Important matters heard by Supreme Court on January 27

Important matters heard by the Supreme Court on Monday, January 27: * SC gave split verdict on burial of pastor, whose body was lying in mortuary in Chhattisgarh since January 7, and directed his last rites be performed at site meant for Christian burials in neighbouring village * SC appointed former judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice (Retd) Jaishree Thakur as independent observer for Chandigarh mayoral election to be held on January 30 * Entire selection process for appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in government and aided schools in West Bengal vitiated due to malpractice and state wanted to "protect" illegal appointments, it was argued in SC * SC stayed Madras High Court direction asking Tamil Nadu government to conduct departmental inquiry over FIR leak in alleged sexual assault case of student from Chennai's Anna University * SC said it would hear after three weeks pleas, including contempt petition against Gujarat authorities, for allegedly demolishing residential and religious structures in Gir Somnath district without its prior nod * SC observed issue of snakebites was prevalent "throughout country" and asked Centre to take all states on board to "do something" in making available snakebite treatment in medical facilities * SC dismissed plea of Jharkhand government against high court's decision quashing criminal cases against state BJP leaders and MP Nishikant Dubey over protests held in Ranchi in 2023, observing that prohibitory orders are misused whenever there is protest. PTI ABA ABA SZM SZM