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1. Selma Blair pleads not guilty to in-flight assault charges, released on $20,000 cash bail

American actor Selma Blair pleaded not guilty to assault charges in Queens Criminal Court and was released on $20,000 cash bail following an alleged disturbance aboard a Delta flight from Los Angeles

Selma Blair pleads not guilty to in-flight assault charges, released on $20,000 cash bail

American actor Selma Blair pleaded not guilty to assault charges in Queens Criminal Court and was released on $20,000 cash bail following an alleged disturbance aboard a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York. She appeared tearful during her court appearance on Monday, a day after her arrest at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Authorities were called to JFK at around 11 pm on Sunday after reports of a "physically abusive passenger" aboard Delta flight 938. Two flight attendants were reportedly injured, with one taken to hospital for evaluation; a law enforcement source said one attendant had bite marks and another had a laceration. Audio from a call made from the aircraft reportedly indicated the disturbance began mid-flight and mentioned that the passenger had hit her head against a bulkhead. Delta said the incident had no operational impact and the flight landed ahead of schedule, adding that it has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behaviour citing the safety of passengers and crew. Blair was charged with second-degree assault, and faces charges linked to alleged attacks on a nurse and a police officer after the aircraft landed. She is also facing federal charges connected to the incident on board the plane. During the arraignment, Blair's lawyer, Shawn Barnes, told the court that the actor had missed several doses of medication used to manage severe neurological symptoms and had struck her head during the flight. "These factors, coupled with the altitude, resulted in a state of severe confusion and disorientation," Barnes said. Blair's representative, Jill Fritzo, separately told USA Today that the actor had experienced a medical emergency and was in a stable condition after receiving treatment. Blair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 and has spoken publicly about living with the condition; her lawyer also referenced Parkinson's disease during Monday's hearing. She was reportedly travelling with her service dog, which is now with her attorney. The incident recalls a 2016 episode when Blair was removed from a flight on a stretcher after what she later described as a "total psychotic blackout"; she subsequently apologised, saying she had mixed alcohol and medication.

2. CJI Surya Kant says Supreme Court should not be dragged into politics amid protest pleas

CJI Surya Kant says Supreme Court should not be dragged into politics amid protest pleas

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Monday that the Supreme Court should not be dragged into any politics amid ongoing protests against an alleged crackdown on demonstrators in Delhi. He urged lawyers to ensure that the functioning of the top court and the movement of lawyers, court staff and litigants remained unhindered. The CJI made the remarks after Supreme Court Bar Association president and senior advocate Pradeep Rai mentioned a fresh petition concerning the detention of lawyers and the suspension of internet services. Justice Kant said the court had no objection to democratic activities and that lawyers were free to protest, but should do so at designated places, while responding to senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who mentioned a separate petition for listing. The observations came a day after a special bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued directions to protect the right to peaceful protest, restore freedom of movement and ensure that no person was detained except in accordance with the procedure established by law. The bench also directed that metro and railway services operate normally, internet connectivity remain undisturbed and restrictions around court complexes be removed to ensure access to justice. Rai sought listing of the SCBA's fresh petition on Tuesday, when the court is scheduled to hear other matters arising from the protests. The CJI agreed to list the plea but asked the Bar to ensure that the court's functioning was not affected. Sankaranarayanan also mentioned a fresh petition relating to police action and alleged that no order imposing prohibitory restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita was available in the public domain. He raised concerns over the alleged detention and manhandling of senior lawyers, including Dinesh Dwivedi and Shadan Farasat, and said the Supreme Court would at some point intervene and send a strong message to the police. He further alleged that children had been hit on the head and that police personnel had taken pride in the action. The CJI declined to make any further comment on the allegations at that stage and reiterated his appeal that protests should not interfere with the court's functioning. Senior advocate ANS Nadkarni also mentioned a fresh petition filed by a lawyer who was allegedly detained during the protests.

