PMO urges Ministries to explore idea of clubbing Tribunals for efficiency

As per a note sent to all secretaries of the Union Government, the Prime Minister’s Office is planning to merge some National Tribunals into larger entities and ensure efficiency. This is also to avoid overlapping/ identical functions being discharged by these tribunals."The powers which are normally vested in the courts were conferred upon these tribunals for quick justice based on...

NALSA announces eight more National Lok Adalats in 2015

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has announced eight more National LokAdalats in 2015 starting from March 14, 2015 which will deal with Revenue, MNREGA and Land Acquisition cases. Thereafter, National LokAdalat will be held on April 11 which will deal with Labour and Family matters.NALSA has also scheduled a National Lok Adalat in May/June which will either be held on May 9, 2015...

Supreme Court accepts “unconditional apology” by N. Srinivasan

Managing Director of India Cements Mr. N. Srinivasan, offered an “unconditional apology” to the Supreme Court today. Srinivasan tendered the apology for chairing the meeting of Working Committee of the Board of Cricket Control of India on February 8, 2015. The Supreme Court on January 22, 2015 had found that Mr. Srinivasan had a conflict of interest.Hearing the matter, the bench of...

Parliamentary Standing Committee report on the Tribunals Bill suggests key changes; expresses concern over sad state of affairs in Tribunals/ Commissions

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has highlighted certain key changes in its 74th Report on the Tribunals, Appellate Tribunals and Other Authorities (Conditions of Service) Bill, 2014.The Bill intends to provide uniform service conditions with regard to retirement age, tenure of appointment, reappointment, housing allowance, travelling...

Mere extra marital relationship does not amount to cruelty, in the absence of other acceptable evidence to establish conduct to drive a woman to commit suicide: SC

A Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya has held that mere evidence of extra marital relationship cannot amount to cruelty. It observed, "Mere extra-marital relationship, even if proved, would be illegal and immoral, as has been said in Pinakin Mahipatray Rawal (supra), but it would take a different character if the prosecution brings some evidence...

"Section 494 (IPC) does not discriminate between an offender belonging to Hindu/Muslim/Christian male or female belonging to any cast or creed" says Kerala High Court

Hearing a public interest litigation which sought a direction to register case under Section 494 of the Indian Penal Code against all citizens who commit the offence of bigamy irrespective of their personal law, the Kerala High Court said that "Section 494 (IPC) does not discriminate between an offender belonging to Hindu/Muslim/Christian male or female belonging to any cast or creed"....

Government's plan to try juveniles as adults in rape cases rejected by Parliamentary Committee [Read the Report]

Government's plan to try juveniles as adults for committing heinous crimes such as rape and murder has seen thumbs down from a Parliamentary Committee. The idea, strongly proposed by women and child development ministry did not find favour with the Parliamentary Committee.Minister for women and child development, Mrs. Maneka Gandhi had earlier said, "According to police data, 50% of all...

Snapdeal and Ohmysecret.com taken to Court alleging sale of sex toys and accessories as being violative of Section 377

While hearing Supreme Court lawyer Suhaas Joshi’s complaint against Snapdeal and Chennai based Ohmysecret.com for selling sex toys and accessories, Metropolitan Magistrate Richa Gusain Solanki has directed the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sabzi Mandi police station to conduct the preliminary probe. This police station has jurisdiction over the Tis Hazari courts complex, where the lawyer...

Inter-departmental seniority & Promotional rights – length of service does not mean seniority inter se; Railways to prepare groupwise-gradewise seniority lists :SC

Dealing with a bunch of matters filed by the Union of India relating to a common question of law surrounding inter departmental seniority lists and right to promotion, a 2 judge bench of the Supreme Court upheld the appeals and set aside the impugned Kerala HC judgment affirming CAT's order directing Railways to promote the appellants.The bench comprising of Justices Anil Dave and Shiva...

Kerala High Court permits Bar Council to deal with the complaint against AG

Kerala High Court has vacated its stay order on the proceedings by the Bar Council of Kerala against Mr. K.P. Dandapani, the Advocate General for the State. Mr. Dandapani had filed a Writ Petition in the Kerala High Court, challenging a show cause notice issued to him by the Kerala Bar Council, on a complaint of professional misconduct. Interestingly Advocate General is an ex officio member...

Burden to establish disability to be unrelated to military service, for purpose of disability pension, lies on Government: SC [Read the Judgment]

Holding that the burden to establish a disability to be unrelated to military service or aggravated by it rests on the employer, a Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice R. Banumathi observed, "A soldier cannot be asked to prove that the disease was contracted by him on account of military service or was aggravated by the same. The very fact that he was upon...

Centre opposes Supreme Court’s framing of guidelines on government advertisements

The Union Government has opposed the framing of guidelines relating to government advertisements in the Supreme Court. The Attorney General for India Mukul Rohatgi submitted to the Apex Court that government advertisements should be handled by government only, without any guidelines made by Court. He said, "These are matters which should be left to the government and are outside the purview...