SC rejects Yakub Memon’s Curative Petition, likely to be hanged on July 30th

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the curative petition of Yakub Memon, the lone death row convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case. A bench of the Apex Court headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu dismissed ,Yakub's curative petition without hearing saying that the grounds raised in the Curative Petition which would not fall within the principles laid down in   the   ...

SC slams Trial Judge for passing an Order of Acquittal in Murder Trial as Witnesses not present; calls it a ‘Mock Trial’ [Read Jt]

Calling a trial that resulted in a judgment of acquittal under Section 232 Cr.P.C. after closing evidence pursuant to examination of one formal prosecution witness, as a ‘farce’, a ‘mock trial’ and comparable to an experimentation conducted by a child in a laboratory, the Supreme Court has come down heavily on the conduct of the trial judge, calling the course of conduct adopted in...

Bar Council of India opposes entry of open university graduates into higher education courses

The Bar Council of India (BCI) informed the Supreme Court that it will not permit candidates take admission in law courses if they have obtained 10+2 or graduation or even post-graduation degree through open universities, even though such degrees are recognised by the University Grants Commission, reports Indian ExpressFurther, it said that the fact that a candidate has worked with a lawyer...

A shot in the arm for transparency in judiciary: Calcutta HC in a first permits video recording of court proceedings

The Calcutta High Court created history on July 15 when Justice Aniruddha Bose directed recording of court room proceedings in a particular case, thereby creating a rare, first of its kind precedent. The order has been hailed by activists fighting for greater transparency in the judiciary and court proceedings.Acting on an order passed by Justice Aniruddha Bose, the Registry of the...

Three months paid leave for sexual harassment victims: DoPT issues step guide for inquiry in sexual harassment cases

The Department of Personnel and Training has prepared a step guide for conduct of inquiry in complaint cases of sexual harassment.Rule 14(2) of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 prescribes that the Complaints Committee established in each Ministry or Department for inquiring into complaints of sexual harassment shall hold such inquiry in accordance...

SARFAESI Act cannot be enforced in Jammu and Kashmir, rules the J&K High Court

In a landmark judgment, the Jammu & Kashmir High Court has held recently that the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, enacted by Parliament in 2002, cannot be enforced in the state.A division bench of the Court comprised of Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Ali Muhammad Magrey underlined how the SARFAESI Act is...

Justice Katju questions SC decision to outsource its powers of punishment to Lodha Committee in IPL spot fixing issue; Fali agrees with Katju, Shanthi Bhushan differs[Updated]

Former judge of the Supreme Court Justice (retd)Markandey Katju on Wednesday questioned the Supreme Court’s decision to appoint the Lodha Commission to decide punishments to be imposed on people and cricket bodies accused of spot fixing in the IPL controversy.A bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice TS Thakur in January this year had constituted a three-member committee headed by...

SC reserves judgment in NJAC case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment in the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) case and stated that the interim order would continue to be in effect till the verdict is finally given."The arguments and counter arguments were heard by the Supreme Court for more than 30 hearings. After Hearing the arguments, the five judges bench has reserved the ordered and...

1993 Bombay blasts : Yakub Memon set to be hanged on July 30

Unless the Supreme Court stays on July 21 the execution of Yakub Memon who was convicted and sentenced to death in the sensational 1993 Bombay blasts case, he is all set to be hanged till death at 7 am on July 30 in Nagpur Central Jail. It is learnt that a TADA court has issued a warrant to carry out the death sentence against convict Yakub Memon, 53, by hanging him till death at 7 am on July...

IPL spot fixing: Lodha Panel suspends Meiyappan and Kundra for life; CSK, RR suspended for 2 years

In a major set-back to the cricket fraternity, the Lodha Committee has proposed suspension of the Chennai Super Kings and the Rajasthan Royals' franchise for a period of two years, apart from banning Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra for life from being involved with BCCI. Meiyappan was also declared ineligible for participation in any cricket activities for 5 years by the panel.The...

Voting cannot be made compulsory since as it would violate right of freedom of speech and expression.: EC says to SC

The Election Commission has filed an affidavit expressing its stance in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) that wants a direction to the commission to frame new guidelines making voting mandatory. The commission said right to vote was not a fundamental right but statutory.“The decision taken by the voter after verifying the credentials of the candidate either to vote or not to...

High Court of Kerala dismisses PIL challenging the constitutionality of Shariat Law

The High Court of Kerala vide a recent judgment has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed seeking a declaration in law that the Shariat law- applicable in regard to inheritance of Muslim women- is violative of Articles 14, 15, 19, 21 and 25 of the Constitution of India and therefore, void and unenforceable. A Division Bench of the High Court comprised of Chief Justice Ashok...