Madras HC strikes down key provisions of IPAB as unconstitutional [Read the Judgment]

A Madras High Court bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishen Kaul has declared the critical provisions of the Trademarks Act providing for the establishment of the IPAB (Intellectual Property Appellate Board) as unconstitutional.According to SpicyIP report, the Court held the section providing for Indian government officers (ILS officers) to be elected as judicial members to the tribunal was...

Madras High Court rejects PIL on establishment of National Court of Appeals

Hearing a PIL filed by Advocate V.Vasanthakumar, the Madras High Court has held that establishment of National Court of Appeals "is a matter of legislation and Constitutional amendment. The representation of the petitioner having been examined and rejected, we are of the view that the petitioner cannot keep on agitating re-consideration of the issue again and again by filing the present...

Hitch for Rahul, Bombay HC dismisses Gandhi's plea in defamation case [Read the Judgment]

The Bombay High Court on tuesday dismissed Rahul Gandhi's to quash a criminal defamation case filed in 2014 against him.It is noteworthy that RSS had indicted Rahul Gandhi of criminal defamation charges following alleged remarks made by him regarding the involvement of "RSS member" in Mahatma Gandhi's assassination in an election speech made in Bhiwandi near Thane in March 2014.With a view...

35 Cases Filed against Companies in Coal Scam : CBI tells SC

The CBI had informed the Supreme Court that so far it had filed 35 cases against the coal companies and investigation was continuing  in respect of over 100 companies in the coal scam.The bench consists of Justices Madan B. Lokur, Kurian Joseph and A.K. Sikri for monitoring the probe in the coal scam cases. Senior Counsel Amarendra Saran, appearing for the CBI, made this submission before...

Delhi HC refuses to grant urgent hearing to PIL on ban on BBC's 'India's Daughter'

The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant early hearing to a public interest litigation on the ban on broadcast of BBC's documentary, India's daughter. The petition was mentioned before the Bench of Justices BD Ahmed and Vibhu Bakhru, which said, "It will be listed on Wednesday. Nothing so important, that it needs to be heard today."The PIL has been filed by two law students and...

SC Grants Student With Learning Disability With Provision of a writer

The Supreme Court of India rendered relief to a Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) student, Partha Vidhani, afflicted with learning disability to have the provision of a writer for his last two board examinations.On Monday, the apex court of the nation overruled the verdict given by the Bombay High Court. The HC on 25th February rejected the plea of the ‘slow learner’ from having a writer...

Supreme Court to hear appeal against Delhi High Court’s order regarding recalling of witnesses in the Uber rape case

The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear appeal against Delhi High Court’s order by which the High Court had allowed recall of 13 prosecution witnesses, including the victim. The High Court had also said that the cross examination be carried out on a day-to-day basis.The accused Shivpal Yadav had approached the High Court seeking the same, however, the High Court had said that any...

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...