Senior Advocate Designation Must Not Become a 'Distribution Mechanism': Solicitor General Tells Supreme Court

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, while calling for a relook on Senior Advocate designation process, submitted before the Supreme Court on Friday (December 6) that the process must not devolve into a “distribution” mechanism.“We have nothing against any individual. When your lordships confer designation, your lordships confer responsibility on the person. Let that conferment not be...

Jaynagar Rape Case: Bengal Court Sentences POCSO Accused To Death For Rape & Murder Of Minor

A POCSO Court in West Bengal has sentenced a man accused of raping and murdering a nine-year old minor girl in Jaynagar, to death.Earlier the High Court had directed AIIMS Kalyani to conduct the post-mortem of the minor after allegations were raised about the conduct of the process.The news of accused Mostakin Sardar being sentenced to death was shared by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and...

Supreme Court Initiates Suo Motu Case On Adverse Effects Of Stay Orders On Criminal Trials

The Supreme Court has initiated a suo motu case regarding the adverse effect of stay orders passed by appellate courts on criminal trials.A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar will hear the suo motu case on Monday (December 9).The case is titled "In Re : Adverse Effect of Stay Orders Granted By Appellate Courts On The Pace Of Trials, Despite Parameters...

Intent Of S.50 NDPS Act Is To Inform Suspect Of Right To Be Taken To Officer Who Isn't Part Of Search Party : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has observed that the intent behind Section 50 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 is to inform a suspect who is about to be searched of the right to be taken to a Gazetted Officer who is not part of the raid team."It is obvious that the intent behind the provision is to ensure that the person about to be searched is made aware of the option to be...

Supreme Court To Hear Jharkhand IAS Officer's Plea Against HC Refusing To Hear Challenge To ECI Direction For Disciplinary Action

The Supreme Court today issued notice on a plea involving the issue as to whether the Election Commission of India's direction to state government to take disciplinary action against a District Election Officer ought to be challenged before the jurisdictional High Court or the Central Administrative Tribunal.A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Pankaj Mithal called for the response of the...

Prosecution Can't Commence With Statement Of Co-Accused U/S 50 PMLA: Calcutta HC Grants Bail To Recruitment Scam Accused Sujay Krishna Bhadra

The Calcutta High Court has granted bail to recruitment scam accused Sujay Krishna Bhadra. Bhadra's firm was linked with transfer of proceeds of crime to M/S Leaps & Bounds Pvt Ltd, a company linked with AITC MP Abhishek Banerjee.Justice Suvra Ghosh granted bail and held: The case essentially hinges on the statement of the petitioner and the co-accused and recovery made pursuant to the...

Supreme Court Flags “Disturbing Features” In ED's Arrest Of Ex-IAS Officer In Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam

The Supreme Court on Friday (December 6) highlighted “disturbing features” of the arrest of former IAS officer Anil Tuteja by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case connection with the Chhattisgarh liquor scam andA bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih noted that Tuteja was taken by ED from the ACB office, interrogated throughput...

Sexual Harassment At Workplace | Supreme Court Issues Notice On PIL Seeking Security Of Tenure & Protection For ICC Members In Private Workspaces

The Supreme Court today issued notice in a public interest litigation seeking security of tenure and protection from retaliation for members of Internal Complaints Committees [constituted under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013] in private workplaces.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order, seeking response...

Supreme Court Grants Bail To UP Police Officers Convicted For Hashimpura Massacre

The Supreme Court today granted bail to the members of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel who were convicted by the Delhi High Court in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre case.A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice AG Masih passed the order considering that the convicts have been undergoing imprisonment for over six years since November 2018. The bench...

'Constitution Does Not Mention Cooling-Off Period For Judges Before Post-Retirement Appointments': Union Law And Justice Minister In Rajya Sabha

Responding to suggestions by Member of Parliament (MP) Raghav Chadha on the 'cooling off period' for judges post-retirement, the Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told the Rajya Sabha that the Indian Constitution does not mention anything about the cooling off period for judges.On Thursday (December 05), Chadha expressed that in recent years, the Supreme Court and High Court...

'Consequences Of Striking Down Places Of Worship Act Bound To Be Drastic' : Gyanvapi Mosque Committee To Supreme Court

The Managing Committee of the Gyanvapi Mosque has filed an intervention before the Supreme Court in the pleas challenging the validity of the Places of Worship Act 1991. It said that the consequences of the declaration sought by the petitioner that the Act was unconstitutional "are bound to be drastic."The lead petition (Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay v. Union of India) was filed in 2020 in which...

'Nothing Wrong In Having Political Ideology' : Supreme Court Dismisses Plea That Politicians Shouldn't Become Office Bearers Of Bar Bodies

The Supreme Court on Friday (December 6) dismissed a petition which sought directions that persons who are members of political parties should not hold become the office-bearers of Bar Associations and Bar Councils.A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan orally observed that there was nothing wrong in persons with political ideologies holding positions in the bar...