From Aadhaar to Section 377: 8 crucial cases before SC today

NEW DELHI: Five days after four rebel Supreme Court judges publicly questioned the Chief Justice of India of assigning cases of importance to select benches, the top court is all set to listen to eight important cases on January 17, Wednesday. 

Here's a quick look the cases: 

1. Aadhaar card and mandatory linking
The SC will listen to petitions challenging the validity of Aadhaar card and its mandatory linking with government services, banks, mobiles phones etc. Several petitioners have argued that Aadhaar violates their fundamental right to privacy as it enables the government to act as the Big Brother.  

2. Section 377 of the IPC

The SC will re-examine the Constitutional validity of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which criminalises homosexuality. After declaring privacy a fundamental right, the top court will now take up a plea seeking decriminalisation of sex between two consenting adults. In 2013, the SC had ruled that under Section 377, homosexuality will continue to be treated as an offence irrespective of age and consent. 

3. Entry of women in Kerala's Sabarimala temple

The top court will examine the ban on the entry of women in Kerala’s Sabarimala temple. The temple, situated in Pathanamthitta district, restricts women aged between 10 and 50 from taking the pilgrimage to Sabarimala temple. 

4. Religion of a Parsi woman post marriage

The constitutional bench will examine whether a Parsi woman loses her religious identity after marrying a man of another religion.

5. Adultery law 

The SC will re-examine the provisions of adultery as a criminal offence in India and the penalty for the same. The law has been in the centre of controversy for being discriminatory towards men. Currently, the law punishes a man for an extra-marital sexual relationship with another married woman. However, sexual relations with widow or unmarried woman does not attract any penalty. 

6. Tax Issue 
The SC will listen to arguments on M/s Shanti Fragrances v Union Of India over Tax Issue And Revisit Of Prevailing Rule Of Precedence

7. Consumer rights
The top court will examine the 30-day limitation stipulated in Section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act. 

8. Disqualification of legislator 
Can a ‘legislator facing criminal trial be disqualified at the very stage of framing of charges against him by the trial court’? The SC will listen to arguments today.