Apex Court demands reply from CBI Chief on visitors’ logbook

A Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice H.L. Dattu demanded a reply from CBI director Ranjit Sinha regarding the visitors’ logbook at his Delhi residence, asserting that the averments are “very serious”. He is asked to reply within a week.The Bench rejected Singh’s argument that filing an affidavit would mean disclosing crucial facts relating to 2G spectrum probe. It said if he chose...

Supreme Court puts off Nithari Killer’s execution by at least a week, through an order passed at 1:30 am last night‏

Surinder Koli, who brutally killed and later axed several children in the Nithari locality of Noida in UP, will not be executed this week, after an order was passed by the Supreme Court at 1.30 am last night. The bench comprising justices H L Dattu and A R Dave stayed the execution for a period of one week.Justice HL Dattu, who has been appointed Chief Justice of India, passed the late...

Dishonestly removing sand, gravels and other minerals from the river, which is the property of the State constitute an offence of theft apart from offences under Special Statute: Supreme Court [Read the Judgment]

A Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice M.Y. Eqbal and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, while ruling on a group of five appeals on 4th September, held that dishonestly removing sand, gravels and other minerals from the river, which is the property of the State constitute an offence of theft apart from offences under Special Statute.A pursual of the several provisions of the...

SC asks Centre to clarify stand on citizenship of surrogate children

A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Ranjana Gogoi has reportedly sought response from the Centre on the question of citizenship of a child born in India out of surrogacy in which biological parents are foreign nationals but the woman who gives birth is Indian.The bench also asked whether such child can be granted dual citizenship for some limited purpose and asked the Centre to make its...

President appoints Justice H.L.Dattu as next Chief Justice of India

Justice Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu was today appointed as the next Chief Justice of India by the President of India. Justice Dattu’s tenure as Chief Justice of India will start on September 28, 2014, the notification from Law Ministry said.Justice Dattu will take over from Justice Lodha, who is the 41st Chief Justice of India. Live Law had earlier reported that Justice Dattu...

Supreme Court Constitution Bench upholds provision for URDU as second official language of U.P. [Read the Judgment]

An apex Court Constitutional bench comprising of Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice S.A. Bobde approved the declaration of Urdu as the second official language in Uttar Pradesh.The apex court said there are many State Legislatures which have adopted other officially recognized language(s) in addition to Hindi such as in...

Release those who have spent half the term without trial: Supreme Court [Read the Judgment]

Hearing a petition on foreign prisoners still in Indian jails far beyond their maximum punishment, the Supreme Court today ordered that the prisoners in Indian jails can be released if they have served half their maximum term without trial. The Court also asked the Centre to submit a road map to fast track the criminal justice system.The Bench headed by Chief Justice of India R.M.Lodha...

Government sets up 4-member ministerial panel to comply with SC order on Environment Regulator

A four-member ministerial panel was set up by the Government thursday, in order to decide on the path to be adopted to adhere to a Supreme Court order on setting up of an environmental regulator.The panel comprises of Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ananth Kumar, Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. The...

NRI landlord cannot be asked to prove his title before getting his tenant evicted on stipulated grounds: Supreme Court [Read the Judgment]

A Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice C. Nagappan on Tuesday held that Non-Residential Indians, just like any ordinary landlords, cannot be asked to prove his title before getting his tenant evicted on any one of the grounds stipulated for such eviction.The Court observed, "There is considerable authority for the proposition both in India as well as in U.K. that...

Supreme Court denies CBI Director’s plea restraining media

After Prashant Bhusan had claimed that he is in receipt of “very disturbing and explosive material”, i.e. the entry register of Director's residence. The Bench headed by Justice Dattu today said that it had gone through the materials placed before it but can its take cognizance only when the same are placed on the record. The Court said “We have gone through the documents. We cannot...

Despite oppositions, Justice Sathasivam appointed as Kerala Governor

It has only been days since Sheila Dikshit resigned as the Governor of Kerala, and the Government of India despite all the opposition from other political parties and the judiciary itself appointed former Chief Justice of India as Governor of Kerala on Wednesday.Before the present instance, a former Chief Justice of India had never been appointed as a Governor, however, there have been...

Plea dismissed, Nithyananda to undergo potency test

After the Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on Nithyananda’s plea, the Supreme Court today dismissed his plea challenging the Karnataka High Court’s order directing him to take the medical test.The bench headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai had earlier questioned him for his unwillingness to undergo the test, saying such examinations are becoming essential day-by-day in view...