High Courts Weekly Round-Up

Bombay High CourtThe Bombay High Court denied relief to one Utsav Sodha, a law student who cleared his first-year examinations from Pravin Gandhi College (unaided) and sought admission to Government Law College (aided) in the second year.Taking a tough stance on ‘sharks’ who prey on helpless unemployed youth, the Nagpur bench of the High Court refused to grant anticipatory bail to one Ramesh Bapurao Rangari, who has been accused of defrauding a boy by taking money from him in promise of a job.The High Court recently set aside an order dated February 22, 2016, of the family court of Bandra which dismissed a petition for divorce filed by one Shilpa Sachdev, stating that the same was barred by principles of res judicata as a Dubai court had already granted divorce on the ground of desertion.The High Court on Wednesday refused to accept the Maharashtra government’s stand that in light of the new amendment to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000, silence zones have ceased to exist in the state.Delhi High CourtClearing the roadblock for two brothers who aspired to pursue higher education from a foreign university but for visa tussle, the Delhi High Court directed the Centre to process their application for disbursement of scholarship without insisting on them obtaining a J-1 visa, which provides for a mandatory two-year home country stay on completion of the course.In a first, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Delhi University to conduct within ten days an entrance examination for the visually challenged youth who missed taking the M Phil Sanskrit entrance test as he could not board the only railway coach reserved for disabled persons.The Delhi High Court ordered the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to complete the inquiry into complaints of sexual harassment against Ashok Kumar Singh, a teaching staff at Dyal Singh Evening College, within three months, while strictly abiding by the principles of natural justice by allowing the accused to cross-examine the witnesses through a questionnaire so that the identity of the witnesses is not disclosed.The High Court on Wednesday dismissed the writ petition filed by Justice Karnan challenging the vires of Contempt of Court and against the order dated 12th of May, 2017 of the Registrar (Judicial-I) of the Supreme Court of India.“Judges are to remain humble and not be guided by their ego or prejudices,” remarked the High Court on Wednesday as it took strong objection to an Additional Sessions Judge satisfying his “sadistic pleasures” by summonsing senior police officers, ordering inquiries, making scathing remarks and delaying hearing in a criminal case only because one of the summons issued to the investigating officer was “lost”.The High Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a public interest litigation praying for appointment of judicial officers in the National Green Tribunal, which is reduced to eight judicial and six expert members, as opposed to a minimum strength of 10 prescribed in the National Green Tribunal Act and is headed towards a “premature death”.Kerala High CourtKerala High Court upheld the Judgment of Trial Court discharging Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in SNC Lavlin Case. But the High Court partially allowed the CBI’ revision petition against the Judgment of Trial Court in SNC Lavlin Case as far as Accused numbers Two to Five are concerned. Court upheld the order of discharge against Accused numbers 1, 7 and 8. Madhya Pradesh High CourtThe Madhya Pradesh High Court allowed an application filed by a person for condonation of delay in filing appeal against the life imprisonment awarded to him in a murder case.The High Court on Tuesday served notices on a petition seeking direction to trace and cancel admission of candidates who belonged to other states allegedly deceitfully secured admission on the seats of state quota by furnishing wrong information of their domicile. Punjab & Haryana High CourtThe High Court of Punjab and Haryana which is closely monitoring the violent situation which has engulfed the State following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has in its order stated that assets of Dera Sacha Sauda will be attached if its members were found to be responsible for violenceFollowing the mayhem and large-scale damage to public and private property caused by the supporters of Gurmeet Ram Rahim on him being held guilty of rape, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday called for a list of persons killed in the mayhem and the government’s plan for averting a repeat of Friday’s chaos.Uttarakhand high CourtUttarakhand High Court, on Wednesday, directed the Chief Secretary to resolve within three months all problems being faced by those affected by the construction of the Tehri dam.The High Court, on Wednesday, also directed appointment of a Committee of Financial Experts to look into allegations of financial irregularities in the management of Dargah Sharif...

High Courts Weekly Round-Up

Ashok K.M