Suit cannot be rejected by trial courts for non-payment of court fee alone, says Supreme Court

A Supreme Court Bench of Justices S.J. Mukhopadhaya and V. Gopala Gowda has ruled that trial courts cannot reject a civil suit relating to property dispute for non-payment of court fees alone and that Article 39A of the Constitution [Directive Principles] is equally applicable to the district judiciary, and it is for the courts to ensure that justice is administered to people irrespective...

Response of states sought by Supreme Court on media briefing of criminal cases

While hearing a PIL filed in 2008 in the wake of media coverage of Aarushi and Hemraj double murder case in Noida in which the dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar are facing trial for the murder of their daughter and servant, a Supreme Court bench of Justices B.S. Chauhan and S.A. Bobde issued notices to all states and the union territories (UT) asking about the mechanism followed by...

Intern Sexual harassment Case-Delhi Police violates Lalita Kumari; Will the Supreme Court initiate contempt ?

The Delhi Police says they would proceed in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court in the NUJS intern sexual harassment case, in which former Supreme Court Judge and present WB Human Right Commission Chairman Justice A.K.Ganguly is allegedly involved.According to Hindu report ‘Delhi Police would proceed in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court in connection...

Supreme Court issues notice to Centre on Delhi gangrape victim’s plea

Besides issuing notice to the Centre, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice B S Chauhan also asked the Ministry of Women and Child development to file its response within four weeks on the issue of ascertaining the 'minority of an offender' in heinous cases, on a plea of the father of the December 16 gangrape victim that the juvenility of an accused needs to be determined by a criminal...

RTI applicant if denied information is entitled compensation under Consumer Protection Act

The Ernakulam Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (comprising its President A. Rajesh and members Sheen Jose and V.K. Beena Kumari) has passed a landmark order on a petition filed by D.B. Binu, General Secretary, Human Rights Defence Forum, holding that if an RTI applicant is denied information, it will be considered as deficiency in service and the applicant will be entitled to compensation...

Recommendation to Supreme Court to direct installation of CCTVs in all jails, lock-ups

An application has been filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of the amicus curiae in the matter D.K Basu vs. State of West Bengal & Ors., wherein the amicus curiae submitted that despite repeated judgments and directions passed by the apex court in a Writ Petition instituted on 20.08.1986, laying down various guidelines for prevention of custodial violence and custodial deaths,...

Book Release : "Choosing Hammurabi"

Justice Deepak Verma released the book "Choosing Hammurabi" edited by Advocate Santosh Paul and published by LexisNexis which debates on judicial appointment. Baroness  Usha Prashar, Chairperson of  UK's First Judicial Appointments Commission and  Member House of Lords, Fali Nariman, T.R.Andhiyarujina, former Solicitor General of India, P.H. Parekh, President, Confederation of...

Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, asking to frame guidelines to regulate TV content

A Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi issued notices to ministries of Information and Broadcasting, Law and Justice and Communications & Information Technology, asking the three central ministries and others including Press Council of India (PCI) to reply to a PIL filed by Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, a registered public charitable trust, through...

SC panel names judge accused of sexual harassment

According to court sources, the allegation leveled by a law graduate intern against a retired Supreme Court judge for sexual harassment which was being investigated by a three-member panel has given its report, identifying the judge as AK Ganguly. The sources have also informed that the report, submitted to Chief Justice P Sathasivam, also carries the statements of the victim, a young lawyer...

Live-in relationships not a sin; frame laws to protect women in such relationships, says Supreme Court

Expressing its discontent on the absence of any express statutory provision to regulate live-in relationships upon termination, since these were not in the nature of marriage and not recognized by law, a landmark judgment has been pronounced by a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan.The bench held that a live-in relationship is neither a crime nor a sin. It has asked...

Abu Salem sentenced to seven years in Jail in fake Passport case

After being convicted in fake passport case, a Special CBI court in Hyderabad today awarded 7-year rigorous imprisonment to extradited gangster Abu Salem.Abu Salem was convicted by the special CBI court on November 18 in a 2001 fake passport case. Judge MV Ramana Naidu held Salem guilty under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for obtaining a fake passport under a fictitious name...

Special CBI Court frames charges against retired District Judges in PF scam

A special CBI Court has framed charges of corruption, cheating and forgery against six retired district judges of Ghaziabad (between 2001 and 2008) in the multi-crore Provident Fund scam.  The CBI court has also ordered to begin trial from December 6th in the Rs 6.58 crore PF scam.Special CBI Judge A K Singh framed charges against six retired judges - R P Mishra, R P Yadav, A K Singh, R...