'Cannot Direct Thantri To Reduce Vratham Period To 21 Days For Women To Visit Sabarimala', Observes Kerala HC

The Court observed that there was no law which empowered Court to issue directions to a  'thantri' regarding temple rituals and observances.Today the High Court of Kerala dismissed a petition seeking directions to the 'Thantri' of Sabarimala temple to reduce the 'vratham'(penance period) from 41 days to 21 days to enable women to undertake pilgrimage to the temple.The petitioner M K...

Sabarimala : Kerala HC Dismisses Petition Against Implementing SC Judgment On Women Entry

The High Court of Kerala today dismissed a petition filed by National Ayyaappa Devotees Association and few others against the implementation of Supreme Court's judgment in Indian Young Lawyers Associaiton case, which permitted entry of women of all age groups to Sabarimala temple.The petition was filed contending that the SC judgment was merely "declaratory in nature", without casting...

Zero Trailer: Plea Filed In Bombay HC Accusing Shahrukh Khan, Gauri Khan Etc Of Hurting Sikh Community’s Sentiments

A petition has been filed in the Bombay High Court accusing actor Shahrukh Khan and others involved with the movie of "hurting religious sentiments" of the Sikh community through the trailer of the upcoming movie ‘Zero’.In addition to Shahrukh Khan, the petition by Advocate Amritpal Singh Khalsa has been filed against the producers of the movie—Gauri Khan and Karuna Badwal, director of...

CJI Ranjan Gogoi Unhappy With Centre Splitting Up Collegium Proposals

The Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has taken up the issue of Centre splitting up Collegium recommendations by withholding assent to certain names selectively, reports the Economic Times. As per the ET Report, the CJI has raised the issue with the Prime Minister.“The splitting up of recommendations is a matter of serious concern, and the CJI has taken it up with the PM,” an unnamed...

Non-Disclosure Of Willful Defaulters' List : CIC Issues Show Cause Notice To RBI Governor [Read Order]

The Central Information Commission has pulled up RBI Governor Urjit Patel for non-disclosure of the names and details of action taken against willful defaulters of big bad loans worth hundreds of crores of rupees.The Commission on Friday also directed the CPIOs of the RBI, the PMO and office of the Finance Minister to explain the action taken on the ‘alerting letter’ written by...

Supreme Court Weekly Round-Up

Principles Of “Double Jeopardy” Will Not Apply When Accused Was Discharged Due To Lack Of Proper Sanction [State of Mizoram V. Dr. C. Sangnghina]The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that when the accused was discharged due to lack of proper sanction, the principles of “double jeopardy” will not apply, and there is no bar for filing fresh/supplementary charge sheet after obtaining a...

SC Allows ‘Antim Darshan’ Of Ganga Campaigner Late Swami Sanand In AIIMS Hospital Itself, Subject To Restrictions [Read Order]

“We, therefore, permit the aforesaid arrangement, namely, darshan by 10 (ten) followers in a group subject to a limit of 50 (fifty) followers within the hospital premises for a period of one hour every Sunday for the next 10 consecutive Sundays meaning thereby a total of 500 (five hundred) followers.”The Supreme Court on Friday, allowed followers of Late Swami Sanand, a spiritual leader...

Sabarimala : Attorney General Withdraws From Hearing Sanction Petitions For Contempt Action

The Attorney General K K Venugopal has withdrawn himself from considering the petitions filed seeking his sanction for initiating contempt action against those who are allegedly instigating disobedience of the Supreme Court judgment.Before his appointment as AG, he had appeared on behalf of Travancore Devaswom Board in the Sabarimala matter opposing women entry in the temple. He has also...

Unsigned Arbitration Agreement Not Invalid In All Cases, Holds SC [Read Judgment]

‘Section 7(4) only further adds that an arbitration agreement would be found in the circumstances mentioned in the three sub-clauses that make up Section 7(4). This does not mean that in all cases an arbitration agreement needs to be signed.’The Supreme Court has held that the only prerequisite for an arbitration agreement is that it should be in writing and it cannot be said that in...

PIL In SC Challenges Centre's Circular Against Using The Word "Dalit" By Media

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s circular of August 7 “advising” that the media may refrain from using the nomenclature “Dalit” while referring to members belonging to Scheduled Castes.The notification, which directs that the Constitutional term ‘Scheduled Caste’ in English, and...

CJI Ranjan Gogoi And Justices SK Kaul And KM Joseph To Hear Fresh Petitions On Sabarimala On Nov 13

The Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S. K. Kaul and K. M. Joseph will consider three fresh petitions regarding the entry of menstruating women between the ages of 10 and 50 years to the Sabarimala, Temple on November 13Earlier on October 23, the Chief Justice had announced that the Apex court will hear the 19 review petitions filed against the Sabarimala verdict...

Mallikarjun Kharge Moves SC Against Removal Of CBI Director Alok Verma, Says He Was Removed Without Meeting Of Statutory Committee

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge today moved the Supreme Court praying for quashing of the October 23 order of the Central Vigilance Commission and that of the Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training divesting CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma on the ground that the same were passed in derogation of powers conferred upon the Statutory Committee under the Delhi Special Police...