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Legally Explained: Did Justice Chelameswar start a revolution today in the SC collegium?

Justice Jasti Chelameswar, the fifth-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, and a member of the SC’s collegium, made the news today with the New Indian Express publishing his refusal to participate in a Supreme Court collegium meeting, as a protest against the collegium’s failure to comply with the principle of transparency of its proceedings.

Lawyer Janhavi Gadkar drunk drive charges to be framed 20 September, faces 7+ years jail

Lawyer Janhavi Gadkar, who in 2015 while working at Reliance Industries as an in-house lawyer killed two while allegedly driving drunk in Mumbai, will likely appear in court on 20 September when charges against her will be framed, reported the Times of India:

Shameless plug: Bombay HC judge cites ‘quite excellent’ LI-Mint article in a quite excellent copyright order

In another pragmatic order dealing with the until-recently fairly haphazard regime of John Doe blocking of pirated movies on websites, Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay high court has cited an article by Legally India published in Mint as “quite excellent”, “extremely well researched, thoughtful and incisive” (see excerpt above).

SC judges stage walkout after lawyers pull no-show in 4 matters

In a clear message to senior lawyers that they could not take liberty with the court by making a last minute request for pass-over or adjournment of a matter listed for hearing, a Supreme Court bench on Tuesday withdrew from hearing the matters for an hour after in four of the first five matters, as junior lawyers sought pass-overs repeatedly.

Legally Explained: Why the HC allowed women into Haji Ali and what this means for religion and equality

Why did the sun set on Haji Ali's briefly sexist period?
Why did the sun set on Haji Ali's briefly sexist period?
A Bombay high court bench of justices VM Kanade and Revati Mohite Dere had held on Friday (26 August) that the ban on women entering the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali Dargah of Mumbai, contravened Articles 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution.

BTW: Better late than never, Hindu covers story of 3 corrupt BCI members jailed

Just FYI, more than one month after a CBI court convicted three Bar Council of India (BCI) members to jail and after a PTI report on the judgment, The Hindu on 25 August 2016 is now the only mainstream media outlet (other than http://www.livemint.com/Politics/oS1IH3Hf1bc5dSMmD4fYVP/Bribery-case-exposes-the-rot-in-legal-education.html Mint) to have done a news story:

SC petition challenges MCI oversight by Lodha committee

The Supreme Court will hear on 29 August a plea contending that the top court appointed oversight committee headed by former Chief Justice RM Lodha was going beyond its mandate of monitoring the work of Medical Council of India (MCI).

Landmark: Bombay HC opens Haji Ali Dargah to women [READ JUDGMENT]

In a historic verdict, the Bombay high court today permitted the entry of women up to the restricted grave area of the famous Haji Ali Dargah, located on the rocks off the Worli seashore.

SC tells off Jaya: Don‘t misuse defamation to curb criticism

The Supreme Court today said that criticism of public policy could not be a ground for slapping defamation suit as it issued fresh notice to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on a plea alleging abuse of power by her.

Legally Explained: How has the SC managed to keep dodging its RTI obligations? [via Mint]

On 17 August, before it broke for a long weekend of four days, a three-judge Supreme Court (SC) bench of justices Ranjan Gogoi, Prafulla Chandra Pant and AM Khanwilkar referred a challenge to its immunity from the Right to Information (RTI) Act to a five-judge constitution bench. The decision, made after a brief hearing, was a surprise as well as a disappointment.

Amity suicide: Director & prof resign to placate students over opaque admin & unanswered questions [UPDATE-3: Read fact-finding report]

In the row over the suicide of student Sushant Rohilla at Amity Law School Delhi (IP), its director Prof Dr BP Singh Sehgal and political science professor Dr Isheeta Rutabhasini have both resigned.

SC consti bench to decide if SC is immune to RTI

A five-judge Constitution bench will decide whether the Supreme Court is exempted from disclosing information including file noting and correspondence on the appointment of judges to higher judiciary and other information under the Right to Information Act (RTI).

BCCI follows Katju‘s advice, asks for SC review of Lodha decision

The Board of Control for Cricket India in India (BCCI) on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking the review of its 18 July verdict asking the country’s apex cricketing body to implement the Justice Lodha Committee recommendations for transparency and accountability in its functioning and limiting the involvement of ministers and government officials.

BCI stays its suspension-without-notice of 126 Tamil Nadu advocates

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has stayed its order of 24 July that had suspended, without notice or due process, 126 Tamil Nadu advocates who had allegedly been involved in the strikes against the Madras high court’s controversial new disciplinary rules.

Legally Explained: Irom Sharmila and what courts & judges think of the draconian AFSPA

So, one of the longest fasts in world history has come to an end with the Iron Lady of Manipur, Irom Sharmila, abandoning her ineffective fast to force the Government to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).

Bombay / Mumbai HC will get 2nd female chief justice, as Manjula Chellur transferred from Cal / Kol HC

The first female Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Manjula Chellur, has been named the new Chief Justice of the Bombay high court.

Legally Explained: What BCCI, Katju, Lodha & Trump could have in common

So, after some time out, ex-Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju (Retd.) is in the news again, seemingly putting a spanner in a variety of works.

Legally Explained: How the HC resolved the knotty turf war between Kejriwal & Lt Governor (and why it still ain‘t over)

So, finally, the Delhi high court ruled in favour of the Lt. Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, and the Central Government, in their turf war with Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal.

Legally Explained: Why and how SC dismissed a petition seeking to reopen investigation of Amit Shah role in Sheikh encounter?

On 26 November, 2005, the Gujarat police killed Sohrabuddin Sheikh, while he was in police custody. The police claimed he was involved in alleged criminal extortion racket, arms smuggling, and murder cases. Thereafter, Sheikh’s wife, Kauser Bi disappeared. A year later, Sheikh’s associate, Tulsiram Prajapati, a witness to Sheikh’s killing, was killed in another encounter with the state police.

BCCI picks ex-Justice Markandey Katju to head Lodha Panel

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday appointed former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju as the head of a legal panel to guide the board in understanding the recommendations of the Justice RM Lodha Committee which have been approved by the apex court.