Is RTI Being Weakened By Rules?

The government has issued a circular on 31 March giving draft rules, which it is proposing for the RTI Act.  Most citizens and media have shown considerable concern at these and there has been a feeling that  the government is trying to emasculate the RTI Act. From my experience in the RTI journey, I have realized that most people and institutions champion and hail transparency for others, but are very reluctant to give information about themselves.  For this reason,  I am extremely suspicious...

Punjab Lawyers’ List; Previous Govt. Finalized The Names, We Retained Able Hands: AG Atul Nanda

Amidst controversy over the list of panel lawyers to represent the Punjab government in Supreme Court and high courts other than Punjab and Harayana High Court, Advocate General Atul Nanda defended inclusion of the names of some star lawyers and also kith and kin of sitting judges in the panel. After the change of guard in state, the previous list of panel lawyers  was revised recently....

#Aadhaar Mandatory For PAN Applications & IT Returns From 1st July, 2017

Quoting of Aadhaar for filing of return of income and for making an application for allotment of Permanent Account Number will be mandatory from from 1st July, 2017.Section 139AA of the Income-tax Act, 1961 as introduced by the Finance Act, 2017 provides for mandatory quoting of Aadhaar / Enrolment ID of Aadhaar application form, for filing of return of income and for making an application...

Do Not Use Prefixes Like ‘Mr. /Ms. /Mrs. /M/s’ In Cause Title: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court has issued a circular directing the practitioners not to use prefixes like Mr/ Ms/ Mrs/ M/s in the title of legal proceedings.The circular, which was issued two days ago, is in pursuance of the observation by Justice GS Patel while hearing an arbitration case, that for companies, both private limited and public – practitioners are habituated to affixing the...

Channel Discussions Are Crossing All Limits: Kerala HC [Read Judgment]

“This sort of channel discussions will have to be treated as interference in the process of administration of justice,” Justice Ubaid has said.The Kerala High Court on Tuesday observed that television channel discussions regarding the court’s oral observations have to be treated as interference in the process of administration of justice.Justice P Ubaid was considering a petition...

What’s In A Name? Allahabad HC Dispels Objection To Term ‘Anti-Romeo Squad’ [Read Judgment]

At times, a fascinating and inspiring name is used like an advertisement so that the caption of the words dwells on every tongue, the bench said.The Allahabad High Court has again dismissed a public interest litigation that raised objection to the name ‘Anti-Romeo Squad’, observing that it cannot indulge in argumentative interpretation of a name the government has chosen so as to hold as...

How A Typographical Error In A Delhi HC Judgment Helped A Murder Convict? [Read Judgment]

A ‘typographical’ error in Judgment of Delhi High Court reportedly helped a double murder convict abscond.On 24th December, 2016, the Bench G.S. Sistani and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, partly allowing the appeal by the convict had said “we modify the order on sentence to the period already undergone by the appellant i.e. 16 years and 10 months”. The Bench had also said:...

'Can We Not Do Better?' [First Part Of A Series By R. Basant, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court]

[Senior Advocate R.Basant was a District and Sessions Judge from 1988 to 2012 in Kerala. He was a Judge in Kerala High Court from 2002 to 2012. He had delivered many significant Judgments in Criminal Law. He was designated as a Senior Advocate in Supreme Court on 21.01.2013. Recently Supreme Court took cognizance of his suggestions for a uniform criminal rules of practice in the country and issued notices to all High Courts.]Kudos to the Chief for his bold thoughts on court vacations. But is it...

“Data On Delayed Hearings In Delhi HC Show Alarming Proportion Of Adjournments”, Says Vidhi Centre For Legal Policy [Read Report]

Pervasive delay in courts is one of the biggest problems facing ordinary citizens. In India, delay tends to be blamed on judicial vacancies, and reforms focus on long-term measures to increase the number of judges. A new study by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, however, links delay to existing inefficiencies in court functioning, which can and must be addressed in the short-term.In...

Uttarakhand HC Declares Air, Glaciers, Forests, Springs, Waterfalls Etc. As Legal Persons [Read Judgment]

According to the bench, any person causing any injury and harm, intentionally or unintentionally to the Himalayas, glaciers, rivers, streams, rivulets, lakes, air, meadows, dales, jungles and forests is liable to be proceeded against under the common law, penal laws, environmental laws and other statutory enactments governing the field.One week after declaring rivers Ganga and Yamuna...

BCI strike: AG Rohit Deo Resigns As Maharashtra Bar Council Chairman

The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa had made an appeal on March 27 to its members to abstain from work on Friday.This appeal came in light of the Bar Council of India’s call for a nationwide protest against the Law Commission of India’s proposed amendments to the Advocate’s Act.There was a mixed response to this call for abstention. While many lawyers chose not to attend court,...

Ensure Guidelines Are Followed By ‘Anti-Romeo’ Squads: Allahabad HC Tells UP Govt [Read Judgment]

The policing introduced through the squads are to prevent obscenity at public places and to affirmatively protect females from insult and indecency, the bench said,The Allahabad High Court has asked Uttar Pradesh state to ensure that guidelines are followed by the ‘anti-Romeo’ squads and law is followed.This observation by the division bench comprising Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi...