Keeping Pace with Legal Change
Supreme Court on Monday 21st July 2025, revoked anticipatory bail to Vishwajeet Jadhav and his relatives against accusations of hijacking estranged wife’s Hotel Vaishali in Pune. The court believed the accused had hidden facts and misused judicial proceedings in a serious criminal trespass case.
This article focuses on rhetoric used by leaders of MNS based on language in Maharashtra that presents a challenge over constitutional rights, that is, freedom of speech versus freedom of order. It outlines the existence of Indian laws that bear relevance to hate speech and examines past and contemporary examples with attention to the damages on the basic rights and the position of the regulators to maintain conformity to the constitutional ideals.
An uncertain bus strike in recent weeks was thrown by private operators in Mumbai and including school bus services, which were wiped out indefinitely only to be stopped based on government persuasion. Nationwide havoc could have been caused as a result of the proposed strike that was triggered by complaints about e-challans and infrastructure. This gives both short and medium term respite but poses serious questions about how labour laws apply to such important providers of transportation services and whether they should be enforced in the first place.
The Bombay High Court has upheld the 10% Maratha reservation in education and government jobs for 2025, pending final judgment. A three-judge bench will expedite hearings to scrutinize the quota’s constitutional validity amid competing claims of social justice and meritocracy.
Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K. Vinod Chandran upheld the use of Urdu alongside Marathi on municipal signboards, affirming linguistic diversity under the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022. The ruling emphasizes Urdu’s Indian roots, rejecting claims of its foreignness, and promotes cultural unity through language inclusivity.
During his first visit to Maharashtra as Chief Justice of India on May 18, 2025, B.R. Gavai expressed displeasure over the absence of senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, DGP, and Mumbai Police Commissioner, highlighting a protocol breach. Speaking at a Bar Council event, he emphasized mutual respect among democracy’s pillars—judiciary, legislature, and executive. Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar supported Gavai, noting his own experiences with protocol lapses and stressing institutional respect. The incident sparked political debate, with officials later apologizing at Chaityabhoomi. Gavai underscored the Constitution’s supremacy, urging harmony among democratic institutions.
