Supreme Court Weekly Round Up [May 25- May 31, 2026]

1. [Twisha Sharma Death] The Supreme Court was told that investigation into the death of 33-year old Twisha Sharma will be taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta told the court  the CBI will take over the probe, and that administrative steps will be taken. SG Mehta went on to inform the bench that Giribala Singh, Twisha's mother-in-law and an accused in the case was maligning Twisha's character. "This is a former judge who has been giving interviews in some or other channel maligning the deceased. We requested her so many times to record her statement she does not want to do it. We were okay to go to her place also. But she is not cooperating," SG Mehta told the bench.
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2. [Exploitation of Children] The Supreme Court issued notice in a petition raising question of grave constitutional importance concerning the continuing, systematic, and organised trafficking, sexual exploitation, and forced labour of children below the age of eighteen years, particularly minor girls. Senior Advocate HS Phoolka appearing before a CJI Surya Kant led bench in a petition against children being coerced and compelled to work in exploitative situations and/or hazardous conditions in orchestras, dance bars, dance troupes, nautanki performances, massage parlours, spas, and salons operating across the territory of India, grossly violating their fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15(3), 21, 23, and 24 of the Constitution of India.
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3. [Cockroach Janta Party] The Chief Justice of India told a petitioner not to take the 'Cockroach Janata Party' trend so seriously. After a lawyer orally mentioned a petition concerning the issue for urgent listing, the CJI Surya Kant said he would take up the issue in due course. Advocate NK Goswami submitted that despite the clarification given by the Chief Justice of India, a "distorted and malicious narrative is being continued." "Don't take it so sentimentally," CJI Surya Kant told the lawyer.
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4. [Fake Advocates] A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court of India seeking to direct Bar Council of India to formulate and implement, within a time-bound framework, a uniform nationwide mechanism for verification and authentication of advocate enrolment records, educational qualifications and status of practice, in coordination with all State Bar Councils. The plea filed by Yogamaya MG also seeks to direct Bar Council of India, to prepare and maintain on its website a consolidated, privacy-compliant national database of verified advocates containing professional identification details and verification status, subject to appropriate safeguards against misuse of personal data.
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5. [Bakrid 2026] The Supreme Court has refused to urgently list a plea seeking enforcement of anti-cow slaughter laws ahead of Bakrid, which falls on May 28, 2026. Advocate Barun Kumar Sinha orally mentioned the matter for urgent listing. "We are seeking a hearing so that if your lordships are persuaded, an interim order can be passed," he submitted. Hearing this, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant remarked, “You remember this a day before... No urgency,” refusing to grant an urgent hearing.
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6. [Law on Student's Attendance] The Supreme Court stayed a crucial portion of a Delhi High Court judgment which had held that law students cannot be barred from appearing in examinations solely on the ground of shortage of attendance. The Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a batch of pleas challenging the High Court ruling, including petitions concerning mandatory attendance requirements in law colleges and National Law Universities.
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7. [Vacant ITAT Posts] The Supreme Court issued notice in a PIL concerning alarming and persistent administrative crisis affecting the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), which is one of the oldest quasi judicial bodies in the country and has been famously referred to as the “mother of all tribunals”. A CJI Surya Kant led bench has also sought the Attorney General's assistance in the plea raising issue of grave constitutional and institutional importance of the systemic administrative collapse of the ITAT, caused by the prolonged and unexplained failure of the Union of India to fill sanctioned posts in its administrative and subordinate cadres.
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8. [Illegal Sand Mining] The Supreme Court issued sweeping directions to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to curb rampant illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary, while also linking enforcement measures with livelihood creation for vulnerable communities dependent on mining activities. The Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the directions in a suo motu case concerning large-scale environmental degradation in the ecologically sensitive Chambal region, home to endangered species such as the gharial, Ganges river dolphin and red-crowned roof turtle.
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9. [Banke Bihari Temple] The Supreme Courthas directed the court appointed committee managing the Banke Bihari temple to consider the suggestions made by the trustees/sewa adhikari Goswamis of the temple. A CJI Surya Kant led bench allowed the nomination of two members each from the two groups of Goswamis- Shayan Bhog and Raj Bhog- and allowed them to give suggestions to the committee. "We are of the view that among the two groups of Goswamis, namely Shayan Bhog and Raj Bhog, Rajat Goswami and Shailendra Goswami from one group, and Gopesh Goswami and Himanshu Goswami from the Raj Bhog group, should be nominated to the committee. All of them shall jointly give suggestions for improvement and continuity in the religious practices and day-to-day functioning of the temple," the bench ordered.
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10. [Bihar SIR] The Supreme Court of India has upheld the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. A CJI Surya Kant led bench, in its verdict pronounced has said SIR is not in conflict with the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Rules framed thereunder. "The impugned SIR does not supplant the Representation of the People Act and the Rules. Rather, it breathes life into the constitutional mandate under Article 324 within the precise statutory contours provided by Section 21(3). Therefore, it cannot be said that the Commission has acted in excess of its statutory powers," the CJI read in court.
