High Courts Weekly Round-Up

Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court held that writ petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India challenging the order of the family court granting or refusing an interim injunction or modifying or vacating the same, would not be maintainable and such order would be appealable under Section 19(1) of the Family Courts Act, 1984.

Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court at Goa observed that incorrect reporting of court orders affect the perception of people in the existence of the Rule of law and affect the administration of justice in the long run.

The High Court directed a school in eastern Mumbai to reinstate a teacher who had been terminated from the job over an alleged extra-marital affair. A bench of Justice Bharati H Dangre and Justice BR Gavai directed that the teacher be reinstated forthwith while noting that the facts of the care were peculiar.

The High Court ruled that the Police Manual is a public document, upholding a direction to upload the same on the Police website.

Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court held that Bar Council of the state is entitled for income tax exemption under Section 10(23A) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 with effect from the date of constitution of the Council.

Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the authorities to examine deficiencies and make Tihar Jail more accessible for persons with disabilities visiting the jails or being lodged there as inmates.

While trying to secure the interest and welfare of a minor child caught between warring parents, the High Court remarked that the love and affection that a mother has for a child would be no less merely because the child was born out of surrogacy and holding otherwise would be devaluing the great qualities of love and bonding experienced not only by human beings but all animal species.

On Wednesday, the High Court refused to accept denial of maintenance to a woman merely on the ground that she had engaged reputed Counsel for her application and had thereby spent huge amount of money in the process.

The High Court on Thursday permitted Sikh medical aspirants to carry a kirpan and wear a kara for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which is scheduled for May 6,  opining that CBSE’s “lack of accommodation for Sikh candidates is unjustified”.

The High Court on Friday set aside two orders of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) on appeals filed by NDTV co-founders Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy.

The High Court extended the time granted to street vendors for furnishing documents under the Delhi Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2017 to 30 days instead of just 10 days.

Karnataka High Court

A housewife is as busy as a professional person, the Karnataka High Court told a husband who approached the court with a contention that his wife, being merely a housewife, is free to travel by a train, rather than having to take a flight in order to attend the trial in Bengaluru.

Kerala High Court

A full bench of the High Court of Kerala has held by 2:1 majority that circulation of high-quality counterfeit currency cannot be regarded as a ‘terrorist act’ as per Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act, before 2013 amendment. The full bench was answering a reference made doubting the correctness of a division bench decision in Shereef  v. State of Kerala 2013(4) KLT 60, which had held that circulation of fake currency was a ‘terrorist act’ even as per the un-amended provision.

Madras High Court

In a significant judgment, the Madras High Court, by allowing a ‘river interlinking’ activist, to conduct his ‘peaceful fast meeting’ at Marina Beach for one day, has directed the authorities to identify a suitable space in any part of the beach.

While dealing with a petition filed by a practising lawyer against the selection procedure of Government Law Officers, the Madras High Court directed the government to frame guidelines for selection of Government Law Officers.

Orissa High Court

While rejecting anticipatory bail plea of a lawyer accused of cheating his client, the Orissa High Court observed that a lawyer claiming percentage on the permanent alimony given to his client, as fees, is illegal.

Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, holding ‘lightning’ as a natural calamity, directed the state authorities to consider granting compensation to a man whose pregnant wife had died after being struck by lightning.

Rajasthan High Court

The Rajasthan High Court on Monday dismissed a Petition challenging the advisory issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banning television ads for condoms during prime time hours.