Delhi Court Convicts Five In 2008 Journalist Soumya Vishwanathan Murder Case

A Delhi Court on Wednesday convicted five men in the murder case of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, more than 15 years after she was killed in 2008. Additional Sessions Judge Ravindra Kumar Pandey of Saket Court observed that the prosecution had proved its case beyond any reasonable doubts. The court had reserved the judgment in the case on October 13. Four accused persons have been held...

'Unbecoming Of A Judicial Tribunal' : Supreme Court Issues Contempt Notice To NCLAT Members For Passing Judgment Defying SC Order

In an unprecedented development, the Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 18) issued notices to two members of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to show cause for not initiating contempt proceedings against them for delivering a judgment in violation of a status quo order passed by the Supreme Court.A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justice...

Centre Appoints New Additional Solicitor General For Telangana And Karnataka

The Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has notified new Additional Solicitor Generals for the States of Telangana and KarnatakaThe Centre has appointed B. Narasimha Sharma, Senior Counsel and Kuloor Arvind Kamath, Senior Counsel as the ASG for the States of Telangana and Karnataka respectively. Senior Counsel B. Narasimha is a senior panel member for the department of...

Surrogacy | Notification Barring Use Of Donor Gametes Prima Facie Violates Married Infertile Couples' Right To Parenthood: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has observed that the notification issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, barring use of donor gametes for an intending couple wanting to undergo surrogacy, prima facie violates the basic rights of a married infertile couple to parenthood by denying them access to legally and medically regulated procedures and services.“Further, the Impugned...

Wife Not Knowing Cooking, Seeking Assistance Of Husband's Employer To Patch Up Strained Marriage Not 'Cruelty': Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that wife seeking the help of her husband's employer for patching up their broken marital relationship and to bring him back to normal life after finding out his issues, or her not knowing cooking cannot be grounds sufficient to constitute 'cruelty'.The Division Bench made the above observations in an appeal by the husband against the decree of restitution...

Right To Contest Election Not A Fundamental Right: Madhya Pradesh High Court Refuses To Suspend Conviction Of Youth Congress Member

Dismissing an application for suspension of conviction filed by an aspiring election candidate in the Ratlam (Urban) constituency, the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court observed that the power of suspension of conviction can only be exercised in the very ‘exceptional circumstances’.The court further observed that the appellant who claims to be an active member of the Youth...

Marriage Equality | 5 Reasons Why Supreme Court Didn't Include Same-Sex Unions Under Special Marriage Act

On October 17, 2023, a Supreme Court Constitution Bench unanimously held that it could not strike down or read down the provisions of the Special Marriage Act (SMA),1954 to include non-heterosexual unions within the ambit of 'marriage'. In doing so, the Supreme Court effectively denied legal recognition for queer marriages in India. Despite the Constitution bench having pronounced...

Supreme Court Collegium Recommends Appointment Of Five Advocates As Punjab & Haryana High Court Judges

The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the names of five advocates for appointment as Judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The names of the five advocates are Harmeet Singh Grewal, Deepinder Singh Nalwa, Sumeet Goel, Sudeepti Sharma and Kirti Singh.In its resolution passed today, the Collegium said, "On 21 April 2023, the Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana...

Differentiating Between Married And Unmarried Daughter In Compassionate Employment "Sexist": Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has found that the distinction between ‘married’ and ‘unmarried’ daughters for the purpose of compassionate appointment, as per Clause 9.3.3 of the National Coal Wages Agreement-VI is ultra vires and in violation of Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution.In dismissing the plea of the petitioners for compassionate appointment upon noting that the most...

‘Media Bound By Higher Standards Of Accuracy Than Ordinary Citizens’: Calcutta HC Issues Guidelines For Coverage Of Recruitment Scam Case

The Calcutta High Court has issued a set of guidelines for various media houses as well as investigative agencies, in particular, the Enforcement Directorate (“ED’”) in a plea by Rujira Banerjee, wife of TMC-MP and Recruitment-scam accused Abhishek Banerjee, seeking the Court’s intervention against ‘incessant media coverage’ of the case.Earlier, the Court had expressed...

Queerness Not An Urban, Elitist Concept: Supreme Court Declares

Stating that the court could not step into the domain of the legislature, the Supreme Court today refused to grant legal recognition for queer marriages in India. The Constitution bench pronounced four judgements– written by CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice SK Kaul, Justice Ravindra Bhat and Justice PS Narasimha respectively, with Justice Hima Kohli concurring with the view of Justice Bhat. In...

Sanction U/S 196 CrPC Not Obtained: Karnataka High Court Quashes Hatred Case Against Telangana Legislator Raja Singh

The Karnataka High Court has held that without the necessary sanction under Section 196 of the CrPC, the proceedings under Section 153A of the IPC could not continue, thereby clarifying that the absence of sanction was a fundamental defect in the prosecution.Justice M Nagaprasanna thus quashed the proceedings initiated against Telangana legislator Raja Singh Thakur and other accused for...