3. Supreme Court asks Centre to expedite regulation of prices of life saving drugs and devices

Supreme Court asks Centre to expedite regulation of prices of life saving drugs and devices

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to show urgency in regulating the prices of life saving drugs and devices, while the government told the court that anti-cancer drug prices will be significantly reduced by up to 70% following its recent decision to cap the trade margin of these drugs at 30% of the maximum retail price. The bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta asked how a manufacturer fixes a price and sells it to a retailer at a price to retailer that is one-tenth or one-fifth of the MRP, and observed that nothing could be more important in the entire country. The Centre disclosed the decision in an affidavit filed by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, during the hearing on two petitions filed by advocate Kishan Chand Jain and medical practitioner Sanjay Kulshrestha seeking regulation of prices of non-scheduled medicines. The affidavit said the government on October 8 decided to cap the trade margin of anti-cancer drugs at 30% of the MRP of these drugs, which are priced as high as ₹27,000. The Centre said the proposed trade margin rationalisation would significantly reduce the MRP of anti-cancer drugs, estimated in the range of 20% to 70%. To choose the list of anti-cancer drugs whose prices will be rationalised, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare constituted an Expert Committee on October 9 under the chairmanship of the Director General of Health Services; the committee is expected to submit a report within 10 to 15 days. The list is to include all drugs approved for the treatment of cancer, except those which are inexpensive, the affidavit said. The bench postponed the hearing on the two petitions till October 27 to enable finalisation of the report and the subsequent decision. The government said that upon receipt of the Expert Committee report, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority will place the matter for deliberation and suitable directions before the ministry. Once finalised, the trade margin rationalisation of non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs will be notified along with instructions and procedures for manufacturers to ensure that benefits are passed on to patients. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, requested the court to go through the affidavit and said the government was not averse to what the court was saying but needed to await the report; he said he had discussed the matter with bureaucrats who stated that the issue involves consultation with stakeholders. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, also appearing for the Centre, said the trade margin rationalisation on anti-cancer drugs would result in expected annual savings of approximately ₹2,500 crore for patients and would greatly reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for those undergoing cancer treatment. The government said the decision aimed at greater affordability and accessibility of anti-cancer medicines and would reduce excessive trade mark-ups without directly reducing the manufacturer's selling price. The affidavit stressed that once the list of anti-cancer drugs to be covered under the policy is finalised by the Expert Committee, there will be greater transparency in the price actually applicable to patients. The decision follows Supreme Court observations expressing concern that an anti-cancer drug was being sold at up to ₹27,000 despite being provided to retailers for just ₹2,700.

4. CJI Surya Kant declines meeting with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, says issues already before Supreme Court

CJI Surya Kant declines meeting with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, says issues already before Supreme Court

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, declining their request for a meeting to submit a memorandum. The CJI said the issues they raised are already before the Supreme Court and should be pursued through judicial proceedings. He stated that the top court does not have administrative powers to deal with the issues highlighted, though it is duty-bound to consider matters affecting citizens' rights through its judicial jurisdiction. In the letter, released on Monday, the CJI said convening a meeting to discuss pending cases would wholly contravene the principle of separation of powers, an intrinsic facet of the basic structure doctrine of the Constitution of India, and would be incompatible with established ethics and judicial propriety. The Congress leaders had sought an appointment between 4 pm and 5 pm on Monday to submit a memorandum concerning the functioning of the Election Commission of India, the alleged arbitrary arrest of students, the closure of metro stations and the cancellation of trains. The request came as the Cockroach Janta Party organised protests in Delhi on October 10 demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. Authorities imposed curbs without precedent in Delhi, ordering the gates of 45 metro stations shut, cancelling trains into the city and deploying more than 40,000 Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel, and nearly 4,000 people were detained including students, journalists and civil society members. The CJI said the Supreme Court remains committed to protecting the fundamental rights of every citizen and that people are entitled to seek enforcement of those rights through the procedure established by law, adding that it would be more appropriate for the leaders to invoke the judicial powers of the Supreme Court instead of submitting a memorandum on the administrative side. He noted that matters raising similar issues were scheduled for hearing on Tuesday and said the leaders could file a petition on Monday, either physically at the Supreme Court between 10.30 am and 4.30 pm or through its e-filing facility, assuring that any such petition would be heard at the earliest possible opportunity in accordance with law. Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reacted by saying there is a proper procedure to follow to meet the CJI and that the Congress was doing drama.

