Breaking: Uttarakhand HC Declares Law Exempting Former Chief Ministers From Payment Rent For Occupying Govt Bungalows As Unconstitutional [Read Judgment]

The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday declared that the Uttarakhand Former Chief Ministers Facility Act, 2019 which allows former chief ministers of the State to stay in government bungalows without paying market rent, is "ultra vires". The division bench comprised by Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice RC Khulbe has held that a Chief Minister, once he demits office, is on...

SC Not In Favour Of Resuming Open Court Hearings Soon Amid Rise In COVID-19 Cases

A seven-judge committee of the Supreme Court is not in favour of resuming regular open court hearings in the wake of pandemic, as per a report of the Economic Times. "The committee, headed by Supreme Court judge, justice NV Ramana, met on Monday and decided that courts cannot be opened for regular hearings. This is a serious situation and infection is spreading and chances cannot be taken," ...

Arnab Goswami To Appear Before Mumbai Police Tomorrow As Bombay HC Refuses Exemption From Appearing Before Police [Read Order]

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant exemption from appearing before police to Republic TV Editor-In-Chief Arnab Goswami while hearing a petition filed by him seeking quashing of two FIRs filed in Nagpur and Mumbai against him and the channel. Arnab sought exemption from appearing before the police for interrogation which was denied; but the Court has granted Goswami protection...

Arbitration Clause In An Unstamped Contract : Issue Of Enforceability

Let me start with the statutory regime pertaining to an arbitration clause in an unstamped contract (contract on which no stamp duty or insufficient stamp duty is paid). Section 2 (14) and Section 3 of Indian Stamp Act, 1899 are reproduced hereinbelow:- "Section 2 . Definitions. – In this Act, unless there is something repugnant in the subject or context, - (1)-(13) ...

'Completely Unacceptable' : Delhi HC On District Judge's Refusal To Accept Bail Bond On Ground That Softy Copy Of HC Order Wasn't Authenticated

The Delhi High Court has criticized a District Judge for refusing to accept the bail bond of an accused on the ground that the soft copy of the HC bail order produced by him was not authenticated. This came in a plea moved under section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code challenging the order of the District Judge who refused to accept the bail bond of the Appellant on the ground that the...

[Breaking] Transport Stranded Migrants To Native Places Within 15 Days; Consider Withdrawing Cases Taken Against Them For Lockdown Violations : SC [Read Order]

The Supreme Court on Tuesday passed a slew of directions in the suo moto case taken on the crisis of migrant workers during lockdown. They are :All States and UTs to identify stranded migrants and transport them back to native places within 15 days.States to consider withdrawal of all cases filed against migrants under Disaster Management Act for lockdown violations, for attempting to walk...

SC Issues Notice On Plea Seeking Clarification On The Issue Of Applicability Of Extended Limitation Period On Section 167(2) CRPC

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on an an application seeking a clarification that the earlier order of top court extending the limitation period with effect from March 15 does not cover the time limit prescribed under Section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure for grant of bail.A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna & Hrishikesh Roy deliberated on whether...

Medical Treatment Should Not Be Denied To Non- Residents, Delhi LG Issues Direction Against Delhi Govt Order

Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Monday evening ordered that all the Government and private hospitals and nursing homes situated in the capital will extend medical facilities to all the Covid-19 patients, without any discrimination on the basis of residence.This has effectively rescinded the order passed by Delhi Government on Sunday to restrict medical treatment to...

Impleadment Of Parties In Civil Proceedings - Principles [Know The Law]

There is many a time a casual approach to the matter of applications seeking impleadment of third parties in civil proceedings. Such impleadment applications tend to be dealt with frequently without checking the law on the subject and without determining whether the third party can be impleaded or not. The common refrain is, "It is only a joinder application." Impleadment of third...

The Illegality of Delhi Government's Residence-Based Denial of Health Care

Delhi government's decision is a frontal attack on the constitutional value of fraternity and the idea of India's unity and nationhood.

Elephant Death In Kerala: PIL In SC Seeks CBI Or SIT Probe

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a Court Monitored CBI or a Special Investigating Team (SIT) probe into the recent death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala reportedly due to accidental consumption of a firecracker-stuffed pineapple meant as a trap for wild boars.The petition has been filed by Advocate Avadh Bihari Kaushik and seeks the intervention of the Top Court for...

Aadhaar Review : Open Court Hearing Sought Citing Observations In 'Rojer Mathew' & 'Sabarimala Reference' Cases

Two review petitioners in the Aadhaar case has filed an application seeking open court hearing of the case.The application has referred to the observations made by the Constitution Bench in the case Rojer Mathew v South Indian Bank, doubting the correctness of the Constitution Bench judgment delivered on September 27, 2018, which had held that there was nothing wrong in passing Aadhaar...