Lawyers' Reactions To Supreme Court Bar Association Imbroglio

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has suspended its Secretary, Ashok Arora, with immediate effect after the Executive Committee (EC) took the decision in a meeting convened earlier today. The tense equations within the SCBA came to the fore when Arora circulated a message amongst SCBA members, in an attempt to convene an Emergent General Meeting (EGM) on May 11. On the agenda was...

Vizag Gas Leak: 'Strict Liability' Or 'Absolute Liability'?

On Friday, the National Green Tribunal ordered LG Polymers to deposit Rs. 50 Crores with the District Magistrate, Vishakhapatnam, in connection to a major leak of Styrene gas from its polymer plant situated in RR Venkatapuram village.However, the NGT observed in the order that the situation attracted the principle of "strict liability"."Leakage of hazardous gas at such a scale...

[Breaking] TASMAC Moves SC Against Madras HC Direction To Close Liquor Shops

A day after the Madras High Court directed the closure of liquor shops in Tamil Nadu, the state-owned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation(TASMAC) moved the Supreme Court challenging it.On Friday evening, a division bench comprising Justices Vineet Kothari and Pushpa Satynarayana ordered the closure of alcohol vending outlets in Tamil Nadu till the lifting of lockdown, taking note of huge...

Plea In SC Seeks Direction To Allow Plying of Battery-Operated E-Friendly E-Rickshaws

The Supreme Court has been moved in a plea seeking a direction to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the state of West Bengal to consider allowing the plying of battery operated e-friendly e-rickshaws in accordance with law within a stipulated period of time. The petitioner Kanishk Sinha, a Kolkata-based entrepreneur and scientist, has contended that the impugned...

Despite High Court Direction, Trial Courts in Rajasthan Continue to Mention Caste In Orders

An order passed by the Rajasthan High Court on April 24 adjourning the hearing on a bail application had attracted public attention as the counsel in that case had appeared before the bench in "inappropriate" attire, via video conferencing.This news also brought to highlight a practice followed by the Court to mention the caste of the party in the cause title, which came under serious...

SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Uniform Welfare Scheme for Lawyers In Distress Due To Lockdown [Read Order]

The Supreme Court dismissed a petition which had been filed seeking for directions to the Government as well as the State Bar Councils to formulate a welfare scheme for lawyers who had been affected by the national lockdown imposed in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Filed by Advocate Abhinav Ramkrishna, the plea averred that the government was a mute spectator to the financial distress...

'Let the Govt. Decide': SC Dismisses Petition Seeking For Military Deployment For Proper Implementation Of Lockdown [Read Order]

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea who sought for deployment of military forces in each state for proper implementation of the national lockdown in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PIL had also sought for directions in laying down guidelines, devising strategy to protect the fundamental rights of the citizens by the Respondents. It further sought for the Central Bureau of Investigation...

Bois Locker Room Incident : Plea Filed Before Delhi HC For CBI/SIT Probe [Read Petition]

A Writ Petition has been filed before the Delhi High Court seeking for immediate arrest of all the members of the Instagram group "Bois Locker Room" and for directions for investigation into the same through the SIT or CBI. The petition, filed by Advocate-on-Record Omprakash Parihar and Dushyant Tiwari on behalf of Dev Ashish Dubey, refers to a series of screenshots which were posted...

Aurangabad Train Tragedy Could've Been Averted Had Arrangements For Migrants' Shelter Been Made : NHRC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and the District Magistrate, Aurangabad after taking suo motu cognizance of media reports about mowing down of 16 migrant workers by an empty goods train in the early hours today on 08th May,2020. The incident happened between Badnapur and Karmad stations in...

SC Imposes Costs of Rs. 10,000 and Dismisses Petition Seeking for Use of "Physical Distancing" Instead of "Social Distancing" [Read Order]

The Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking for directions for use of the term "physical distancing" instead of "social distancing" and imposed costs of Rs. 10,000/-. The plea, filed by Advocate-on-Record Satya Mitra on behalf of Shakeel Qureshi, and argued by Senior Advocate S.B Deshmukh, averred that states such as Uttar Pradesh and others were using the word "social distancing";...

Plea Challenging Levy Of Interest On Loans During Lockdown: SC Asks SG To Take Instructions From RBI , Centre [Read Order]

In a plea before the Supreme Court on Friday which sought to challenge on levy of interest on loan amounts during moratorium period as stipulated in RBI's March 27 Notification, the Centre stated that it shall obtain instructions.A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul & BR Gavai permitted Solicitor General Tushar Mehta time to seek instructions on the issue."Shri...

Women At Advance Stage Of Pregnancy Must Be Given Top Priority While Effectuating Cross-Border Evacuation: SC Tells Govt[ Read Order]

While hearing a plea on behalf of over 250 pregnant Indian women praying for evacuation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Supreme Court observed that women who are at the final stage of pregnancy (Third Trimester) must be given top priority for purposes of repatriation."The Government shall explore the question of further priority as per the specific cases of the petitioners and shall...