“Rising insecurity”: MP HC takes suo motu cognizance of a lawyer murder in Mhow, asks state to explain its stance about formulating a Witness/Advocate Protection policy [Read Order]

The High Court of Madhya Pradesh has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident which led to murder of Advocate Yogesh Garg. A bench of Chief Justice A. M. Khanwilkar and Justice Sanjay Yadav asked the state to explain its position as to whether it is or it is not in favour of formulating a protection policy, for extending protection to witnesses in sensitive cases and also to deserving...

Winter Session of the Parliament: Snapshot of the Legislative Agenda

The winter session of the Indian Parliament begins today. The legislative agenda includes 19 Bills currently pending in Parliament for consideration and passage. 14 new Bills are proposed to be introduced. Out of these one will also be taken up for consideration and passing.Two Bills will be withdrawn. These are The Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Bill, 2013 and The Atomic Energy...

Scribes who lost job after Bhushan's 'Essar leaks' have right to be heard: Supreme Court

The supreme court today agreed to give a hearing and accept detailed statements from several journalists who were asked by their organizations to quit after their names surfaced in “Essar leaks”.The court had earlier sought the responses of the Centre, CBI and the Essar group on a plea by noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan for a court-monitored probe into the “revelations” of the...

SC slams Maharashtra govt for not allowing reopening of dance bars despite its order

The Supreme Court today slammed the Maharashtra government for not complying its October 15 order to lift the ban on dance bars across the state and ordered it to grant licenses to 60 applicants before it within two weeks.“We remind that the state is obliged by law to enforce the order without any deviation. An order passed by court has to be respected..issue licenses to bars in two...

PIL alleges Foreign Funding law being misused to target NGOs, demands independent body; Delhi HC issues notice [Read Petition]

A Delhi High Court Bench headed by the Chief Justice has directed the Centre to reply on a Writ Petition seeking constitution of quasi-judicial tribunal to administer enforcement of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 in order to avoid the misuse of FCRA.The Petition has been filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms, and Dr. E.A.S. Sarma, former Secretary to the Government...

Compact Disc (CD) is a Document and can be admitted in Evidence: Supreme Court [Read Judgment]

Examining the definition of 'document' under Section 3 of the Evidence Act, a Division Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Dipak Misra and Justice P.C. Pant has held that a compact disc is also a document.Justice P.C.Pant, who wrote the Judgment held as follows;“In view of the definition of 'document' in Evidence Act, and the law laid down by this Court, as discussed above, we...

Nations should unite to Combat Terror, says CJI-designate Thakur

The Supreme Court today said coordination among countries was the need of the hour at a time when the world the faced unprecedented and the worst ever terror threat.A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur, the Chief Justice designate said this while refusing interim relief to a jailed French woman, facing extradition for her alleged role in the 1991 killing of a Chilean senator.“You know what...

Names of Holy Books cannot be claimed as Trademarks: Supreme Court [Read Judgment]

Upholding a decision rendered by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board, a Division Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice R.K. Agrawal recently held that names of holy or religious books cannot be claimed as trademark for goods or services.“There are many holy and religious books like Quran, Bible, Guru Granth Sahib, Ramayan etc., to name a few. The answer...

Plea in SC to re-impose ban on Maharashtra dance bars as it will increase “Crime and Prostitution”

More than a month after the Supreme Court lifted the ban imposed on dance bars in Maharashtra, a social activist moved the apex court today challenging the interim order.Vinod Patil, the President of R R Patil Foundation said staying the operation of 2014 amendment in the Maharashtra Police Act banning dance performances at bars and some other places would increase crime and prostitution...

Supreme Court agrees to hear PIL to End Criminalization of Politics [Read Petition]

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation which demanded immediate measures for curbing criminalization of politics and a direction to the authorities including election commission to comply with the law commission and apex court directions in this regard.“Electoral Reforms have been engaging the attention of the Parliament and Union Government for a long time. The...

CIC to consider feasibility of a ‘legal filter’ to sift out ‘needlessly repetitive and harassing’ RTI applications? [Read Order]

There is a need to consider the feasibility of having some legal filter based on objective criteria to sift out those applications that may appear to be needlesly repetitive and of a nature giving cause to allegations of harassment by the respondent, the commission said disposing of 3558 appeals preferred by Retd. IAF officer.Indian Air Force may be capable of defending the country from...

Bangladesh Executes Two Opposition Leaders over 1971 war Crimes after SC rejects Review Petitions; Justice Krishna Iyer and Bachan Singh Jt mentioned [Read Judgment]

Does Islam permit killing of those unarmed people? While awarding the sentence, the Court must take into consideration the unbearable pains, tears rolling down the cheeks and sufferings of the widows and children of the victims who cried for getting justice for about 43 years, the four Judges bench said, affirming the death sentenceTwo top opposition leaders of Bangladesh who were involved in...