clause from the final notified Reconstruction Scheme.
Read: scobserver.in/supreme-court-…
#judgementoftheday
In our newsletter, we explain the petition by RTI activist Anjali Bhardwaj, which argues that Form 6 is a statutory document that can only be modified through a legislative process, not by the ECI. Read: scobserver.in/journal/sequel…
On 12 October, the Supreme Court clarified that the new Form 6 was “neither approved nor disapproved” in its 27 May judgement, despite the ECI’s claim that the declaration had been upheld. We analyse the move in our newsletter: scobserver.in/journal/sequel…
On the YSRCP plea, the Special Bench directed state authorities to defer publication of the final list of election candidates until 25 October. Read our report on the hearings: scobserver.in/journal/scs-ho…
Yesterday, a Special Bench allowed former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to appeal against registration of an FIR in the alleged bribery case against his daughter's firm. The Court stayed investigating the FIR for 7 days.
SCOLR Daily | Case #207
The Secretary to Government v Sameer Ahamed N.
Date: 15 October 2026 | Citation: 2026 SCOLR 10(3)[12]
The Supreme Court held that a person converted from the Hindu social order to Islam cannot claim reservation under Article 16(4) solely based on pre-conversion social backwardness. Conversion to a different faith does not determine entry into a notified Backward Class Muslim community, an identity rooted in ancestry, endogamy and traditional occupation.
Read: scobserver.in/supreme-court-…
#judgementoftheday
In our newsletter, we write about the fresh legal challenge to the Election Commission’s use of Form 6 in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Read more: scobserver.in/journal/sequel…
SCOLR Daily | Case #206
Dr. B.C. Roy Engineering College v State of West Bengal
Date: 14 October 2026 | Citation: 2026 SCOLR 10(3)[11]
The Supreme Court held that the AICTE Regulations, National Education Policy, 2020, coupled with principles of certainty, necessitates the relevant authorities to notify the fee payable for the entire course before a student takes admission. Any variation in the fee during the subsistence of the course is permissible in exceptional instances such as unforeseen increase in the expenditure.
Read: scobserver.in/supreme-court-…
#judgementoftheday