Latest news with #Venkataramani
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Supreme Court allows Kerala to withdraw plea against Governor, Centre resists
The Supreme Court on Friday (July 25, 2025) allowed the State of Kerala to withdraw two petitions filed against its State Governor's delay in clearing crucial Bills despite stiff resistance from the Centre. Appearing before a Bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha, Attorney General R. Venkataramani said the State was withdrawing on the strength of an April 8 judgment in an identical case concerning the Tamil Nadu Governor. 'This is not just a simple withdrawal,' Mr. Venkataramani addressed the court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta asked the court to tag the Kerala petitions against its Governor with a Presidential Reference pending before a Constitution Bench. The April 8 judgment has prescribed a maximum three-month deadline for both the President and State Governors to act on State Bills sent to them for approval or reserved for consideration under Articles 200 and 201, respectively, of the Constitution. In May, the President had issued a reference under the advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (Article 143 of the Constitution), questioning the court's inherent powers under Article 142 to 'impose' timelines and prescribe the manner of conduct of Governors and the President while dealing with State Bills. 'How can a withdrawal of a petition be tagged with a Presidential Reference before a Constitution Bench?' Senior advocate K.K. Venugopal reacted. The senior lawyer said the State was entitled to withdraw its case. 'But there is a string attached to the April 8 judgment,' Mr. Venkataramani insisted. 'No strings attached... The string is cut,' Mr. Venugopal said. In an earlier hearing on July 14, Mr. Venugopal had submitted that the April judgment had made the State's petitions infructuous. The law officers had countered the apex court ought to wait for the Constitution Bench's respomses to questioms raised in the Presidential Reference. However, Justice Narasimha had himself remarked that it would be 'very, very difficult' for the apex court to stop Kerala from withdrawing its petitions.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Nothing formal can happen right now': Centre to SC on Nimisha Priya execution case; 'family has to forgive her'
NEW DELHI: The central government on Friday told Supreme Court that it couldn't formally intervene in the Nimisha Priya execution case, and the petitioner's counsel added that the victim's family's "forgiveness" was the first step to get the Kerala nurse's life pardoned. "I don't think anything formally can happen at this point of time," PTI quoted attorney general R Venkataramani Venkataramani as saying. The statement came as the petitioner's counsel requested that a small delegation, including members of the petitioner organisation and a religious scholar from Kerala, be allowed to travel to Yemen to negotiate with the victim's family. They also suggested that a government representative could join the trip if the Centre approved. "We will certainly consider that but don't put it on record," Venkataramani said. When the bench inquired about an indefinite stay on the execution, the petitioner's counsel clarified that no specific date had been set yet. "Which means something is working," Venkataramani said. The petitioner's counsel informed the court that Priya's mother was in Yemen to negotiate with the victim's family, having traveled there with the Centre's permission as directed by the Delhi high court. "We can go and negotiate and seek forgiveness from the family so that something can work out," he said. The Supreme Court was hearing a plea urging the Centre to intervene diplomatically to save Priya, a 38-year-old nurse from Kerala, who faces execution in Yemen for the alleged murder of her Yemeni business partner in 2017. Convicted and sentenced to death in 2020, her final appeal was rejected in 2023, and she is currently imprisoned in Sana'a. The government had said on Thursday that it was in contact with Yemeni authorities and friendly nations to seek a "mutually agreeable solution" in Priya's case. The matter has been listed for August 14.
News18
18-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Execution of Indian nurse in Yemen stayed, efforts on: Centre to SC
Agency: PTI Last Updated: New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) The Centre on Friday informed the Supreme Court that efforts were on and the government was trying everything possible to ensure Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, on death row for murder in Yemen, came out safely. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was informed that Priya's execution, scheduled on July 16 had been stayed. The counsel appearing for petitioner organisation 'Save Nimisha Priya – International Action Council", which is extending legal support to assist Priya, sought a Centre-appointed delegation to go to Yemen to meet the murder victim's family for negotiation. The bench said the petitioner could make a representation to the government. 'It has been stated at the Bar that as of now, the execution has been stayed. The petitioner wish to make some representation to the government, which they are free to move," the bench said. 'The first step is, they have postponed it (execution) as of now. We need to first get the pardon. Blood money comes in the second stage. First the family has to forgive us," the counsel said. He said discussion on 'blood money" could take place after this. The counsel said Yemen was not a country where anybody could travel to as there was a ban unless allowed by the government. 'You approach the government. The government will consider it. The government is already doing so much for you, taking good care of whatever is possible at their end," the bench observed. The petitioner's counsel urged that a delegation of two or three people from the petitioner organisation and representatives of a religious scholar from Kerala, who is also involved in the matter, could be allowed the travel to Yemen for negotiating with the victim's family. If the Centre deemed fit, the counsel said, one representative from the government could also go to Yemen. 'I don't think anything formally can happen at this point of time," Venkataramani said. 'We will certainly consider that but don't put it on record," he said, underlining the government did not want anything to become counterproductive. When the bench asked whether the execution was stayed indefinitely, the petitioner's counsel said no date was given as of now. 'Which means something is working," Venkataramani said. The petitioner's counsel said Priya's mother was there in Yemen to negotiate with the victim's family and she has gone there as the Delhi High Court asked the Centre to give her permission to travel. 