Mint legal correspondent Nikhil Kanekal argues in today’s legal page in the paper that the hearing the Supreme Court is waging against the media, is fundamentally unfair and misunderstands the trade of journalism, as lawyers and judges are often wont to.

The Supreme Court struck down the challenge of private schools to the Right to Education Act (RTE) 2010, upholding its constitutional validity through a majority of chief justice SH Kapadia and Justice Swatanter Kumar.

Senior counsel Shanti Bhushan submitted to Chief Justice (CJI) Kapadia’s constitutional bench yesterday, that even incorrect statements do not justify restrictions on the media, and even half-truths and misinformation should not warrant punishment for contempt regardless of concern for the reputation of courts.

In today’s edition of Mint: On the morning of 10 August 2011, senior lawyer Harish Salve looked upset as he entered Chief Justice of India (CJI) S.H. Kapadia’s courtroom, holding a newspaper that had published an article on a case he was arguing in the Supreme Court.

The pendency of cases at the Supreme Court of India is within a whisker of 60,000 – a new record - after rising by more than 700 cases in March 2012.

Exclusive: ALMT Legal has elevated Mumbai litigation senior associate Subhash Jadhav to partner as four associates were promoted to senior associate level.

The Supreme Court was bluntly told on Thursday by senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan that it did not have the power to legislate and curb the press from reporting on court cases. Dhavan appeared on behalf of the Editors Guild, Foundation of Media Professionals and some individual journalists and argued that “internal mechanisms” of the media could resolve the concerns.

Day two of chief justice SH Kapadia’s constitutional bench hearing of the matter of press freedoms and individual rights saw the debate centered on the introduction of a “test of postponement” which will empower a judge in a criminal trial to prevent its publication if there is an apprehension of prejudice to the accused or any witness.

The Supreme Court’s special constitutional court of five judges headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sarosh Homa Kapadia descended into mixed messages and arguments yesterday as it sat for the first day to decide on new guidelines to regulate reporting of court cases by the media.

It’s four in the evening and shadows lengthen along the main corridor of the Supreme Court of India. It is Friday, a miscellaneous day, and all courts have completed their work in time to enjoy what passes for a busy lawyer’s weekend - Friday evening.

All except one court.

The Supreme Court will form a constitution bench of five judges to frame guidelines for media coverage of the court and its proceedings following a news report on Tuesday.

Exclusive: The Delhi High Court (HC) has dismissed advocate Balraj Singh Malik’s petition to abolish the advocates-on-record (AOR) classification of advocates on Monday.

Court Witness explains the obscure practice of “service law”, which few outside the courts have ever heard of yet is plied by many advocates and clogs many a court room or miscellaneous day of the Supreme Court – 30 million such cases have been filed, estimated one judge recently.

Pendency at the Supreme Court of India has crossed 59,000 cases for the first time ever, with numbers up 8 per cent on May 2011 figures, two judges having already retired this year to date and four more due to leave.

On the first anniversary of A Raja going to jail, the Supreme Court today quashed all 122 2G spectrum licenses granted by the former telecoms minister in 2008, although the apex court passed to the trial courts the decision on union home minister P Chidambaram involvement.

Press Council of India (PCI) chairman Justice Markandey Katju issued a press release today with his latest essay on the sensible limits of freedom of speech in an India only “partially emerged from the dark, feudal age”, Salman Rushdie’s prose, the Jaipur Literature Festival and why no one cares about Nobel prize winners.

Exclusive: Mohit Abraham, an equity partner at PXV Law Partners and the topper of the previous advocates-on-record (AOR) exam in November 2011, tells Legally India everything you have ever wanted to know about the AOR exam and whether there is any point to the designation.

SC judge Justice Dalveer Bhandari tipped to represent India at ICJ, The Hague [ TOI ] Hari Kunzru & friends stopped from reading from Satanic Verses. But was it lawful, since only Satanic Verses import banned under Customs Act? [ Outlook ] Five new judges join Bombay HC team; Three other member...

Breaking: Vodafone has been cleared by the Supreme Court of its $2.4bn tax case, according to authoritative Twitter and early news reports.

RTI on judicial appointments must be answered by Supreme Court, overrules CIC [ Indian Express ] Law ministry blames chief justices’ slacking in filling 285 vacant judiciary seats in high courts [ TOI ] Luthra & Luthra secures majority verdict in SAIL v Jindal Steel at Competition Commission, c...