High Court Stays Delhi Government's SOP Allowing Tree Pruning Without Prior Permission

The Delhi High Court has stayed the operation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) issued by the Delhi Government last year permitting “general tending and light pruning” of tree branches having girth less than 15.7 cm without prior permission from the Tree Officer. Justice Jasmeet Singh observed that the SOP was contrary to an earlier binding judgment of the Court.The Court said that...

Delhi High Court Quashes Centre's Decision Refusing OCI Card To The Wire's Siddharth Varadarajan

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside a communication of Central Government rejecting the request of The Wire's Founding Editor Siddharth Varadarajan for conversion of his PIO card to OCI card. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said that the communication is unreasoned and cannot be sustained, while also restoring Varadarajan's application for OCI card. The Court directed the...

Taunting Wife Over 'Small Car', Insufficient Gold Prima Facie Amounts To Cruelty U/S 498A IPC: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that repeated taunts directed at a woman over allegedly bringing insufficient dowry, including remarks about a “small car” and lesser quantity of gold, prima facie amount to cruelty under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code.Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma made the observation while partly allowing revision petitions filed by the State and the father of a...

Delhi High Court Orders Restoration Of '4PM' YouTube Channel, Directs Temporary Blocking Of 'Objectionable' Videos

The Delhi High Court has recently ordered restoration of YouTube channel “4PM”, which was blocked pursuant to directions issued by the Centre citing concerns of national security, sovereignty and public order, subject to temporary suspension of 26 allegedly objectionable videos. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav passed the order while disposing of a plea filed by channel's editor,...

Mere Eviction From Jhuggi Cluster, Rehabilitation At Alternate Site Doesn't Violate Article 21 If DUSIB Safeguards Are Followed: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that mere eviction of jhuggi dwellers and their rehabilitation at an alternative site would not violate their fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, so long as the safeguards prescribed under the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) Policy and Protocol are complied with.Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav made the observation...

Husband's Pension-Receiving Parents Can't Be Treated As Fully Dependent To Reduce Wife, Child's Maintenance: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that while a man has a legal and moral obligation to maintain his elderly parents, however, such parents receiving regular pension cannot be treated as “fully dependent” on him so as to substantially reduce the maintenance payable to his wife and minor child.Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma made the observation while setting aside a Family Court order which...

Delhi High Court Protects Entrepreneur Aman Gupta's Personality Rights; Orders Takedown Of AI, Obscene Content

In a first for entrepreneurs, the Delhi High Court has passed an interim order protecting personality rights of Shark Tank India judge Aman Gupta against alleged misuse of his name, image, voice, catchphrases and personality attributes across multiple online platforms, including AI-generated deepfake and obscene content.Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed that Gupta has established...

Second Wife Not Necessary Party In First Wife's Maintenance Case Under Section 125 CrPC: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that a second wife is neither a necessary nor a proper party in maintenance proceedings initiated by the first wife and children under Section 125 CrPC, observing that such proceedings cannot be unnecessarily widened by impleading every person claiming dependence on the husband.Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma made the observation while dismissing an application filed...

Accused Can't Complain Family Wasn't Informed Of Arrest After Choosing To Inform Counsel Instead: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court recently rejected a bail applicant's contention that his arrest was illegal because his family members were not informed, observing that it is for the accused himself to indicate the person whom he wishes to be informed about his arrest.Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted that the applicant had chosen to inform his counsel, which was complied with by the investigating...

“Brazen Acts Of Lawlessness”: Delhi High Court Refuses To Quash Air-Firing Case Despite Compromise Between Parties

The Delhi High Court recently refused to quash an FIR registered under the Arms Act against a builder accused of threatening a man with a revolver and firing in the air at a busy public place, holding that such “brazen acts of lawlessness” cannot be wiped out merely because the parties have entered into a compromise.Justice Girish Kathpalia dismissed the petition seeking quashing of FIR...

Candidates Not Entitled To 'Free Marks' For Dropped Out-Of-Syllabus Questions: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has upheld the evaluation mechanism adopted in its Junior Judicial Assistant (JJA)/Restorer departmental examination, holding that candidates were not entitled to “free marks” for out-of-syllabus questions that were subsequently dropped from the paper.A division bench of Justices V. Kameswar Rao and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora dismissed a petition challenging the...

Air India Privatization Won't Bar Challenges To Labour Tribunal Awards Under Article 226: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that writ petitions challenging awards passed by Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals remain maintainable even after Air India's privatization.Justice Shail Jain made the observation while dealing with a batch of petitions filed by former Air India/Indian Airlines workmen and employee unions challenging awards of the Central Government Industrial Tribunal...