21 AAP MLAs face disqualification as President withholds assent to AAP Govt.’s dual office Bill

President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday withheld his assent to the Delhi Government’s dual office bill, as a result of which 21 MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party may now face disqualification. The parliamentary secretaries include Praveen Kumar, Sharad Kumar, Adarsh Shastri, Madan Lal, Charan Goel, Sarita Singh, Naresh Yadav, Jarnail Singh and Rajesh Gupta.The Constitution of India...

Bhopal gas disaster survivors petition White House and expect action against Dow Chemicals

Leaders of five organisations of survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal today announced the successful completion of the petition to the US White House in the matter of the criminal case on the disaster.The petition says as follows:“In 1984 a factory majority-owned by Union Carbide (UCC, a US corporation) leaked toxic gas in Bhopal, India, killing 8K-10K people instantly...

Petition filed in Gujarat HC challenging the Rules of the Vigilance Cell (Judicial Department), 1986 [Read Petition]

A Petition has been filed before the High Court of Gujarat, challenging the Rules of the Vigilance Cell (Judicial Department), 1986, formulated by the High Court under Article 235 of the Constitution of India.The Petition, filed by Taluka Court Advocate Mr. Mohammed bilal Gulam Rasul Kagzi contends that the High Court lacks the power to make such Rules, as the same are beyond the ambit of...

A Widow approaches Bombay HC urging to declare ‘building development fund’ by schools as illegal and unconstitutional [Read Petition]

A widow has approached Bombay High Court with a prayer to declare collection of ‘Building Development Fund’ by schools illegal and unconstitutional.Rita Pannalal Kanojia, who belongs to Schedule caste community, lost her husband who succumbed to cancer two years ago. Due to extreme poverty, she lost one of her children and she is presently looking after her three children with a meagre...

A Pregnant Student cannot claim any special exemption to appear for an examination: Kerala HC [Read Judgment]

“Strict adherence to course regulations, cannot be held to violative of preferential treatment to women under Directive Principles or in derogation of values of motherhood” said the court.The High Court of Kerala has held in Jasmine V.G v Kannur University and others, that a pregnant student, cannot claim any special exemption due to her pregnancy, to appear for an examination.The...

Bombay HC gives green signal to #UdtaPunjab with single Cut [Read Order]

Bombay High Court has directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to give fresh Certificate to the Film ‘Udta Punjab’ in Two days. The Court has directed to delete only one scene (actor Shahid Kapoor urinating). The Producer of the Film Anurag Kashyap had moved the Bombay High Court challenging the decision of Censor Board to make a series of cuts from the film."None can...

National Judicial Academy dodges RTI queries on Retreat of SC Judges organized in Bhopal

In response to an RTI application by a social activist, seeking details about expenses incurred on the Retreat of Supreme Court Judges organised in Bhopal in April in 2016, the National Judicial Academy has asked an RTI applicant to define certain terms used in the RTI application like‘ hospitality’ and ‘guest’.The RTI application was filed by Social activist Ajay Dubey. Following is...

MP Govt to challenge HC Judgment quashing SC/ST Reservation in Promotion before SC

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has told ANI that the Government will challenge the High Court Judgment which quashed reservation for SC/ST Communities in promotions in Government Service. He has also revealed that Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi will argue the case for the Government.It was on 30th April 2016, a Division Bench comprised of then Chief Justice Ajay...

Supreme Court Weekly Round-Up

SC restores Family pension to the Widow of CRPF constable In relief to widow of a CRPF constable who had remarried, the Apex Court  asked the authorities to restore the family pension to her, which was stopped pursuant to the High Court order in a Writ petition in which she was not a party.Mathura Violence; prayer for CBI Investigation rejectedSupreme Court of India on Tuesday refused...

Collegium - Government rift widening, says report

A news report published in The Times of India today says that the Supreme Court collegium has rejected all major proposals of the Government in drafting a new Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) to appoint Judges to the higher judiciary.The foremost of these proposals is that the criterion for selection of a Judge should be merit-cum-seniority. The collegium, on the contrary, appears to have told...

Ensure no encroachment of public roads is made in the name of religion, else face Criminal Contempt: Allahabad HC to UP Govt. [Read Order]

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Government and other officials, to ensure that no religious structure in any form, shall be allowed/ permitted to be raised on public roads which belong to State. The Court has also observed that and if any deviation or disobedience on the part of concerned officials is found in implementation of the directions issued by Court in...

Calcutta HC directs Magistrates to ensure that order for investigation U/S 156(3) CrPC must reach Police station forthwith [Read Judgment]

Calcutta High Court has directed Judicial Magistrates of the State to ensure that order for investigation U/S 156(3) CrPC reaches concerned Police stations forthwith, without delay, to avoid inordinate in starting police investigation.Justices Sankar Acharyya and Aniruddha Bose made this observation while dismissing acriminal appeal filed by a person convicted for rape.The bench observed...