High Courts Weekly Roundup [Jan 18 – Jan 24]

Summation of important High Court orders this week

Action To Be Taken Against Individuals/Organizations for Offensive Comments Against Govt: State of Bihar Issues Circular

The Bihar Government has issued a circular on Thursday (21st January) which states that individuals and organisations who post "objectionable and indecent" comments (online) against the State Government, Ministers, MLAs, MPs and officials could be booked under the IT Act and the Indian Penal Code. A letter to this effect has been issued to all secretaries of the Bihar State Government...

Education In The State Has Been Taken As A Business Or An Industry To Sell The Degrees: Allahabad High Court

"It is not unknown that education in the State has been taken as a business or an industry. It is to sell the degrees. It is required to be stopped," observed the Allahabad High Court on Tueday (19th January). The Bench of Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal made this observation while showing its displeasure over the move of...

Recovery Of Public Money Cannot Wait Indefinitely To Suit The Convenience Of A Particular Borrower: Calcutta High Court

Agreeing with the argument of the Counsel appearing for 'West Bengal Financial Corporation' (a financial institution), the Calcutta High Court on Friday (22nd January) noted that recovery of public money cannot wait indefinitely to suit the convenience of a particular borrower. The Bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya was hearing the plea of the petitioner, Brahm (Alloys)...

RTI- Husband Not Entitled To Seek Information Regarding Bank Details & Income Tax Returns Of His Wife: CIC

In a significant order, the Central Information Commission has said that a Husband is not entitled to seek information regarding bank details & income tax returns of his wife under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The Information Commissioner Neeraj Kumar Gupta observed that the filing of the Income Tax Returns by an individual with the Income Tax Department is not a...

Supreme Court Directs Delhi University To Declare 5th Semester Results Of Law Student Who Had Attendance Shortage Due To Pregnancy

The Supreme Court directed the Delhi University to declare the 5th Semester result of a law student who could not meet the requisite 70% attendance criteria due to her pregnancy.Ankita Meena could not obtain requisite attendance since she missed many classes during the 4th Semester due to her pregnancy. She approached the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the University to permit her...

Ganga Pollution: Allahabad High Court Seeks State's Response On Plea Alleging Severe Deterioration Of Water Quality

The Allahabad High Court on Friday sought responses from various State authorities in UP with respect to protection of river Ganga and the steps taken by it to ensure that the water quality of the river is not deteriorated. A Full Bench of the High Court comprising of Justices Manoj Kumar Gupta, Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar directed the concerned authorities to place the...

Madhya Pradesh State Judicial Academy Launches Legal Database Software 'Joti Journal'

The Madhya Pradesh State Judicial Academy on Thursday launched its own legal database software called "JOTI JOURNAL SOFTWARE" for use of judiciary. The software was inaugurated by Justice Mohammad Rafiq, Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court, in the presence of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajeev Kumar Dubey.The software covers nearly 10,000 judgments, 700...

'Reputation A Facet of Article 21' : Delhi Court Slams Media For Publishing News Against Umar Khalid Without Verifying All Facts In Riots Case

In a significant order, a Delhi Court has criticized media for publishing the alleged confessional statements of Umar Khalid in Delhi riots conspiracy cases, without clarifying that such confessions are not admissible in evidence."The news reports have only highlighted that accused Umar Khalid had confessed his involvement... However, none of the news item is shown to have made...

'Bordering On Professional Misconduct': Supreme Court To Proceed Against A Lawyer For Speculating About Outcome Of A Pending Appeal

The Supreme Court has pulled up a lawyer who, in his advice to his client, allegedly speculated about the outcome of a pending appeal before it.Prima facie, this, in our opinion, is bordering on professional misconduct and needs to be proceeded with, the bench comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar, BR Gavai and Krishna Murari said and directed the party to to file an affidavit and disclose the...

NCLAT's Chennai Bench To Commence Functioning From January 25 Through Virtual Mode

Over Ten months after the Central government constituted another Bench of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) at Chennai, the same will start its functioning from Monday (25th January 2021) through Virtual Mode. A notification issued in this behalf states that the filing of Fresh Appeals against the orders of the Benches of the National Company Law Tribunal...

Late Night Police Visits To Rowdy Sheeter's Residence Violates His Privacy: Telangana High Court

The Telangana High Court has held that Police cannot visit the residence of a 'Rowdy Sheeter' during late night hours as it amounts to intruding into his privacy.Thumkunta Madhava Reddy, a rowdy sheeter, had approached the High Court alleging that the Police enters in the midnight every day ringing the door bell/knocking the door, waking him up late night, thereby disturbing his sleep....