Evasion of Stamp Duty; Offences under Penal Code are not attracted; Bombay HC [Read Judgment]

Bombay High Court has recently held that in view of the specific provisions in the Stamp Act in regard to evading of stamp duty and punishment provided for the same, general provisions of Indian Penal Code may not apply.The High Court was hearing a petition under S.482 CrPC, to quash the offenses punishable under Sections 119, 167, 418, 468,471 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal...

Bombay HC favours ITC Limited: 'Gold Flake' and 'Honey Dew' Trademarks infringed by rival

The Bombay High Court decided in favour of ITC Limited after holding that the smaller rival company NTC Industries, prima facie, infringed on the cigarette major's 'Gold Flake' and 'Honey Dew' trademarks.The suit is an action in Trademark and Copyright infringement combined with a cause of action in Passing Off.The High Court judgment was on an interim plea made by ITC in May last year...

Delhi HC quashes FIR and directs Accused to deposit Rupees 1Lakh in Welfare Fund for Children and Destitute Women [Read Judgment]

Delhi High Court in a recent Case quashed the Criminal Proceedings against the Accused on the ground of settlement between the parties and directed them to pay an amount of Rs.1,00,000/- in favour of "The Superintendent, 'Nirmal Chaya', Tihar Jail, Hari Nagar, New Delhi, Welfare Fund for Children and Destitute Women' within two weeks under prior intimation to the Investigating Officer...

Mere Pendency of an FIR is not a ground to withheld Passport; Punjab and Haryana High Court [Read Judgment]

Punjab and Haryana High Court in a recent Judgment (Daler Singh v. Union of India) has held that merely on account of pendency of an FIR in a matrimonial dispute, a passport cannot be withheld."The right to travel abroad has been recognized as a fundamental right by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. Accordingly only such restrictions can be imposed thereon as are authorized by law", held the...

Madras HC live telecasts court proceedings for the first time

For the first time in its history, the proceedings of the Madras High Court were beamed live today when contempt of court proceedings against two Madurai-based Bar leaders were taken up in connection with the anti-helmet rally taken out by lawyers in that city last month.Secretary of Madurai Bar Association A K Ramasamy and its President P Dharmaraj are facing contempt of court proceedings...

New Law on Anvil for Fast Track Arbitration in Order to Address the Stressed Areas of the Banking Sector; Finance Minister

The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley today said that the Government was working on a slew of sectoral reforms, including a new law on fast track arbitration, in a bid to address the stressed areas of the banking sector.Speaking at the 68th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) in Mumbai today, the Finance Minister Shri Jaitley said the Government was aware...

Single Judge of Kerala HC quashes Governor Sathasivam’s order as Chancellor of Agriculture University

The Kerala High Court on Friday set aside the order of the Governor P Sathasivam issued in his capacity as Chancellor refusing sanction for prosecution of P. Rajendran, Vice Chancellor (VC) of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) and others.Justice B. Kemal Pasha also directed the Chancellor to reconsider the matter de novo (afresh) in the wake of the documents produced by the petitioner. He...

BCI suspends 15 lawyers for “gross professional misconduct” for violence within Madras High Court premises

The Bar Council of India has reportedly suspended 15 advocates, including Secretary of Madurai Bar Association A.K. Ramasamy, and its president P. Dharmaraj, for allegedly indulging in violence in the Madras High Court. BCI has directed the Tamil Nadu State Bar Council to conclude the disciplinary proceedings initiated against them for “gross professional misconduct”, within a month and...

Kerala HC directs Govt. to ensure Compliance of Inland Vessels Rules [Read Order]

In a Public Interest Litigation, the High Court of Kerala today passed an order directing the Cochin Port Trust, State Port Department, and the Corporation of Cochin, Ernakulam, to ensure compliance of relevant safety provisions of Kerala Inland Vessels Rules 2010. The petitioner P.A. Jerald in the PIL which was filed with reference to the recent Fort Kochi boat tragedy which claimed the life...

Sessions Court has no Power to Order Investigation : Gujarat HC [Read Judgment]

The High Court of Gujarat Yesterday held that a Sessions Court has no power to order investigation, even when it exercises the revisional jurisdiction.The respondent lodged a private complaint in the Court of the learned Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Ahmedabad against the applicants for an offence punishable under the Indian Penal Code.The complainant prayed that the complaint be...

Ensure Flag hosting and National Anthem singing on Independence Day and Republic Day at all State Institutions: Allahabad High Court

A Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court has reportedly directed Secretaries of all departments of the State Government to ensure the hoisting of the national flag and reciting of the national anthem in all institutions controlled or aided by the state on Independence Day and Republic Day.The Bench, comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Yashwant Verma observed that hoisting...

Open letter from CIS to PM Modi on Intellectual Property Rights issues on his Visit to US

Centre for Internet and Society, through its Policy Director Mr. Pranesh Prakash and Programme Officer Nehaa Chaudhari has addressed an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the intellectual property right issues concerning his visit to the United State of America in September, 2015.The letter makes a two-fold request: first, that the Government of the USA be requested to ratify...