Supreme Court declares National Tax Tribunal Act as unconstitutional [Read the Constitution Bench Judgment]

The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court today delivered a landmark judgment and declared the National Tax Tribunal Act as unconstitutional.The Constitution Bench consisting of Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, Justice Khehar, Justice Chelameswar, Justice AK Sikri ruled that Sections 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 of the National Tax Tribunal Act are unconstitutional. The Bench also had Justice RF...

Supreme Court quashes 214 coal blocks allocation since 1993, levies penalty of Rs. 295/- per metric ton of coal extracted

A Supreme Court Bench comprising of Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Kurian Joseph today quashed the allocation of 214 out of 218 coal blocks which were allotted to companies since 1993. It was claimed that around Rs. 2 lakh crores were invested in the same.The Court stated, "Our judgment highlighted the illegality and arbitrariness in the allotment of coal blocks...

Government cannot compel any individual to declare or specify his religion: Bombay High Court [Read the Judgment]

The Bombay High Court has directed the State "not to compel any individual to declare of specify his religion in any form or any declaration." The Court also pronounced that by the virtue of Article 25 of the Constitution of India, every individual has the right to say that he does not belong to any religion or does not practice any religion.The judgment was given after a public...

Justice Kirby appointed as arbitrator in the KG Basin Case by the Supreme Court

Justice Kirby, retired judge of the Australian High Court was appointed as the third and presiding arbitrator by the Supreme Court of India in the KG Basin case.The three member arbitral tribunal will adjudge the issue of cost recovery between the Government of India and Reliance Industries Limited regarding the Krishna Godavari D 6 block. (KG D6).The other two arbitrators on the panel are...

SC demands fresh affidavit with details of Prisoners of War in Pakistan

The apex Court, on Tuesday reportedly shunned the UPA Government for the manner in which they dealt with the issue of 54 Indian Prisoners of War (PoWs), languishing in Pakistani jails for nearly three decades.The Court was hearing petitioner filed by the parents of some of these PoW. The Bench headed by Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, said the court would like to get an update on a list submitted...

Denial of Sex to Husband for long time without any sufficient Cause amounts to Mental Cruelty; SC grants Divorce [Read the Judgment]

A Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice S.J. Mukhopadhayaya and Justice Prafulla C. Pant, in a judgment delivered yesterday, upheld dissolution of marriage between the parties, on the grounds of denial of sex as amounting to mental cruelty.The Court observed, "Undoubtedly, not allowing a spouse for a long time, to have sexual intercourse by his or her partner, without sufficient...

Breaking; Killings in police encounters affect the credibility of Rule of Law and Administration of Criminal Justice System. Supreme Court issues 16 Guidelines for Investigation of Police Encounters; [Read the Judgment]

In a Landmark Judgment Supreme Court Today issued 16 Guidelines to be followed in the matters of investigating police encounters in the cases of death as the standard procedure for thorough, effective and independent investigation. A two Judge Bench comprising of CJI Lodha and Justice RF Nariman held that Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees "right to live with human dignity"....

Breaking; Government Employees can File PIL since Right to Judicial Remedies is a Constitutional right; SC quashes Disciplinary proceedings against IAS Officer for filing Black Money PIL and orders to pay 5 Lakhs [Read Jt]

In a landmark Judgment a Two Judge Bench of the Supreme Court comprising of Justice J.Chelameswar and Justice A.K.Sikri held that right to judicial remedies for the redressal of either personal or public grievances is a constitutional right of the subjects (both citizens and non-citizens) of this country and employees of the State cannot become members of a different and...

Woman lawyer consumes poison in Supreme Court, alleges inefficiency of the system to deal with her gang-rape

A woman lawyer from Chhattisgarh allegedly consumed poison in the Supreme Court premises on Monday, in front of the chamber of Chief Justice of India, R.M. Lodha. The CJI, along with his two brother judges were about to rise for the day, when the woman reportedly put forth her grievance and declared that she had consumed phenyl tablets.She was allegedly protesting against the Chhattisgarh...

CPIL apologies to Supreme Court, Court asks for assistance from Special Public Prosecutor in the 2G case

After the NGO CPIL, the petitioner in the 2G scam case and also in news for the controversy regrinding the contents of the visitors register of the CBI Director tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court, the Apex Court agreed to hear NGO’s plea for recalling its order by which it had directed that name of whistle-blower be revealed. The NGO apologised to the Supreme Court for...

Supreme Court quashes the allotment of land to Chandigarh Law Institute, holds it is violation of Art.14 [Read the Judgment]

The Supreme Court on Friday quashed the land allotted to Chandigarh law Institute Pvt. Ltd., an entity which had two sons of judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and a senior advocate among its directors.The appeal in the Supreme Court was filed by the Institute after the Punjab and Haryana High Court had also pronounced that the allotment of land was invalid. The institute was...

RTI applicants must give basic reasons for seeking information : Madras High Court [Read the Judgment]

A Madras High Court Division Bench comprising of Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice K. Ravichandrababu has ruled that RTI applicants must give reasons for seeking information as it gave relief to its Registry from disclosing file notings on a complaint against a chief metropolitan magistrate. The decision is being termed as going against the fundamental tenet of RTI regime and may have...