The Supreme Court of India has issued nationwide guidelines to prevent arbitrary demolitions of properties, aiming to curb the practice of ‘bulldozer justice’. The court emphasized the importance of due process and the right to be heard, stating that the executive cannot replace the judiciary in determining guilt and ordering demolitions.
A Queens judge has ruled that New York City’s ‘Operation Padlock’ program, which allowed the city to shut down suspected illicit cannabis shops, is unconstitutional. The judge determined that the program violated store owners’ due process rights, leading to the immediate reopening of all closed shops and the potential for substantial damages lawsuits against the city.
The Supreme Court of India has expressed strong disapproval of the practice of ‘bulldozer justice,’ where homes are demolished solely based on accusations or convictions against their owners. The court has called for nationwide guidelines to be established before any demolition can take place, highlighting concerns about due process and the potential for abuse of power.
The criminal justice system in the United States faces serious challenges, including overcriminalization and weaponization. This has resulted in wrongful convictions and excessive sentences, as evidenced by the recent guilty verdict against former President Donald Trump. Prosecutors and judges have abused their power, undermining due process and the presumption of innocence. This behavior jeopardizes the fairness and integrity of the justice system, threatening the liberty of all Americans.
Columbia University’s senate has voted to investigate President Minouche Shafik and her administration following ongoing protests over the Israel-Gaza war. The resolution, approved on Friday, accuses the administration of violating protocols, undermining academic freedom, and breaching due process rights. The decision was based on a senate executive committee report that criticized the administration’s handling of the protests, which included allowing the NYPD to engage with protestors and led to over 100 student arrests. The senate also called for a task force to investigate university decision-making in the future.
The Supreme Court will consider a case involving a Los Angeles man, Luis Acensio Cordero, who was denied a green card and separated from his US citizen wife, Sandra Muñoz, since 2015. The couple alleges that the federal government violated Muñoz’s constitutional right to marriage and due process by not providing an explanation for the visa denial. The government claims Muñoz and Acensio could live outside the US, and therefore her marriage rights have not been violated. The court will determine whether denying a visa to a noncitizen spouse of a US citizen infringes upon constitutional rights and if notifying the applicant of inadmissibility is sufficient due process.
