Bar, Bench & Litigation

Three get death in Assam for beheading minor student

A court in Assam yesterday sentenced three people to death for abducting and beheading a Class 9 student in 2011. Arup Dutta, the son of Anu Dutta in Jagiroad near Guwahati, was abducted by Sanjoy Chandra and Bhim Das on July 1, 2011. The third accused Mohan Teron joined them later. They beheaded Du...

Cabinet approves amendment to juvenile justice bill

The union cabinet yesterday approved amendment to the Juvenile Justice Bill to provide that if a heinous crime is committed by a person in the 16-18 age group, it will be examined by the Juvenile Justice Board to assess if the crime was committed as a ‘child’ or as an ‘adult’. “The union cabinet, ch...

Delhi HC comes to aid of chewable tobacco: Tells Delhi gov't not to take 'coercive action'

The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the Delhi government not to take “coercive action” against tobacco sellers and manufacturers. The court was hearing a bunch of pleas filed by tobacco manufacturers challenging the ban on sale of chewable tobacco in the national capital. Justice Rajiv Shakdher ...

Cabinet approves fast-track commercial courts bill to be introduced this session

The cabinet will introduce The Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts and Commercial Courts Bill 2015 in the current parliamentary session “taking into consideration the Law Commission’s recommendations”, according to a release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB). F...

Justice Khehar stays: 5 judges to hear NJAC challenges on 27 April

The Supreme Court will from April 27 start hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the NJAC Act, 2014, and the constitution amendment backing it. The court on Wednesday rejected the plea that Justice JS Khehar should withdraw from hearing the matter as he is a member ...

Lawyers strike delays bail hearing of oil ministry leak execs

A court here on Wednesday fixed April 24 for hearing the bail application of five corporate executives accused in connection with the petroleum ministry’s documents leak case. Due to the lawyers’ strike in Delhi courts over pecuniary jurisdiction , Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kapoor postponed the ...

In wake of lawyer’s murder, Tis Hazari bar demands prison-style security & curfews, reports Delhi Barfly

CCTV
CCTV
Night vision cameras and high mast lights, men patrolling the gates day and night. No, it’s not the latest edition of Hunger Games, but could be the future of Tis Hazari court complex soon enough.

Cannabis should be legal in India, argues one lawyer’s petition in the Bombay high court

Advocate Aditya Barthakur has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay high court challenging the criminalisation of cannabis under Indian law, based on the fact that none of six government organs he queried had any idea about how the herb is harmful to the human body.

Justice Manjunath: Seriously miffed with brother & sister judges for not protecting him

Karnataka high court justice KL Manjunath retired on Monday accusing, in his farewell speech, a Supreme Court judge for damaging his prospects of “climbing higher in the judiciary”, reported the Indian Express and others. Justice Manjunath, who was a judge at the Karnataka high court since December ...

Two-day strike (again) by Delhi's lower courts over pecuniary jurisdiction

PTI reported that all of Delhi’s six district courts’ lawyers today decided they would go on a two-day strike over Parliament’s delay in tabling the bill to enhance lower courts’ pecuniary jurisdiction. The lawyers would march and assemble outside the Prime Minister’s residence. Several strikes have...

RamJet wants to 'shock', SC asks for black money update from SIT

The Supreme Court (SC) today asked the Special Investigation Team to submit by May 12 for its consideration the status report on its work on bringing back unaccounted money stashed away in tax havens abroad. The directive follows jurist Ram Jethmalani telling the apex court today that there were det...

SC now to figure out if collegium judge JS Khehar may hear NJAC writ

The Supreme Court today did not hear a batch of petitions challenging the National Judicial Appointment Commission replacing the collegium system for appointing judges as it will first decide whether Justice JS Khehar, who is presiding over a five-judge constitution bench, can hear the challenge. Th...

SC to hear CBI plea for fresh FIR in case related to 2G scam

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would hold hearing on April 30 on the CBI’s plea seeking registration of a fresh FIR against some of the 2G accused on the basis of fresh material that it had come across in the course of its investigations into the scam. As senior counsel KK Venugopal, appearing ...

WiFi access in Supreme Court to be available from today

Access will be chargeable but is hoped to overcome difficulties.

Delhi magistrate accepts chargesheet vs 13 in oil ministry leak scandal

A court today took cognizance of the charge sheet filed against 13 accused in the case relating to the leak of documents from the petroleum ministry. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal accepted the charge sheet filed by Delhi Police in the case and directed them to supply related documen...

Defence makes closing arguments as judgment day may finally loom for Salman Khan?

After a trial of 13 years, first in the Mumbai Metropolitan Court and then in the Sessions Court, the verdict in the high-profile Salman Khan accident case is round the corner. “I will announce the date of the verdict on Monday (April 20),” Additional Sessions Judge DW Deshpande told special public ...

Amit Sibal gets Kejriwal, Sisodia to appear in court over defamation case

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, accused in a defamation case filed by senior congress leader Kapil Sibal’s son Amit, appeared before a court here on Saturday. Kejriwal appeared before Metropolitan Magistrate Sunil Kumar Sharma after Amit Sibal’s counsel...

The Bootleggers & Instigators: 6 types of legal animals you’ll meet in Delhi’s district courts (Part 3 of 3)

The final instalment of Delhi Barfly’s catalogue of Delhi district court animals concludes with The Bootlegger and The Instigators.

SILF gives award to Harish Salve for award

Senior advocate Harish Salve was celebrated by the Society of Indian Law Firms (Silf) at a dinner earlier this evening, for having received the Padma Bhushan.

Fali wins Justice Dave's recusal in NJAC hearing

Mint reported that Justice Anil R Dave, who’s heading the five-judge constitution bench that will hear challenges to the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, today recused himself from the case: The move came after senior lawyer Fali S Nariman, who represents lawyers body and petiti...