Punjab & Haryana HC refuses to increase retirement age of Teachers beyond 60 years [Read Judgment]

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday ruled that the superannuation age for teachers of Punjab University and its affiliated colleges cannot be increased from 60 to 65 years, unless the Centre officially declares it a centrally funded university.“In conclusion, having considered all aspects and issues raised by the counsel for the petitioners, this Court finds that eventually...

Exclusive: President Pranab Mukherjee rejects mercy petitions of three more death-row convicts, taking his tally of rejections to 36

President Pranab Mukherjee rejected on August 7 mercy petitions from three death-row convicts, Shabnam, Jasvir Singh and Vikram Singh. The information about these rejections was uploaded on the website of the President’s secretariat only today.While Shabnam’s mercy petition was received in President’s Secretariat from the Ministry of Home Affairs, on March 31, those of Jasvir Singh...

CPCB opens Account for payment of 1% Green Tax for Diesel Cars

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has opened a separate Account in Union Bank of India for the payment of Supreme Court directed 1% Environment Protection Charges by manufacturers/dealers of Delhi-NCR, selling diesel cars with engine capacity of 2000 cc and above.Last week a special bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur allowed the sale of diesel cars with engine capacity of 2000 cc...

Social activists led by Jaising move SC seeking lifting of cow slaughter ban [Read Petition]

The first of its kind petition on the issue points out to one’s right to choose his food, supply of essential proteins and denial of access to cheap and nutritious food to lower socio-economic strata of society- predominantly SC/ST and Muslim communities.Thirty Maharashtra-based social activists have knocked the door of the Supreme Court through senior lawyer and former Additional...

Any guidelines prescribed for treatment in ICU/CCU?: SC issues Notice to Centre, States and MCI

The Supreme Court has issued notice to Central and State Governments and the Medical Council of India and sought to know from them whether there are any guidelines in place regarding treatment of the patients in the Intensive Care Units (ICU) or Critical Care Units (CCU).The Notice was issued on an appeal filed by Asit Baran Mondal, against National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission...

SC Constitution Bench to decide whether secrets behind Judges’ appointments can be disclosed

The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Prafulla C Pant and A.M.Khanwilkar, today referred to a five-Judge Constitution bench, the question whether the Apex Court is exempted from disclosing how it appointed its Judges under the Right to Information Act.The bench was reportedly of the view that a substantial question of law is involved, which requires it to...

SC seeks Gujarat’s response on defreezing of Teesta accounts

Shall social Teesta Setalvad’s accounts be defreezed? The Supreme Court today posed this question to Gujarat government and sought its response within two weeksA bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit was acting on the pleas filed by social activist Teesta Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and two NGOs challenging the freezing of their accounts by the Crime Branch of...

Disputes arising out of Trust Deed and the Trust Act cannot be decided by Arbitration: SC [Read Judgment]

Supreme Court of India Today held that the disputes relating to Trust, trustees and beneficiaries arising out of the Trust Deed and the Trust Act are not capable of being decided by the arbitrator despite existence of arbitration agreement to that effect between the parties.The Bench comprising of Justices J.Chelameswar and Abhay Manohar Sapre was considering the question, whether a clause in...

Gujarat HC partly quashes Ordinance that cancelled NRI quota in Medical Colleges [Read Judgment]

Gujarat High Court on Tuesday partly quashed a Government ordinance abolishing NRI quota in colleges offering medical courses in the State.The Bench comprising Chief Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi upheld the Ordinance to the extent that it abolished quota for “dependent” NRIs. It however quashed the Government’s decision to cancel quota for “genuine” NRIs...

SC issues notice in Appeal against Bombay HC Jt allowing possession of beef brought from outside state

Supreme Court today issued notice to the Maharashtra Government and Centre on an Appeal which challenged the May 7, 2016  Judgment of the Bombay High Court that allowed possession and consumption of beef brought into Maharashtra from outside the State.A bench of justice A K Sikri and justice D Y Chandrachud was acting on the plea was filed by the organization Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva...

Common Cause approaches SC against the misuse of Sedition Law [Read Petition]

A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court by NGO ‘Common Cause’ and Dr. S.P. Udayakumar (anti-nuclear activist against whom sedition charges have been made) seeking urgent intervention of the Supreme Court to address the misuse and misapplication of Section 124A (sedition) by successive governments leading to routine persecution of students, journalists...

The Principle ‘agent cannot be personally liable’ is applicable in proceedings under Consumer Protection Act also: SC [Read Judgment]

The Supreme Court Virender Khullar vs. American Consolidation Services Ltd., has reiterated that defence under Section 230 of Indian Contract Act, 1872 is available in the cases under Consumer Protection Act, 1986 by the agents of the principal with whom the complainant had the agreement.Section 230 of the Contract Act says that in the absence of any contact to that effect an agent...