Pakistan SC Endorses 'Family Planning' To Curb Population Explosion; Quotes Indian Example

""The Courts and the legislature and executive in India nevertheless remained uncompromising in the object of population reduction. As a result of these stringent legislative measures complimented by judicial support, in the year 2017 the annual population growth percentage in India has decreased to 1.1% while that of Pakistan remains at 2.0%."

Pakistan SC Judge Questions Chief Justice's Power To Reconstitute Bench While Hearing Of Case [Read Order]

“I agree with my learned brother Qazi Faez Isa, J. that the reconstitution of the Bench by the Hon’ble Chief Justice in the present case is unwarranted and unprecedented and undermines the integrity of the system”

In A First, Singapore HC Allows Gay Man To Adopt Biological Son Born Through Surrogacy [Read Judgment]

In a landmark decision, the Singapore High Court on Monday allowed a homosexual man to adopt his biological son born through surrogacy.The judgment was delivered by a bench comprising Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Judge of Appeal Judith Prakash and Justice Debbie Ong.The appellant, a 46 year old pathologist, had challenged a 2017 ruling, wherein it was held that the man cannot adopt the...

Even Politically Inflammatory Or Downright Offensive Speeches Not Excluded From Constitutional Protection: South Africa SC [Read Order]

“The bounds of constitutional protection are only overstepped when the speech involves propaganda for war; the incitement of imminent violence; or the advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm”.The Supreme Court of South Africa has observed that the fact that particular expression may be hurtful of...

Congress Lacks Authority To Ban Female Genital Mutilation, Declares US Court [Read Judgment]

The District Court of Eastern Michigan, USA, has declared unconstitutional a law passed by Congress banning the practise of Female Genital Mutilation(FGM).The Court held that Congress lacked authority to criminalize the act, which was for the states to regulate."Congress overstepped its bounds by legislating to prohibit FGM. Like the common law assault at issue in Bond, FGM is “local...

Judges Can Be Facebook Friends With Lawyers, Florida SC Rules By 4:3 Majority [Read Judgment]

In an interesting case having relevance in the Indian situation as well, the Supreme Court of Florida,USA,has ruled by 4:3 majority that Facebook friendship between a judge and an attorney appearing before him in a matter is not a sufficient ground for disqualifying him from considering that matter on the ground of likelihood of bias.The majority opinion expressed by Chief Justice Charles...

European Court of Human Rights Sees No Violation In Austrian Court Order That Fined Woman For Defaming Prophet Muhammad [Read Order]

“The Court endorses the Regional Court’s statement, that presenting objects of religious worship in a provocative way capable of hurting the feelings of the followers of that religion could be conceived as a malicious violation of the spirit of tolerance, which was one of the bases of a democratic society.”The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)  agreed with the views adopted by...

US Supreme Court Refuses To Hear Appeals Against Obama-Era Net Neutrality Rules [Read Order]

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on Monday refused to review a 2016 case brought by various broadband service providers challenging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) net neutrality protections from the Obama era.The FCC was issued by the Obama administration in 2015 to protect principles of net neutrality, which require that all traffic on the internet should be...

‘Media Trial Can’t Be Allowed’: Pak SC Issues Directives To Regulate Media Discussions In Sub-Judice Matters [Read Judgment]

“Any news or discussions in programmes shall not be aired which are likely to jeopardize ongoing inquiries, investigations or trials.’The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday issued some important directives to   Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to regulate ‘media trial’ in sub-judice matters.A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib...

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions Resigns At President Trump’s Request; Matthew Whitaker Appointed Acting Attorney General

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has resigned as the country's chief law enforcement officer at the request of President Donald Trump. Chief of Staff to the Attorney General, Matthew G. Whitaker has been appointed as the Acting Attorney General until a permanent replacement is nominated.Broadcasting the decision, President Trump tweeted on Wednesday: “We are pleased to announce that...

After Gender Balanced Cabinet, Ethiopia Gets Its First Female Supreme Court President

Meaza Ashenafi, a prominent East African women’s rights activist, has been appointed as the President of Ethiopia’s Federal Supreme Court.The move is being viewed as another step in the efforts by reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to achieve gender parity in the government. Ashnefi’s appointment in fact comes two weeks after Abiy named 10 female ministers to make Ethiopia the...

Pakistan’s SC Acquits Christian Women On Death Row For Blasphemy [Read Judgment]

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday acquitted a Christian woman who has been on death row for almost eight years on blasphemy charges.Asia Bibi, a mother of five from Punjab province, was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 and  was sentenced to hang after she was accused of defiling the name of Prophet Muhammed during an argument the year before with fellow Muslim farmers.A Bench...