Legal briefs

Pollution: SC re-imposes ban on construction in Delhi-NCR

• Taking note of worsening air quality, the Supreme Court has re-imposed the ban on construction activities in Delhi and national capital region (NCR).
• It directed the states to provide subsistence to workers from the funds collected as labour cess for the period during which such activities are prohibited.
• A special bench, in an interim order, also directed the Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR and adjoining areas to commission a scientific study of air quality based on available data of previous years.
• Asking NCR states -- Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan -- to continue with their measures to curb the spike in pollution, the bench reversed the decision to allow construction activities from Nov 22 in view of improved ground situation in air pollution level.

IPS officer Param Bir Singh lands in Mumbai

• Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, who has been declared a proclaimed offender by a Mumbai court, reached the Mumbai city on Thursday.
• He said he will join the investigation as directed by the court. The IPS officer is facing several extortion cases in Maharashtra.
• Singh has not reported to work since May this year, after his transfer from the post of Mumbai police commissioner and his subsequent allegations of corruption against the then Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.
• The Supreme Court has now granted Singh protection from arrest.

Centre to revisit Rs 8 lakh income limit for EWS category for NEET

• The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it has taken a decision to revisit the limit of Rs 8 lakh annual income fixed for determining the Economically Weaker Sections category for reservation in NEET admissions.
• A bench was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that a committee will be constituted to determine the criteria for EWS and it will take four weeks.
• Mehta said that the NEET (PG) counselling would stand postponed for a further four weeks as per assurance earlier given to the court.