Gratuity Is A Constitutional Right That Can’t Be Taken Away From Employee: Chhattisgarh HC [Read Judgment]

Gratuity is a property within the meaning of Article 300-A of the Constitution of India, the Bench said.The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that gratuity is a property within the meaning of Article 300-A of the Constitution of India and as such, it is a constitutional right which cannot be taken away except by the authority of law.A bench comprising Justice Sanjay K Agrawal and Justice...

High Courts Weekly Round-Up

Allahabad High CourtThe Allahabad High Court asked Uttar Pradesh state to ensure that guidelines are followed by the ‘anti-Romeo’ squads and law is followed.Bombay High CourtA day ahead of the BCI’s call for nationwide protest against the Law Commission’s suggestions for significant amendments to the Advocate’s Act 1961, the Bombay High Court on Thursday disposed of a PIL...

Centre Invites Comments On Draft RTI Rules, 2017 [Read Rules With RTI Activist's Comments ]

In a recent circular, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Department of Personnel and Training has invited comments on the draft RTI Rules, 2017. These Rules would replace RTI Rules, 2012.Suggestions from concerned stakeholders may be sent by 15th April, 2017, via email to Ms. Preeti Khanna, Under Secretary (RTI), North Block, at usrti-dopt@nic.in.The Rules add...

Objective To Introduce Online Admission System Can’t Be Overlooked: Delhi HC [Read Judgment]

The Delhi High Court, in Neeraj Kumar & others vs Venkateshwar Global School & Others, has held that “the stand of the Directorate of Education on the objective to introduce online system, to ensure fair, uniform, and transparent admissions under EWS/DG category, can’t be overlooked”.The writ petitioners had sought admission for their children for academic session 2016-2017.The...

MP HC Dismisses A PIL Filed By "Busy Body" [Read Order]

A division bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has declined to invoke writ jurisdiction to grant relief in a PIL terming the petitioner as a “busy body” not having a concern with the litigants who were allegedly beaten up by some advocates in the high court premises.The incident occurred outside the court room number 17 of the high court where some litigants were allegedly beaten...

“Data On Delayed Hearings In Delhi HC Show Alarming Proportion Of Adjournments”, Says Vidhi Centre For Legal Policy [Read Report]

Pervasive delay in courts is one of the biggest problems facing ordinary citizens. In India, delay tends to be blamed on judicial vacancies, and reforms focus on long-term measures to increase the number of judges. A new study by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, however, links delay to existing inefficiencies in court functioning, which can and must be addressed in the short-term.In...

Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2016 Comes Into Force From Today [Read Notifications]

The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2016 comes into force from today, i.e. April 1, 2017. However, the provisions relating to permission required to work from home (Section 3(5) of the Act), will come into effect from July 1, 2017.The Act had received the assent of the President on March 27, 2017 and it was notified in the official gazette on 28th March.But Section 2 of the Amendment...

Uttarakhand HC Declares Air, Glaciers, Forests, Springs, Waterfalls Etc. As Legal Persons [Read Judgment]

According to the bench, any person causing any injury and harm, intentionally or unintentionally to the Himalayas, glaciers, rivers, streams, rivulets, lakes, air, meadows, dales, jungles and forests is liable to be proceeded against under the common law, penal laws, environmental laws and other statutory enactments governing the field.One week after declaring rivers Ganga and Yamuna...

Not Covering Head With Pallu Is Not Cruelty Against Husband: Bombay HC

A woman cannot be expected to cover her head with a pallu in this century, the court said.The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has held that the act of not covering the head with a pallu and removing vermilion from the forehead or mangalsutra would not be acts that constitute cruelty within the meaning of the term, under the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act.In the 21st century, a man...

GST Registration Deadline Extended Till April 30, 2017

The deadline for Goods and Service Tax (GST) registration has been extended till April 30, 2017. Previously the deadline for migrating to GST was March 31, 2017GST is targeted to rollout by July 1, 2017 and will be game changing reform for the Indian economy and will reduce the cascading effect of tax on goods and service. Once GST comes into force, all goods and services will be taxed...

Kerala HC Dismisses Plea Against SBI-SBT Merger [Read Judgment]

The State Bank of Travancore is history now as the State Bank of India has acquired it with effect from Saturday (April 1), as last-ditch efforts in the form of a public interest litigation before the Kerala High Court against the merger went futile last week.‘Save SBT Forum’ and some others had approached the Kerala High Court last week, questioning the legality of acquisition of business...

BCI strike: AG Rohit Deo Resigns As Maharashtra Bar Council Chairman

The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa had made an appeal on March 27 to its members to abstain from work on Friday.This appeal came in light of the Bar Council of India’s call for a nationwide protest against the Law Commission of India’s proposed amendments to the Advocate’s Act.There was a mixed response to this call for abstention. While many lawyers chose not to attend court,...