Identity Of Even Dead Rape Victims Should Be Protected-SC Imposes Absolute Bar On Identity Disclosure

The Supreme Court today held that the identity of rape victims who have died or are of unsound mind cannot be divulged even with the consent of the parents. "The dead too are entitled to their dignity", the court expressed.The bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta lamented that victims of sexual assault are often subject to even worse treatment than the perpetrators themselves by...

UK Court Orders Extradition Of Vijay Mallya [Read Judgment]

The Westminister Magistrate's Court in London, United Kingdom, has ordered the extradition of businessman Vijay Mallya to India.Chief Magisrate Judge Emma Arbhuthnot accepted India's demand for Mallya's extradition on charges of fraud and money laundering.Mallya had earlier claimed that he had filed a settlement application in Karnataka High Court, seeking permission to liquidate his assets...

Benefit Of Doubt Arising Out Of Inefficient Investigation Must Be Bestowed Upon The Accused: SC [Read Judgment]

“The accused cannot be expected to relinquish his innocence at the hands of an inefficacious prosecution, which is ridden with investigative deficiencies.”The Supreme Court, affirming an acquittal in a murder case, has observed that benefit of doubt arising out of such inefficient investigation must be bestowed upon the accused.Four accused were convicted by the trial court for murdering...

SC Orders Status Quo On Allahabad HC Order Directing Removal Of Mosque In Court Premises

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered that status quo be maintained with regard to a mosque situated in the premises of the Allahabad High Court, which had last year directed that the structure be removed.A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government, Registrar General of the Allahabad High Court and others seeking their responses on a...

SC Asks To Produce Compilation Of Corruption Allegations Against Allahabad HC Judge

Agreeing to hear the matter post the winter vacation, the Supreme Court bench of Justices A. K. Sikri and Abdul Nazeer on Monday required a compilation of corruption allegations against Justice Ram Krishna Gautam, who was appointed judge of the Allahabad High Court recently, to be filed.The SLP preferred by “Progressive Lawyer Association”, a Meerut-based NGO, arises out of the decision...

State Amendments To Land Acquisition Act Adversely Affecting Land Owners And Farmers: SC Issues Notice [Read Petition]

The Supreme Court has issued a notice in a writ petition challenging certain amendments made by state governments to the Right to fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 and connected Rules.Advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the petition filed by Medha Patkar and other social activists, submitted before the bench comprising...

SC issues Notice On A Plea For Declaring Leader Of Single Largest Party As Leader Of Opposition In Appointment Committees

The Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul has issued notice on a PIL seeking declaration that wherever the appointing committee includes the Leader of the Opposition, the same may be read to mean the leader of the single largest opposition party in that House.The statutory appointing committees for the appointments of CBI Director, CVC, CIC etc has the Leader...

SC Dismisses Plea Challenging Dissolution Of J-K Assembly By Governor

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL challenging the dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly by Governor Satya Pal Malik."We are not inclined to interfere (with the decision of the Governor)," a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul said.The bench was hearing a PIL filed by BJP leader Gagan Bhagat, who was an MLA before the Assembly was dissolved.The...

Delhi HC Issues Notice On PIL Seeking Entry Of Women Into Nizamuddin Dargah [Read Petition]

Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to Delhi Government and Hazarat Nizammudin Aulia Trust, on a Public Interest Litigation  which seeks permission for women's entry  into the sanctum sanctorum of Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah.The plea was moved by a group of female law students from Pune, who on visiting the holy shrine in Delhi were aggrieved with ban on women entry.The Bench headed by...

Matters Of Train Timings/Connectivity Can’t Be Adjudicated In PIL: SC Sets Aside U’khand HC Order [Read Order]

“It is our considered view that matters of train timings and providing new train connectivity between two locations are essentially matters of policy, to be decided by the competent authority on a consideration of host of relevant facts and circumstances and further that such matters are not appropriate for adjudication in a P.I.L.”Setting aside a Uttarakhand High Court order, the...

Supreme Court Weekly Round-Up

Article 226 Can’t Be Used For Deciding Disputes For Which Civil And Criminal Remedies Are Available [Roshina T V. Abdul Azeez K.T.& Ors]The Supreme Court observed that a regular suit, and not a writ petition, is the appropriate remedy for settlement of the disputes relating to property rights between private persons.Even Heinous/Brutal Crimes May Not Be Rarest Of Rare [Sukhlal V. State...

Constitutional Morality A Dangerous Weapon, It Will Die With Its Birth: KK Venugopal

Attorney General KK Venugopal on Saturday reportedly expressed apprehensions about the use of Constitutional morality for testing the validity of laws.Speaking at the Second J Dadachanji Memorial Debate organised by ILA Pasrich & Company, Mr. Venugopal warned that this approach could have very dangerous repercussions.He began by tracing the history of “conflict” between the judiciary...