Centre, Supreme Court engage in a verbal joust on the question of primacy of CJI in judicial appointments

The Centre and the Supreme Court engaged in a riveting verbal joust on Tuesday, with Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre launching a scathing attack on the collegium system claiming that the Supreme Court tweaked the "original" Constitution over 22 years ago to give Chief Justice of India and the Collegium primacy over the government to appoint judges and the Bench headed...

‘Vyapam’ scam: Madhya Pradesh High Court quashes FIR against Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav

The Madhya Pradesh High Court today quashed the FIR filed against Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav in connection with the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (Madhya Pradesh Vyavsayik Pareeksha Mandal or ‘Vyapam’) scam holding that the police is prohibited even from registration of FIR in respect of cognizable offence against the Head of a State as envisaged in Article...

PUCL appeals to President of India to not give his consent regarding appointment of Justice Sathasivam as Chairman of NHRC

After the National President of People’s Union for Civil Liberties wrote to the President of India, asking him to refuse the appointment of Justice P. Sathasivam as the Chairperson of NHRC, the National Office Bearers of the Organization have sent a letter to the President with the same prayer.PUCL, in its letter has stated, “India is a signatory to the `Paris Principles’ or the...

U.S. Supreme Court upholds New Jersey’s ban on 'gay conversion therapy'

A New Jersey law banning "gay-to-straight conversion" therapy for minors will stay in place with the U.S Supreme Court on Monday refusing to upturn a September ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the validity of a law the state of New Jersey passed in August 2013 prohibiting state-licensed counselors from offering therapy services that try to change a minor’s...

Prevention of Corruption Act gives no scope for reform; hence misplaced leniency should not be shown: Supreme Court

A Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice R.Bhanumathi has reportedly held that there is no scope for a public official convicted of corruption to reform. His punishment under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 should hence reflect the public’s repugnance for his crime.“The judgment on sentence shall not shock the common man. It...

You cannot malign our politicians and call them corrupt: SC Constitution bench

Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court came to the rescue of the Parliament’s authority to formulate laws and rapped Advocate M.L. Sharma for insulting the Parliamentarians.The Bench was open to hear all kinds of legal arguments that both the sides could use to prove their point. However, it said that it would not let any party to attack the Parliament and the lawmakers for framing...

NJAC does not ensure judicial integrity and violates the Basic Structure of the Constitution; Prashant Bhushan [Read the full text of submissions]

Appearing for the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, Advocate Prashant Bhushan submited before the Constitution Bench that National Judicial Commission in its current form does not ensure judicial integrity and violates the basic structure of the Constitution. Here is the full text of his submissionsThe instant petition has challenged the validity of the Constitution 99th Amendment Act,...

Chief Justice [Madras HC] should avoid ego and stop acting in autocratic manner to protect democracy: Justice Karnan requests CJ to not interfere with case or face contempt proceedings

Justice Karnan of the Madras High Court has passed a supplementary interim order, staying the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission interviews for selection of Civil Judge (Junior Division).Granting interim stay on a an earlier suo motu order passed by Justice Karnan, a Division Bench of the Madras High Court, comprising of Justice S. Tamilvanan and Justice C.T. Selvam had...

If we do not decide the issue of NJAC correctly, the nation will curse us: SC Constitution Bench

The arguments on the National Judicial Appointments Commission continued on Thursday, as noted lawyers Ram Jethmalani and Prashant Bhushan employed their expertise and legal acumen to strike down the establishment of the National Judicial Appointments Commission.Mr. Jethmalani said that the NJAC was “unconstitutional” as well as a “serious assault on the independence of judiciary”....

Delhi HC directs senior-most Information Commissioner to hear pending appeal in absence of CIC [Read the Judgment]

Justice Rajiv Shakdher of the Delhi High Court has directed that the senior-most Information Commissioner can hear a case in the absence of the Chief Information Commissioner.The Court observed, "I am of the view that the present arrangement would lead to a backlog in the disposal of the matters filed before the Central Information Commission. This arrangement will, broadly, jeopardize...

Two Senior Lawyers arguing in Rajya Sabha : Can two bills be taken up together for discussion?

A unique debate happened in Rajya Sabha (RS) between two eminent Lawyer members. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Senior Advocate KTS Tulsi, who is a nominated candidate, were the parties involved. The parliamentary protest was over certain rules regarding clubbing of two bills in the RS for discussing together. This was strongly opposed by the opposition.Law Minister Sadananda Gowda...

Narayan Sai will be granted interim bail a week before the doctor fixes date of mother’s operation: SC

A Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice R. Banumathi has modified the Gujarat High Court order which had granted bail to self styled godman Narayan Sai, Asaram Bapu’s son.The High Court had granted three weeks' interim bail to Sai for attending the proposed surgery of his mother Lakshmiben for a cervical spinal cord ailment, at a hospital in Ahmedabad. The Bench...