5. Supreme Court seeks SOP from Centre on caste verification under Census 2027

Supreme Court seeks SOP from Centre on caste verification under Census 2027

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to spell out the mechanism available under Census 2027 to identify fake claims by persons belonging to Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, observing that the legitimate rights of genuine people cannot be taken away. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, said that if any person claims OBC or SC status, the court needs to know the standard operating procedure to verify whether the claim is fake or genuine. The court observed that this exercise will be essential to accept such claims, and that false claims may lead to taking away the legitimate rights of genuine people, adding that there is a possibility of fake certificates being issued. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Delhi-based social activist Aakash Goel, who said that since Census 2027 allows caste details to be filled, the claim should be verified based on the documents produced. Without issuing notice on the PIL, the bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to take instructions and file a note indicating the SOP. The bench said it was not issuing notice but needed to know the SOP on Census 2027, including whether a person is required to produce a certificate and how it will be verified. The matter will be heard after two weeks. Senior advocate Mukta Gupta, appearing for the petitioner, said the petition is only seeking safeguards governing the recording and verification of caste particulars in Census 2027. She said that in February 2026, the same petitioner had approached the top court when his petition was allowed to be submitted as a representation to the Centre. Following this, a notification was issued on August 14 under Section 8(1) of the Census Act, 1948, which authorises collection of information concerning Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but the notification does not specify particulars of an existing government-issued caste certificate or a mechanism for checking its authenticity. The petitioner filed an application under the Right to Information Act to know the verification mechanism, but no details were forthcoming. Gupta said the petitioner argues that when details are gathered, there ought to be a mechanism to verify the material, and that a person's recorded caste status is directly and statutorily linked to entitlement to reservation in education, public employment and legislative representation under Articles 15(4), 16(4), 330 and 332 of the Constitution. The petition said inaccurate enumeration arising from the absence of adequate safeguards for recording and checking the authenticity of available government-issued caste certificates may distort the assessment of a community's numerical strength and socio-economic circumstances, and consequently affect the identification of policy priorities, the targeting of welfare measures and the distribution of limited public resources.

1. Gopal Pathak vs. Nitin and Ors. (18.09.2026 - SC)(MANU/SC/1155/2026)

The Supreme Court of India addressed the issue of whether it was essential to send a disputed "Will" to a handwriting expert for verification, as ordered by the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, which had

2. Irfan Ahmad Hakak vs. Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ors. (05.10.2026 - SC)(MANU/SC/1149/2026)

The Supreme Court of India addressed the dispute between Irfan Ahmad Hakak and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir regarding the eligibility criteria for the post of Librarian. The core issue was

3. Sultan Singh (Dead) through L.Rs. and Ors. vs. The Financial Commissioner, Government of NCT of Delhi and Ors. (09.10.2026 - SC)(MANU/SC/1148/2026)

The Supreme Court of India addressed the interpretation of Section 51(2) of the Delhi Land Reforms Act, 1954, concerning the succession of Bhumidhar rights upon the death of a Hindu widow, Khajano. Th

4. Charming Rupon vs. State of Meghalaya (09.10.2026 - SC)(MANU/SC/1147/2026)

The Supreme Court of India addressed the appeal of Charming Rupon against his conviction under Section 6 of the POCSO Act for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor with intellectual disability. The co

5. Meerut Development Authority vs. Parmeshwar Dayal and Ors. (08.10.2026 - SC)(MANU/SC/1146/2026)

The Supreme Court of India addressed the dispute between Meerut Development Authority and Parmeshwar Dayal and others regarding compensation for land acquired under the Shatabdi Nagar Housing Scheme.

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