National News
‘Stretching it too much’, SC on hate speech claims against Madras HC judge appointment

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it has a fairly robust scrutiny process and petitioners may be stretching it too much, as their counsel questioned the recommendation to appoint Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri as an additional judge of the Madras High Court by saying that her “views are antithetical to the values of the Constitution, it is hate speech pure and simple”.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Khanna and B.R. Gavai told senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, representing the petitioners, that there is a difference between eligibility and suitability, as far as suitability is concerned one can say it can be made subject matter of writ petition, and the aspect of eligibility is the only issue as required under the Constitution.
Ramachandran said a person, who is not in sync with the ideals of the Constitution or basic principles of the Constitution, is unfit to take the oath. He added that Gowri has rendered herself as incapable of taking oath by her own public utterances.
Gowri was administered the oath of office during the hearing before the top court.
The bench said there have been cases when people of political background have taken oath over here as judges of the Supreme Court and the high court. “You placed on record utterances of 2018 and we have seen it, and it must have been placed before the collegium…,” it added.
Justice Gavai said when collegium takes a decision, it also takes the opinion of consultee judges who have come from that particular high court and you cannot assume that judges of the particular high court are also not aware of all these things.
Ramachandran said the consultee judges may not be aware of social media posts and cannot presume every judge reads every tweet in public domain.
Justice Gavai said, “We have also been consultee judges and when we give our opinion it is based on all the factors…I also have a political background and I have been a judge for the last 20 years. I do not think my political views at any point of time have come in the way…”
Emphasizing that he is not on the aspect of political background, Ramachandran said political background brings a totally new element into judicial discourse, and added that judges can be of conservative or radical persuasion which adds to the richness of judicial discourse. “It is hate speech, you may be a member of the party…hate speech runs antithetical to the basic tenets of the Constitution, renders you unfit to take the oath…,” said Ramachandran.
The bench replied that “for us to go into all these aspects of suitability, merit or selection process would be like opening a new jurisdiction, which we have always refrained from doing.”
Ramachandran said her views are antithetical to the values of the Constitution, it is hate speech pure and simple and therefore, it is a clear case of ineligibility. “That will be stretching it too much, if the facts are known to the collegium, they must have examined it…facts not known, that it is not possible you cannot say that issues, background of the person were not known,” said Justice Khanna.
The bench said, “This is an aspect related to more suitability of the person, and not about the eligibility of the person…we can’t direct the collegium to reconsidera.”
There is a certain threshold of requirements, the collegium was stymied as certain information, we assume, were not put before it in view of an open court statement by the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Monday, Raju said.
“We have a fairly robust scrutiny process…assuming collegium may have not taken into consideration…,” said Justice Khanna.
Senior advocate Anand Grover, also representing the petitioners, said her views are extreme in nature making her ex facie ineligible to be judge. “We would be setting up a very wrong precedent, if we entertain the plea,” the bench said.
Senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra submitted that there has been no complaint against her by the Tamil Nadu State Bar Council.
The court also noted that she has been appointed as additional judge only and there have been instances where the candidates have not been made permanent in view of inadequacies of performance. “We are not entertaining the petitions, the reasons will follow,” the bench said, after hearing detailed arguments.
The top court order came on petitions filed by Anna Mathew, R. Vaigai, and others challenging Gowri’s appointment as an additional judge of the Madras High Court.
The Supreme Court collegium on January 17 had proposed the elevation of advocate Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri as judge of the Madras High Court.
A group of Madras High Court lawyers have opposed Gowri’s proposed appointment after reports emerged about her affiliation to the BJP and also certain alleged statements about Muslims and Christians, including ‘Love Jihad’ and illegal conversion.
National News
Thane, South Mumbai & Eastern Suburbs To Face 10% Water Cut From October 7 To 9 | Check If Your Area Is Affected

Mumbai, Thane: Residents across Thane and several parts of Mumbai are set to experience a 10 per cent reduction in water supply as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) undertakes the upgradation of electricity meters at the Pise and Panjrapur power stations. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) confirmed that the cut will be in effect from Tuesday, 7 October to Thursday, 9 October 2025.
Out of Thane’s total water supply, 85 million litres per day (MLD) comes from BMC’s sources. The ongoing electrical work is expected to impact multiple areas across Thane and Mumbai during the three-day maintenance period.
According to the Thane Municipal Corporation, the areas that will face reduced water supply include Kopri Dhobighat, Kopri Kanhaiya Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Anand Nagar, Indiranagar, Bhatwadi, Tekdi Bangla Water Tank, Gavdevi (Luiswadi) Water Tank, Balkum Pada No.1, Ambedkar Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Kajuwadi, Jijamata Nagar, Jai Bhavani Nagar, Dnyaneshwar Nagar, Ambika Nagar, Karwalo Nagar, Shivshakti Nagar, Janata Slum, Padval Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, Kisan Nagar No.1, Kisan Nagar No.2, Ramchandra Nagar 1, Sainath Nagar, Namdev Wadi, Raghunath Nagar, Luiswadi, Hajuri, Pachpakhadi, and Naupada.
The civic body has appealed to residents to store enough water beforehand and use it judiciously throughout the period to avoid inconvenience. Authorities have also urged the public to cooperate while the upgrade work is completed.
The BMC announced that parts of South Mumbai and the eastern suburbs will also experience a 10 per cent water cut between October 7 and 9. The work includes upgrading 100 kilowatt (KW) electrical meters at the Pise and Panjrapur water treatment facilities in Thane. Maintenance activity will take place daily from 12.30 pm to 3 pm, which is expected to affect supply in several zones temporarily.
A Ward: Fort, Colaba, Marine Drive, Nariman Point
B Ward: Masjid Bunder, Mohd. Ali Road, Dongri, Bhendi Bazar
E Ward: Byculla, Agripada, Nagpada, Dockyard Road, Reay Road
F-South Ward: Parel, Lalbaug, Hindmata, Lower Parel
F-North Ward: Matunga, Sion
M-East Ward: Chembur East, Govandi, Mankhurd, Trombay, Cheeta Camp, Deonar Municipal Colony, Anushakti Nagar
M-West Ward: Chembur West
L Ward: Kurla East
N Ward: Vikhroli, Ghatkopar
S Ward: Bhandup, Nahur, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli East
T Ward: Mulund
Both civic bodies have requested residents to plan their water usage carefully and avoid wastage during the maintenance period. Supply is expected to return to normal from Friday, 10 October 2025.
Business
PM Modi to inaugurate India Mobile Congress 2025 on October 8

