National News
‘Will not permit forum shopping’, SC on pleas against K’taka HC verdict on hijab
The Supreme Court on Monday expressed anguish at petitioners’ counsel seeking adjournment on a clutch of pleas against the Karnataka High Court judgment, which upheld the right of educational institutions to ban wearing of hijab in pre-university colleges in the state.
A bench comprising Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia said this was not acceptable to the court as earlier petitioners’ wanted urgent listing but when the matter was listed, they want adjournment and this would not be allowed. Justice Gupta said, “We will not permit forum shopping…”
The bench made this observation following Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Karnataka government, submissions that the letter seeking adjournment on hearing of petitions have been circulated by petitioners.
The petitioners’ counsel submitted that lawyers have to come from all over India and some are from Karnataka. Justice Gupta said, “Karnataka is only 2.5 hours away”, and added that earlier petitioners wanted early hearing on the matter, but when it was listed before a bench, they want adjournment.
The petitioners’ counsel sought two weeks’ time. However, the bench replied that they have already asked for a hearing on the matter many times, and asked the counsel to argue the matter before the court. At this juncture, Mehta said the petitioners have sought early hearing on the matter at least six times. Justice Gupta said, “We will not permit forum shopping.”
Mehta said a counter affidavit may not be necessary as only questions of law are involved. After a brief hearing on the matter, the bench issued notice on the petitions and scheduled the matter for hearing next Monday.
On August 3, the top court agreed to set up a bench to consider a clutch of pleas against the Karnataka High Court judgment, which upheld the right of educational institutions to ban wearing of hijab in pre-university colleges in the state.
A counsel mentioned the matter before a bench headed by then Chief Justice N.V. Ramana. The Chief Justice told the counsel, “I will constitute a bench. One of the judges is not well”. The counsel urged the top court to fix a date in the matter, as petitions against the high court judgment were filed in March.
On July 13, advocate Prashant Bhushan mentioned the matter before a bench headed by then Chief Justice N.V. Ramana saying the petitions have not been listed for a long time. “The girls are losing out on their studies. This matter was filed long back,” Bhushan said. The Chief Justice had replied that it will be listed sometime next week. Bhushan mentioned the matter on behalf of the appellants who have challenged the high court verdict in the top court.
On March 24, the Supreme Court declined to give any specific date to hear a plea challenging the Karnataka High Court order, which dismissed all petitions seeking direction for permission to wear hijab in classrooms.
Senior advocate Devadutt Kamat mentioned one of the cases on behalf of a petitioner, a Muslim girl student, and sought urgent listing of the matter. Kamat insisted that exams are approaching and urged the court to urgent hearing on the matter.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said this has nothing to do with exams, and told Kamat not to sensationalise the matter. Kamat contended that the girl students are not being allowed to enter the schools, and they will lose one year. However, the bench moved on to the next item. On March 16, the Supreme Court declined to grant an urgent hearing on a plea challenging the Karnataka High Court order, which held that wearing of hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice in Islamic faith.
National News
Abu Azmi Urges Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis To Declare Sept 8 As Holiday For Eid Milad-un-Nabi

Mumbai: Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi has appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to declare an official holiday on September 8 for Eid Milad-un-Nabi, after the Muslim community decided to shift its main procession to that day.
Traditionally, Eid Milad-un-Nabi, which commemorates the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, is observed on September 5 this year, with processions taking place a day later on September 6. However, since Ganesh Visarjan is also scheduled for the same day, the All India Khilafat Committee, which organises the main procession in Byculla, postponed the event to September 8 to avoid logistical clashes and ensure smooth conduct of both festivals.
In a post on X, Azmi explained that the decision to reschedule the procession was taken in the interest of maintaining communal harmony and public order. “This year, Ganesh Visarjan is on September 6, which coincides with the Eid Milad procession. To strengthen Hindu-Muslim unity and to ensure peace, the Muslim community has decided to celebrate the procession on September 8. However, the government has not yet declared it as a public holiday. I request the Chief Minister to issue an official GR and announce September 8 as a holiday to respect the sentiments of the Muslim community,” Azmi wrote.
This year’s celebration carries added significance as it marks the 1,500th birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. Sarfaraz Arzu, chairman of the All India Khilafat Committee, said the decision was taken after careful deliberation. “For the third consecutive year, Eid-e-Milad and Ganesh immersions are falling on the same day. Like in previous years, we have decided to postpone the rally to avoid inconvenience. We hope the government recognises this and declares a holiday on September 8,” he said.
Along with Azmi, Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh has also written to Chief Minister Fadnavis urging for a government holiday on the day. Similar requests have been sent to Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
National News
Virat Kohli Breaks Silence 91 Days After Bengaluru Stampede With Emotional Note, Says ‘Together We Will Move Forward With Care’

