General Awareness

LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS - March 2025

Mar 2025

Jan 03, 2026

Centre clears appointment of Bombay HC Justice M. S. Sonak as Jharkhand Chief Justice

The Centre cleared the appointment of Justice M. S. Sonak, presently a judge of the Bombay High Court, as Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court in January 2026. The appointment follows a Supreme Court Collegium recommendation from December 2025. Justice Sonak will assume office on the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice, Tarlok Singh Chauhan, on 8 January 2026. Experts note this move aligns Jharkhand's judiciary with the collegium practice of appointing senior judges from other high courts to ensure administrative efficiency and independent adjudication. The decision reflects ongoing efforts to fill vacancies and maintain judicial infrastructure across states.

Justice M. S. Sonak appointed Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court.
Current judge from Bombay High Court to take over.
Appointment followed December 2025 Supreme Court Collegium recommendation.
Will assume on 8 January 2026 after Chauhan's retirement.
Aims to improve judiciary efficiency and independence.

Jan 02, 2026

Meghalaya Gets New Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere

In January, Justice Revati Mohite Dere, currently a Bombay High Court judge, was appointed Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court. The appointment followed the transfer of incumbent Chief Justice Soumen Sen to the Kerala High Court. Dere was born in Pune and earned a law degree from Symbiosis Law College, Pune. She served as a prosecutor for Maharashtra and was elevated to an additional judge of the Bombay High Court in 2013, becoming a permanent judge in 2015. The appointment marks another step in reshaping leadership across India's High Courts.

Revati Mohite Dere appointed Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.
Appointment follows Soumen Sen's transfer to Kerala HC.
Dere’s background: Pune-born, Symbiosis Law College, Maharashtra prosecutor.
Elevated to Bombay High Court judge in 2013; permanent in 2015.

Centre Clears Appointment of Sangam Kumar Sahoo as Patna High Court Chief Justice

The Centre cleared the appointment of Orissa High Court Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended elevating five High Court judges to chief justices in December 2025. Justice Sahoo obtained an LLB from Cuttack Law College and enrolled with the Orissa State Bar Council in 1989. He was elevated as a judge of the Orissa High Court on 2 July 2014. His appointment to Patna High Court reflects ongoing reforms in judicial leadership across India.

Centre approves Sangam Kumar Sahoo as Patna High Court Chief Justice.
SC Collegium had recommended elevation of five judges in Dec 2025.
Justice Sahoo's background: LLB from Cuttack and Orissa High Court judge since 2014.
Part of broader judiciary leadership reforms.

Dec 29, 2025

Bombay High Court Bars Civilian Awards as Name Prefixes

The Bombay High Court reaffirmed that India’s civilian honours, including the Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards, are not titles and cannot be used as prefixes or suffixes in a person’s name. The court stated that these honours signify national recognition but do not alter a person’s legal identity or records. The decision clarifies practices in judicial and official documents and aligns with other legal interpretations on the use of awards in naming conventions. Advocates note that this ruling supports uniform treatment of honours across government records and public documentation.

Honours like Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards not to be used as prefixes.
Court emphasises legal identity remains unchanged by awards.
Clarifies official records and naming conventions.
Observes consistency with broader legal standards on titles.

Dec 24, 2025

Central government appoints three new ASGs for Supreme Court

The Central government notified the appointment of three Senior Advocates as Additional Solicitors General (ASGs) to represent the government before the Supreme Court. Appointments: Devinder Pal Singh, Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, and Anil Kaushik, for a three-year term or until further orders. Ravindra Kumar previously served as a Rajya Sabha member (2018-2024) from the Telugu Desam Party. The notification, issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, emphasises continuity in legal advocacy before the apex court and aligns with regular constitutional appointments.

Three new ASGs appointed for Supreme Court: Devinder Pal Singh, Ravindra Kumar, Anil Kaushik.
Term: three years or as otherwise directed.
Ravindra Kumar is a former Rajya Sabha member (2018-2024).
Notification issued by the Personnel Ministry.
Ensures continued government representation in the Supreme Court.

Dec 20, 2025

Karnataka Passes India’s First Anti-Hate Speech Law

The Karnataka Assembly passed the country’s first anti-hate speech legislation, the Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, in December 2025. The law prescribes penalties including fines up to ₹1 lakh and jail terms up to seven years for repeated offences. Home Minister G. Parameshwara said the pre‑existing ten‑year repetition period was reduced to seven years. The bill defines hate speech as expressions that incite injury, disharmony, or enmity against individuals or communities and seeks to balance free speech with public order. The passage signals a major shift in India’s approach to regulating hate speech while addressing concerns about safety and social harmony.

Karnataka passes first anti-hate speech law in India.
Penalties: up to ₹1 lakh fine, up to seven years’ imprisonment for repeated offences.
Definition includes speech that incites enmity or hatred; focus on public order.
Government cites balance between free speech and safety.

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