SC set to hear pleas of Nupur Sharma, P Varavara Rao

The Supreme Court on Tuesday is scheduled to hear various cases including the petition of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma seeking revival of her plea for clubbing of FIRs lodged over her remarks on Prophet and plea for bail on medical grounds of P Varavara Rao in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala is likely to hear Sharma’s plea, who has also sought expunction of adverse remarks made against her on July 1 while refusing to entertain her plea for clubbing of the FIRs, saying she has been receiving death threats after the criticism, according to a lawyer associated with the case. The top court is also slated to hear Rao’s plea for permanent medical bail. He has challenged the Bombay High Court order rejecting his petition for permanent medical.

A bench comprising Justice U U Lalit, S R Bhat, and Sudhanshu Dhulia will take up the plea of the 83-year-old accused.

The plea challenging the appointment of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police Commissioner is also listed for hearing before the apex court on Tuesday.

A bench headed by Justices D Y Chandrachud and A S Bopanna is likely to hear the matter.

The SC is also scheduled to take up pleas against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme alleging that the government has quashed the century-old selection process for the Armed forces which is contrary to the constitutional provisions and without parliamentary approval. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and A S Bopanna will hear the plea challenging the new recruitment scheme.