BCI issues show-cause notice to defence lawyers in December 16 gang-rape

The Bar Council of India has issued show cause notices to the two lawyers who had represented the accused in the brutal December 16 gang rape case, for making offensive and belittling remarks in the controversial documentary by Leslee Udwin.The BCI executive committee meeting found a prima facie case of professional misconduct against lawyers M.L. Sharma and A.P. Singh. Their licences may...

Law Commission suggests mixing of votes cast in EVMs

The law commission is on the verge of releasing a report to be submitted to the government where it might propose mixing of votes cast in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during elections.  This is in view to announce results constituency-wise rather than area-wise to avoid identification of voting trends in a specific area.The Supreme Court had earlier sought the response of the...

Delhi HC raps DU for its “step-motherly” attitude towards Faculty of Law

A Delhi High Court Bench comprising of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw on Wednesday rapped the Delhi University for their “step motherly” treatment towards the Faculty of Law, in view of the lack infrastructure and faculty recently pointed out by the BCI panel. The Bench expressed anguish over the University having a negative attitude towards CLC.“Most of those in the...

CIC directs Lieutenant Governor's Office to decide whether it wants to be a 'public authority' under RTI within 30 days

Central Information Commissioner, Prof. Madabhushi Sridhar, stated that the Commission requires the Lieutenant Governor's Office, under Section 19(8) (a) to inform and explain whether it wants to be a 'public authority' under RTI within 30 days.Prof Sridhar had earlier held that the Correspondence between Executive Head and a Political Leader regarding appointment of Chief Minister is...

Delhi High Court bans the telecast of India’s Daughter, BBC ignores the order

The documentary on the 16th December Delhi gang rape victim was upheld to be banned by the Delhi High Court on Wednesday for it showing the deceased victim and the women in general in bad portrayal by one of the convicts Mukesh Singh. Following the order, the telecast on the internet has also been banned. In the interview which forms the part of the documentary, he was shown to be making a...

Japan keen on inviting Indian Lawyers and firms to practice there; BCI studying the reciprocity of the proposal

The Union Law Ministry has passed on to the Bar Council of India, a letter written by Japan inviting Indian Lawyers and Law Firms to practice Indian laws on its shores. BCI is now studying the proposal to determine the extent of reciprocity on the offer."Yes, Japan has written to us. We are taking the issue of opening up our legal sector on a positive note, but on the condition that it...

Animal Welfare v Restricting a consumable food item; Beef Ban

President Pranab Mukherjee has assented to the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995, over 19 years after the Maharashtra Assembly passed the Bill during the BJP-Shiv Sena rule in 1995 and first submitted to the President for approval on January 30, 1996.. The President after signing the Bill sent it to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which then informed the Maharashtra Governor...

CIC directs furnishing of information regarding rape cases for research purposes, blocking names and other personal details

In a recent order, the Central Information Commission has observed that the records relating to rape victims cannot be totally blocked from sharing with for research purposes on the ground of personal information under Section 8(1) (j). CIC Prof. M. Sridhar Acharyulu observed, "When it is possible to separate information that can be given from that cannot be given, the PIO has to invoke...

Increase in Crimes Against Children

As per information available with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of 33,052 cases, 38,172 cases and 58,224 cases were registered under crime against children during 2011-2013 respectively, showing an increasing trend.The increase in registration of crimes against children can be attributed to the several measures taken by the Union Government along with State Governments /...

SC’s e-courts project demand for Rs. 2,700 crore awaits Government’s approval for 14 months now

The Supreme Court’s Rs. 2,700 crore e-courts project has still hasn’t kick started, even after 14 months have passed after the e-committee headed by Justice Madan B. Lokur submitted a 'policy and action plan document for phase-II of e-courts' to the Chief Justice of India. The CJI had approved it in January last year and sent it to the government for approval and release of...

BCI Panel recommends closure of DU’s Faculty of Law for lack of infrastructure, faculty, etc

The Bar Council of India has submitted its inspection report of the three Law centres in the Delhi University, recommending the closure of the three centres, in view of the unsatisfactory infrastructure and faculty.The Inspection committee comprised on seven members, headed by retired Rajasthan High Court Judge V S Dave, and included Vice-Chancellor of National Law University Ranbir...

False 498A Cases are on the rise

As per information provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of 10193, 10235 and 10864 cases of cruelty by husband or his relatives (section 498A IPC) were found false or mistake of fact or law after police investigation during 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively, showing a rising trend. Similarly, a total of 386, 339 and 482 cases of insult to the modesty of women (section...