High Courts Weekly Round-Up

Allahabad High Court

Full Bench of Allahabad High Court, in Syed Wasif Husain Rizvi vs. HasanRaza Khan held that Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution can be filed by a power of attorney holder. The Court also said that certain safeguards shall be observed where a writ petition is filed through the holder of a power of attorney.

A Seven Judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court declared that the strike by Lucknow HC bench lawyers as illegal and issued directives for its immediate withdrawal.

Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court on Saturday suspended Judicial Officer Ankit Goel, who had slapped sedition charges against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in October last year. The Judge has been suspended for irregularities and acting beyond his jurisdiction. He has been found prima facie guilty of “indiscretion in carrying out judicial work” and an inquiry has been ordered against him for further action.

Bombay High Court

A Bombay High Court Division Bench in a PIL asked the Centre to take appropriate decision regarding amending section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and corresponding Central Rules (pertaining to fitness certificates) within three months to bring in a more stringent penalty which will act as a deterrent for those vehicles found plying without fitness certificates.

Delhi High Court

A Division Bench of Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected a petition filed by the State Government against an earlier order of the single Judge, which had stayed the State Government’s circular that had scrapped many criteria for nursery admissions, including management quota.

A Division Bench of the High Court allowed screening of a documentary film on the victims of violence in the Kashmir Valley, “The Textures of Loss”, without any deletions but with a disclaimer. Upholding the Single Judge Bench verdict, the court held that the film should carry a disclaimer that it does not intend to hurt or defame any person, community or institution. The court was disposing off the Writ Appeal preferred by the Central Board of Film Certification.

Delhi High Court in Indian Radiological And Imaging Association vs. Union of India, issued certain guidelines on Preconception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 (PNDT Act).

Gujarat High Court

In a recent order, the High Court of Gujarat held that in-laws are not liable for payment of maintenance to the wife, if her husband was still alive.

Kerala High Court

A Division Bench of Kerala High Court comprising of Justice P.R.RamachandraMenon and Justice Anil.KNarendran held that an accident arising out of non-wearing of helmet does not lead to an inference to the case of contributory negligence on the part of the person causing accident, so as to limit his claims arising out of such accident.

A division bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday has directed the Minister for Cultural and Rural Affairs, Mr K.C Joseph to appear before it to face the contempt proceedings initiated against later. The minister had allegedly made derogatory remarks in his face book against Mr Justice Alexander Thomas which was the reason for initiation of contempt proceedings.

The High Court on Wednesday has granted bail to Rahul Pasupalan and his wife Reshmi R Nair main organizers of ‘Kiss of love’ campaign in an online sex racket case.

Madras High Court

A Division Bench of Madras High Court at Madurai held that engaging school teachers in survey work for updating National Population Register cannot be construed as violative of the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

In an unusual and strange order, Madras High Court Judge Justice C.S.Karnan Today stayed the transfer order issued to him by the Supreme Court of India transferring him to Calcutta High Court. He also directed the Chief Justice of India to file the reply by April 29.

Punjab & Haryana High Court

Punjab and Haryana High Court came down heavily on Haryana’s Director General of Police (Human Rights) Anant Kumar Dhull while dismissing his review petition against a Judgment rendered by the High Court awarding compensation to victims of false prosecution for rape and murder.

The High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Central Government, acting on a petition claiming difficulties for students in taking online Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), seeking directions to hold the CLAT-2016 in online as well as offline modes.

The High Court ruled that the gifts received by the Managing Director of Ludhiana-based Oswal Woollen Mills Limited, Jawahar Lal Oswal, for and on behalf of his daughters in England were valid.

SantSamaj leader Baljit SinghDaduwal, who has been in Hoshiarpur jail, was granted bail by Justice M M S Bedi. The High Court found that Daduwal, booked in Amritsar under sedition charges, did not utter “even a single word” which could be considered an attempt at waging war against the state.