Best of 2015; Read 25 Significant Judgments of High Courts in India last year [Updated]

LiveLaw has reported almost all important judgments of various High Courts across India in 2015. Here is the list of 25 significant and most discussed Judgments delivered by various High Courts across India.1. Newspaper must report an order of the Court as it stands, instead of creating sensation This ruling by Himachal Pradesh High court is very significant as far as we reporters are concerned. Many media houses try to sensationalize the Court orders and judgments and it is high time they should introspect and behave responsibly upholding the ethics of journalism. In this case The High Court of Himachal Pradesh had come down heavily on a newspaper, for indulging in repeated misquoting and misreporting of the orders. The Court issued notice to the reporter who appeared and tendered unconditional apology which was accepted.2. Toilets for ‘woman walking on the streets’Toilets First, Temples Later, the Prime Minister of India had said during one of his election campaigns last year. We are yet to see in coming years whether he will walk the talk. But anyhow, The Bombay High Court issued detailed guidelines on the issue of setting up in setting up toilet facilities for `women walking on the streets’. Division bench of Justices A.S. Oka and Revati Mohite Dere said that Public health is of paramount importance and that it is the duty of the State and the Corporations to ensure that public latrines, urinals and similar conveniences are constructed, maintained and kept in a hygienic condition.3. ‘Victim’ scope expanded Expanding the Scope of the term ‘Victim’, the Full Bench of Delhi High court, held that the word “Victim” would embrace any person who has suffered any loss or injury caused by reason of the act or omission for which the accused person has been charged. The Full bench gave a liberal interpretation to the term “a person who has suffered any loss or injury” to include a person who has suffered “harm caused to the mind‟, overruling the decision in Chattar Singh vs Subhash wherein it was held that appellant, who is not a legal heir of the victim cannot file appeal.4. Being a Maoist is not a crimeJustice Muhamed Mustaque of Kerala High Court, in a landmark ruling, observed that “being a Maoist is of no crime”. “Police cannot detain a person merely because he is a Maoist, unless Police forms a reasonable opinion that his activities are unlawful,” the Court had observed.5. Directives in Public prosecutor appointmentGujarat High Court quashing the appointment of Raghuvir Pandya, as Government Pleader cum Public Prosecutor, and issued guidelines to be followed by the state in appointment of Public Prosecutors. The Court said that the institutional integrity of the institution of the Public Prosecutor should be kept in mind while recommending the name of the candidate.6. Send children of Government servants to Public schoolsIn an attempt to draw the attention of the apathetic authorities to the sub-standard state of the Primary Government schools in the State, Allahabad High Court directed Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary to ensure that children/wards of government officials/servants, those serving in the local bodies, representatives of people and judiciary, etc., send their wards to these schools.7. Criticism of Government is not seditionHearing a criminal PIL relating to arrest of cartoonist Aseem Trivedi and application of charges relating to sedition provided in the Indian Penal Code against him, the Bombay High Court made it clear that the provisions of section 124A of IPC cannot be invoked to penalize criticism of the persons for the time being engaged in carrying on administration or strong words used to express disapprobation of the measures of Government with a view to their improvement or alteration by lawful means.8. De link investigation from law and order.The Karnataka High Court directed the Government and Police department to seriously think of forming an Expert Committee to scientifically work out the allocation of work of each police station defining the territorial jurisdiction, staff strength, de-linking investigation from law and order, establishment of an excellent Training Centre here at Bengaluru, and also opening of new police stations at the earliest.9. Welfare schemes for minorities not unconstitutionalIn a significant ruling, Allahabad High Court held that blocking 25% of the benefits in a Pension scheme in favour of minorities is not invalid. Upholding the validity of Samajwadi Pension Yozna, wherein 25% of the benefits were blocked in favour of ‘minorities’, the court held that Minorities are a class in themselves and State is not prohibited in making welfare scheme for the minorities belonging to weaker section, provided it does not overreach and undermine the constitutional provisions.10. Guidelines to protect Right to Privacy in Family Matters The Division Bench of the Delhi High Court said that lawyers are expected to act with professional responsibility in cases that involve...

Best of 2015; Read 25 Significant Judgments of High Courts in India last year [Updated]

Ashok KM

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