NGT Directs Finalization Of Kasturirangan Report Within 6 Months, Without Reducing ESA Regions [Read Order]

The bench observed that the ecology of Western Ghats region is under serious stress.The principal bench of the National Green Tribunal(NGT) has directed the Central Ministry of Environment and Forests to finalize notification of Ecologically Sensitive Areas(ESA) of Western Ghats within a period of six months, without making any alteration in the draft ESA notification published on February...

Restriction On Manufacture and Sale Of Oxytocin By Private Entities Stayed By Delhi HC [Read Order]

The Delhi High Court has stayed for one month the Central Government order preventing manufacture and sale of drugs containing oxytocin by private companies. The impugned order permitted only a public sector company, Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceutical Ltd(KAPL), to manufacture and sell oxytocin drugs.Oxytocin is an important hormone for living beings. Oxytocin based drugs are effective...

Kerala Flood Relief : HC Issues Directions To Ease Customs Clearance For Imported Goods [Read Order]

Acting on two public interest litigations, the High Court of Kerala has issued directions to ease the procedure for availing customs duty exemption for goods imported for flood relief.The petitioners highlighted practical difficulties to comply with the conditions prescribed in the notification issued by the Central Government on August 21 for availing exemption from the duty leviable on...

Bombay HC Imposes Rs 1.5Cr Costs On Galpha Labs For Habitual Copyright Infringement; Money To Go Towards Kerala Flood Relief [Read Order]

As the amount of Rs 1.5 crore was decided to be imposed, plaintiff’s counsel submitted that his clients wanted to donate the entire amount to a charitable organization. Therefore, keeping in mind the catastrophe that has hit Kerala, it was decided that the money would be directly paid towards the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.The Bombay High Court recently imposed an unprecedented...

More Than 300 Advocates Issue Statement Condemning Arrest Of Lawyers In Bhima Koregaon Violence Case

More than 300 Advocates have issued a statement standing in solidarity with the four lawyers who were recently arrested by the Maharashtra Police in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case. The statement refers to the arrest of Advocates Sudha Bhardwaj, Susan Abraham, Surendra Gadling and Arun Ferreira.The statement specifically highlights the reliance on Unlawful Activities...

Whether Negligence In Dam Management Caused Floods : Kerala HC Registers Suo Moto PIL To Examine

The High Court of Kerala has initiated suo moto proceedings to examine whether any negligence on the part of authorities in managing reservoir levels in dams contributed to recent floods in Kerala.Alleging that the floods were a man-made disaster, Chalakudy-resident Joseph NR had written a letter to Justice V. Chitambaresh, who placed it before the Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy...

Full Bench Of Allahabad HC Pulls Up State For Vacancies, Infrastructural Deficiencies In District Judiciary; Seeks Timelines

Full Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the Principal Secretary, Law as well as the Principal Secretaries in the Department of Finance or P.W.D. to remain present before it in order to formulate a time-bound program for the resolution of the issues plaguing the District Judiciary in the State.The Bench comprising Chief Justice DB Bhosale, Justice Govind Mathur and...

Failure Of UP Administration Led To Death Of Children In Gorakhpur: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has rapped the Uttar Pradesh government for not taking adequate steps to prevent discharge of pollutants in Rapti river, saying the "failure of the administration" resulted in death of more than 500 children in Gorakhpur in 2014, and announced setting up of a monitoring committee to address the situation.A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel...

Habeas Plea For Gautam Navlakha: Delhi HC Halts Proceedings Citing SC's Stay On Transit Remand Of Activists

As the Supreme Court ordered house arrest for the five arrested activists Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Fereira, Gautam Navlakha and Vernon Gonsalves, the Delhi High Court, also indicated that it would examine the legality of the transit remand order of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate while dealing with the habeas corpus petition filed by Navlakha, a rights activist.When the matter was...

Class-I Officer Appears Before Allahabad HC In Pink Shirt & Jeans; Goes Home With 5k Costs & An Adverse ACR Entry [Read Order]

The Allahabad High Court recently imposed personal costs of Rs. 5,000 on an Executive Engineer, Bandhi Prakhand, Varanasi for wearing “pink coloured half sleeves shirt and jeans” for the hearing.The Bench comprising Justice B. Amit Sthalekar and Justice Jayant Banerji rapped the official for donning the attire, especially emphasising on him being a Class-I officer. It...

Delhi HC Stays Transfer Of Right Activist Gautam Navlakha From Delhi Till Tomorrow [Read Order]

The Delhi High Court today directed that rights activist Gautam Navlakha, arrested by Maharashtra police for alleged Maoist links, should not be taken away from the national capital till it hears the matter tomorrow morning.A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel said Navlakha will remain at his residence under police guard and be allowed to meet only his lawyers.The court also said...

Now CJI Can Grant Accreditation For SC Journalists Without Law Degree At His Discretion

The Supreme Court has amended the accreditation norms to confer discretion on the Chief Justice of India to waive the condition that a journalist should possess law degree for regular accreditation.The Chief Justice can exercise discretion to waive the condition of having law degree in appropriate cases, in case of working journalist/correspondent.The amendment made as per meeting of...