The Record

• 1986 Batson v. Kentucky established that peremptory challenges cannot be used to exclude jurors based on race. → Despite this, cases like Pitchford's (and others) continue to arise, indicating ongoing issues with enforcement and compliance Bureau coverage · WaPo Politics
• 2005 Foster v. Chatman (Georgia) - SCOTUS overturned a death sentence due to racial bias in jury selection, finding 'purposeful discrimination.' → Similar patterns of prosecutors striking Black jurors with flimsy justifications persist Bureau coverage · WaPo Politics
• 2013 Supreme Court strikes down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, removing federal preclearance for voting changes in states with a history of discrimination. → Led to immediate implementation of restrictive voting laws in several states Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera
• 2019 NIA v. Zahoor Ahmed Shah Watali (two-judge bench) → Courts must accept the state's case without examining its merits for UAPA bail pleas Bureau coverage · Hindustan Times
• 2021 Union of India v. K.A. Najeeb (three-judge bench) → Bail can be granted under UAPA if prolonged incarceration violates Article 21 (right to speedy trial), overriding Section 43D(5) restrictions. 2024 (Jan): Gurwinder Singh v. State of Punjab (two-judge bench) and Gulfisha Fatima (Umar Khalid/Sharjeel Imam case) → Sidestepped Najeeb, cautioning against 'mechanical' invocation of delay for bail and denying bail to Khalid/Imam Bureau coverage · Hindustan Times
• 2021 Alabama Legislature passes new congressional map with one majority-Black district (out of 7) Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera
• 2022 Supreme Court upholds most provisions of PMLA, including ED's powers of arrest, search, and seizure, stating it's a 'robust mechanism' to combat money laundering. → Critics (including opposition parties and legal experts) argue this gives ED 'unbridled powers' and leads to a low conviction rate but high arrest rate Bureau coverage · TOI Top Stories
• 2022 Federal court blocks map, citing likely Voting Rights Act violation Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera
• 2023 US Supreme Court ruling weakened the federal Voting Rights Act, providing grounds for states to eliminate voting districts with large minority populations Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera
• 2023 Supreme Court upholds lower court ruling, orders new map with two majority-Black districts or 'something quite close to it' Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera
• 2023 Alabama Legislature passes new map with only one majority-Black district and a second district where Black voters are 39.9% of the population, still not a majority Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera
• 2024 Supreme Court further 'winnowed a key provision' of the Voting Rights Act, making it harder to challenge discriminatory redistricting. → Within days/weeks, Republican-led states (e.g., Tennessee, Louisiana) redrew congressional maps to 'fracture' or 'erase' Black majority districts Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera
• 2024 Trump urged states like Texas and Missouri to redraw congressional districts, leading to new maps Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera
• 2024 Kerala High Court judgment limits ED's powers, stating that 'proceeds of crime' cannot be determined without a scheduled predicate offense and that ED cannot conduct a 'roving inquiry'. → This creates a potential conflict with the broader interpretation of ED's powers upheld by the SC, leading to legal uncertainty and potential appeals Bureau coverage · TOI Top Stories
• 2025 Bihar SIR → 65 lakh deleted from draft rolls → Supreme Court orders publication of names and reasons (Aug 2025) Bureau coverage · indianexpress.com
• 2025 West Bengal SIR → 1.36 crore flagged by algorithm → 27.10 lakh deleted post-adjudication despite documents (Apr 2026) Bureau coverage · indianexpress.com
• 2026 Alabama's 2023 map (with one majority-Black district) was reinstated by the Supreme Court after a lower court blocked it, increasing chances of Republicans picking up a House seat Bureau coverage · Al Jazeera