Setback for Indian tax authorities as Bombay High Court stays MAT claim on Aberdeen Asset

Indian tax authorities suffered a setback on Tuesday in their efforts to impose the minimum alternative tax (MAT) on foreign investors, as UK-based Aberdeen Asset Management got a temporary respite from a tax bill it was served, with the Bombay High Court staying the tax department's order seeking minimum alternate tax (MAT) from the company.However, the court reportedly issued a stay on...

Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal get a breather as Competition Commission rejects charges

The Competition Commission of India has rejected the complaints filed against several e-commerce companies, which include Flipkart India Pvt Ltd, Jasper Infotech Pvt Ltd, Xerion Retail Pvt Ltd, Amazon Seller Services Pvt Ltd and Vector E-commerce Pvt Ltd.The Commission did not find prima facie evidence against Flipkart, Snapdeal, Amazon, Jabong and Myntra and its ten page order read,...

Government planning to make Law Commission of India a permanent body

The Centre has reportedly informed a Parliamentary Standing Committee that it is planning to turn the Law Commission of India into a permanent body, instead of reconstituting it every three years.Secretary P.K. Malhotra of the Department of Legal Affairs disclosed the plan when the demand for Grants to the Law Commission came up for discussion before a Parliamentary Standing Committee. He...

Top police official in Kerala allegedly caught red-handed while copying in LL.M. exam

A senior police officer in Kerala was allegedly caught copying at the Master of Laws (LLM) examination held at St Paul's College in Kalamassery, Kochi, on Monday.Inspector General of Police, T.J. Jose was allegedly copying from torn pages of guide books when the invigilator caught him. The invigilator thereupon proceeded to seize his answer sheets, along with the pages of the guide book...

Petition challenging differential compensation for male and female rape victims : Delhi High Court seeks response of Delhi Govt

The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi on a writ petition (criminal) filed by NGO iProBono through Advocates Diya Kapur and Tejaswi Shetty on behalf of a 13 year old victim of sodomy alleging discrimination between male and female victims of rape in the Delhi Victim Compensation Scheme.The 13 year old boy who was subjected to sodomy...

SEBI’s first visually impaired Grade-B Legal Officer, Mr. Rahul Kelapure’s expedition to success

“Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.” -- Mary Kay AshRealistically, a visually impaired person, suffering from the incurable disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa, would be expected to not be able to skim through documents at an ordinary person’s speed. But Mr. Rahul Gunwant Kelapure, who is presently...

SC Constitution Bench slams M L Sharma for filing plea on rubbish grounds, issues notice

Advocate M L Sharma was served a show cause notice today by a five member bench headed by Justice Khehar for making ‘scandalous’ and ‘irresponsible’ allegations in his PIL challenging the new law on appointment of judges for higher judiciary. The bench directed Sharma to respond within a week why he should not be "debarred" from filing any public interest...

Government considering appointing legal expert in each Ministry, web portal for centralized data of pending cases

In an attempt to reduce in-house litigation and conflict, the Government has reportedly decided to appoint a legal expert in every Department/ Ministry. This would enable the centre to decentralize availability of legal assistance by providing services of Indian Legal Service officers to each ministry/departments.The Law Ministry will only be consulted for ‘sensitive matters’ from now on....

NGT directs sealing of illegal and unauthorized water bore wells in Vasant Vihar

After banning diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old from plying on Delhi roads, the national Green Tribunal has ordered the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Vasant Vihar, to “seal all the water bore wells which are operating illegally, unauthorisedly without permission from the Central Ground Water Authority and are running the water mafia in that area.” The SDM was asked to comply...

Terror Accused can be booked under both MCOCA and UAPA ; Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court held that an accused can be booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) as well as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in cases of terror activities. The matter was heard by a division bench of Justices PV Hardas and Shalini Phansalkar Joshi. The bench set aside an order of the trial court which held that accused cannot be...

Cabinet approves Companies Amendment Bill, 2014: suggests doing away with declaration by company before commencement of business

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for moving of the following Official Amendments in the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2014 :-i. Doing away with the requirement for filing a declaration by a company before commencement of business or exercising its borrowing powers andii. rationalizing the procedure for laying draft notifications...

Raja Rajeswari becomes New York City’s first India-born woman Judge

After being sworn in as a Criminal Court Judge, Ms. Raja Rajeswari has become first India-born woman to be appointed a judge in the New York City. She took the oath of office at a ceremony held on Monday, along with 27 other Judges appointed earlier this month to the Family Court, Criminal Court, and Civil Court, which are part of the New York State Unified Court System.Currently, there are...