SC summons top Mumbai cop for non-issuance of license to dance bars [Read Order]

The Supreme Court today pulled up the Mumbai Police for not taking steps to open dance bars by issuing them licences as per its order six months back and also issuing a new controversial Act which imposed several more restrictions.The bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra besides asking the Deputy Commissioner of Police concerned to appear before it on April 25 also sought a compliance report...

Sabarimala: SC says constitution demands gender equality

Ban on entry or women cannot be bracketed with issues relating managing of religious affairs as gender equality is a constitutional message, the Supreme Court said today on the contentious issue relating to Sabarimala shrine in Kerala.“Gender equality is a constitutional message and they (temple management) cannot say that this (banning women) comes under their right to manage...

MCI not expected to approve application for establishing new medical colleges if ‘essentiality certificate’ is defective [Read Judgment]

Supreme Court has observed that the Medical Council of India cannot be expected to approve an application submitted by an institution, for establishing new medical college, if the requisite ‘essentiality certificate’ submitted along with it, was defective.The Division Bench comprising of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh set aside the Kerala High Court order wherein it had...

Kohinoor was gifted not stolen: Centre to SC

The Centre, in a surprising stand, today told the Supreme Court that it cannot ask UK to return the Kohinoor diamond as it was gifted to East India Company by Maharaja Ranjith Singh and not forcibly taken away or stolen by the British.A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur had on April 8 asked the Modi government’s Solicitor General Ranjith Kumar to clarify its stand on a public...

Supreme Court Judges’ Retreat: Is the criticism that those critical of the Government must also have been invited valid?

The 4th Retreat of the Supreme Court Judges at the campus of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, which concludes today, has drawn criticism that Judges are being exposed to only one school of thought on national security issues, and that the views of human rights defenders have been denied a platform before the Judges.Thus while National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, spoke at the...

CIC pulls up Bar Council of India for not complying with mandatory RTI requirements [Read Order]

Central Information Commission has pulled up Bar Council of India for not having complied with Mandatory RTI requirements. Information commissioner Professor Madabhushi Sridhar has directed the BCI Chairman to explain when they would be complying with 4(1) (b) on their official website.Section 4 (1) (b) of the RTI Act states that every public authority shall maintain 17 specified categories...

Supreme Court Weekly Round-Up

Refuses to quash cheque bounce case against Director of a companyThe Supreme Court has reiterated that a Director cannot get a Section 138 Negotiable Instruments Act complaint against him quashed under Section 482 of Code of Criminal Procedure, merely on the ground that apart from the basic averment no particulars are given in the complaint about his role. SC allows review of its...

SC decides to hear petitions on Saturdays

The Supreme Court of India has reportedly decided to work on Saturdays, with the Chief Justice of India determined to hear a batch of petitions challenging the order banning registration of all diesel vehicles above 2,000 cc across Delhi and National Capital Region.The petitions challenge the order opposing the apparent premise that diesel is a more polluting fuel than petrol. While...

Prior approval of Govt. necessary before retrenching Private School Employees: SC upholds validity of Section 8(2) of Delhi School Education Act [Read Judgment]

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court in Raj Kumar vs. Director of Education, has upheld the validity of Section 8(2) of the Delhi School Education Act which requires the managements of the private unaided schools to obtain prior approval for disciplinary proceedings against its employees.Division Bench of the Apex Court comprising of Justices V. Gopala Gowda and Amitava Roy said that...

Judicial Activism should not lead to the dilution of Separation of Powers ; President Pranab Mukherjee at Judges Retreat [Full Speech]

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Fourth Retreat of Judges of the Supreme Court at the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal today (April 16, 2016).Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated the Chief Justice of India and other companion Judges for organizing the Retreat which will provide a forum to discuss contemporary challenges that the country faces...

SC Judges Retreat: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval says national security should be a non-partisan issue, demands more cooperation from judicial system

Beginning with the three day judicial retreat, the Chief Justice of India and Judges of the Supreme Court of India were briefed for almost an hour on Friday, in a closed door session conducted by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.Mr. Doval reportedly sought “more cooperation” from the judicial system, in “speeding up” the judicial system, underlining that “national...

CIC upholds PMO’s decision dismissing RTI Application for copy of Justice Bhattacharya’s letter on then CJI Altamas Kabir [Read Order]

Central Information Commission has recently upheld the decision of Prime Minister’s Office dismissing an RTI Application seeking certified copy of letter addressed by former Gujarat Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya, to Prime Minister, making certain allegations against the former Chief Justice of India, Justice Altamas Kabir.The Chief Information Commissioner Radha Krishna Mathur...