'11 DRTs Have No Presiding Officers': Supreme Court Seeks Union's Response On PIL To Fill Up Vacancies

The Supreme Court today (November 18) sought a response from the Union of India in a Public Interest Litigation seeking filling of pending appointments of Presiding Officers in the Debt Recovery Tribunals. The bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar noted that so far appointments in 11 DRTs remain to be completed. The following order was passed : "11 Debt Recovery Tribunals...

'Consideration' Need Not Be Monetary: Supreme Court Upholds Settlement Deed Requiring Transferee To Care For Transferors & Do Charity

The Supreme Court upheld a property transfer based on a settlement deed requiring the transferee to care for the transferors and perform charitable work.The bench comprising Justice CT Ravikumar and Justice Sanjay Karol rejected the argument that the consideration can only be in money. Instead, it justified the consideration of taking care of the transferor and doing charity work as a...

Supreme Court Dismisses Plea For Enquiry Into Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Death

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation initiated seeking inquiry into the death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan refused to entertain the PIL saying that it was not a matter which the Court could decide.The petitioner, who appeared in person, submitted that death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose remains a...

Supreme Court To Hear Death Row Convict Balwant Singh's Plea To Decide Mercy Petition Next Week

Update - The report was updated after the Supreme Court agreed to not upload the order which was dictated, following a request made by the Solicitor General at 1 PM. The report was prepared on the basis of the oral dictation. At 1 PM, the Court agreed to not upload the order and posted the matter to hear the Union on November 25. The Supreme Court today (November 18) directed the...

Motor Accident Compensation - Future Prospects Must Be Considered In Cases Of Self-Employed & Fixed Salaried Individuals : Supreme Court

In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court disapproved of the High Court's decision not to take into account the future prospects while determining motor accident compensation. The High Court had excluded fixed-salary and self-employed earners from such consideration, ignoring the impact of inflation and the natural progression of careers. The bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice...

Delhi Air Quality Crisis : Live Updates From Supreme Court Hearing

As the air quality in Delhi continues to deteriorate hazardously, the Supreme Court will hear today the case concerning the severe air pollution in NCR.A bench of Justices AS Oka and Augustine George Masih will hear the MC Mehta case, in which various directions were issued regarding the air quality of the National Capital Region.Last week, the amicus curiae in the matter, Senior...

76% Prisoners Are Undertrials, Many Languish In Jails Due To Lack Of Legal Aid: Justice BR Gavai

Supreme Court Judge Justice BR Gavai said that empowering marginalized citizens is not just a matter of legal or economic support but they should also be equipped to advocate for themselves.Justice BR Gavai, who was recently appointed as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority, was invited as the chief guest at the conference titled "Authorities for Empowering...

Political Insularity Is Critical To Independence Of Judiciary : Justice BV Nagarathna

Justice BV Nagarathna, Judge of the Supreme Court, in a recent public lecture, spoke about the importance of political insularity in ensuring judicial independence."Political insularity is critical to the independence of the judiciary," she said while delivering the Justice Natarajan Centenary Memorial Lecture at Chennai on November 16."Insularity relates to the notion that Courts must not...

Separate Central Law To Deal With Offences Against Medical Professionals Not Required : National Task Force To Supreme Court

The National Task Force, in its report filed in the Supreme Court in the RG Kar suo motu case, has opined against the need for a central law to protect healthcare professionals. According to the NTF, the provisions of the existing penal laws are sufficient to deal with crimes against medical professionals.The NTF stated that various States have enacted laws to specifically deal with violence...

S. 11(6) A&C Act | Referral Courts Should Limit Its Enquiry To Prima Facie Existence Of Arbitration Agreement : Supreme Court

In a recent decision, the Supreme Court reiterated that the referral courts under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 (“Act”) should refrain from conducting an in-depth factual analysis of the dispute. Instead, their role is confined to assessing the prima facie existence of an arbitration agreement. “The scope of inquiry under Section 11 of the Act, 1996...

Supreme Court Seeks Explanation From Registry On Why Counter Affidavit Filed By Non-Party Was Accepted

The Supreme Court on November 14 sought an explanation from the Registrar (Judicial) how a party (complainant in this case) was able to file a counter-affidavit when its application seeking impleadment was not allowed by the Court. A bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma was hearing a Special Leave Petition filed against the May 17 order of the Punjab & Haryana...

No Absolute Bar For Proclaimed Offender To Seek Benefit Of Anticipatory Bail : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court recently noted that being declared a proclaimed offender under Section 82 of the Cr.P.C. does not impose an absolute bar on the accused from seeking anticipatory bail. “Coming to the consideration of anticipatory bail, in the event of the declaration under Section 82 of the Cr.P.C., it is not as if in all cases that there will be a total embargo on considering the...