Eden Gardens Not A 'Public Street', Imposing Ad Tax Without Regulations Violates Rule Of Law: Calcutta High Court Quashes Demand Notice

The Calcutta High Court bench of Justices Arijit Banerjee and Justice Kausik Chanda has held that without framing Regulations or without the budget estimate prescribing the rates at which advertisement tax may be levied by Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), computation and imposition of such tax would be arbitrary. It would have no rational basis. It would then be open to KMC to quantify...

Kerala High Court Criticizes State Govt For Not Enacting Law Against Black Magic, Asks About Other Deterrent Steps

The Kerala High Court today (24 June) expressed its discontent with the State government's inaction to take steps to curb the practices of black magic, witchcraft, sorcery, or other inhuman, evil and sinister practices by enacting a law.The Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji was considering a PIL filed by Kerala Yukthi Vadhi Sangham seeking enactment and...

Madhya Pradesh High Court Rejects Appeal To Allow Urs, Namaz At Gwalior's Centrally Protected Muhammad Ghaus Dargah

The Madhya Pradesh High Court last week dismissed an intra-court appeal seeking permission to perform religious and cultural activities, including Urs (Jalsa) and Namaz, at the tomb of Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus in Gwalior, a monument declared of national importance and protected (in 1962) under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. A Bench...

MP High Court Issues Notice On Plea Questioning Vires Of Rule Mandating Convict's Prior Surrender To Challenge Conviction

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued notice on a writ petition challenging the constitutionality of a provision under the MP High Court Rules 2008 mandating prior surrender by a convicted person as a pre-condition to challenge the conviction order. The plea asserts that Rule 48 is ultra vires the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), which does not impose any such precondition...

'Woke Up From Deep Slumber': AP High Court Bars Wakf Tribunal From Hearing Land Dispute Decided By Civil Court 45 Years Ago

The Andhra Pradesh High Court allowed a man's plea against the decision of the Waqf Tribunal which had adjudicated on a suit concerning a disputed land, despite the fact that a civil court had decided the matter 45 years ago giving a finding that the disputed property is not a waqf property. The court thus said that the Waqf Tribunal does not have the power to adjudicate any case which is...

'Classic Administrative Lethargy', High Court Slams Haryana Govt For Failing To Notify Reserved Forest In Morni Hills For 40 Years

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Haryana Government to identify and notify the reserved forest areas in Morni Hills, latest by December 31.A division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel critised the State for not taking any action in the matter, despite the process being initiated four decades ago through a notification dated December 18, 1987. It...

Disastrous For Commuters, Doesn't Take Into Account Traffic Issues: Bike Owners Oppose Bike Taxi Ban Before Karnataka High Court

Two Bike Owners opposed before the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday (June 24), a single judge's order banning operation of Bike Taxis in the State, arguing that news reports have indicated how the ban has been disastrous for commuters. The argument made by the owners is that the relevant Aggregator Rules provides for onboarding of two wheelers and thus the ban prohibits them from registering...

AP High Court Rejects Govt Employee's Plea To Change Date Of Birth Ahead Of Superannuation, Points He Accepted Seniority Based On It

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has rejected the plea of a retired employee of the Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL), who sought alteration in his Date of Birth (DOB) in the official service records, after having received all promotions and service benefits based on the same date.In this regard, Justice Maheswara Rao Kuncheam observed,“Petitioner at the fag...

Kerala High Court Denies Anticipatory Bail To Accused In Angamaly Co-op Scam; Criticizes Investigating Officer For Not Making Arrests

The Kerala High Court has denied anticipatory bail to three of the accused persons (petitioners) in the money scam case of Angamaly Urban Co-operative Society.Justice A. Badharudeen also expressed displeasure regarding the attitude of the Investigating Officer, who had not yet arrested the petitioners even though their earlier bail applications were dismissed in October 2024. The Court...

'Must Be Enlarged On Bail Due To Delay In Trial, Changed Circumstances': Prajwal Revanna Tells Karnataka High Court

Former JD(S) leader and MP Prajwal Revanna has approached the Karnataka High Court once again, seeking bail in a case of alleged sexual assault and rape. Revanna's earlier bail plea had been denied by the High Court upon observing the possibilities of witness tampering and the serious charges levelled against him. On this occasion, Senior Counsel Prabhuling Nevadgi for Revanna told the court...

Liability To Compensate Can't Be Fastened On Owner If Vehicle Was Plying Beyond Permit Route For Relief Works: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court recently came to the rescue of a bus owner who was asked by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal to compensate the victims of an accident, that occurred while the bus was plying beyond its permit route.Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar noted that the bus was carrying out relief works and hence, the owner cannot be asked to pay compensation by exonerating the Insurance...

High Court Issues Notice On Plea Challenging Telangana Advocates' Clerks Welfare Fund (Amendment) Act 2025 Increasing Cost Of Filing Vakalatnama

The Telangana High Court has issued notice to the State on a plea challenging the constitutional validity of the Telangana Advocates' Clerks Welfare Fund (Amendment) Act 2025. The plea specifically challenges section 12(2) of the amended Act, which has increased the cost of filing Vakalatnama for engaging an Advocate from Rs. 100 to Rs. 250.A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul...