NJAC reflects the people’s will to replace the collegium: Centre to SC

The Centre on Monday defended in the Supreme Court the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), contending that it was the result of people’s will to replace the collegium system of appointing judges to the SC and high courts whose working was shrouded in mystery and have transparent, accountable and criteria-based appointment of judges through the National Judicial...

70% Blindness ineligible for reservation in Judicial Post ; Madras HC [Read the Judgment]

Fixing new standards in eligibility criteria for reservation in visual disability, the Madras High Court has denied entry of a person with 70 Percent blindness into the Judicial Service. Surendra Mohan, who secured minimum required marks in written examination for the post of civil judge had approached High Court, on seeing his name has not been included in the list of candidates short-listed...

Jethmalani to challenge appointment of CVC in Supreme Court

Senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani announced his break up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has written a letter to him which reads, “Now we shall fight it out in the Supreme Court and the court of the people of India. My diminishing respect for you ends today.” Earlier, Mr.Jethlmalani had written several letters to the Prime Minister, asking him to not appoint former Central Board of...

Ishrat Jahan Encounter Case: Home Ministry refuses sanction to CBI to prosecute IB officials

The Union Home Ministry on Monday denied sanction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute four Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials who were allegedly involved in the conspiracy behind the killing of Ishrat Jahan and three others.The CBI had earlier sought sanction to prosecute four IB officials: Rajinder Kumar, P Mittal, M K Sinha and Rajiv Wankhede in connection with the...

SC bench recuses itself from hearing Subramanian Swamy’s plea against hate speech trial

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Amitava Roy and Justice R K Agrawal today recused itself from hearing the plea of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy issuing a non-bailable warrant against him for failing to appear before it in a case of alleged hate speech. The bench headed by Justice R K Agrawal referred the matter to another bench saying, "If it has to come before another bench, why...

Two Finger Test – Delhi Government withdraws the circular

Settling the controversy, the Delhi Government has withdrawn its circular which allows performing two finger test, also known as Per Vaginal (PV) test, on rape victims. Pursuant to the government order, on May 31, a three member expert panel including two gynecologists and a forensic medicine specialist had issued Guidelines which was circulated to all hospitals.According to the expert panel,...

Summer recess notwithstanding, Supreme Court to resume hearing the petitions challenging constitutional validity of NJAC from Monday

The Supreme Court will resume on Monday the hearing of the cases challenging the constitutional validity of the National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) Act, the ongoing summer recess notwithstanding.The five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice JS Khehar, on May 12, had rejected the Centre's plea that the petitions against the NJAC be referred to either nine or 11 judges bench....

State Brief/Lawyer cannot withdraw from a case on the ground that that he has difficulty to conduct the case “by telling lies in the Court” : Kerala HC [Read the Judgment]

Considering an extra-ordinary situation when the State Brief appointed for a convict to prosecute the Criminal Appeal filed  by him against conviction and sentence under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code expressed his desire to withdraw from the case on the ground that he has difficulty to conduct the case “by telling lies in the Court”, the High Court of Kerala in a recent order has...

Recruitment of District Judges to Karnataka Judiciary; High Court violates SC Guidelines; Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has discovered recently that the Karnataka High Court “violating” the guidelines issued for filling up vacancies in the cadres of civil and district judges regularly.It was found by the apex court that the High Court took 29 months to complete the selection process to the 17 posts of district judges (direct recruitment category) as against the deadline of five...

No permission has been granted to RSS to conduct Drills or ‘Shakha’ in Temple premises; Devaswom Board submits before High Court of Kerala

The Travancore Devaswom Board has submitted before the Kerala High Court that no permission has been granted to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to conduct drills or 'Shakha' in Thrikkadavoor Mahadeva Temple premises in Kollam district of Kerala.TDB's submission before the Kerala High Court was in response to a complaint alleging that arms training is being conducted in the said temple...

Madras High Court contemplates introducing the ‘Advocate-on-Record’ system as followed in the Supreme Court

“The Hindu” has reported in its columns today that the Madras High Court has planned to introduce the ‘Advocate-on-Record’ system, as followed by the Supreme Court, where no lawyer other than those on record could appear, plead or address the court unless he/she was permitted to do so.Citing highly placed sources in the Registry, “The Hindu” has said that Chief Justice Sanjay...

Visually challenged woman before the High Court of Kerala challenging the alleged denial of benefit of age relaxation to her by Kannur University

The High Court of Kerala has reserved its judgment in a writ petition filed by a visually-challenged woman challenging the denial of employment by Kannur University.Prasanna Kumari ES, who is a post graduate in law, approached the High Court after she was allegedly denied the benefit of age-relaxation by the university during faculty appointments. Arguing the case as a party in person,...