Bombay HC Cuts Short Sentence For Acid Attacker After He Marries Victim [Read Order]

The Bombay High Court recently cut short the life sentence awarded to a man convicted for throwing acid on his former girlfriend after it was informed that they had “amicably settled” the matter, with them having married each other.The order was issued by a Bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Sarang V. Kotwal, while hearing an Appeal filed by one Anil Shivaji Patil, who...

Why Should Advocates Be ‘On Their Legs’ In Courts: NHRC Asks BCI To Look Into Advocate’s Complaint

In legal language, an advocate is said to be “on his/ her legs” when appearing in a court of law.However, this practice of advocates being on their legs while arguing at the Bench left an advocate from Ludhiana wondering if there were any rules calling for such a practice which, to him, amounted to inhuman treatment of advocates.Hariom Jindal, an advocate practicing in district courts...

High Courts Weekly Round-Up

Bombay High CourtThe Bombay High Court rejected an application filed by an accused under Section 354 A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.While directing the Reserve Bank of India to consider the compounding applications filed by New Delhi Television (NDTV), the High Court observed that those in power and opposition should not...

Sathyasri Sharmila Becomes First Transgender Lawyer To Register With Bar Council Of Tamil Nadu And Puducherry

In a big win for inclusivity in the legal community, thirty-six-year-old Sathyasri Sharmila from Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district has become the first transgender lawyer to enroll herself with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTNP).Born as Udhayakumar, Sharmila walked out of her home at the age of 18, after her neighbours began ill-treating her. She then changed her name...

TN Medical Admissions: Madras HC Directs Production Of Aadhaar Card During Counselling [Read Order]

The Madras High Court last week directed aspiring medical students to produce their Aadhaar cards and photocopies of the same at the time of counselling, in a bid to counter forged nativity certificates.Justice N. Kirubakaran noted that several students were forging their nativity certificates, observing, “many students have applied for Medical admission both in Tamil Nadu as well as in...

Restricting Civil Partnerships Only to Same-Sex Couples Discriminatory: UK Supreme Court [Read Judgment]

The United Kingdom Supreme Court on Wednesday declared that restricting civil partnerships to only same-sex couples is “discriminatory”, and is incompatible with Articles 14 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).Article 14 of the ECHR provides that the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in the Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any of...

Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai Appointed Acting Chief Justice Of Sikkim High Court [Read Notification]

The Centre, on Friday, appointed Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai as the Acting Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court, with effect from 1 July. The notification was issued in view of the retirement of current Chief Justice Satish Kumar Agnihotri.Justice Rai did her LLB from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University, and enrolled in the Bar Association of Delhi in 1990. She was appointed as the...

Cannot Compel Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers To Promote Abortion: SCOTUS Stays California Law [Read Judgment]

The Supreme Court of the United States of America (SCOTUS) on Tuesday ruled in favour of a preliminary injunction against a California law that required all pregnancy centers, including pro-life ones, to post referrals to state-funded abortion providers and birth control resources, forcing them to promote services that violate their beliefs.The Court, with a 5-4 majority, ruled that...

Lok Adalat Doesn’t Have Power To ‘Hear’ Parties To Adjudicate Cases As A Court Does: Chhattisgarh HC [Read Order]

‘When the Legal Services Authorities Act refers to 'determination' by the Lok Adalat and 'award' by the Lok Adalat, the said Act does not contemplate nor require an adjudicatory judicial determination, but a non-adjudicatory determination based on a compromise or settlement, arrived at by the parties, with guidance and assistance from the Lok Adalat.’The Chhattisgarh High Court, in...

TN AG Issues Show Cause Notice To Disqualified MLA On Initiation Of Contempt Proceedings

Advocate General for the State of Tamil Nadu Mr. Vijay Narayan has issued a show-cause notice to disqualified AIADMK MLA Thanga Tamilselvan, seeking an explanation as to why consent should not be granted to a woman lawyer who wanted to initiate criminal contempt of court proceedings against him for having made “scurrilous and derogatory” remarks against Madras High Court Chief Justice...

Calcutta HC Orders Compensation To Trafficking Victim; Says Rehabilitation Not Dependent On Pace Of Investigation Or Trial [Read Order]

The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the State to pay compensation to a child trafficking survivor, rejecting the State’s assertion that she was not entitled to the same because the twin conditions of the accused not having been identified and the trial not having commenced were not satisfied in the case at hand.The petitioner, originally from West Bengal, had been trafficked to Pune,...

Any Citizen Can Approach Subordinate Court Concerned Seeking ‘Contempt’ Reference: Kerala HC Dismisses Adv BA Aloor’s Plea Against Contempt Proceedings Against Him [Read Judgment]

‘It is explicit, the reference court should make clear findings in respect to the nature of contempt. Therefore, the findings are prima facie opinion of the Sessions Court during the course of adjudication to decide, the nature of the proceedings to be referred as per Sec.15(2) of Act, 1971.’The Kerala High Court, dismissing plea of advocate Biju Antony Aloor, has observed that any citizen...