Lawyers/Activists Seek Reconstitution Of Central Committee For Reforms In Criminal Laws In Accordance With Principles Of 'Participatory Democracy' [Read Letter]

A letter has been addressed to Prof. (Dr.) Ranbir Singh, Chairperson of the Committee for Reforms in Criminal Laws, raising strong objections to the constitution and the processes employed by the Committee, including the "rushed timeline" proposed. The letter has been penned by a group of lawyers, activists, social workers, counsellors, academicians, psychologists, policy...

'Pained To Observe That Dept. Of Legal Affairs Which Advises Ministries On Legal Matters Faulted In Recognizing The Basic Issues Pertaining To RTI Act': CIC [Read Order]

Pained by the "callousness" of the Department of Legal Affairs in abiding by the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the Central Information Commission on Wednesday instructed the authority to convene periodic conferences/ seminars to sensitize and educate its officials and ensure that they discharge their duties, effectively. The order was passed by CIC Bimal Julka in...

Draft EIA Notification 2020 : Karnataka HC Asks Centre To Consider Extending Time For Submitting Objections

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the Union Government to consider extending the time for submitting suggestions and objections to the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification issued on March 23. The last date for submitting suggestions/objections, as extended by the Delhi High Court, is August 11. The last date as per the original notification was June 30. A...

SC Adjourns Habeas Corpus Plea of Octogenarian Congress Leader Prof. Saifuddin Soz

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the habeas corpus plea filed against the Government of Jammu and Kashmir's detention order of octogenarian Congress leader and former Union Minister Prof. Saifuddin Soz, who has been under house arrest since 5th August, 2019. A Bench comprising of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and MR Shah adjourned the plea to July 29 on the submission of...

Most Provisions Of Consumer Protection Act To Come Into Force On 20 July 2020 [Read Notification]

The Central Government has issued a notification by which it appoints the 20th day of July, 2020 as the date on which the many provisions of the Consumer Protection Act , 2019 shall come into force. The following provisions will be coming into force with effect from the aforesaid date:Section 2 [Except clauses (4), (13), (14), (16), (40)] [DEFINITIONS]Sections 3 to 9 (both inclusive);...

Delhi Police's Press Note Publicizing Allegations Prejudices Right To Fair Trial, Argues Devanga Kalita As Delhi HC Reserves Order

The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved order in a plea moved by Pinjra Tod member Devangana Kalita demanding Delhi Police to withdraw its Press Note wherein Kalita has been alleged of 'actively hatching a conspiracy to cause riots in Delhi.' The Single Bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru reserved order by noting that the court is only concerned with the question as to whether the police was...

Karnataka HC Disposes PIL Against Closure Of OPD At Nimhans During Lockdown Period

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday disposed of a petition filed against closure of OP Department of premier mental health institution, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (Nimhans), Bengaluru. A bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice M Nagaprasanna was informed by the counsel for Nimhans that the OPD department was closed down for two months...

SC Adjourns Plea Seeking For Intervention In Spread Of COVID19 In Zoos

The Supreme Court adjourned a plea regarding concerns of spread of COVID-19 infection to animals in zoological parks and failure on the part of the Central Zoo Authority to notify the Centre of the absence of their inclusion in the list of "essential services". A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde heard the matter and, while adjourning it to be listed after four...

Interaction Between Admiralty Courts And Company Courts: A Critical Analysis Of Raj Shipping Case

On 19th May, 2020, a single judge bench of Bombay High Court delivered a judgment in the case of Raj Shipping Agencies v. Barge Madhwa ["Raj Shipping case"] . The court through this judgment answered two major questions of law with respect to interaction of Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act, 2017 ["Admiralty Act, 2017"] with Companies Act, 1956 and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 ["IBC, 2016"]. The questions answered were: [1] Is there a conflict between...

Bombay HC Disposes Of PILs Seeking Directions For Relief Against 'Inflated' Electricity Bills [Read Order]

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday disposed of two PILs seeking directions for relief against the allegedly inflated and exorbitant electricity bills received during the period of lockdown, between March and May. Division bench of Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Milind J Jadhav passed two separate orders disposing of the PILs but there were several common contentions raised by...

Bombay HC Rejects PIL Seeking Inclusion Of Services Rendered By Lawyers In The Category Of "Essential Services" [Read Order]

The Bombay High Court last Friday rejected the criminal writ petition filed by an advocate seeking declaration of services rendered by lawyers as essential service and thus exempt lawyers from restrictions imposed with regard to movement of traffic during lockdown. Division bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice Madhav Jamdar concluded that it was within the exclusive domain of the...

'It Would Be Impossible To Deal With Infection On Track' : J&K HC Directs Shrine Board, Govt To 'Urgently Decide' On Amarnath Yatra 2020 [Read Order]

The J & K HC on Tuesday required the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and the UT government to urgently take all decisions regarding the conduct of the Amarnath Yatra, in compliance of the top court's decision of July 13, taking into consideration all the relevant issues as also the several concerns.A division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sanjay Dhar specified that the...