Parents Beware : Handing Over Vehicle To Your Child Could Land You In Jail Now

The Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019, which received the assent of the President on August 9, has included stringent provisions in the principal Act to curb the tendency of children using vehicles. As per the newly inserted Section 199A, where a motor vehicle offence has been committed by a juvenile, the parent or guardian of such juvenile or the owner of the motor vehicle shall be deemed to...

Unlawful Assembly-Trial Of Offence U/s 149 IPC Not Illegal Merely Because Section 141 IPC Was Not Invoked: SC [Read Judgment]

The Supreme Court has observed that as long as the ingredients of unlawful assembly are met, Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code can be invoked and non invocation of Section 141 IPC would not render the trial under Section 149 IPC illegal.Section 149 IPC states that every member of unlawful assembly can be guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object. Section 141 defines...

Is The Consent Of Accused Required For Taking Blood Samples?

This question has arisen in the context of a road accident which occurred in Thiruvananthapuram during the wee hours of Saturday, which was allegedly caused by Sriram Venkatraman, an IAS officer in the service of Kerala government. K Muhammed Basheer, a journalist, was killed when his bike was hit by a car, which was allegedly driven by the IAS officer. There are reports that the police chose...

Medical Negligence : When Can A Doctor Be Held Liable For Lack Of Expertise?

On a philosophical standpoint we acknowledge error as an essence of life. Through every failure we familiarise something new, but this point of view is not appropriate when error is committed from the part of a professional especially the one who works in the medical domain.Any negligence or error from the part of the doctor that causes some damage to a patient will probably result in...

When Can Writ Courts Interfere In Contract Matters? SC Explains [Read Judgment]

In a judgment delivered in June, the Supreme Court explained the scope of powers of High Courts under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to interfere in contractual matters. The bench comprising Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Surya Kant, also held that, in all cases challenging the decision of the tendering authority, all the eligible tenderers need not be made parties....

Can Arbitration Clause Be Invoked In A Dispute Arising After Parties Compromise? SC Explains [Read Judgment]

"Since the respondent has raised the plea that the compromise decree is vitiated by fraud, the merits of such a plea could be decided only by the Civil Court upon consideration of the evidence adduced by the parties.”

From Shah Bano to Shabana Bano: Divorced Muslim Women And Right To Claim Maintenance Under Section 125 CrPC

"She having chosen to move under the Code cannot be said to be debarred under law on the ground that she is a divorced Muslim lady."

How Should Magistrates Deal With Protest Complaints? SC Explains [Read Judgment]

"Magistrate could not be compelled to take cognizance by treating the protest petition as a complaint."

What Are The Requirements Of Notice For 'Suo Motu' Enhancement Of Sentence? SC Explains [Read Order]

"Any notice for enhancement must indicate why the Court wants to enhance the sentence and it must give reasonable time to the accused to answer the notice."

Can The Court Order Deposit Of Cash As A Condition Precedent For Granting Anticipatory Bail?

In a recent Judgment, the High Court of Kerala, while jointly hearing four petitions filed by the same petitioner observed that although the deposit of cash as a condition for granting anticipatory bail under section 438(2) is allowed, such discretion must be used with absolute restraint and the amount deposited must not be excessive or onerous. The petitioner in the instant case...

Recent Supreme Court Judgments On Domestic Violence Act [2006-2019]

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 came into force on 26 October 2006. The stated objective of the Act is "to provide for more effective protection of the rights of women guaranteed under the Constitution who are victims of violence of any kind occurring within the family".The Supreme Court of India has made some significant interventions and interpretations in the...

Legal Validity of Fatwas And Religious Dictates

Exactly five years ago, on July 7th 2014, the Supreme Court of India had ruled on validity of Fatwas (Religious Dictates).