Order on appointment of arbitrator in KG basin dispute reserved by Supreme Court

Supreme Court Justice SS Nijjar has reserved his order on the issue of appointing national or international arbitrator for adjudication of dispute between Reliance Industries Ltd and the Government of India over recovery of cost for developing the country's key natural gas field in KG basin.The apex court has asked Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and the Centre to suggest names of...

Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal gets a new Chairman

The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, which has been without a Chairman since April 2012, when Justice N.P. Singh resigned on health grounds from the post of Chairman, will soon get a Chairman. The Centre is likely to appoint Justice B.S. Chauhan, a Judge of the Supreme Court, as Chairman of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.On February 5, 2007, the tribunal had given its final award,...

Relief to a senior citizen as Supreme Court delivers justice after 23 years

Finally justice was delivered to a railway employee after twenty-three years when he was dismissed from the job for allegedly taking a tiny payment, which was less than Rs. 50, received for issuing fitness certificates to colleagues. A Supreme Court bench of Justices TS Thakur and Vikramajit Sen delivered justice to the man by setting aside the removal of the man, who is now 75 years old,...

Justice A K Ganguly's Resignation Letter

Here is the text of A K Ganguly's resignation letterDear Excellency,I would like to affirmatively say that allegations which are appearing against me in the media, both electronic and print, are unfounded and baseless and I deny the same. The purported recommendation to the Hon'ble President for my removal, are based on grounds, which, in my opinion, are untenable and misconceived.However,...

Demand by Law Minister to meet all District judges; High Court’s permission required, says Principal Secretary (Law)

Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs Minister Somnath Bharti soon after taking over office, has demanded for a meeting of all district judges in Delhi, a move which has been met with consternation within his department.The Principal Secretary (Law), A S Yadav who is a district and sessions judge on deputation to the Delhi government for at least 18 months, even wrote to the Delhi High Court...

Allahabad High Court seeks response from Centre and States on Government staff’s behavior towards common man

Considering a PIL filed by Naitik Party alleging that it conducted a survey which revealed that government employees especially cops do not behave properly with citizens, a Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has asked certain questions from the Centre and states that why are government employees not respectful in interaction with common man during duty hours.The bench also asked if...

In cases of Domestic Violence Act women could be made respondents: Bombay High Court

According to a Bombay High Court ruling, women could be made respondents in the cases under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence (DV) Act, 2005. While setting aside revisional court order, Justice Abhay Thipsay allowed the application of a housewife, but added that proceedings under the Act cannot be compared to a criminal trial.An application was filed by the housewife under Section 12...

Centre to be represented by new government advocate in Ram Setu case

After the recusal of Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhavan, Additional Solicitor General Paras Kuhad will be the new advocate who will represent the Centre in the Ram Setu case in the Supreme Court, making him the third advocate to represent the government in the case.Earlier, on account of father’s ill health, Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran had recused himself from this case. He had appeared in...

Law does not allow juvenile to be tried twice for the same offence: Centre to Supreme Court

A plea filed by the father of the December 16 gang rape victim that the Juvenile Justice Board cannot establish the juvenility of an accused which needs to be ascertained by a criminal court, got an answer, with the Centre informing the Supreme Court that the law did not allow the juvenile, convicted by juvenile board in the December 16 gang rape, to be tried twice for the same offence as...

Petition against State bifurcation quashed by Supreme Court

A Supreme Court bench of Justices H.L. Dattu and S.A. Bobde while dismissing a special leave petition filed by advocate P.V. Krishnaiah challenging the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into two States to form a separate State of Telangana, stated that until the Andhra Pradesh Assembly takes a decision, the Court cannot go into the matter as it was still premature.On the petitioner’s statement...

Private telecom companies' accounts can be audited by CAG, says Delhi High Court (Download Judgment)

A landmark ruling was delivered by a Delhi High Court bench of Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and V Kameswar Rao, which held that the accounts of private telecom operators can be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) under the relevant provisions of the law and allowed the top accounting body to conduct audit of private telecom companies under the Telecom Regulatory...

Supreme Court says it is no compulsion calling judges Lord, Your Honor

A Supreme Court bench of justices H L Dattu and S A Bobde while observing during the hearing of a petition which said addressing judges as "my lord or your lordship" in courts is a relic of colonial era and a sign of slavery, made it clear that judges should be addressed in courts in a respectful and dignified manner and it is not mandatory to call them "my lord", "your lordship" or...