Delhi HC quashes Delhi Govt order to conduct CAG audit of DISCOMs [Read Judgment]

In a major setback to Delhi Government, the Delhi High Court has quashed the order by the Governmentin exercise of powers under Section 20 of the CAG Act, asking the CAG to conduct an audit of the accounts of the DISCOMs. A Division bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice RS Endlaw quashed the order on the ground that reasonable opportunity to represent with regard to the proposal for...

Madrassa is a school and not a place of worship: Kerala High Court [Read Judgment]

The Kerala High court held that a Madrassa is not a place of worship and can function as a polling booth. Justice V. Chitambaresh dismissed a Writ petition filed against the state election commission praying to shift a polling station from a Madrassa.The court observed that Clause III (iv) of the hand book issued by the State Election Commission for the conduct of election to the local...

Eye treatment expenditure ‘personal’, deduction under section 37(1) not allowed: Bombay High Court [Read Judgment]

Bombay High Court held that deduction under section 37(1) of Income Tax Act cannot be allowed for expenditure on medical treatment of eyes for improving the vision as it has an element of personal expenditure. Upholding the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal  order of dismissal of claim, a division bench of Justices M.S.Sanklecha and G.S.Kulkarni  held that the expenditure incurred by the...

Pay Hike for Government Law Officers

On 1st October, 2015 The Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Legal Affairs released a notice with regards to the Revision of fee payable to various categories of Government Counsel.Retainership fees of the Attorney General, the chief legal advisor, the Solicitor General and Additional Solicitors General have been increased by 50%, according to the Notification.The fees of Senior...

SC reserves Order on Sadananda Gowda’s Appeal against Karnataka HC Verdict

A two Judge Bench of Supreme Court comprising of Justices Lokur and Bodbe, today reserved its order on the pleas filed by Law Minister Sadananda Gowda and a BJP MLA Jeevaraj against the Karnataka High Court verdict quashing the sanction of a five-storey building in Bangalore built in violation of rules. Activist Lawyer Prashant Bhushan appeared for Ms. Nagalakshmi Bai (who had filed the PIL...

Kerala High Court Lawyers moves Resolution against #NJAC Judgment

About Fifty members of Kerala High Court Advocates Association led by Senior Advocate K. Ramkumar have put forth a Resolution expressing their deep anguish and concern over the Judgement of the Apex Court in striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act (NJAC Act) and restoring the unconstitutional, undemocratic and opaque collegium system.“This Association expresses its...

Army man going on unauthorized leave can never be good soldier; can be discharged without notice: Supreme Court [Read Judgment]

Army personnel who go on unauthorized leave can never be good soldiers and there is nothing wrong in discharging such persons from force without issuing show cause notice, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday, in the case of Union of India & Ors. v Manoj Deswal & Ors.A Bench of Justices A R Dave and A K Goel upheld the Government’s decision to discharge an army man who went on...

Attempt to thwart rehabilitation of street dogs: Kerala HC issues notice to Maneka Gandhi

In a Writ Petition filed by Shri Sebastian Mathew alias O.M. Joy alleging that the licence issued by a panchayat to catch stray dogs for their rehabilitation was cancelled pursuant to a telephonic direction from the minister’s office, High Court of Kerala Single Bench (Justice V. Chithambaresh) issued an urgent notice to Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Maneka Gandhi by...

CIC Sridhar Acharyulu directs MoEF to compensate Environment Activist [Read Order]

The Central Information Commisioner Prof M Sridhar Acharyulu directed the Ministry of Environment and various public sector undertakings like ISRO and BARC to explain whether they have implemented the directions of the National Green Tribunal in protecting the Amrit Mahal Kavals grasslands in Karnataka. Mr. Acharyulu also directed the Ministry to compensate appellant by paying Rs 10,000 for...

Gujarat HC quashes FIR against Hardik Patel regarding Section 153A, 505(2) and 506 ; Directs investigation on Sedition [Read Judgment]

Gujarat High Court Yesterday quashed the First Information Report against Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel so far as it relates the offences under Section 153A, 505(2) and 506. The Court also directed the police to proceed with the investigation on allegation of Sedition [S.124A] since a prima facie Case is made out against him.“It is the fundamental right of...

Foreigners can no longer hire wombs in India: Centre tells SC

The Centre in a significant submission today told the Supreme Court that it has barred foreign nationals from commissioning surrogacy in India under its proposed Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Regulation Bill, 2014.The court is hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Advocate Jayashree Wad who said the country has virtually become a “baby factory” as a large number of...

High Court cannot reverse a Judgment without formulating a substantial 'Question of Law' in a Second Appeal; SC [Read Judgment]

A two Judge Bench of Supreme Court held that in no circumstances the High Court can reverse the  judgment  of the trial court and  the  first  appellate  court  without  formulating  the substantial question of law and complying with  the  mandatory  requirements of Section 100 CPC.The Bench was examining the question ‘whether the High Court was justified in passing the...