[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...

Kerala High Court Removes 'Tainted Officer Facing Charges' From Post Of Director Of Mining & Geology

Highest order of integrity also needed for person holding public post, apart from merit and ability, the HC said.

Section 138 NI Act - No Requirement To Serve Notice Under Certificate Of Posting; Service Through Registered Post Proper : Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has said that service of notice through a registered post is proper service of notice, under section Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act and there is no requirement to serve the notice under certificate of posting. A bench of Justice Ashok G Nijagannavar on March 1, while setting aside the acquittal order passed by the trial court against an accused...

Why No Special Masks For Hearing & Visually Impaired? Bombay High Court Seeks State's Response

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday sought the State's response on a PIL seeking uniformity in fines collected from mask violators or special masks for hearing and speech impaired citizens, to ensure ease in communication. A division bench of Justices SP Deshmukh and GS Kulkarni heard the PIL filed by NGO Lokshahiwadi Balasaheb Sarode Samiti Prabodhan Upakaram, which further...