Bar Associations Are 'Public Authorities' Under RTI Act : Kerala State Information Commission

The Kerala State Information Commission (SIC) recently passed an order wherein it held that all Bar Associations functioning in Kerala can be considered to be 'public authority' as per sections 2(h)(d) and 2 (h)(ii) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.For context, S. 2(h) of the RTI Act gives the definition of 'public authority' and states, ““public authority” means any authority...

Appellate Court Cannot Waive Payment Of Court Fee Before Trial Court On Account Of Settlement Of Appeal: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently decided that it is not legally permissible for an appellate court to waive payment of court fee before the trial court on account of settlement of appeal. Justice A. Badharudeen laid down the legal position in a common judgment while hearing two Regular First Appeals (RFAs).The appellants had initiated suits against the respondents before the Sub Court, Kochi...

Narsinghanand Case | 'Fair Probe Required' : Allahabad HC Refuses To Quash FIR Against Mohd Zubair, Protects Him From Arrest

The Allahabad High Court today refused to quash an FIR against Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair over his tweets ('X' Posts) on Yati Narsinghanand's 'derogatory' speech.The Court, however, extended the interim protection against arrest to him during the course of the investigation.A bench of Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Dr. Yogendra Kumar Srivastava, passed this order as it...

Futile To Continue With LOCs Against Former NDTV Promoters Prannoy Roy, Radhika Roy: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on Thursday orally remarked that it would be futile to continue with the look out circular (LOC) opened by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against NDTV's former directors and promoters Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy in 2019.Justice Sachin Datta made the remark after the CBI defended the LOC arguing that the same was kept open to keep a watch on Roys' movements. “I...

Karnataka High Court Stays Proceedings Against BJP MLA Harish Poonja For Allegedly Giving 'Hate Speech' At Temple Event

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (May 22) by way of an interim order, stayed all further proceedings against BJP MLA Harish Poonja, accused of allegedly making a hate speech earlier this month, during an event oragnised by a temple in Mangalore. A vacation bench of Justice S Rachaiah passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Poonja seeking to quash the FIR dated May 4,...

Bar Council Elections: Delhi High Court Refuses To Entertain Plea Seeking Biometric Verification Of Advocates

The Delhi High Court on Thursday (May 22) refused to entertain a plea seeking implementation of biometric verification process of Advocates for elections to the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD).The application was filed by one Deepanshu Mudgal in a pending plea in which directions were issued from time to time regarding conduct of elections to the Delhi High Court Bar Association as also the...

[PITNDPS Act] Accused Must Be Informed Grounds Of Detention Within 5 To 15 Days To Allow Prompt Representation: J&K High Court

Reiterating that procedural safeguards in preventive detention cases must be strictly observed, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has quashed the detention of one Sarfaraz Ahmed under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 (PITNDPS Act).A bench of Justice Sanjay Dhar underscored that it is “obligatory on the detaining authority...

'Glaring Unconstitutionality': Madras High Court On Staying TN Amendments On VC Appointment; Berates Sr Advocate For 'Lecture' On Judicial Discipline

While staying the amendments brought in by the State of Tamil Nadu taking away the power of the Governor to appoint Vice-Chancellors in State-run Universities, the Madras High Court observed that the amendments run counter to the procedures laid down under the UGC regulations.The vacation bench of Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice V Lakshminarayan remarked that the unconstitutionality...

'What's In A Name': Quoting Shakespeare, Rajasthan High Court Says Mother Has Every Right To Have Her Name On Child's Academic Record

Quoting playwright William Shakespeare quote “What's in a name?” from “Romeo and Juliet”, Rajasthan High Court while underscoring that a name is everything said that it was the foundation of one's legal, social and emotional identity and hence a mother being 'birth giver' has every right to get her name recorded in her children's academic records. Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand in its...

'No Hawking Within 100 Metres': Orissa High Court Stays Construction Of Vending Zone Near Law University

The Orissa High Court has put an interim stay in the construction of a 'vending zone' near the new campus of Madhusudan Law University, Rehman Square, Jobra, Cuttack, on the ground of probable inconvenience to academic activities.A Vacation Bench of Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo and Justice Mruganka Sekhar Sahoo was hearing a petition seeking an immediate halt in construction work near the...

Madras High Court Impleads Dalit Association In Savukku Shankar's Plea Alleging Swindling Of Funds From Ambedkar Champions Scheme

The Madras High Court on Thursday impleaded the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DICCI) and Gen Logistics company in a petition filed by YouTuber Savukku Shankar seeking CBI probe into the alleged corruption in Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme.Shankar claims that though the scheme was brought in to uplift scheduled caste entrepreneurs, the implementation was...

'Not Trying To Protect TASMAC, Won't Close Predicate FIRs': State To Madras High Court On Apprehension Of PMLA Action Being Rendered Infructous

The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday assured the Madras High Court that it is not trying to "protect" TASMAC, a State-owned alcohol vending enterprise, in the alleged ₹1,000 crores liquor scam.While seeking adjournment in a PIL for CBI probe into the alleged TASMAC scam, which is already under scanner of the Enforcement Directorate, Advocate General PS Raman undertook that the State will...