The Supreme Court heard Rahul Gandhi’s plea on electoral rolls and cases regarding medicine pricing on Monday. The Centre said it capped trade margins on anti-cancer drugs at 30 per cent. Chief Justice Surya Kant said, "Democratic activities must take place smoothly, but there should be no obstruction in functioning."
The Supreme Court on Monday dealt with a range of matters, including a petition by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and others over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, questions over the Centre's move on medicine pricing, and pleas linked to protests affecting court work. It also heard matters concerning the Cauvery water dispute, restrictions on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR, alleged assault on lawyers, genetically modified crops, and a CBI probe linked to people associated with the Punjab government.
Among the day's key developments, the court said it had neither approved nor disapproved the new Form 6 in the Bihar electoral rolls matter, while the Centre said it had decided to cap trade margins on anti-cancer drugs at 30 per cent of the maximum retail price. The bench also stressed that democratic activity should continue smoothly without disrupting the functioning of the top court or lawyers' movement, and said there was a need to balance religious sentiments with public health concerns in the firecracker matter.
Rahul Gandhi and others moved the Supreme Court alleging large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. In a related matter, the court said it has neither approved nor disapproved the new Form 6, and that this issue was not adjudicated upon while hearing the case concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.
On medicine pricing, the Centre told the court that it has taken a decision to regulate the trade margins of anti-cancer drugs, capping them at 30 per cent of the maximum retail price. It said the annual savings for patients would be about Rs 2,500 crore. However, the Supreme Court said the Centre's response was "hardly anything to be happy about" and asked why the government could not cap trade margins of other medicines as well.
Hearing pleas over difficulties faced by lawyers during protests, including one filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said democratic activities must take place smoothly, but there should be no obstruction in the functioning of the Supreme Court or the movement of lawyers. Earlier in the day, he also said that every lawyer has the right to take part in peaceful protests at designated locations.
In another matter linked to the protests, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi police commissioner to ensure an investigation into a complaint filed by a group of lawyers. They had alleged that they were assaulted during a protest demanding the resignation of Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra.
In the Cauvery dispute, the Karnataka government told the Supreme Court it would be difficult to meet Tamil Nadu's demand for the release of 11 thousand million cubic feet of water to make good a "shortfall". Karnataka said it was a rain-deficit year and that several areas had been declared drought-affected.
The court also said there was a need to balance religious sentiments with public health concerns while considering restrictions on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR. In a separate mention, it was urged to urgently list contempt petitions alleging violation of its 2024 judgment on genetically modified crops amid concerns over the alleged approval for cultivation of herbicide-tolerant GM basmati rice.
In another order, the Supreme Court directed that no coercive action be taken by the CBI against people linked to the Punjab government in a probe into allegations of corruption against high-ranking officials.
Overall, the Supreme Court's proceedings on Monday covered election-related disputes, public health and drug pricing, protests affecting court access, interstate water sharing, environmental concerns, agricultural regulation and a corruption probe linked to the Punjab government.