High Courts Weekly Roundup [March 22 – March 28]

Allahabad High Court 1. "Applicant In Jail Can't Be Left At The Mercy Of State": Allahabad High Court Expresses Displeasure At Non-Filing Of Reports In Time [Anmol Rastogi v. State of UP] A Single Bench of Justice Rahul Chaturvedi rebuked the Uttar Pradesh Government while noting that despite getting sufficient time, almost in every case, the AGA failed to...

Jarkiholi Sex CD Case : Victim Writes To Karnataka HC Chief Justice Seeking Protection, Court Monitored Probe

The victim in the alleged rape case registered against former State minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has written to the Karnataka High Court chief justice, seeking protection for her life and safety and also court's monitoring of the probe. The victim in her email said that Ramesh Jarkiholi was a highly influential person and has threatened her in public of going to any extent...

Political Leaders Should Show Their Statesmanship & Healthy Politics Rather Than Accusing Others Publicly: Madras High Court

Irrespective of the political affiliation, when a person raised to the level of the leader of a political party should show utmost respect to the others in public life. Of course, every citizen of a democratic country has freedom of speech, but at the same time such criticism should not exceed affecting the sentiments of others also: Madras High Court

[CLAT 2021] Deadline For Online Applications Extended To April 30

The Consortium of National Law Universities has extended the last day for submitting online applications for the CLAT 2021 examination to April 30 2021.The recent notification dated 25th March read thus:"The Consortium of National Law Universities has extended last date for COMMON LAW ADMISSION TEST (CLAT) 2021 online applications to Friday, April 30, 2021."The last date for submission of...

Kerala High Court Stays Election Commission Order Which Halted Special Rice Distribution Through Ration Kits

The Kerala High Court on Monday stayed the direction issued by the State Election Commission which stopped special distribution of rice to non-priority ration card holders(blue and white cards). The High Court noted that the decision regarding the special distribution was taken on February 4 before the election notification, and that auctions for the rice from Food Corporation of India...

Parallel Inquiry During Investigation/After Submission Of Final Report: P&H High Court Quashes Govt's Direction

In a significant ruling, the Punjab & Haryana High Court last week directed the police department of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh not to hold a simultaneous inquiry in criminal matters and further quashed the instructions of the Director Bureau of Investigation of Punjab issued in 2017. While declining the bail pleas of two accused in separate cases, the Bench of Justice...

'Proclaimed Offender' Declaration Under Section 82(4) CrPC Cannot Be Made Against Person Accused Of Sections 406, 420 IPC : Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that a person accused of offences under Section 406(criminal breach of trust), 420(cheating) and 120B(criminal conspiracy) under the Indian Penal Code(IPC) cannot be declared as a 'proclaimed offender' under Section 82(4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.The Court held that such a declaration can be made only against persons accused of the offences specified...

MP High Court Directs 'Mental Check-Up' Of Advocate Who Allegedly Sent Objectionable Birthday Messages To Lady Judge

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday (26th March) directed that a mental check-up of a lawyer be done, who allegedly sent objectionable birthday greetings to a Lady Judge on her official mail ID. During the course of hearing of his regular bail plea, the Bench of Justice Rohit Arya noted that the primary allegation against him was that he indulged in highly objectionable...

Surge In COVID-19 Cases: Bombay Bar Association Writes To HC Chief Justice Dipankar Datta Seeking Virtual/Hybrid Hearing

In view of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, the Bombay Bar Association (BBA) has written to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Dipankar Datta, to provide for a platform wherein court proceedings in virtual/hybrid format could be conducted. The representation sent to the Chief Justice states that several members of the Bar have contacted the committee members and...

Muzaffarnagar Riots: Court Allows Withdrawal Of Case Against UP Minister, MLA Sangit Som And Other BJP Leaders

Accepting the State Government's request, an MP/MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar on Thursday (25th March) allowed the withdrawal of case of inciting violence in connection with the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, in which, prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were involved. Significantly, the BJP leaders who were named as an accused in the infamous Muzaffarnagar riots...

Supreme Court 'Clarifies' Uttarakhand HC Directives For Streamlining Procedure For Withdrawal From The Prosecution

The Supreme Court has disposed a Special Leave Petition filed by Uttarakhand Government against certain directions issued by the Uttarakhand High Court for streamlining the procedure for withdrawal from the prosecution."If any aspect of the directions in the impugned order were to run contrary to the law laid down by this Court in the aforesaid judgments, naturally, the law laid down by...

Minor Contradictions Can Not Be A Ground To Discredit Witnesses' Testimony, Reiterates Supreme Court

The Supreme Court reiterated that only contradictions in material particulars and not minor contradictions can be a ground to discredit the testimony of the witnesses. The bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and R. Subhash Reddy observed thus while dismissing the appeal filed by murder accused against the Judgment of Karnataka High Court which had reversed their acquittal by...