Important cases heard by the Supreme Court on Friday, October 20:
* Observing that manual scavengers have lived in bondage, systematically trapped in inhuman conditions for a long time, SC asked the Centre and state governments to completely eradicate manual scavenging across the country.
* SC dismissed a PIL challenging the restoration of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner.
* SC asked the Andhra Pradesh Police not to arrest TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in the FibreNet case till it delivers verdict on the plea in the Skill Development scam case.
* SC agreed to hear on October 30 a plea by the NIA challenging the Madras High Court order granting bail to eight accused in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the alleged office bearers, members and cadres of Popular Front of India (PFI).
* SC granted anticipatory bail to Indian Youth Congress president B V Srinivas in an alleged harassment case.
* Popular Front of India (PFI) has moved SC against an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal confirming the five-year ban imposed on it by the central government.
* Observing that litigants may become disillusioned if the legal process moves at a snail’s pace, SC issued directions, including a few to the high courts, for ensuring speedy trial and disposal of old cases.
* SC refused to entertain a plea of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) challenging the Election Commission’s move to allot two local parties of Telangana election symbols which are “deceptively similar” to its ‘car’ symbol.
* Flagging the pendency of 21 namses recommended by its collegium for appointment and transfer of high court judges, SC told the Centre its tendency to “pick and choose” was creating a lot of problems.
* SC sought the Centre’s response on a plea challenging the constitutionality of the recent amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act.
