2020's big SC cases: CAA, Triple Talaq, Electoral Bonds

The year 2020 will witness some of the major decisions of the Modi government including the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act being put to test before the Supreme Court of India.

The new year is set to begin with the top court delivering its verdict on the justification given by the Centre for imposing several restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.

In 2019, the top court's judgement on petitions related to probe into the Rafale fighter jet deals from France came as a big relief for the Centre, as the issue was raked up repeatedly for alleged corruption. Subsequently, the top court passed its judgement in the Ayodhya dispute, which was also much to the liking of the party in power at the Centre.

The Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act which was passed to provide 10% quota to economically weaker sections in jobs and educations will come under the scrutiny of the top court. This was an apparent bid by the Union government to address the grievances by the general category.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 that makes the instant pronouncement of talaq a punishable offence with maximum three years imprisonment is another law which would be put under legal scanner as many petitions have already been admitted by the court for consideration.

This law was passed by the Parliament in the wake of the apex court's judgement declaring the practice among Muslims as illegal.

A high-stakes legal battle is expected to be seen when the five-judge Constitution bench would start examining the constitutional validity of the decisions to divide Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories (UT) and take away its special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.

The judgement on the change of status of Jammu and Kashmir would have far-reaching repercussion not only on domestic but at the international level as well. Over 60 petitions filed challenging validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, would come up for consideration in January. This would again be another major issue before the Supreme Court.

Leaders of various political parties including Congress, AIMIM, IUML, DMK and RJD have approached the top court, saying the amendment was against the right to equality, non-discrimination on the basis of religion, life and liberty, besides being contrary to international law and principle of secularism.

Besides these, the court is yet to decide the validity of the Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018, brought in through the Finance Act of 2017, for the political parties to receive unlimited corporate donations anonymously by Indian as well as foreign companies.