High Courts Weekly Round Up [May 4- May 10]

Allahabad High Court 1) Allahabad HC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Unhygienic Conditions In Quarantine Centers [In-Re Inhuman Condition At Quarantine Centres And For Providing Better Treatment To Corona Positive Respondent] Taking suo moto cognizance based on an e-mail sent by a practicing Advocate of the High Court, a division bench comprising of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and...

Conduct Of Police Officers Raises Suspicions; Bombay HC On Plea Alleging Trade Unionist Illegally Quarantined Due To Animosity With Cop Not Of Covid-19 [Read Order]

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday observed that prima facie it appears that the President of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) was deliberately and malafidely sent to a quarantine facility due to his animosity with a Senior Inspector not on suspicions that he was Covid-19 positive, as contended by the police. Justice Revati Mohite Dere was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed...

"Police Acted Beyond The Powers":Kerala HC Stays Criminal Proceedings Against Children Below 7 Yrs Of Age, Accused Of Rape [Read Order]

Taking strong exception to violation of the Juvenile Justice Act in connection to a rape case where three children, below 7 years of age, have been roped in as accused, the Kerala High Court has stayed all the criminal proceedings and has directed the concerned authorities to forthwith put the case before the Juvenile Justice Board. The "startling" case was brought to the notice of...

Advocates' Clerks Association Moves Karnataka HC Seeking Financial Aid Amid Lockdown

The Karntaka State Level Advocate's Clerks Association, has moved the Karnataka High Court seeking directions to the State Government and Karnataka State Bar council to provide financial aid to its members who due to the closing of courts are left with no work and thus no source of income during the lockdown. The association has in its petition stated that "Larger number of clerks do not...

Will Not Insist On Fitness Certificate For Migrants Wanting To Go Home, They Will Be Examined At Embarkation Point; State Tells Bombay HC [Read Order]

The Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court on Friday that the state will not insist on a fitness certificate by a medical practitioner for migrant workers who intend to go back to their home state and are stranded in different parts of Maharashtra, instead these workers will be examined at the embarkation points by medical officers of the Municipal Corporation of...

Air India Employee Associations Move Bombay HC Against 10% Monthly Pay Cut During Covid-19 Lockdown [Read Petition]

Three employee associations of national carrier Air India have filed writ petitions before the Bombay High Court challenging the decision by Air India to impose a 10% cut in the monthly wage packet (allowances) of pilots, engineers and other staff members. The Indian Pilots' Guild, Air India Aircraft Engineers' Association and Air India Service Engineers' Association contended that the...

Delhi HC Further Extends The Interim Bail Granted to 2177 Undertrial Prisoners For a Period of 45 Days [Read Order]

In a suo moto matter, the Delhi High Court has extended the interim bail granted to Under Trial Prisoners (UTPs) for a period of 45 days in light of the continuing COVID19 pandemic. The Division Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh approved the recommendation given by the High Powered Committee wherein it was pointed out that the interim bail granted to...

After COVID-19 Outbreak In Mumbai's Arthur Road Prison, Several Prisoners Seek Release On Bail; Bombay HC Says Even Prisoners Have Right To Life

As over 100 prisoners and staff members of Arthur Road jail have tested positive for Covid-19, it has created a panic amongst the inmates, especially those with a medical condition like hyper-tension, diabetes etc. Justice Bharati Dangre on Friday heard several different applications filed by undertrial prisoners seeking bail on medical grounds. One of the accused who sought release...

Lack Of Legislative Competence: Kerala HC Declares Kerala Tax On Paper Lotteries Act Unconstitutional [Read Judgment]

The Kerala High Court has declared that the Kerala Tax on Paper Lotteries Act unconstitutional. The Act dealt with the levy and collection of tax on the conduct of paper lotteries in the State. The Single Bench of the High Court had upheld the validity of the Act by dismissing the writ petition filed by the State of Sikkim. One of the main contention in the writ appeal was that he...

CAT Jabalpur Bench Conducts Its First Hearing Via Video Conferencing [Read Press Note]

The Jabalpur Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Friday conducted its first hearing through Video Conferencing. This is the first instance that any Bench of the CAT has heard cases in the virtual mode. CAT's Principal Bench and all its branches across the country had been non-functional since March 20, due to the lockdown. In a statement issued last month, the CAT...

Social Distancing Norms Are Not Being Maintained In Night Shelters Set Up Outside AIIMS: DUSIB Informs Delhi HC [Read Order]

On Friday, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board informed the Delhi High Court that norms of social distancing are not being maintained at night shelters outside AIIMS. These night shelters are set up for persons who come from different regions to seek free treatment at AIIMS. The information was provided to the Division Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice...

Rohingya Refugees : Delhi HC Asks PIL Petitioner To Approach Nodal Officer With Grievances About Denial Of Ration, Drinking Water & Medical Aid

The Delhi High Court on Friday disposed of a PIL seeking seeking immediate relief for the Rohingya families living in three different settlements in Delhi (i.e. Khajuri Khas, Shram Vihar and Madanpur Khadar).The Court asked the PIL petitioner to approach the concerned nodal officer with the grievances regarding denial of ration, drinking water and medical aid.The Delhi Government informed...