Capital Markets Regulator tweaks ESOP Regulations

The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) recently has introduced a slew of reforms including finalizing an easier set of regulations for employee stock option schemes that among other things would classify Employee Stock Options (ESOP) Trusts as a separate category of shareholding entities.This move has allowed companies to have employee stock option programs where they can buy their...

Big Relief for GMR: Arbitration award in favour of GMR

Indian Infrastructure Giant GMR Group has won the arbitration award against Maldivian government for wrongful termination of Airport project contract after a ruling by a Maldivian tribunal that ," the concession agreement (between GMR and Maldives) was valid and binding and was not void for any mistake of law or discharged by frustration."GMR Group is an infrastructural company headquartered...

CBI out, German Federal Police in: India's candidate Ranjit Sinha’s loses out in the race for Interpol Top Job

India is now officially out of the race for the Secretary General of the international police organization, INTERPOL with CBI Director, Ranjit Sinha losing to Jurgen Stock, a German police official.  The Secretary General heads the INTERPOL headquartered in Lyon, France, and is effectively the Organization’s chief full-time official. He is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day work...

Madras High Court directs Lower courts to take Affidavit of Secrecy from Videographers

Madras High Court on Wednesday directed lower courts to obtain affidavits of secrecy from videographers who record the statements of witnesses who cannot hear or speak. Justice P.N. Prakash reportedly emphasized on Section 119 of the Evidence Act, which makes it mandatory for the evidence of such people to be recorded through interpreters or special educators.The criminal appeal concerned...

Gujarat High Court orders Nanavati Mehta Commission to let the Intelligence Reports of the 2002 riots be examined

A division bench of the High Court of Gujarat has directed the Nanavati Mehta Commission, probing the 2002 riots, to grant permission to suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to inspect certain intelligence reports generated during the 2002 Godhra riots.The bench consisting of the Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice JB Pardiwala, petitioned by NGO, People’s Union of Civil Liberties...

New Syllabus for AIBE-VII Notified

The new syllabus for All India Bar Examination- VII has been notified by the Bar Council of India.It makes provision for topics such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Law, Public International Law and Cyber laws, unlike the past 3 years. The number of prescribed questions for Constitutional Law and CPC have been reduced from 10 to 5, making provision for the 4 new...

Notices Issued to the Government to Probe Deaths after Police Recruitment Drive

Bombay High Court Bench comprising of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sonak,  has converted a letter by All Maharashtra Human Rights Welfare Association, seeking directions for the State to stay the recruitment drive for cops and issue guidelines to monitor it. This letter came after four candidates died during the recruitment drive. Besides, several candidates were also...

Manali Tragedy: Hyderabad High Court rejects PIL to pass order against the Centre

Hyderabad High Court displayed its reluctance to pass an order against the operations being undertaken by the Centre, in order to recover the dead bodies of the 24 engineering students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad. The PIL filed by P.V. Krishnaiah, a practicing advocate of the High Court, contended that the non-deployment of defense forces,...

State MBBS Admission Rules Challenged before Gujarat High Court

Rules of admission in medical colleges for Gujarati students appearing for board exams in other states have reportedly been challenged before the Gujarat High Court by a serviceman’s daughter. These rules prescribe that a student who has cleared the board exam from outside the state cannot get admission in Gujarat's medical colleges through admission committees. While this rule was amended...

High Courts Weekly Round-Up

The Bombay High Court bench comprising of Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice P.D. Kode  observed that a mechanism should be developed to prevent custodial deaths and excessive use of force during interrogation.Justice G.S. Sistiani of the Delhi High Court has restrained Nutritious & Spreads from infringing the “Nutralite” trademark of Zydus Wellness Ltd, which sells a similar product...

Even Trivial Misconduct by Public Servant can be cause of Dismissal - Madras High Court

A Madras High Court bench comprising of Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice M. Sathyanarayanan on Friday declared that even a trivial misconduct by a public servant can be the cause of his dismissal. The amount of money involved or the gravity of offence shouldn’t play any role in determining whether he should be reinstated or not.Upholding the validity of the dismissal of...

Judge Sets Precedent; Recuses himself from Sagar Ghosh Murder Case citing ‘Personal’ Reasons

Justice Dipankar Dutta of the Calcutta High Court recused himself from hearing the infamous Sagar Ghosh murder case, citing personal reasons.The judge reportedly got emotional while leaving, expressing his anguish over Government’s role in higher courts, saying that, "I am extremely unhappy that I could not dispose of the case. I will remember it till the last day of my life." He said that...