In Re Bruno: Kerala High Court Stays State's Decision To Transfer Funds To Kudumbashree To Manage Animal Birth Control

The Kerala High Court on Monday stayed the decision of the State to transfer funds to Kudumbashree (a women self-help group) to manage animal birth control in the State. A Division Bench of Justice A.K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Gopinath P observed that before funds were transferred, it was pertinent to ascertain whether Kudumbashree was registered with the Animal Welfare Board, which is...

"Petitioners Are Merely Puppets At Hands Of An Unknown Puppeteer": Dismissal By Uttarakhand High Court For Abuse Of PIL Jurisdiction

The Uttarakhand High Court dismissed a petition purportedly filed for environment protection, for abuse of the PIL jurisdiction while noting it to be a highly motivated plea, filed at the behest of an unknown person or entity. A division bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma noted that the unknown person or entity is merely using the petitioners as a...

Is Identity Proof Sine Qua Non For Filing Accident Claim Under Railway Claims Tribunal Act? Delhi HC To Consider Slum Dweller's Plea

The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a petition filed by a roadside dweller, who had lost both his legs in an accident caused at Ghaziabad Railway Station, seeking directions on the Railway Claims Tribunal to consider his plea for compensation which was denied on technical grounds including that he did not possess a valid identity proof.Justice Rekha Palli issued notice to Union of...

Medical Practitioners Can Conduct Necessary Tests On Accused If There Are Indications Of Custodial Torture: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court on Monday clarified that the circular issued by the Director of Health will not preclude doctors conducting medical examinations of persons accused in criminals cases from ordering appropriate investigations as they deem fit if there are indications or complaints of custodial torture.Justice PB Suresh Kumar decided so while hearing a petition filed by a government...

Families Of Five Indian Seafarers Stranded In Iran Move Delhi High Court Seeking Directions On MEA To Repatriate Them

Families of five Indian seafarers, stranded in Iran despite their acquittal in a conspiracy case, have approached the Delhi High Court seeking directions on the Ministry of External Affairs to take up the issue with Iran Government and repatriate them.The plea additionally prays for directions on Centre for providing urgent relief in the form of sufficient medical and financial...

Law Of Ruler Instead Of Rule Of Law: NHRC Signals Police Complicity & State Apathy, Recommends CBI Investigation In West Bengal Post Poll Violence

According to the directions of a five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) constituted a committee for examining complaints filed by persons displaced during post-poll violence in West Bengal. Justice Arun Mishra, the Chairperson of NHRC, constituted a six-member team headed by Ravi Jain to examine all cases of post-poll violence received by NHRC...

Madras High Court Directs Schools To Keep Complaint Box While Upholding Conviction Of Pastor In POCSO Case

The Madras High Court last week upheld the conviction of a pastor under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for the sexual assault of a 12 year old student of CSI Hobert Girls Higher Secondary School. The accused pastor was residing in a house provided by the CSI Church situated within the confines of the school campus. Justice P Velmurugan also issued a host...

"Positivity Rate Is Extremely High": Gauhati HC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Second Covid Wave In States Of Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh

The Gauhati High Court has taken suo moto cognizance of the 'alarming situation' of the second covid wave prevalent in the States of Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh after observing that the positivity rate was extremely high in those places. A full judge bench comprising of Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, Justices N. Kotiswar Singh and Manash Ranjan Pathak took the suo moto cognizance...

'Master of Roster' Concept Not Equivalent To 'Master Of All I Survey': Calcutta HC Judge Questions Acting Chief Justice On Assigning Of Cases

Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya of the Calcutta High Court on Monday issued a strongly worded order objecting to the transfer of case from him to a Division Bench by the Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal. Addressing a pertinent concern, Justice Bhattacharyya observed that despite issuing specific directions vide the earlier order dated July 16, to list the instant matter as a priority on...

Patna High Court Confers Senior Designation On 16 Advocates, Only One Woman Finds Place In List

The Patna High Court has conferred senior designation on 16 advocates in the Full Court meeting held on Monday. Advocate Nivedita Nirvikar is the only woman who has been designated as a Senior Advocate in the list. The designation has been done in view of the "High Court of Judicature of Patna (Designation of Senior Advocates) Rules, 2019". The notice issued by Registrar General of the...

Bombay High Court Reserves Order on PIL Challenging Governor's Alleged Inaction to Decide on Nomination Of Members to MLC

The Bombay High Court on Monday reserved for orders a PIL challenging alleged inaction of the Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, in nominating members to Maharashtra's Legislative Council (MLC), despite the 12 names submitted by the Council of Ministers on November 6, 2020. During the hearing, the court repeatedly asked the Union if the Governor could escape from his duty by not...

Karnataka High Court Calls Upon NLSIU To Assist In Preparing Road Map For Providing Better Infrastructure In Govt Schools Across State

Dissatisfied with the way the state government intends to spend Rs. 100 crore budget allocated towards infrastructure development in government schools across the state, the Karnataka High Court on Monday issued notice to the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) to appear before it and assist the court in order to prepare a road map on the subject. A division bench of Justice...