SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Uniform Welfare Scheme for Lawyers In Distress Due To Lockdown [Read Order]

The Supreme Court dismissed a petition which had been filed seeking for directions to the Government as well as the State Bar Councils to formulate a welfare scheme for lawyers who had been affected by the national lockdown imposed in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Filed by Advocate Abhinav Ramkrishna, the plea averred that the government was a mute spectator to the financial distress...

SC Imposes Costs of Rs. 10,000 and Dismisses Petition Seeking for Use of "Physical Distancing" Instead of "Social Distancing" [Read Order]

The Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking for directions for use of the term "physical distancing" instead of "social distancing" and imposed costs of Rs. 10,000/-. The plea, filed by Advocate-on-Record Satya Mitra on behalf of Shakeel Qureshi, and argued by Senior Advocate S.B Deshmukh, averred that states such as Uttar Pradesh and others were using the word "social distancing";...

[BREAKING] Right To Default Bail Under Section 167(2) CrPC Not Affected By SC Order Extending Limitation : Madras HC [Read Order]

In a significant decision, the Madras High Court has held that the general order passed by the Supreme Court to extend the period of limitation for filing cases in view of the COVID-19 lockdown will not affect the right of an accused to default bail under Section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.A single bench of Justice G R Swaminathan observed that the police cannot take benefit of...

[Breaking] Babri Demolition Case : SC Extends Deadline For CBI Court To Deliver Judgment Till August 31,2020

The Supreme Court on Friday extended the deadline for Special CBI Court, Lucknow to deliver judgment in the criminal case regarding the demolition of Babri Masjid till August 31, 2020.A bench comprising Justices R F Nariman and Surya Kant stated that the trial judge should ensure that the present deadline "is no longer breached".On July 19, 2019, the same bench had directed the Trial Court...

[BREAKING] Vizag Gas Leak: NGT Directs LG Polymers To Deposit Rs 50 Crores; Constitutes 5 Member Committee For Probe[Read Order]

In a suo moto case registered against the fateful incident of chemical gas leak at Vizag in Andhra Pradesh, the National Green Tribunal has constituted a five-member Committee to inspect the site and submit a report to it within ten days. A bench comprising of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, Chairperson; Justice Sheo Kumar Singh, Judicial Member and Dr. Nagin Nanda, Expert Member have also...

States Can Consider Home Delivery Of Liquor/Indirect Sale To Facilitate Social Distancing: SC [Read Order]

[Updated with Order]The Supreme Court on Friday bserved that the State can consider selling liquor via Home Delivery and/or inculcate indirect sales during the Coronavirus induced lockdown.A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul & BR Gavai made this remark while hearing a petition challenging the opening of liquor shops by various state government.The bench observed that...

'I Don't Know Which Poor Person Travels To USA' : Solicitor General In Plea For Financial Aid To Indian Emigrants In US Amid COVID19

The Supreme Court on Friday took up for hearing a petition seeking evacuation of Indians stranded in the USA.A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul & BR Gavai instructed the counsel to withdraw the petition and make an appropriate representation before concerned authorities.Senior Advocate Vibha Datta Makhija pointed out that there were some Indian citizens in the...

Motherhood Can't Be Equated With Loss Of Employment; Maternity Leave Not A Reason To Deny Tenure Extension To Contract Staff : Delhi HC

Denial of extension of tenure to contract staff on grounds of pregnancy amounts to penalizing a woman for electing to become a mother, said the HC.

[Breaking] As Prisoners Start Testing Positive For Covid-19; Undertrials File Contempt Petition Before SC Against State of Maharashtra [Read Petition]

Undertrial prisoners lodged in different jails across the State of Maharashtra have filed a contempt petition before the Supreme Court against the State of Maharashtra and the members of the High Powered Committee constituted by the State relating to the release of prisoners due to the threat of Covid-19, after several prisoners in the State have tested positive including 40 in Mumbai's...

'Subsidise Wages By Utilising Funds Under ESI Act': Plea In SC Challenges Notifications For Full Payment To Workers/Employees

The Supreme Court has been moved in a plea challenging, as being violative of Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) as well as the Disaster Management Act 2005, government notifications requiring payment of full wages/salaries to the workers/employees, during the COVID-19 lockdown, and restraining the employer from laying off/terminating/retrenching any employee.The petition by the Kerala State...

Accused Can Challenge Conviction In Appeal Filed By The State Even If He Did Not Prefer A Formal Appeal: SC [Read Judgment]

The Supreme Court has observed that an accused can challenge the finding and order of conviction in the appeal filed by the State, even though the said accused he had not preferred a formal appeal. The Rajasthan High Court had converted the conviction of one of the accused in a murder case (Mehram) from under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code into one under Section 326, IPC. The...

Migrant Workers Not Stranded Persons? The Illegal & Inhuman Effect Of MHA Clarification

The Home Secretary's clarification on 'stranded persons' is vitiated by apparent legal errors.