Supreme Court indicts non-cooperation of State Governments in drought relief [Read Petition]

According to several reports in the media, the Supreme Court bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and RK Agrawal disapproved strongly of the non-implementation of Food Security Act by certain States including Gujarat.“Is Gujarat not part of India? Is it not bound to implement an Act passed by Parliament?”, Justice Lokur reportedly asked the Solicitor-General, Ranjit Kumar in Court No...

Report of the Companies Law Committee

The Companies Law Committee was constituted in June 2015 for examining and making recommendations on the issues arising out of implementation of the Companies Act, 2013. The Committee submitted its report to the Government today.The Committee was chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and consisted of Shri Bharat Vasani, nominee of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII),...

Centre should consider recognizing LGBT community as a separate group for safeguarding their rights and must accord them special status: Madras HC

Providing its input on the existing debate on the rights of the LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders) community, the Madras High Court recently stated that the Centre must consider according LGBT community special status and recognizing them as a separate group for safeguarding their rights, including the right of privacy.“When more than 30 countries, including a conservative...

CIC raps CPIO and school principal for disclosing minor’s information under RTI; records contempt against applicant [Read Order]

The Central Information Commission on Monday came down heavily on the Central Public Information Officer, and the Principal of a school, for disclosing information of a minor to an applicant under the Right to Information Act.CIC Madhubhashi Sridhar opined that the CPIO of DDE had given all the information to the appellant, without following the process under Section 11 of the RTI Act,...

Ministry of Corporate Affairs: Notice inviting Comments on The Draft Rules of NCLT provisions under The Companies Act, 2013

283 Sections of the Companies Act, 2013 have already been commenced. Remaining sections related to functioning of NCLT/NCLAT and certain other authorities are yet to be notified.In view of the Supreme Court order dated 14th May, 2015, the process for constitution of NCLT/NCLAT has been undertaken and these bodies are likely to be set up shortly. Read the Judgement on LiveLaw.The Ministry...

High Courts Weekly Round-Up

Allahabad High CourtA Division Bench of Allahabad High Court recently dismissed a challenge to the addition of the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ to the Preamble of Constitution of the Country and re-emphasized on the secular nature our country.Bombay High CourtThe Bombay High Court in Shakil Ahmad Jalaluddin Shaikh vs. VahidaShakil Shaikh held that, mere existence of a document...

CMO is not post office to transfer RTIs : CIC [Read Order]

When Government formulated a scheme to give pensions to old aged widows and disabled persons below the poverty line and started paying pension, it is their duty to continue the payment or inform them pensions are scrapped as they do not afford to pay. Non-payment of pension and indecision about it reflects serious governance crisis. Mr. Charanjit Singh Bhatia asked regarding non-payment...

SC stays Criminal Proceedings against M.S. Dhoni in Lord Vishnu Ad case

The Apex Court on Friday stayed the criminal proceedings pending before an Andhra Pradesh court against ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in a case lodged against him for allegedly portraying himself as Lord Vishnu in an advertisement. Dhoni is currently touring in Australia in a five ODI and three T20 series against the hosts from January 12th to January 31st.A bench led by Justice Dipak...

No Promissory estoppel against State altering/modifying the benefit of concessional tariff: Supreme Court [Read Judgment]

Supreme Court on Friday, has held that State would not be estopped from altering/modifying the benefit of concessional tariff. Three Judge Bench of Apex Court comprising of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Arun Mishra and Prafulla C. Pant made this observation in M/s. Kothari Industrial Corporation Ltd. vs. Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. The Appeal was against the Order of High Court which had...

Delhi Govt. to scrap notification that made offences of obstructing, disobeying and threatening a public servant cognizable and non-bailable

The Delhi Government has decided to scrap the notification which declared the offences of obstructing, disobeying and threatening a public servant and criminal intimidation cognizable and non-bailable, reported Indian Express.Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been informed by the Home Department that the notification, issued in 2004, was against Parliament’s democratic intention in...

Delhi HC commutes death sentence of serial killer Chandrakant Jha to life term without remission [Read Judgment]

Delhi High Court, on Wednesday, upheld the conviction of Serial Killer ChandrakantJha. In three separate judgments, Division Bench comprising of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and R.K. Gauba, however did not confirm the death sentence awarded by the Trial Court, but sentenced him to life imprisonment without release on remission.The Court upheld the conviction holding that the Similar Fact...

CIC demands reply from NCERT on exclusion of National leaders like Bose, Vivekananda from NCERT textbooks [Read Order]

The Central Information Commission has demanded a reply from NCERT on the absence of information on national leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose and other revolutionaries from its text books.CIC Prof. M. Sridhar Acharyulu directed NCERT to explain the reduction of content on the life of Swami Vivekananda from 1250 words to 87 words in Class 12th textbook and complete removal of such content...