Prof. Shamnad Basheer awarded Infosys Prize 2014

The Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) has announced the winners of the Infosys Prize 2014 across six categories: Engineering and Computer Science, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences.Shamnad Basheer, Founder and Managing Trustee, Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access (IDIA), Bangalore and Founder – SpicyIP, India has been awarded the...

Ministry of Law and Justice gives a go ahead to formation of separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh

In line with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, the Ministry of Law and Justice has given a green signal to formation of a separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh.According to section 30 of the A.P.Reorganisation Act, 2014 (Central Act 6 of 2014) the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad shall be the common High Court for the State of Telangana and the State of Andhra Pradesh till a...

1993 Mumbai Blasts case: Justice UU Lalit recuses himself

Justice UU Lalit yesterday recused himself from hearing Yakub Menon’s plea seeking review of the Supreme Court order upholding his conviction and capital punishment in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.Part of the three judge Bench headed by Justice A R Dave, Justice Lalit said that he had appeared for some other person in the blasts case and thus recused himself from hearing...

Supreme Court asks Gopal Subramaniam to continue as amicus curiae in Padmanabha Temple case

After the erstwhile royal family questioned his report on Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in the Supreme Court, Amicus Curiae Gopal Subramaniam pleaded to be relieved as amicus. However, the bench of Justices T S Thakur and A R Dave turned down his plea and said, "Having done so much on the issue, we want and request you to be here,"Senior K.K Venugopal and Harish Salve appeared for the...

NUJS Molestation Case: Supreme Court sets aside Calcutta HC order

Siddharth Guha, former Assistant Registrar of NUJS approached the Supreme Court, challenging the order passed by the Calcutta High Court, which had refused to cancel his bail. The Supreme Court yesterday reportedly set aside the Calcutta HC order and directed that the matter be heard afresh.Guha was suspended by NUJS in July 2013, after an employee lodged an FIR against him at Bidhannagar...

Provisional Enrolment for fresh DU Law Graduates, says Bar Council of India

The Bar Council of India today allowed fresh law graduates from Delhi University to be provisionally enrolled as advocates. This comes after the law faculty Dean had written to the Bar Council of India, requesting it to continue the registration.Bar Council of India in September had declared Delhi University Law course as unrecognized and had said that the fresh pass outs were not eligible...

M.K. Mishra elected as Bar Council Chairman and S. Prabakaran as Co-Chairman

By a unanimous election on Sunday, the Bar council of India elected Mr. Manan Kumar Mishra as the Chairman and Mr. S. Prabakaran, as the Co- Chairman, in a meeting held in Cochin. Mr. Bhoje Gowda S.L. was elected as Vice-Chairman.Mr. M.K. Mishra has been a member of the State Bar Council of Bihar since 1987 and was the Chairman of the Bar Council of India for two years, since April, 2012. He...

Central Information Commission issues notice to six political parties

The Central Information Commission on November 3 issued notice to six political parties, i.e. BJP, Congress, NCP, CPI, CPI (M) and BSP based on complaint filed by Mr.Subhash Chandra Agrawal regarding non-implementation of CIC's order by which political parties were bought under the ambit of RTI Act.Earlier, notices were issued asking why an inquiry should not be conducted in the matter....

Legal Education: Judges express concerns

Expressing his concern regarding the standard of legal education in the country, Justice FM Ibrahim Khaliffulla speaking at a function in Chennai highlighted the role of Bar Councils in ensuring high standards in the profession.Reportedly, Justice Khaliffulla suggested some measures including, ‘quality legal education, eliminating unscrupulous elements from being enrolled as advocates,...

President Obama nominates Loretta Lynch as first black woman to be appointed as Attorney General

President Barack Obama is expected to nominate New York Federal Prosecutor Loretta Lynch as the first black woman to hold the position of US Attorney General. She will replace current Attorney General, Eric Holder, who is the first African-American occupying the post. Lynch will hence be Obama’s second trail-blazing pick for the post.Holder handed over his resignation in September after...

Married daughter of a deceased Government employee can be appointed on compassionate grounds: Madras High Court

Justice D. Hariparanthaman of the Madras High Court has ruled that a married daughter of a deceased government employee is eligible for appointment under compassionate grounds.The Court ruled, "There cannot be any discrimination between a married son and a married daughter. Making discrimination between a son and a daughter on the ground of marriage is arbitrary and violative of fundamental...

Alps Pharmaceuticals restrained by Delhi High Court from using the trademark Colispas

Alps Pharmaceuticals reportedly has been restrained by Delhi High Court from “manufacturing, selling, trading and marketing medicinal and pharmaceutical products under the trademark Colispas or any other identical or similar mark”.The High Court delivered the ruling on Wednesday while hearing a matter filed by Besto chem Formulations Ltd. As per reports, an inerim order was also passed in...