1. Abolition of Article 370
The five-judge constitutional bench headed by CJI upheld the abolition of Article 370. The Election Commission was directed to take steps to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
2. Same-Sex Marriage
The decision to reject the legalization of same-sex marriage was taken, leaving it to Parliament to enact a law on the matter. It was stated that marriage is not a fundamental right, and the court cannot interfere in it.
3. Electoral Bonds
The electoral bond scheme was struck down, stating that it would create a contradictory situation by denying voters the right to know the funding details of parties. Additionally, it was emphasized that the funding of political parties and candidates should be separate.
4. Caste-Based Labor Division in Jails
The practice of assigning cleaning and scavenging tasks to prisoners from ‘lower castes’ in jails was declared unconstitutional. It was stated that the ‘caste’ column in jail registers and any references to caste should be removed.
5. Prohibition of Child Marriage Act
The law to prevent child marriages cannot be hindered by personal laws. Such marriages are a violation of the free will of minors to choose their life partners. Officials should focus on preventing such marriages and ensuring the safety of minors.
6. Citizenship Act Section 6A
The constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, of 1955, was upheld, which granted citizenship benefits to illegal immigrants who entered Assam between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971.
7. NEET UG 2024
The decision not to re-conduct the NEET UG 2024 exam was taken. It was clarified that the decision would not prevent authorities from taking action against candidates who used unfair means to gain admission. 8. Adani-Hindenburg Dispute
The report by NGO Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Hindenburg Research on alleged stock manipulation and accounting fraud by the Adani group was not considered conclusive evidence.
9. Manipur Violence
A three-member committee of women judges was constituted to monitor cases of violence against women, including the viral video of two tribal women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in Manipur.
10. Cases against MPs and MLAs
The CJI-led bench directed all high court chief justices to monitor and expedite the disposal of pending criminal cases against MPs and MLAs across the country.