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11. [HPV Vaccine Trials] Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sudhakar Singh has approached the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored CBI probe and constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the controversial HPV vaccine trials conducted by Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The criminal writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution alleges grave constitutional violations, illegal human trials on tribal girls, regulatory failures, and the creation of an unconstitutional “parallel administration” through foreign-funded policy influence in India’s health and governance sectors.
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12. [Transgender Persons Act] Centre has moved Supreme Court of India seeking to transfer petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, that have been filed before various high courts in the country. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the transfer petition filed by Union before a CJI Surya Kant led bench and said, "There are petitions pending before four high courts..there would be divergence of views.. please have it on Friday.."
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13. [CBSE 3-Language Mandate] The Supreme Court issued notice in a plea seeking to quash the Circular issued on May 15, 2026 by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which stipulates the study of three languages, R1, R2, and R3, shall be compulsory for all students in Class IX. As per the Circular, at least two of the three must be native Indian languages, whilst foreign languages are relegated to the position of R3 only where both R1 and R2 are native Indian languages, or alternatively as an additional fourth language. This has been challenged on the ground that it unconstitutional, arbitrary, and ultra vires Articles 14, 19, 21, and 21A of the Constitution of India.
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14. [Manipur DGP] The Supreme Court allowed the Manipur government to appoint the Director General of Police from outside the state cadre. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi allowed an application moved by the Manipur Government. Court noted that term of current DGP Rajiv Singh, IPS officer of Tripura cadre, is coming to an end on May 31. An application was moved by the State of Manipur briefly narrating the unprecedented ethnic and civil unrest that has taken place in the State. Notably, Rajiv Singh, IPS of Tripura Cadre was appointed as Director General of Police in Manipur on June 2, 2023. His term is coming to an end on May 31, 2026. In the peculiar facts and circumstances prevailing in the State, a prayer was made to appoint the Director General of Police from outside Manipur cadre.
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15. [Safety of Women Advocates] The Supreme Court issued notice to the Union government and all States and Union Territories on a plea seeking uniform nationwide guidelines to ensure the safety, dignity and protection of women advocates visiting police stations, particularly during late evening and night hours. The Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta sought responses from the Centre and States, returnable within four weeks.
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16. [Wetlands Rules 2017] The Supreme Court has issued notice in a petition challenging the constitutional validity of Rule 2(g) of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 which defines “wetlands”. Court has been told the definition arbitrarily excludes most man-made, artificial, and historically developed wetlands from statutory protection. A CJI Surya Kant led bench also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi has sought the Centre'a response in the plea after hearing arguments made by Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan appearing for petitioner and Biologist Ravinder Sinha.
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17. [POCSO Case] The Supreme Court dismissed a plea challenging the Allahabad High Court’s order granting anticipatory bail to Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati in a POCSO case arising out of allegations of sexual assault of minors in Prayagraj. The Bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N K Singh refused to interfere with the High Court’s order after hearing submissions made on behalf of the informant.
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18. [Timely Pronouncement Of Verdicts] The Supreme Court of India, in exercise of its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India has issued guidelines to ensure timely pronouncement of high court judgments after they are reserved. A CJI Surya Kant led bench has ordered that High Courts are to pronounce reasoned judgments within three months of reserving judgment. "Matters of personal liberty, like bail application, orders to be passed ideally by next day. Bail orders to be communicated to jail authorities so that undertrial can be released same day of bail or maximum the next day," the bench has further ordered.
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19. [Asian Games trials] The Supreme Court permitted wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the upcoming Asian Games while hearing a dispute concerning eligibility criteria, doping-related compliance, and the selection policy framework governing national representation. The Bench of Justice P S Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe was hearing the matter when concerns were raised regarding alleged missed doping tests and compliance issues flagged by an international tribunal order.
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20. [NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak] The Supreme Court underscored the urgent need for structural reforms within the National Testing Agency, observing that recurring controversies surrounding NEET examinations would continue unless clear individual accountability was fixed within the system. The Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe made the observations while hearing a batch of petitions arising from the recent NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and subsequent cancellation of the examination.
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21. [False Case Filed by Women] The Supreme Court has flagged the filing of false and frivolous cases by spouses against one another as an ‘arm-twisting’ method so as to reach a more favourable outcome or more lucrative monetary settlement. A Justice BV Nagarathna led bench has said that while courts are cognizant of the fact that there are genuine and bona fide cases in the courts wherein the aggrieved parties are genuinely looking for relief and respite from the actions and omissions of their spouses, that often require immediate care and attention of the courts of law and public authorities, such cases get frequently overshadowed and obscured by the overwhelming number of false and frivolous cases filed by spouses against one another as an ‘arm-twisting’ method so as to reach a more favourable outcome or settlement or more lucrative monetary settlement.
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22. [TET Exam] The Supreme Court has refused to review its decision from 2025 whereby it had directed in-service teachers imparting lessons to students recruited prior to enactment of the RTE Act, and having more than 5 (five) years to retire on superannuation, to qualify the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) within 2 years from 1st September, 2025. A batch of review petitions were filed with a common grievance that the judgment and order passed by in Anjuman Ishaat e-Taleem Trust v. State of Maharashtra erroneously interprets the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
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