Vimukta Day Lecture By Justice KV Viswanathan-Full Text

At the outset, let me convey my thanks to the Criminal Justice and the Police Accountability Project (CPA Project) for inviting me to share my thoughts on the 71st anniversary of repealing the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA). Even spelling out the name of this Act is very jarring. Through the course of this conversation, we will see how horrendous the Act was, which attributed criminality at the...

Motor Accident Claims : Supreme Court Directs States To Deposit Costs Towards Efforts Of Amicus Curiae

The Supreme Court recently directed all State Governments and Union Territories to deposit money with the Court's Registrar for the labour put in by the Amicus Curiae in a matter related to the implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles Act and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. The States were asked to deposit Rs. 30,000/- each while the UT's were asked to deposit Rs. 20,000/-. On two...

CJI DY Chandrachud Cautions Lawyers Against Resorting To Strikes & Boycotts

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud cautioned against lawyers resorting to strikes and boycotting courts. Issues could always be amicably resolved by discussion and co-operation between the Bar and the Bench, he said on Sunday (September 17) addressing lawyers at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar to mark the 75th Marathwada Liberation Day, also known as Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din.The CJI...

When UAPA Is Invoked, People Continue To Be Behind Bars Even With Little Or No Evidence, That's The Real Tragedy : Rebecca John

During a panel discussion held to mark the launch of the book, authored by Gautam Bhatia, ‘Unsealed Covers: A Decade of the Constitution, the Courts, and the State, Senior Advocate Rebecca John made strong observations about the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). She stated: “What is the problem with UAPA? I mean, there are many problems… the whole act is problematic...

“Law Of Wills”- Questions & Answers By Justice V Ramkumar [Part-XV]

ALTERATION OR REVOCATION OF PROBATE OR LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATIONQ.71 Can errors in a Probate or Letters of Administration be rectified ? Ans. Yes. Chapter 3 of PART IX of the Indian Succession Act deals with the alterations and revocations of a Probate or Letters of Administration. As per Section 261, errors in the names, descriptions or in setting forth the time...

Public Conversations About Judicial Ideology Necessary: Gautam Bhatia

During a panel discussion held to mark the launch of the book, authored by Gautam Bhatia, ‘Unsealed Covers: A Decade of the Constitution, the Courts, and the State’., Bhatia spoke about certain important issues in the Indian Judiciary including about the acknowledgment of judicial ideology. The panel also included Former Orissa High Court Chief Justice S Muralidhar, renowned criminal...

Basic Structure Doctrine Is Here To Stay, It Has Been Embraced By Other Countries Too : Senior Advocate Fali S Nariman

The basic structure doctrine has achieved constitutional permanence not only in India, but also in six other nations globally that have both acknowledged and embraced the principle of placing a restraint on the legislative power of constitutional amendment, renowned Indian lawyer Fali S Nariman, Senior Advocate, said on Friday. He also urged people to maintain faith in...

Are Orphans Entitled To Quota Under Right To Education Act? Supreme Court Seeks Responses Of Union, States

The Supreme Court on Friday (September 15, 2023), sought the response of the Union Government and all State Governments on whether Section 2(d) of the Right to Education Act, 2009, which defined the expression "child belonging to disadvantaged groups" could also include orphaned children. Schools are mandated to provide at least 25% quota for the 'Children belonging to disadvantaged groups'...

Bombay High Court Judge Recuses After Receiving Letter Alleging Bias, Orders CBI To Probe Sender

Justice Bharati Dangre of the Bombay High Court has recused from hearing a criminal revision application after she received a letter alleging bias but assigned reasons for her recusal and urged CBI action in a strongly worded order.“It was open for me to recuse, without disclosing the reason, but it is high time that some accountability is attributed to the disgruntled elements, who continue...

Manipur Violence | Supreme Court Issues Clarifications On Means Of Taking Statements Of Victims & Witnesses

In the matter pertaining to Manipur violence, the Supreme Court today clarified the means through which the statements of the victims and the witnesses were to be taken. The bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra issued the clarification in response to a letter received by the Supreme Court from the Manipur High Court seeking clarity in this...

Kerala District Judiciary Proposes To Change Sitting Time Of Courts

A proposal to change the sitting time of courts in the District Judiciary of Kerala is currently underway. The sitting time of courts in the District Judiciary is prescribed under Rule 9 of the Kerala Civil Rules of Practice (not later than 11:00A.M. - not before 5:00 P.M.) and Rule 5 of the Kerala Criminal Rules of Practice (10:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.). The Kerala High Court had also issued...

BREAKING | Bar Council Of India Offers To Hold CLAT, Says NLU Consortium Is A Non-Statutory Body

The Bar Council of India on Friday offered to conduct the Common Law Entrance Test (CLAT) for admissions to law schools. The apex lawyers' body said it has mechanism to conduct CLAT in multiple regional languages, as it did for AIBE (All India Bar Examination).The exam is currently conducted by the Consortium of NLUs on rotational basis. BCI said this arrangement amongst the national...