Varaharoopam Plagiarism Row : Kerala HC Allows Thaikkudam Bridge To Proceed Against Kantara Music Director Before Kozhikode District Court

In relation to the row over alleged plagiarism by the "Varaharoopam" song of "Kantara", the Kerala High Court has set aside the order passed by District Court Kozhikode which returned the plaint filed by Thaikkudam Bridge alleging copyright infringement by the makers of the Kannada superhit film.The District Court had cited two main reasons for returning Thaikkudam Bridge's plaint : one,...

Valentine’s Day : Right to Love & Indian Supreme Court

Valentine’s Day is upon us again. It is a holiday of mysterious provenance but has come to widely represent a festival of love and devotion (not to mention, consumerism) that is celebrated and dreaded in equal measure. Whether you have a significant other, are (un)happily unattached, think Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a grotesque capitalistic spectacle, or rail against the ‘dazzle of western civilisation’, there is no escaping the fourteenth of February, and all the associated...

Parliament Can Convert Existing State Into A Union Territory : Supreme Court In J&K Delimitation Case

While upholding the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, the Supreme Court observed that the Parliament has the power to convert an existing state into a Union Territory.A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S Oka noted that Article 3 provides that Parliament may by law form new States and alter the areas, boundaries or names of the existing States. As per, explanation...

Justice S.Abdul Nazeer’s Appointment As The Governor Without A Cooling-Off Period Brings It Under Scrutiny

The news that the former Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer, who retired on January 4, has been appointed as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, should cause concern to all those who value judicial accountability and reputation.Although it is not the first time that a former Judge of the Supreme Court has been appointed as the Governor of a state, this is the first time that a former Judge of the Supreme Court has been appointed so soon after his or her retirement. Justice S.Fazl...

CJI DY Chandrachud's Strong Message To HC CJs : Don't Disband Hybrid Hearing Option, Technology Was Not Only For Pandemic Time

While hearing a plea seeking to declare virtual hearings a fundamental right, CJI DY Chandrachud expressed his anguish towards Chief Justices of High Courts who have started disbanding the infrastructure for virtual hearings. CJI Chandrachud, who has been a strong advocate for the use of technology in the judiciary and has emphasized the importance of virtual hearings in promoting access...

High Court Issues Notice On Delhi Police’s Plea Against Order Discharging Sharjeel Imam, Others In Jamia Violence Case

The Delhi High Court on Monday said that trial court's observations in the order discharging Sharjeel Imam, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha and eight others in the 2019 Jamia violence case, will not affect the further investigation or trial of the remaining accused. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice on the revision petition filed by the Delhi Police and listed the case for hearing...

Gujarat High Court Dismisses Plea Seeking Disclosure Of Reasons For Withdrawal Of Sanjiv Bhatt’s Security In 2018

The Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by former IPS Officer Sanjiv Bhatt's wife Shweta Sanjay Bhatt regarding disclosure of reasoning by the State Government for withdrawal of police protection of her husband. While dismissing the petition, the single judge bench of Justice Nirzar S. Desai said the reason behind granting police protection, at the relevant point...

In Anna Mathew, the Supreme Court Did Not Follow Its Own Precedents

In its reasons for rejecting on February 7, the petitions seeking ex parte injunction against the swearing-in of Justice L.C. Victoria Gowri as a Judge of the Madras High Court, the Supreme Court’s two judge bench, comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice B.R.Gavai, has on Friday, rejected the argument of the petitioners that the facts were not known and considered by the Collegium. The bench inferred this from the conduct of the Collegium of the High Court and the Supreme Court,...

Let Final Year Students Take AIBE, Ensure Enrolment Fee Doesn't Become Oppressive : Supreme Court To Bar Council Of India

Final semester law students, on the production of eligibility proof, should be allowed to take the All-India Bar Examination, although the result would be subject to the student passing all the components of the college examination, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Friday said, while upholding the power of the Bar Council of India to require law graduates to qualify for...

Statements Made By Lawyers During Judicial Proceedings Conferred With ‘Absolute Privilege’, Can’t Be Put To Trial For Defamation: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has said that statements made by a lawyer during judicial proceedings are conferred with an “absolute privilege” and no action for defamation, slander or libel can lie against them for advancing the submissions. Observing that such statements are “complete defence against any allegations of defamation”, Justice Mini Pushkarna said that justice system would...

Flat Owners Don't Forfeit Right To Claim Amenities Promised By Builder By Taking Possession Of Apartments : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has observed that that flat-owners, who are often forced by the circumstances to take possession of apartments even if the amenities promised by the builder are not provided, do not forfeit their right to claim such services from the builder.A bench comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta criticised the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for...

How Much Sunlight? Debating Collegium Transparency | Column By Sr Adv Sanjoy Ghose

Recently, the statements issued by India’s Supreme Court disclosed extracts of Intelligence Reports forwarded by the Government to the Collegium to substantiate its veto on certain candidates recommended for judicial appointment. The Law Minister responded by voicing an alarm about the sensitivity of the intelligence shared.This has again brought to the centre stage the issue of transparency and accountability in matters of judicial appointment, something which the executive claimed, was the...