More Than 3.5 Lacs Cases Settled In National Lok Adalat

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has organized the National Lok Adalat Today throughout the country in all courts at all levels from the Taluk Courts to High Courts.NALSA informed that the exercise has resulted in a great success due to the efforts put in by the State Legal Services Authorities across the country as well as the High Court Legal Services Committees.As per the NALSA...

Delhi HC Allows BSF Trooper In Viral Video To Meet Wife In Samba

BSF constable Tej Bahadur Yadav’s video highlighting the substandard food provided to the force in their camp had gone viral in social media on January 9. His family was not able to contact him from February 7. Apprehending illegal confinement of husband, his wife Sharmila Devi knocked the Delhi High Court door against the government.Putting an end to all speculations, the court on...

Accused Can’t Be Subjected To Voice Spectrography Test: Gujarat HC [Read Judgment]

The Gujarat High Court has recently held that though voice spectrography test is not violative of Article 20(3) of the Constitution of India, it is not permissible to subject an accused to it, in the absence of any specific provision empowering the police officer or the court in law.Justice JB Padiwala considered the following questions in the case:(1) Whether calling upon the accused to lend...

MP HC Frames Charges Against Contemnor Over False Allegations Against Chief Justice And Judges [Read Order]

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought reply from a contemnor for accusing the chief justice and other judges without any oral or documentary evidence.The contemnor in a written reply to the criminal contempt against him alleged they (the high court judges) are conspiring against him with a view to prevent the delivery of certified copies/documents in the “planned and strategic...

Over 40% Vacancies In High Courts Causing Denial Of Justice

“25. Backlog in courts has become a national problem. The adjudicatory process is being blamed for not equalling itself to the challenge of the times. There is a general complaint that the judicial system is on the verge of collapse. It is, therefore, the obligation of the constitutional process to keep the system appropriately manned. We have found no justification for the sluggish move in such an important matter.”These words of the Supreme Court are as relevant today as these were over 25...

Bombay HC Dismisses Rabia's Petition Seeking Another Probe Into Jiah's Death, Trial Could Resume Now [Read Judgment]

The Bombay High Court today dismissed Rabia Khan’s petition seeking an SIT investigation into her daughter Jiah Khan’s death. The bench had reserved the order on February 2.Rabia has sought a re-investigation by a Special Investigation Team into her daughter’s death as she contends that it was a case of murder not suicide. This stand of Rabia’s is contrary to the CBI’s chargesheet...

Aadhaar Mandatory To Receive Subsidized Food Grains From PDS Shops

Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has issued a notification which states that the individual beneficiaries having Ration Cards under NFSA to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication to receive subsidies under NFSA.Notification issued by the Ministry Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution  comes into effect from...

Kerala HC Acquits Man Convicted For ‘Raping’ A ‘Well-Educated’ Lady On The Pretext Of Marriage [Read Judgment]

Even a common lady or an uneducated lady cannot be deceived more than once or twice on a promise of marriage, said the  Court.The Kerala High Court has acquitted a man convicted for ‘raping’ a 27-year-old ‘well-educated’ woman by giving false promise of marriage.Justice P Ubaid found it quite unbelievable that an engineering graduate could be easily deceived on a marriage promise on...

Citizen’s Whistleblowers Forum Launched, Justice A.P Shah Chairman

In the absence of a credible authority for engaging with whistleblowers, a Citizen’s Whistleblower Forum has been established under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) A.P. Shah. It aims to encourage whistleblowers to send in their complaints to it, with the same being examined and important cases being taken up with...

Before Punishing People For Not Respecting National Anthem Inform It’s Greatness To Them: CIC [Read Order]

CIC directed PMO to provide historical details about National Symbols.Central Information Commissioner M Sridhar Acharyulu has directed the PMO to initiate a fresh enquiry and trace the historical facts and footsteps that led to the Jana Gana Mana and Vande Matharam being accorded the status of national anthem and national song, respectively.He slammed the government for not furnishing the...

The Bar Council’s Recent Fee Hike Is A Set Back For Inclusive Legal Profession

Law has an important role to play in the transformation of our society. Lawyers and the judiciary are often at the forefront of leading change. It is important that the legal profession is diverse and inclusive - not only to enable a diverse population access their rights, but also for having varied on-ground perspectives for judicial pronouncements.The Bar Council of India (BCI) is tasked with the oversight of this important profession. Recently, through a letter dated 28 January 2017, the BCI...

Beyond The Law : A Take On Two Recent Judicial Orders

Jesus Christ was made to stand with thieves by a court of law. Socrates was sentenced by a court of law to drink a cup of poison for being the most truthful person in his country. Galileo was punished by a court of law to refuse to believe myths from what he learnt from his experiments. Slavery was once legal and courts of law punished for it. Last Mughal king, Bahadur Shah Zafar was prosecuted, punished and transported by order of a court of law not considering that he was a sovereign. Tilak...