Kerala High Court Declares Recent Delimitation Exercise Invalid For Eight Municipalities, One Panchayat

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (18th December) declared the delimitation exercise carried out in 2024 in Padne Grama Panchayat, Panoor Municipality, Mukkom Municipality, Koduvally Municipality, Payyoli Municipality, Sreekandapuram Municipality, Feroke Municipality, Pattambi Municipality and Mattannur Municipality as invalid. Justice Mohammed Nias C. P. observed that a delimitation...

Rise In Sexual Offences Against Children Serious: Madhya Pradesh HC Initiates Suo Motu PIL, Questions Centre/State On POCSO Act Implementation

Taking into account the "substantial growth of sexual offences against children below the age of 18 years" in the state, the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh has initiated a suo-moto PIL to enquire from the Central as well as the State Governments as to what steps have been taken on the implementation of the POCSO Act. A division bench of Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice...

S.187 BNSS | Police Custody Must Be Within First Forty Days For Offences Punishable Upto 10 Years Imprisonment : Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that as per Section 187 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the 15-day police custody must be sought within the first forty days in cases of offences which are punishable upto ten years of imprisonmentIt clarified that the phraseology used in Section 187 BNSS is an offence punishable "for ten years or more", explaining that 10 years or more...

Order Rejecting Plea For Extension Of Investigation Period From Initial 90 To 180 Days Under UAPA Appealable, Not Interlocutory: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has recently held that an order rejecting the application for extension of period of investigation from initial 90 to 180 days under Section 43D(2) of UAPA is an appealable order and not an interlocutory order.A division bench comprising of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Amit Sharma said that the finality attached to such an order would be that the prosecution may...

Allahabad High Court Comes To Aid Of 7 Y/O Boy Expelled From Pvt School For 'Bringing' Non-Veg Food In Tiffin Box

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday came to the rescue of a 7-year-old Muslim boy who was expelled from a private school in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha for allegedly bringing non-vegetarian food in his tiffin box. A bench of Justice Siddhartha and Justice Subhash Chandra Sharma directed the Amorha District Magistrate to ensure the 3 Kids (boy and his siblings) are admitted to another...

PhD Thesis Not Containing Commercially Sensitive, Proprietary Information Not Exempt From Disclosure Under RTI Act: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has recently held that PhD thesis which does not contain commercially sensitive or proprietary information is not exempted from disclosure under Section 8(1)(d) of Right to Information Act. 2005. Justice Sanjeev Narula held that merely asserting that the thesis involves intellectual property or holds commercial value is not sufficient and there must be clear and...

High Court Issues Directions To Punjab Authorities For Allowing Timely Execution Of NHAI 'National Importance' Projects In State

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has issued a slew of directions to the Punjab Government authorities in a plea filed by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) alleging that the state authorities are not passing land acquisition compensation and also failed to provide police assistance in compliance of High Court's directions.The plea stated that due to the failure of duties on the...

Global Takedowns Can Legitimize Practices Of Authoritarian Govts Which Don't Value Freedom Of Speech: 'X Corp' Tells Delhi High Court

X Corp. (formerly Twitter) has informed the Delhi High Court that global takedown orders set a “dangerous precedent” that could legitimise practices of authoritarian governments which do not fully value the rights to freedom of speech and access to information.The social media entity has said that if courts in different countries can issue global blocking orders based on their local laws,...

Thanjavur Schoolgirl Suicide | HC Declines To Quash Abetment Case Against Hostel Warden, Says Religious Conversion Allegations Should've Been Avoided

The Madras High Court has refused to quash the chargesheet filed against Sister Sagaya Mary, hostel warden of St. Michael's Girls Hostel attached to the Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Thanjavur for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 12th Standard Student. In January 2022, a 12th Standard girl of the Sacred Heart School attempted to commit suicide by consuming pesticide....

Delhi HC Directs Customs To Release Azerbaijan National's 'Personal' Gold Jewellery, Restrains Her From Selling It In India

Reinforcing its stand that the 'personal' gold jewellery of a foreign national coming to India is not subject to duty, the Delhi High Court ordered the Customs department to release an Azerbaijan national's belongings. A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Amit Sharma however restrained the foreign national from selling the jewels in India. “Petitioner shall not...

S.144C IT Act | AO Not Having Info About Pending Objections Before Dispute Resolution Panel No Grounds To Sustain Final Assessment Order: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has made it clear that a Final Assessment order passed by the Income Tax Authorities under Section 143 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 is not sustainable, if it is passed in ignorance of pending objections before the Dispute Resolution Panel. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela further clarified that lack of...

Lawrence Bishnoi Jail Interview Row | HC Asks Punjab Govt To Appoint Justice Rajiv N. Raina As Enquiry Officer To Probe Role Of Police Officials

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Government to consider appointing former High Court judge Justice Rajiv Narain Raina, Former Judge of this Court as the Inquiry Officer to probe the role of delinquent senior officials of the Punjab Police in facilitating the interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Lapita Banerji said,...