New Delhi, Oct 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, Asia’s premier telecom and technology event, on October 8 in the national capital, Ministry of Communications said on Monday.
The four-day mega event, themed “Innovate to Transform,” will run till October 11 and is expected to showcase India’s growing leadership in the global digital and telecom space.
Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia visited the IMC 2025 venue to review the final preparations ahead of the Prime Minister’s inauguration.
Scindia also travelled to the venue and back via the Airport Metro, symbolising India’s push for modern and sustainable urban transport.
During his visit, the minister toured the exhibition area, interacted with participating startups and exhibitors, and chaired review meetings with senior officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), and other partner agencies.
Speaking to the media, Scindia said that IMC 2025 would mark a new era in global connectivity, where technologies like 5G, 6G, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), the Internet of Things (IoT), and satellite communications would come together to shape the future.
He emphasised that the event reflects Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a self-reliant and innovative India that connects not only within but also with the world.
IMC 2025 is expected to attract more than 1.5 lakh visitors, 7,000 delegates from over 150 countries, and 400 exhibitors spread across 4.5 lakh square feet.
The event will also feature over 1,600 technology demonstrations and 100 sessions with more than 800 speakers discussing the latest developments in telecom and digital innovation.
Highlighting the scale of the event, Scindia said that IMC has grown from being a national platform to becoming a global technology congress that represents India’s digital leadership.
He added that the 2025 edition will include six major global summits — covering 6G research, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, satellite communications, startups, and the Global Startup World Cup — India Edition.
The minister also underlined India’s achievements in the telecom sector, noting that the country now ranks among the world’s top three digital economies with 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, 970 million internet users, and the fastest-ever 5G rollout completed in just 22 months.
Crime
Mumbai Crime: 51-Year-Old Advocate Loses ₹2 Crore In Sextortion; FIR Filed

Mumbai: A 51-year-old advocate from Goregaon West was allegedly defrauded of Rs 2 crore by a 28-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh who allegedly threatened to file a false rape case against him. The Goregaon police have registered a case against the woman Parul Rana, her parents, sister, and a friend for extortion and defamation.
The advocate Rajeev Ranjan, who filed the complaint on October 3, has represented India as an ambassador at the United Nations, World Trade Organization, G7, BRICS, UNICEF, the Commonwealth, and several other prominent international organisations and summits.
According to the FIR, Ranjan met Rana in May 2024 at his residence through mutual friends, after which they exchanged contact details and social media IDs. In June 2024, while Ranjan was in Geneva for a conference, Rana called him late at night, claiming her relative was unwell and asked for Rs 50 lakh. He transferred Rs 2.5 lakh from his SBI account. Later, when he returned to India, she again sought money under various pretexts, including modelling expenses, and he gave her Rs 2.5 lakh in person.
Ranjan stated in the FIR that despite informing her that he was married with a daughter, Rana pursued a physical relationship with him. Afterwards, she demanded Rs 10 lakh, of which he paid Rs 5 lakh through a friend’s company account. She later sought more money, including Rs 3 lakh at Mumbai airport and Rs 10 lakh during a stay at his residence with her sister, Nidhi Rana. In July, Ranjan and Rana travelled to Bali, a trip he fully funded.
During the visit, she repeatedly demanded more money, including Rs 20 lakh for unspecified reasons. When he refused, she began threatening him using their private photos, warning that she would file a false rape case if he didn’t comply. Ranjan alleged that Rana’s parents – Harvinder and Meena Rana – her sister Nidhi, and a friend, Konika Verma, joined in the threats, calling him and demanding money. Out of fear, he continued sending money until the total reached Rs 2 crore, most of it in cash.
Later, Rana and her family allegedly contacted Ranjan’s wife, revealing the affair and demanding more money, again threatening legal action if he did not pay. Ranjan later approached the police, who registered a case for extortion, cheating, defamation and criminal conspiracy.
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