Virat Kohli penned down an emotional note for RCB fans and people who lost their lives in the Bengaluru Stampede on June 4th. Royal Challengers Bengaluru shared message on their social media handle in which Kohli said, “Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history… turned into something tragic. I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost… and for our fans who were injured. Your loss is part of our story now. Together, we will move forward with care, respect and responsibility.”
11 people were dead and 47 others were injured in the stampede near the city’s M. Chinnaswamy cricket stadium, where the players were parading the trophy for fans. Kohli’s statement on the incident is a part of the team’s ‘RCB CARES’ initiative to ensure better crowd management in the future to avoid untoward incidents such as the June 4 stampede.
Recently, RCB made their first social media post 84 days after the tragic stampede incident in Bengaluru. In a post shared on Thursday, the franchise says they have launched RCB Cares in response to the tragedy that unfolded a day after the franchise won their maiden IPL title.
Here’s the full statement,” Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you. It’s been close to three months since we last posted here.The Silence wasn’t Absence. It was Grief.”
“This space was once filled with energy, memories and moments that you enjoyed the most.. But June 4th changed everything.That day broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space.” The franchise announced a financial compensation of ₹25 lakh to families of stampede victims
Meanwhile, the Chinnaswamy Stadium has been deemed ‘unsafe’ to host large-scale gatherings, as part of the findings of the report submitted by the Commission to the Karnataka Government. ESPN Cricinfo reported that the venue’s design and structure are ‘unsuitable and unsafe’ for mass gatherings.
As a result, the venue was also ticked off as one of the hosts of the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup. It has been replaced by the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Crime
Thane Sessions Court Grants Bail To Man Accused Of Rape On Promise Of Marriage, Says Woman Was Aware He Was Married

Thane: The Thane Sessions Court has granted bail to Kashimira resident Savlaram Smartharam Chaudhary, who was accused of allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marriage. The court, in its order, observed that the woman was well aware of the fact that the accused was married and hence was equally responsible for the act.
The order stated: “It appears that the accused has not denied or disputed physical relations with the victim. However, he claims that these were consensual relations between adult persons, whereas the victim claims that she consented to such relations due to an assurance of marriage. The investigation papers show that the accused got married on July 23,2024and has a baby. The period of the alleged offence is between August 2023 and January 2025, which means the victim continued her relationship with the accused even after his marriage. She is 28 years old and deals with monetary transactions. She knows the consequences of physical relations with a married person prior to marriage. In these circumstances, the ingredients of Section 69 of BNS are prima facie not attracted against the accused.”
The prosecution alleged that the accused gave a false promise of marriage and maintained physical relations with the woman at various hotels and lodges. He also allegedly obtained Rs 8 lakh from her and committed the offence of cheating, which led to an FIR being lodged against the accused and a co-accused.
The accused, however, claimed innocence, stating that he was falsely implicated. He was arrested on July 27 and has been in judicial custody since July 31 after custodial interrogation. The accused and the victim were colleagues at an imitation jewellery shop, where their friendship eventually turned into a relationship.
The accused further argued that he did not have sexual relations with the victim under a false promise of marriage and that the allegation regarding the Rs 8 lakh was baseless. He maintained that the money was taken as a loan to start an imitation jewellery business and was subsequently repaid.
He also produced a bank statement before the investigating officer, showing that the amount had been returned. Additionally, on April 25, the accused and the victim entered into a compromise deed stating that the victim did not owe any amount to the accused.
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