PM-led panel to meet on Dec 10 to select Chief Information Commissioner: Centre to SC

A PM Modi-led panel is likely to meet on December 10 to select and recommend names for the post of Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners of Central Information Commission (CIC), the Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday.

A bench led by CJI Surya Kant, which was hearing a plea seeking filling of vacant posts of CIC and State Information Commissions (SICs), was told by Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, that the meeting has been fixed and notice for it has been sent to the members of the panel.

Under Section 12 (3) of the Right to Information Act, the Prime Minister is the chairperson of the committee, which also comprises the leader of opposition and a Union Minister nominated by the Prime Minister that selects and recommends the names for appointment as Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners.

SC refuses to entertain plea seeking security from Lawrence Bishnoi gang

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by a Uttar Pradesh-based man who sought round-the-clock security claiming that he has received a threat from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

“Who is threatening you? Lawrence Bishnoi acts in UP also?” a bench led by Justice Vikram Nath asked a counsel appearing for the petitioner.

The counsel, who replied in the affirmative, said the petitioner was seeking round-the-clock security.

When the bench observed that the Bishnoi gang was operating in Rajasthan and Punjab, the counsel said, “He acts everywhere. Not only in India.”

The bench said there was a procedure prescribed for providing security and there are district-level, state-level and divisional-level committees for it.

“They will deal with it,” the bench said as it asked the petitioner to go to the jurisdictional high court with his grievance.

SC notice to Centre, others on plea raising issue concerning disaster preparedness

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea seeking directions to assess and fill critical infrastructure and manpower gaps in fire services, road emergency response and disaster preparedness.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea filed by a man who had lost her daughter in 2019 in a fire incident in Surat.

The top court issued notice to the Centre and others, including National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), asking them to file their replies on the plea within four weeks.

SC refuses more time for uploading Waqf property details on UMEED portal

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to extend the deadline for the mandatory registration of all Waqf properties, including those categorised as ‘waqf by user’, on the UMEED portal.

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih asked the petitioners to seek relief from the concerned tribunals instead of the apex court.

“Our attention has been drawn to the proviso to Section 3B. Since the remedy before the tribunal is available before the applicants, we dispose of all the applications by granting them liberty to approach the tribunal by the last date of the six-month period,” it said.

However, if any applicant is facing a genuine difficulty in registering Waqf properties on the portal can seek an extension of the deadline from the tribunal, the apex court said.

(With PTI inputs)