SC upheld constitutional validity of Right to Education Act

1.    SC upheld constitutional validity of Right to Education Act

i. The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the constitutional validity of the Right to Education Act, which mandates that 25 per cent seats in all schools be reserved for the economically disadvantaged. 

ii. A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha said that the Act will not apply to aided or unaided minority institutions. 
iii. The bench also said Article 21 (A) does not alter the basis structure of the Constitution.
iv. On August 23, 2013, a three-judge bench had referred the issue to a five-judge bench because it involved a vital constitutional question of law relating to the rights of unaided private educational institutions.
v. Federation of Public Schools, a conglomerate of over 350 private unaided schools, had contended that the law violates their right to run their schools without government interference.

2.    Government approval not required to probe senior bureaucrats on corruption charges: SC

i. The Constitutional Bench Supreme Court of India held that prior sanction is not required from the government to probe the senior bureaucrats on corruption charges.

ii. The decision also included officers above the rank of Joint Secretary. In its direction the apex court said that there cannot be any discrimination at times when it comes to prosecuting a Criminal Act.

iii. The apex court in its observation termed that there can be no protection to corrupt public servants by terming Section 6A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (DSPEA) as invalid and unconstitutional.

iv. The Section 6A provides prior sanction for the CBI to prosecute senior bureaucrats in corruption cases. 
v. The decision of the Supreme Court came on the petition of the BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against the section 6A of the Delhi Police Act and argued that it discriminates while investigating a senior or junior officer. 

3.    SC strikes down Karnataka govt order making Kannada medium of teaching in schools

i. The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a decision of the Karnataka government making it mandatory for all primary schools in the state to teach in Kannada language.

ii. “The government can't impose mother tongue on linguistic minority for imparting primary education,” the SC said.

iii. The schools had moved the apex court challenging the state government's decision.

iv. The government, schools alleged, had even threatened to withdraw their recognition if they failed to follow its order on making Kannada the medium of teaching.

v. The battle between the Karnataka government and schools over the medium of teaching had been going on for the past 20 years.