A Bull(y) Goes Berserk

Bar Council of India has released a press note criticizing the statements made by Justice Chelameswar during various interviews post his retirement.It seems like Bar Council of India (BCI) has assumed disciplinary jurisdiction over the bench as well. I base my assumption on the preaching tone of the press release, which says, “Self-restraint by the Hon’ble judges of the highest court seems to be a forgotten virtue”Looking at the contents of the press release, delusion seems to be the only virtue...

Govt. Bungalows Allotted To Former CMs Should Be Vacated Within 1 Month: MP HC To State

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the State Government to have the bungalows allotted to former Chief Ministers vacated within a month.The Bench comprising Chief Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice A.K. Srivastava struck down as unconstitutional Section 5(1) of the The Madhya Pradesh Mantri (Vetan Tatha Bhatta) Sanshodhan Adhiniyam, 2017. This provision allowed former Chief Ministers to...

99.9% - Not in my name

The Bar Council of India is created by the Advocates Act, 1961, with the singular aim of having a statutory body to regulate the profession of law, and the class of legal practitioners. Accordingly, the Bar Council has several functions including the laying down of the standards of professional conduct of advocates, to promote and support law reforms, promote legal education, etc.[1] To achieve these ends, the Bar Council has been given enormous powers.[2] In the earlier days, the Bar Council...

16Yr Old Student Gets Prosthetic Limb ‘As A Matter Of Right’ After Delhi HC’s Order

Sixteen-year-old Ritik is ecstatic about his prosthetic right arm and gleefully responds, “Thank you”, to all the congratulatory messages.For the 12th grader and his family, it is nothing less than a special occasion to celebrate with the teenager getting a prosthetic right limb in compliance of the Delhi High Court order from last year.Delhi HC Orders Govt To Give Prosthetic Arms...

Sexual Harassment At Workplace: The Journey Of The Law

The safety of the people shall be the highest law of the land. The judiciary is the pillar for justice as it not only provides redressal mechanisms, but it also punishes the offender. The law on sexual harassment has mushroomed and nurtured after the 1997 landmark decision of the Supreme Court in the Vishaka v State of Rajasthan. However societal attitudes towards sexual harassment has impeded any effective implementation of the law.The Vishaka Case laid down the guidelines with respect to...

Centre Returns 2 Names For Appointment To Allahabad HC The Second Time In 2 Years

Amidst growing concerns of enhanced Government interference in the appointment of judges, the Narendra Modi government has for the second time returned for reconsideration the names of two lawyers cleared to be appointed as judges of the Allahabad High Court by the three-member Supreme Court collegium.According to a report by The Print, the files of Basharat Ali Khan and Mohammad Mansoor...

Swachh Bharat Mission: Register FIR Against Those Found Misappropriating Toilet Funds: Uttarakhand HC [Read Order]

The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the State to register FIRs against those responsible for the alleged misappropriation of funds allocated for toilet construction for BPL families in Dehradun district under the Swachh Bharat Mission.The Bench comprising Justice Lok Pal Singh and Justice Rajiv Sharma observed, "The Swatch Bharat Mission 2014 is the most laudable project undertaken by...

Communication By Advocate About An Order As Good As Production Of Certified Copy, Unless Strongly Rebutted: Calcutta HC [Read Judgment]

The Calcutta High Court has observed that communication by an advocate about a court order is as good as production of certified copy of the order in question, unless strongly rebutted.An application seeking an opportunity to lead evidence was turned down by the trial court. This order was challenged before the high court that directed the applicant to appear on a returnable date and granted...

Silenced By Fear? Extra-Constitutional Threat To Press Freedom

What can the Constitutional Courts do when fundamental freedoms are curtailed by non-state actors like troll armies and fringe elements?As people all over the country were keenly awaiting the sighting of the crescent moon on June 15- believers for declaration of Eid-ul-Fitr and non-believers in anticipation of an extended weekend- the editor of Rising Kashmir, Shujaat Bukhari got killed by militants in front of his office at Srinagar. As many as 16 bullets were pumped into his body from close...

Journalists Are Not Liable For Defamation For Bringing Facts To The Public And Commenting On These Facts: Goan Court Dismisses Sanatan Sanstha’s Suit

A Senior Civil Judge in Ponda, Goa, has dismissed Sanatan Sanstha’s defamation suit against weekly Goan Observer for an article entitled ‘Protecting Hinduism-Sanatan Sanstha’ published in the week of June 28-July 4, 2008.Observations made by the Sanstha are significant considering that members of the Sanstha have been accused of the murders of Gauri Lankesh, rationalist Narendra...

Taking Loans In Wife's Name And Failing To Repay Them Amounts To Cruelty: Uttarakhand HC [Read Judgment]

The Uttarakhand High Court recently allowed a wife's plea for divorce on the ground of cruelty, noting that the husband had repeatedly taken loans on the wife's name knowing well that she had no source of income, and had failed to repay them, putting her in trouble.The Bench comprising Justice V.K. Bist and Justice Alok Singh set aside a judgment passed by the Principal Judge, Family...

‘A Lawyer Cannot Avoid A Judge’: Kerala HC Recalls Former CJ’s Order To Not Post Cases Of Some Lawyers Before A Particular Judge

'A judge can recuse from a case. A judge can avoid a lawyer. But a lawyer cannot avoid a judge '.The decision by former Chief Justice has been suo moto recalled by Administrative Committee headed by new Acting Chief Justice.An unusual order passed by the former Chief Justice Antony Dominic accepting the request of four lawyers not to post their cases before Justice V.Chitambaresh has...