Kerala High Court Slams Pollution Boards For Not Collecting Environment Compensation; Says Taxpayers Bear Burden Instead Of Offenders

The Kerala High Court recently (November 29) pulled up the Central and State Pollution Control Boards for the delay in the implementation of environmental compensation (EC) under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016It has also directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), to issue a time limit within which the mechanism for collection of EC will be put in place.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Syam Kumar V M issued the directive while hearing a...

Karnataka High Court Stays FIR Against Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy For Making 'False Statement' During 2024 General Election Campaign

The Karnataka High Court has stayed all further proceedings in a case registered against Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy for allegedly making false statements during the 2024 General Election campaign.As per the FIR, the Janata Dal (Secular) leader, while campaigning for BJP's C Sommanna, referred to a person (purportedly Sommanna's opponent) as a disciple of gangster Kotwal Ramachandra. Kumaraswamy allegedly said how can such a person safeguard the interests of the State and the nation.The...

'Ulterior Motive': Madras High Court Rejects Appeal Against Devotees Lighting Lamp At Stone Pillar Near Thiruparankundram Hill Dargah

The Madras High Court today dismissed a letter patent appeal against the order of a single judge in a contempt petition, permitting devotees of the Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple to light lamps (Karthigai deepam) at the Deepathoon (stone lamp pillar) atop the Thiruparakundram hills, which is located close to a dargah.A division bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan observed that devotees were permitted to light the lamp since single judge's initial order was not...

Bombay High Court Quashes SVLDRS-3 Issued Under 'Arrears'; Says It Must Be Reassessed Under 'Litigation' Category With 70% Relief

The Bombay High Court has set aside the SVLDRS-3 Form issued to M/s Unique Enterprises, holding that the case should have been assessed under the “Litigation” category of the Sabka Vishwas (Legacy Dispute Resolution) Scheme, 2019, and not under the “Arrears” category. The Court ruled that the duty demand in the case had not attained finality, and therefore the assessee was...

Bombay High Court Sets Aside Order Rejecting Yamaha Motors India's NCCD Rebate Claim; Says Core Issues Not Examined

The Bombay High Court has set aside the Union Government's order denying India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. a rebate of ₹3.26 crore towards National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD) paid on exported motorcycles, holding that the authority failed to examine the core statutory requirements under the Central Excise Rules. A Division Bench of Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Advait M....

Delhi High Court Asks CCI To Expeditiously Hear Cinema Equipment Makers' Plea In Virtual Print Fee Probe Against PVR

The Delhi High Court on Thursday requested the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to expeditiously consider an application filed by the Association of Digital Cinema Technology seeking to be heard in the ongoing investigation against PVR Inox over the alleged abusive levy of the Virtual Print Fee (VPF). The order was passed by a single bench of Justice Sachin Datta. The association, which represents digital cinema equipment manufacturers, approached the court after the CCI on September 30...

After Catholic Congress, Union Govt & CBFC Move Kerala High Court In Appeal Challenging 'Haal' Movie

The Union Government on Thursday (December 4) moved an appeal before the Kerala High Court challenging the Single Bench's decision quashing the A-certification and cuts to the movie 'Haal' starring Shane Nigam. The appellants include the Union Government, along with the Regional Officer, the Chairman and Revising Committee of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).This is the second appeal preferred against the judgment, the earlier being filed by the Catholic Congress.Among...

Withdrawal Of VRS Permissible Before Effective Date; Consequential Benefits Barred By Estoppel If Post-Retirement Employment Availed: Chhattisgarh HC

A Division Bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court comprising Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal and Justice Radhakishan Agrawal held that an employee can withdraw a notice of voluntary retirement any time before it becomes effective under Rule 67(4) of the Railway Services (Pension) Rules, 1993, however, he is estopped from claiming consequential service benefits if he has availed post-retirement benefits. Background Facts The employee was serving as a Chief Station Master at Dagori Railway...

FIR Can't Be Quashed U/S 528 BNSS If Chargesheet & Cognizance Order Not Placed On Record : Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court recently dismissed an application filed under Section 528 of the BNSS seeking to quash an FIR noting that the Chargesheet and the cognizance order was not brought on record. A Bench of Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha held that a plea under Section 528 BNSS is not maintainable if the applicant challenges only the FIR without placing the charge sheet and the order of cognizance on record. The Court held so while relying on the Supreme Court's recent judgment in...

Madras High Court Halts Release Of Karthi Starrer “Vaa Vaathiyar” Movie Over Alleged Unpaid Dues By Producer

The Madras High Court has temporarily restrained the release of the latest Tamil film “Vaa Vathiyar” over alleged unpaid dues by the movie's producer, KE Gnanavel of Studio Greens. The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice C Kumarappan passed the interim direction in an execution petition filed by the official liquidator of the Madras High Court to deal with the estate of realtor and financier Arjunlal Sunderdas after he was declared insolvent. In 2019, the court had noted that...

Madras High Court Strikes Out 'Sangeetham House Of Veg' Trademark For Violating Earlier Settlement In Infringment Suit

The Madras High Court has ordered the removal of the “Sangeetham House of Veg” trademark held by a Thiruchendur-based restaurant, after finding that the registration was obtained in violation of an earlier court-recorded settlement that required the outlet to change its name. The settlement had been reached in a trademark infringement suit filed by Chennai-based Sangeetha Veg...

Can't Achieve Communal Harmony By Restricting Religious Acts: Madras High Court Orally Remarks On Thiruparankundram Deepam Issue

The Madras High Court on Thursday orally remarked that communal harmony can be achieved only when communities co-exist and not when a particular community is restrained from performing their religious acts. The bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan made the oral comments during the hearing of an appeal against the single judge's order yesterday, permitting devotees to light lamps at the stone pillar atop the Thiruparankundram Hills near a dargah."Communal harmony...