'We can go and negotiate and seek forgiveness from the family so that something can work out," he said. The bench said, 'We are not saying anything. We will just say whatever request they want to make to the government, they may make. The government will consider it. We are not mentioning what is the request". Venkataramani said the government wanted Priya to come out safely and doing whatever was possible but did not want to disclose the details at this point in time. 'It is a very difficult situation," he said. Venkataramani said his discussions with the court were being reported in the media. 'That is something we can't stop. Either you request for an in-camera proceeding, we will do that," the bench observed. 'I only want that this woman comes out safely," Venkataramani said. The bench posted the hearing on August 14. The apex court was hearing a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to save Priya, 38, facing execution in Yemen. Priya, a nurse from Palakkad district of Kerala, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017. She was sentenced to death in 2020, and her final appeal was rejected in 2023. She is currently imprisoned in a jail in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. The petitioner's counsel earlier told the apex court that payment of blood money to the family of the deceased permissible under the Sharia law could be explored. He had said the victim's family might pardon Priya if blood money was paid. On July 17, India said it was in touch with Yemeni authorities as well as certain friendly nations as part of efforts to reach a 'mutually agreeable solution" in the case relating to Priya. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said the government was making concerted efforts to seek more time for Priya's family to reach some kind of an understanding with the family of the Yemeni man Priya is convicted of killing. According to Yemeni court documents, Priya in July 2017 allegedly drugged and murdered Mahdi. PTI ABA ABA AMK AMK AMK (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 18, 2025, 13:15 IST News agency-feeds Execution of Indian nurse in Yemen stayed, efforts on: Centre to SC Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Nimisha Priya execution: Supreme Court asks Centre to consider merits of group working to save nurse for travel to Yemen
The Supreme Court on Friday (July 18, 2025) asked the Centre to consider on its own merits any representation made by Nimisha Priya — International Action Council, a group fighting to save the life of the Malayali nurse awaiting execution in Yemen for murder, for permission to travel to the country and negotiate with the victim's family for pardon and payment of blood money. A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was informed that the execution, earlier slated for July 16, was postponed owing to the efforts made by the government and Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, a revered scholar from Kerala. Attorney-General R. Venkataramani expressed the government's concern to bring Nimisha Priya back home safely. 'All the government can do is being done,' he said. Mr. Venkataramani urged the court to adjourn the case, saying 'efforts were on' and to await further developments. Senior advocate Ragenth Basant, appearing for the Council, said the nurse's mother was in Yemen and alone. She was a domestic worker, and unable to carry out any negotiations with the murder victim's family. Acknowledging the help given by the government and the scholar, Mr. Basant, assisted by advocate Subhash Chandran, suggested a team consisting representatives from the government, the Council and the cleric could travel to Yemen to reach out to the family of the murdered man. 'We have to get their pardon first. The family has to forgive us. After getting pardon, the blood money has to be decided,' Mr. Basant submitted. He said there was a travel ban to Yemen. The government has to relax the restriction for the proposed team to go there and put the wheels into motion. However, Mr. Venkataramani reacted skeptically about Mr. Basant's suggestion, remarking at one point that 'I don't think anything formally can happen at this time'. But Justice Mehta said Mr. Basant was not asking for a direction, he was merely making a suggestion. The top law officer said things were not simple as Mr. Basant made it out to be. In fact, the government did not want to risk doing anything which may turn counter-productive at this point of time. 'It is not like we will grant permission and it will be possible for them to travel. There are so many issues — diplomatic inter-country relations involved. It is not easy. The government does not mind giving permission. But if it does not happen, why get involved and create a problem by which the real issue is not solved… We will consider… We do not wish to be counterproductive,' Mr. Venkataramani reasoned. Mr. Basant said the government had given permission for the mother to travel to Yemen after approaching the Delhi High Court. The Attorney-General said the family should be the only entity involved in such a situation while terming the Council as a 'good Samaritan'. 'What can an organisation that a government cannot do? We are concerned about this woman coming out safely. We do not want something counterproductive to happen. The government is pushing in various circles,' he said. Putting the ball entirely in the government's court, the Bench listed the case on August 14. Ms. Nimisha Priya was sentenced to death in Yemen by a trial court in 2020 for the murder of a local man, who was her business partner. Her appeals were dismissed by the appellate courts of that country. 'Her only child, a 12-year-old girl, is living in a convent. Her mother is a domestic helper in Ernakulam and her husband is an autorickshaw driver,' the petition said.
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Indian Nurse On Death Row: Nothing much govt can do, Centre tells SC
New Delhi: The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the government could do 'nothing much' in the case of an Indian nurse facing execution on July 16 for murder in Yemen. Attorney General R Venkataramani informed a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that the government was doing 'utmost possible'. 'Having regard to the sensitivity and status of Yemen as a place, there is nothing much the Government of India can do,' he said. He continued, 'There is a point up to which the Government of India can go and we have reached that point.' Venkataramani said the government recently wrote to the public prosecutor of the area concerned to find out if the execution could be suspended for the time being. 'The Government of India is trying its best,' Venkataramani said, 'and has also engaged with some sheikhs who are very influential people there.' He said the government was keen to save one of its citizens. The apex court was hearing a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to save Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, 38, facing execution in Yemen. Priya, a nurse from Palakkad district of Kerala, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner in 2017. She was sentenced to death in 2020, and her final appeal was rejected in 2023.
