Levy Of "Special Fees" For Allotment Of Fancy Numbers For Vehicles Contrary To Motor Vehicles Act: Amicus Curiae Tells SC [Read Written Submission]

Senior Advocate Manoj Swarup, Amicus Curiae in a matter concerning payment of special fee against allotment of special registration numbers for vehicles, has submitted before the Supreme Court that the state Governments are not empowered to charge any additional fee for registration, otherwise than as provided under the Moto Vehicles Act. The written submission has been filed in a...

'As Long As You Are Upright, Don't Care If Your Shadow Is Crooked': Story Of Bombay HC Refusing Contempt Action Against An Ex-CJI For His Critical Remarks

The Court said that the ex-CJI's interview appeared to have been given with an idea to improve the judiciary.

After CJI Bobde, Justice Nariman Also Recuses Himself From Hearing Andhra Govt's Plea Against HC Order Staying Trifurcation Of Capitals

On Wednesday, Justice Rohinton F. Nariman recused himself from hearing Andhra Pradesh Government's plea against the interim stay order passed by the High Court on the formation of three capital cities in the State. Justice Nariman becomes the second Supreme Court Judge to have recused himself in the matter after CJI SA Bobde, on August 17, decided that he could not hear that matter...

[AGR Case] Concerned That AGR Dues Will Be 'Wiped Out' In The IBC Process: SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday remarked that it was wary of AGR-related dues owed to the Government being wiped out in light of the insolvency proceedings initiated by Telecom Companies. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Dinesh Maheshwari & Sanjiv Khanna was hearing a plea by Department of Telecommunications (DoT) seeking payment of AGR-related dues in a staggered fashion, spanning over...

Attorney General's Presence Not Recorded In SC Order Granting Time To Prashant Bhushan To Tender Apology

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted time till August 24 for Advocate Prashant Bhushan to tender "unconditional apology", if he desires, in the contempt case.Curiously, the order uploaded in the Supreme Court website in the evening does not record the presence of Attorney General, K K Venugopal.This is despite the fact that the AG was present throughout the two and a half hours long hearing...

Prashant Bhushan Contempt: SC Dismisses Appeal Against Registry Rejecting Intervention Application Filed By Activists

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal against the Registry's order rejecting the intervention application filed by 16 civil society activists in the Prashant Bhushan contempt case.Senior Advocate C U Singh, appearing for the appellants, submitted that the Registry cannot usurp judicial functions and the order will set a bad precedent. Delete Senior Adv C U Singh submits that he...

To Punish For Contempt, Court Has To Show Comments 'Substantially Interfered With Administration Of Justice' :Dhavan Tells SC In Bhushan Case

To punish for contempt, the court has to show that the comments "substantially interfered with the administration of justice", submitted Rajeev Dhavan, Senior Advocate, before the Supreme Court in the sentence hearing in the contempt case against Advocate Prashant Bhushan.Appearing for Bhushan, Dhavan referred to Section 13(1) of the Contempt of Courts Act.13. Contempts not punishable in...

Attorney General Requests SC To Not Punish Prashant Bhushan In Contempt Case

The bench said that it can accept AG's suggestion only if Bhushan reconsiders his statement.

[Breaking] 'My Statements Are Well Considered And Well Thought Of': Prashant Bhushan Declines SC's Offer For Time To Reconsider Statement

Advocate Prashant Bhushan on Thursday declined the Supreme Court's offer for time to reconsider the statement made by him in the Court justifying his tweets and expressing dismay at the contempt verdict.Justice Gavai asks Bhushan : Would you like to reconsider your statement?Bhushan : I don't want to reconsider the statement. As regards giving time, I don't think it will serve any...

SC Heard Over 15,000 Cases Via Videoconferencing During Pandemic; Disposed Of Approx 4,300 Cases

The Supreme Court on Wednesday intimated that it has conducted hearing of more than 15,000 cases since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, by means of Videoconferencing. As per a press note issued by the Top Court, 1,021 Benches of the Court heard a total of 15596 matters from March 23, 2020 till date. These include 10,754 main matters, 3,419 connected matters and 1,423...

[Contempt] "I Do Not Ask For Mercy, I Do Not Appeal to Magnanimity, I am Here To Cheerfully Submit to Any Penalty": Prashant Bhushan Tells SC Quoting Gandhiji

"My tweets were nothing but a small attempt to discharge what I considered to be my highest duty at this juncture in the history of our republic. I did not tweet in a fit of absence mindedness. It would be insincere and contemptuous on my part to offer an apology for the tweets that expressed what was and continues to be my bonafide belief. Therefore, I can only humbly paraphrase what the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi had said in his trial: I do not ask for mercy. I do not appeal to magnanimity. I am here, therefore, to cheerfully submit to any penalty that can lawfully be inflicted upon me for what the Court has determined to be an offence, and what appears to me to be the highest duty of a citizen."

[Breaking] [Compartment Exams] SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Cancellation Of Compartment Exam

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea seeking directions to the C.B.S.E to ensure that Petitioners and other students of class 10th and 12th in the compartment category, are not forced to appear in the compartment examination during the peak of COVID 19A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari & Sanjiv Khanna disposed of the petition stating that the petitioner...