Centre Defends Child Marriage Exception To Rape In Supreme Court [Read The Written Submission]

Senior counsel for the Central Government, Rana Mukherjee today concluded his submissions before the Supreme Court bench of Justices Madan B.Lokur and  Deepak Gupta, defending the retention of Exception 2 to Section 375 Indian Penal Code on the ground that Parliament was conscious of its social obligation.Mukherjee referred to both the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act,...

SC Goads Government To Disclose Information About Inquiries Against MPs Who Amassed Disproportionate Wealth

The Supreme Court bench of Justices J.Chelameswar and S.Abdul Nazeer today directed the Central Government to file a fresh affidavit with information about the results of inquiry by Central Board of Direct Taxes against Members of Parliament who amassed disproportionate wealth.  The direction was issued when the bench expressed its dissatisfaction with the vague affidavit filed by the...

SC's Privacy Judgment Casts Its Shadow Over WhatsApp's Data Sharing Policy Case [Read Order]

The WhatsApp Case, being heard by the five-Judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, took an interesting turn today, with the Court and the counsel examining the impact of the recent landmark privacy judgment of the Court on the proceedings.At the outset, Madhavi Divan, counsel for the appellant, referred to the paragraphs in the privacy judgment, which have relevance in the...

Formulate Plan For Speedy Disposal And Use Of ADR By Consumer Fora: SC To NCDRC [Read Order]

The Supreme Court, last week, issued directions to ensure speedy resolution of disputes and utilization of alternate dispute resolution mechanisms by the consumer fora.In order to achieve the object of providing speedy remedy to a consumer, the Bench comprising Justice A.K. Goel and Justice U.U. Lalit opined that steps can be taken under Section 24B of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986....

Look Into MoEF Report; Suggest Ways To Monitor And Improve Forest Cover: SC To Amicus Curiae Harish Salve

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, directed Amicus Curiae Harish Salve to look into the status report filed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.“While considering the status report, learned Amicus should also give some suggestions on how to monitor the forest cover and to increase it, if that is possible,” it further ordered.The Bench comprising Justice M.B. Lokur...

SC Permits 13-Yr-Old Rape Victim To Abort 32-Week-Old Foetus, The Oldest So Far [Read Order]

Asking “how can such a small girl become a mother”, The Supreme Court today permitted a 13-year-old rape survivor from Mumbai to terminate her 32 week pregnancy.She is a class seven student.Considering all orders in recent times,this is  the oldest foetus permitted to be terminated by  the Supreme Court. The law does not permit medical termination of pregnancy beyond 20 weeks...

SC Refuses Urgent Hearing On Death Of NEET Student In TN

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to give an urgent hearing into the matter pertaining to the death of a NEET student in Tamil Nadu.Advocate GS Mani, a practicing lawyer in the apex court who filed a petition for a judicial probe into the death of student Anitha, mentioned before the bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra for urgent hearing of the plea.The bench, however,...

Killings, Violence In The Name Of Cow Vigilantism Must Stop: SC [Read Order]

Mincing no words, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra today said all killings and violence in the name of cow vigilantism must end and people shall not be allowed to take law into their hands.After hearing senior advocate Indira Jaising who appeared for Tushar Gandhi, one of the petitioner seeking action against cow vigilantism, and social activist Tehseen Poonawalah's lawyer, CJI...

Law Ministry Opposes Express Recognition Of Transgenders For Endowment Of Labour Rights

In a judgment that was hailed as being progressive throughout, the Supreme Court had in the case of National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India directed the Transgender community to be formally recognized as the third sex and also to avail the benefits of socially and economically Backward Communities. However, in a proposal that seems to be a step in the backward direction, the...

Supreme Court Modifies The Order Cancelling Appointments Of Law Officers Of Maharashtra Government [Read Judgment]

The appointments of some law officers of  Maharashtra Government were cancelled by the Government on 28.08.2015. The cancellation was done under the powers of Rule 30(5) of the Maharashtra Law Officers (Appointments, Conditions of Service and Remuneration) Rules 1984. The said Rule enabled the Government to terminate the appointment of a law officer if he is guilty of any act or conduct...

Marriage With Minor Need Not Mean Sex With Her: Supreme Court

As the Supreme Court continued to hear counsel on the consequences of striking down the child marriage exception to rape, the two Judge bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta put pointed questions to them on the implications of various options before the bench.  Towards the end of  today's proceedings, Justice Lokur observed that a minor wife may not take the trouble of voiding...

SC To Examine If CVC, VC Appointees Are Of Impeccable Integrity, Centre Defends Appointments

Defending the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) KV Chaudhary and Vigilance Commissioner (VC) TM Bhasin, the Centre told the Supreme Court that the appointments were done by the selection committee and there is no scope for judicial review.Appearing for the government, Attorney General for India told the bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra that the selection committee...