Senior journalists N. Ram, Sashi Kumar move Supreme Court seeking probe into alleged use of Pegasus for mass surveillance

Senior journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar have filed a plea before the Supreme Court seeking a probe into reports on the alleged use of Pegasus spyware to spy on union ministers, opposition leaders, and 40 journalists among others by a sitting or former Supreme Court judge.

According to the plea, a global investigation carried out by several leading media groups around the globe indicates that more than 142 persons in India, including lawyers, ministers, opposition leaders, journalists among others were identified as potential targets for surveillance through Pegasus spyware.

The plea also states that through the forensic analysis of several mobile phones of potential targets by the Security Lab of Amnesty International, security breaches have been confirmed.

According to The Wire, “Such mass surveillance using a military-grade spyware abridges several fundamental rights and appears to represent an attempt to infiltrate, attack and destabilise independent institutions that act as critical pillars of our democratic set-up,” the plea said.

The petitioners have requested the Supreme Court to direct the government of India to disclose whether it or any of its agencies had obtained a license for or used the Pegasus spyware to conduct surveillance of any kind.

Comments

Pune Porsche Crash: Father of Minor Granted Bail

Image Credit: tv9marathi A Pune court has granted bail to the minor’s father, Vishal Agarwal, who faced charges under the Juvenile Justice Act for neglect and endangering the child by allowing him to drive without a license and consume alcohol. Additionally, bar owners and managers were arrested for serving alcohol to minors. The father, already in custody for other related charges, was implicated in the alleged manipulation of his son’s blood samples and in a separate case of kidnapping his driver. Advocate Prashant Patil argued that Vishal Agarwal's arrest was unlawful, contending that the charges were non-cognizable offenses and required a notice under the Criminal Procedure Code. Mr. Patil also highlighted contradictions in police reports, where the minor was listed as the accused in one FIR and as a victim in another. Also Read: Delhi High Court Stays Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Bail in Excise Policy Case Earlier Proceedings in the Pune Porsche Crash Inc...

Patna High Court Declares Bihar’s Reservation Amendments Ultra Vires

In a landmark decision, the Patna High Court has invalidated the Bihar government's legislative attempt to increase reservations for backward classes. The court's ruling focused on procedural flaws and the absence of a robust empirical basis for the hike, sparking a debate on judicial intervention in affirmative action policies. Background and Rationale Behind Setting Aside Bihar Reservation Increase Law The Bihar government had proposed an increase in reservations to address socio-economic disparities faced by backward classes. However, the court found that the state failed to follow due process, which includes conducting a thorough empirical study to justify the policy change. This procedural oversight led to the court's decision to strike down the increase. The High Court emphasized the necessity of a data-driven approach for policy changes related to reservations. The ruling underscored that without solid empirical evidence, such policies could not be justified within...

Application by a Necessary Party Seeking Recall of an Ex-Parte Order is Maintainable: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court ruled that every Court and Tribunal possess inherent power to set aside an ex-parte order as a form of 'procedural review,' distinct from the statutory power to review a case on merits. Justice Yogendra Kumar Srivastava held that revenue authorities can recall an ex-parte order to correct procedural defects and ensure justice between the parties. This inherent power allows the Court or Tribunal to correct procedural illegality that invalidates the proceedings and the order itself. The case in question involved a recall application against an ex-parte order passed under Section 24 of the UP Revenue Code. The Court held that a recall application can be maintained by non-parties if they are necessary parties to the proceedings. The judgment emphasizes the principle of natural justice that no adverse orders should be passed without giving an opportunity of hearing, and a recall can be sought to correct procedural errors. The Court clarif...

Lawgic Simplified

Search This Blog