SC issues notice in 'Common Cause' PIL seeking quashing of Appointments of new CVC & VC

The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Union Government, new CVC Mr. K.V. Choudhary and new VC. Mr. T.M. Bhasin in a PIL filed challenging their appointments as being contrary to the directions issued by the Apex Court in Vineet Narain case (1998) 1 SCC 226 and Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) case (2011) 4 SCC 1.The PIL was filed jointly by the NGO ‘Common Cause’,...

A Citizen has the Right to have different Ideology, Belief and Point of view and it is the duty of State to protect it: Bombay HC [Read Jt]

"A dissenting view or expression cannot be always said to be against sovereignty of the nation.The terms 'against the nation' and 'against the government' are two different terms.”In a relief to Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand, Justice Mridula Bhatkar of the Bombay High Court has granted anticipatory bail to the couple, in connection with the case of alleged violation of the...

CJI Dattu hints a retired HC judge might probe complaints of sexual harassment at Aurobindo Ashram

The Supreme Court today hinted it might set up a commission headed by a retired High Court judge to probe into complaints of sexual harassment filed by women and child inmates of famous Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry against its members.Also to be probed are several other irregularities including misappropriation of funds. This comes at a time when several self-proclaimed godmen and ashrams...

Constitution Bench Reserves its Orders in Sriharan; Questions relating to “Life”, “Death”, “Mercy”, “Remission”, “Commutation” etc will be answered

The Constitution Bench of Supreme Court reserved its verdict in Union of India v Sriharan where in Supreme Court has considered the following main questions referred by a Three Judge benchThe following questions are framed for the consideration of the Constitution Bench:(i) Whether imprisonment for life in terms of Section 53 read with Section 45 of the Indian Penal Code meant imprisonment...

Petition in SC demanding guidelines for preventing Parliament disruptions

Amidst the disruptions witnessed in the Parliament, the Supreme Court of India has been approached by the Foundation for Restoration of National Values, asking if guidelines can be laid down for the smooth, unobstructed and unhindered functioning of the Parliament of India.The Petition says, “It is a matter of grave concern for the public at large, and for all right thinking Indians that...

Participating in Protest in front of a liqour shop cannot make one guilty of Criminal Offence, instead it is a Fundamental Right and Fundamental Duty; Madras HC [Read the Judgment]

The Madras High Court has directed the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to enrol a law student ,whose application was rejected on the ground of the pendency of a criminal case against him. The Court held that the mere fact that an individual is part of a group, which stood before a TASMAC shop and shouted slogans, cannot make them guilty of a criminal offence, the Madras High...

Agreement with consortium of banks: Stamp duty is payable on number of transactions, not instrument; SC [Read the Judgment]

The Supreme Court of India has held (Chief Controlling Revenue Authority vs. Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd. & others) that a security trustee agreement entered into by a borrower with one banker acting as security trustee for a consortium of banks, can only be regarded as a set of distinct transactions with each banker forming the consortium and consequently stamp duty would have to be paid...

Allotment of residential plots to Judges: SC stays Gujarat HC order; allows deletion of names of Judges as respondents

A Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice H.L. Dattu, Justice P.C. Ghose and Justice A.M. Sapre has stayed the Gujarat High Court order that had issued notices to 27 Judges (both sitting and retired) of the Court, the state Revenue Department; and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation among other government agencies, regarding the 2008 allotment of residential plots to sitting and...

Breaking; Madras HC quashes Bar Council of India notification relaxing the age limit for Three-year Law Course [Read the Judgment]

A Madras High Court bench comprising Justice S. Manikumar and Justice V.M. Velumani has quashed the Bar Council of India’s decision to relax the age limit for three year law course, by holding that BCI amended clause 28 under schedule-iii to rule 11 of the Rules of Legal Education, 2008 without following the procedure.The Court also directed the Registrar, Tamil Nadu Ambedkar...

SC smells political vendetta on the part of CBI in pushing for Maran’s arrest; grants him protection till Sept 14

The Supreme Court on today accorded urgent hearing to former Union Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran’s petition challenging cancellation of his anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court in the illegal telephone exchange case and granted him interim protection till September 14.A bench of  justices T S Thakur,  V Gopala Gowda and R Bhanumathi issued notice to the central bureau...

Enrica Lexie; Italy Vs India at ITLOS -2 : Day-2

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea witnessed second round of oral arguments by Italy and India in Enrica Lexie case yesterday. Live Law had covered the first round of arguments which may be read here.  Italian Ambassador reportedly  said  yesterday” :"Italy has been accused by India of being a country that doesn't keep its word,this accusation is totally unacceptable”....

2008 Malegaon blasts case : PIL filed in SC accusing Union Govt of interfering

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court by activist and columnist Harsh Mander through Senior Advocate Indira Jaising accusing the Union government of trying to interfere with the functioning of the public prosecutor in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case by exerting "pressure" on her to "go soft" on the accused.According to a Zee News report, the PIL alleges...