Delhi HC Reduces Sentence For Man Convicted Of "Sexual Adventurism"; Says 7 Years Enough To Deter Him [Read Judgment]

The Delhi High Court recently reduced the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to a man convicted of concealing the fact of his first marriage, and thereby maintaining sexual relations with his "second wife" on that pretext.The Bench comprising Justice S.P. Garg and Justice C. Hari Shankar opined that the lower court had been "needlessly harsh" in awarding the sentence and that the order...

Have Issued Directions To Facebook, YouTube To Remove Fake Videos On Nipah Virus, Kerala Govt Tells HC

The Kerala Government has filed a statement in the High Court of Kerala informing that it has issued directions to Facebook and Youtube to take down videos spreading misinformation about Nipah virus. The statement was filed in the public interest litigation filed by two law students seeking directions to block access to videos which spread misinformation. The Joint Secretary to the...

There Can’t Be Wholesale Killing Of Sharks: Kerala HC Upholds Central Govt Notification Banning Export Of Shark Fins Of All Species [Read Judgment]

Even among the fish consumers, those that prefer shark meat are minuscule. So, to cater to the needs of such negligible consumers, there cannot be the wholesale killing of sharks. The culprit is finning, and the result is the species thinning, to the extent of disappearing—almost, the court remarkedThe Kerala High Court has upheld the Central Government notification that banned the export...

DC Federal Judge Refuses To Confirm Arbitration Award To Hardy Oil & Gas

The United State District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday refused to confirm the arbitration award which would have resulted in Hardy Exploration & Production (India) Inc (HEPI) returning to work in India's natural gas reserves.U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras asserted that U.S. policy respects rights of other nations to manage resources within their own territories....

Muck In Rivers: U’khand HC Stays All Construction Work Across State Till Debris Disposal Sites Are Identified [Read Order]

Taking strong note of the illegal and unscientific disposal of debris in river which in the recent past resulted in flash floods in the state wherein many lives were lost, the Uttarakhand High Court on Monday stayed all construction activities/widening of roads on the river banks in the state till the time agencies concerned identify muck disposal sites at least 500 metres away from the...

Delhi Govt. Bent On Treating Disabled As "Non-Existent": HC Prohibits Delhi Govt. From Acquiring Standard Floor Buses [Read Order]

Opining that the Delhi Government is "bent upon treating the disabled as non-existent, or, in any case not having any rights", the Delhi High Court has prohibited the Government from purchasing standard floor buses for the Capital, in view of these being inaccessible to persons with disabilities.The Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar observed,...

Haj Pilgrims Aren’t Consumers Of Haj Committee, Can’t Claim Refund, Says NCDRC [Read Order]

The Haj Committee of India, which makes arrangements for Indian pilgrims going on Haj to Saudi Arabia, renders services without any profits and therefore, the pilgrims cannot be said to be its consumers and cannot claim any compensation from it, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has held.“…the Haj Committee is rendering services without any profit motive and...

Madras HC Rejects PIL Against Movie ‘Irumbuthirai’ Allegedly For Spreading Misinformation About Aadhaar And Digital India [Read Order]

The Madras High Court recently dismissed a plea to stop the release of a movie titled Irumbuthirai which allegedly spread misinformation about the Central Government’s policy of Aadhaar card and Digital India.A bench of Justice V Parthiban and Justice PD Audikesavalu dismissed a PIL filed one N Natarajan who submitted before the court that certain dialogues in the said film are creating a...

Karti Chidambaram Gets Relief Against IT Dept Warrant After Midnight Hearing At Madras HC Judge’s Residence

The Karnataka Government formation controversy made the Supreme Court open its gates for a midnight hearing. The message sent across was that the gates of Justice should be open all the time for all citizens to raise their grievance.On Saturday night, following suit, the Madras High Court reportedly allowed a midnight hearing to Karti P Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P...

Kerala HC Turns Down Widow’s Plea Challenging Constitutionality Of Sect. 33(b) Of Indian Succession Act Providing 50% Share Of Deceased Husband’s Property To His Kin [Read Judgment]

The provisions of the [Indian Succession] Act, 1925 have withstood the test of time without much amendment, the court said.The Kerala High Court has turned down a widow’s plea challenging the constitutionality of Section 33(b) of the Indian Succession Act which provides 50 percent of deceased husband’s property to those who are kindred to him.Philomina had approached the high...

‘WhatsApp/Facebook Hartal’ Call To Protest Kathua Rape’: Kerala HC Denies Anticipatory Bail To 5 Accused [Read Order]

The Kerala High Court, on Tuesday, rejected anticipatory bail plea of five persons apprehending arrests in connection with ‘Facebook Hartal’ to protest Kathua Rape Incident.Directing the accused to surrender, Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V observed that the hartal was declared ‘in a secretive manner’ and by abusing the ‘awesome power of technology’.Ashraf, Mahir, Ratheesh, Shamjith...

High Courts Weekly Round-Up

Bombay High CourtIn a significant judgment, the Bombay High Court held in a corruption case that death of the main accused does not mean abatement of the trial.Dismissing a petition filed by one Vikas Sawant, son of a retired Class IV employee at Government Central Press, Mumbai, the Bombay High Court held that direct recruitment to a government service bypassing the recruitment rules or...