Supreme Court stays Madras High Court order against Isha Foundation, Sadhguru
Case transferred to Supreme Court
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Madras High Court's order directing police action against Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation. The stay was granted after the Foundation approached the apex court challenging the High Court's direction to the Tamil Nadu government to provide details of all criminal cases registered against it.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, which issued the stay order, also transferred the case from the High Court to the Supreme Court. The decision was made after the bench interacted with two women whose father had filed a Habeas Corpus petition claiming they were being detained at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore.
The petition, filed by S Kamaraj, a retired professor, alleged that his daughters, aged 42 and 39, were “brainwashed” into residing at the ashram and were not allowed to maintain any contact with their families. During the hearing, the two women appeared before the Supreme Court and stated that they were staying at the ashram of their own free will.
The court, after noting the women’s submissions, passed the following directions:
1. The case was transferred to the Supreme Court from the Madras High Court.
2. The original petitioner was allowed to appear either virtually or through his counsel.
3. The status report of the police shall be submitted to the Supreme Court.
4. The police were directed not to take any further action in pursuance of the High Court's directions.
The stay order was passed after Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Isha Foundation, contended that such directions could not have been passed in a Habeas Corpus petition, especially when the two women had already appeared before the High Court. He argued that the matter was related to religious freedom and that the High Court could not initiate such inquiries based on oral assertions.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, supporting the Foundation’s plea, stated that the High Court should have exercised caution in the matter and highlighted the urgent need for the Supreme Court's intervention.
The Supreme Court’s order noted that the two women had interacted with the bench and affirmed their voluntary stay at the ashram. The court also noted that the police party, which had conducted a search at the ashram following the High Court's order, had left the premises.
In light of these observations, the Supreme Court stayed further police action against the Isha Foundation and transferred the case for its own adjudication.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
