SC picks holes in Kerala’s liquor policy and asks if gradual prohibition will ever be possible

Makes it clear it cannot direct the state to grant liquor licenses to a particular category of hotels and can either uphold or strike down the policy as a whole.The Supreme Court on Thursday picked holes in the new liquor policy of Kerala, which plans to gradually moving towards prohibition, to confine liquor licenses only to 26 five star hotels in the state and asking the three and four star...

Uphaar Case: After Supreme Court refuses it permission to reopen arguments, CBI set to file a review petition against letting off Ansal brothers

Victims association to take a decision on filing review petition after consulting their legal team led by Senior Advocate K T S Tulsi.The Central Bureau of Investigation today decided to file a review plea against Wednesday’s “shocking”decision of the Supreme Court to let off  theatre owners Gopal and Sushil Ansal, convicted in the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire tragedy which claimed 59...

37% Judges posts vacant in 24 High Courts in India

With verdict on the National Judicial Appointments Commission still pending, a total of 384 posts in 24 High Courts of the country are vacant, being a clear indicator of the lack of manpower in the sentinels of justice across the country. The apex Court has 3 vacancies currently.The following graph shows the approved strength, the working strength and the vacancies in the High Courts across...

Calcutta HC lambasts BJP for suppressing facts in a Writ Petition

The Calcutta High Court, on Tuesday, came down heavily on Bharathiya Janatha Party for suppressing facts and producing a tampered document in a Writ petition filed by it, seeking transfer of a complaint about hate speech, from police to another investigation agency. Imposing a cost of 10 Lakhs while dismissing the petition, Justice Dipankar Datta held “petitioners ought to suffer...

Supreme Court upholds Bombay HC order of quashing 2013 Advisory by FSSAI [Read Order]

The Food safety regulator FSSAI plea against Bombay High Court order staying its 2013 advisory requiring manufacturers to take approvals for the products already in the market, was not entertained by Supreme Court today.  Dismissing the plea, Supreme Court bench of Justices J S Khehar and C Nagappan said “No ground for interference is made out, in exercise of our jurisdiction under Article...

SC panel's direction to all states - suspend driving license for a minimum of 3 months for traffic violations including over speeding and red light jumping

In a major step towards curbing road accidents, a Supreme Court appointed committee on Wednesday asked all the states to suspend license of traffic rule violators, even for over speeding and red light jumping, for a minimum of three months.The other violations listed by the panel headed by former Supreme Court judge justice K S Radhakrishnan include carrying overload in goods carriages...

1997 Uphaar fire: SC rules Ansal brothers - do not have to go to jail; let off with a fine of Rs 30 crore each for causing 59 deaths

Shocked kin of victims present in the court cry out in despair “the highest court of the land has let us down. Any amount of money cannot be a substitute for lost lives”, they said18 years after a massive fire at a theatre in New Delhi’s posh Green Park area snuffed out 59 lives, the Supreme Court on Wednesday let off cinema owners Sushil Ansal and his brother Gopal Ansal merely asking...

It is the woman to protect her body, dignity and modesty; HP High court gives Bail to Rape accused, Sermons to Victim

Himachal Pradesh High Court, while granting bail to a person accused of rape, apparently gave sermons to the victim on the need to maintain purity and chastity. Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, said “it is ultimately the woman herself who is the protector of her own body and therefore, her prime responsibility to ensure that in the relationship, protects her own dignity and modesty”. The...

7 Judge Bench of Allahabad HC restrains 6 Advocates from entering District Court premises

A seven-Judge bench of the Allahabad High Court has restrained 6 advocates from entering the Court premises of the District Court, after taking a serious note of the disturbance caused by these Advocates in the Court premises, by assaulting Judicial Officers and impeding Court proceedings.The Bench, comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Rakesh Tiwari, Justice Rajes Kumar,...

Court has a duty to respond to the collective cry of the society while imposing sentence; SC [Read the Judgment]

The Supreme Court of India has reminded the courts that while imposing sentence, a Court has a duty to respond to the collective cry of the society. The Apex Court said that the agony of the victim or the survivors of the victim cannot be brushed aside.The Apex Court in its seminal judgment said:“The legislature in its wisdom has conferred discretion on the Court but the duty of the court...

MHA recommends rejection of mercy pleas of two Death Row convicts

President Pranab Mukherjee has been reportedly recommended by the Ministry of Home Affairs to reject the petitions of two death row convicts.The death sentence for the convicts, Mohan Anna Chavan and Jitendra Gehlot, currently lodged in Maharashtra jails, was upheld by the Supreme Court and their mercy petitions were rejected by the Maharashtra Governor.Mohan Anna Chavan was awarded...

SC orders registration of all captive elephants in Kerala to make owners/mahouts responsible for cruelty, harassment

Supreme Court allows authorities to initiate criminal prosecution against person causing harm to the elephants and confiscation of the animal.In a major step aimed at cracking down on physical and mental torture they are subjected to, the Supreme Court in a first-of- its-kind-order on Tuesday ordered registration of all captive elephants in Kerala which are mostly used for religious purposes...