J&K HC Using SMS Service To Disseminate Relevant Information On COVID-19 Among Lawyers/ Litigants

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court in coordination with J&K Legal Services Authority has devised a "robust mechanism" for disseminating information and spreading awareness about the COVID-19, through text messaging. Using the database of lawyers and litigants maintained by the High Court as well as District Courts of UTs of J&K and Ladakh, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir is...

MHA Releases New Standard Operating Protocol For Movement Of Stranded Labour [Read Order]

There shall be no movement of labour outside the State/UT from where they are currently located.The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a standard operating protocol for enabling the movement of migrant labours who are stranded in different parts of the country, amid lockdown. The migrant labours, employed in industry, agriculture, construction and other sectors, were unable to...

Held For Stealing, Minor Boy Gets A Rare Treatment From Nalanda Court

Coming to the rescue of a 16-year-old boy who had been apprehended for committing theft, the Bihar Sharif Court in Bihar's Nalanda district on Friday ordered the local police to release him and to provide him with food and clothes, amid the lockdown, reported ToI. The direction was made by Judicial Officer Manvendra Mishra who noted that the boy was forced to commit theft, in order...

Press Freedom Not Unfettered, Says Court While Granting Bail To Journalist Arrested Over Bandra Migrants Incident

A Magistrate Court at Bandra granted bail to Rahul Kulkarni, a journalist working for ABP Majha who was arrested for offences under various sections of the IPC and the Epidemic Diseases Act for an alleged false report that the Railways will be starting special trains for ferrying lakhs of stranded migrants workers across the state to their native places.As per the FIR, in the morning of April...

[COVID-19] All Judicial Proceedings In Madras HC Will Be Conducted Via Video Conferencing [Read Circular]

Madras High Court has issued a circular stating that all judicial proceedings in the High Court will only be conducted through video conferencing in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The circular has been issued in order to completely secure the premises of the High Court and to prevent the spread of any infection after it was found that the State Government Counsel's Office assistant...

Allahabad HC Defers Re-Opening Of Subordinate Courts In The State [Read Letter]

In view of the prevailing extraordinary circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Registrar General of the Allahabad High Court has clarified that its previous order relating to operation of Subordinate courts in the state from April 20 will be kept in abeyance for a week. In a letter addressed to all the District Judges in UP, the Registrar General intimated that in view of...

Row Over NLU-J Faculty Suggesting Study Materials Showing Homosexuality As 'Disorder'

150 alumni of the National Law University, Jodhpur, have issued a joint statement in support of the representation made by college students against the study materials circulated by a faculty member which show homosexuality as a 'disorder' and an 'abnormality' The statements says: 'We unequivocally condemn the action of Dr Asha Bhandari in prescribing as essential reading only regressive...

Tis Hazari Court Issues Directions To Streamline Hearings On Urgent Applications Through Video Conferencing [Read Order]

Tis Hazari Court in Delhi has issued a series of comprehensive directions to streamline the issue of hearing bail applications, or any other urgent application. Issued by District and Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma, the directions have been issued to safeguard the constitutional rights of the parties through the digital medium of video conferencing. The following...

[COVID-19] Uttarakhand HC To Take Up Bail Applications Besides Matters Of Extreme Urgency [Read Circular]

The Uttarakhand High Court has issued a notification stating that Bail Applications will also be taken up, besides fresh matters of extreme urgency during the lockdown period which has been imposed in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In continuation of the previous notification which had been issued for e-filing and hearing through video conferencing in the High Court, the following directions...

Plea In HC Challenges Kerala Govt Contract With US-Company "Sprinklr" To Process COVID-19 Data [Read Petition]

A petition has been filed in the High Court of Kerala challenging the agreement between the Kerala Government and US-based Sprinklr Company for processing of data related to COVID-19 patients.The petition filed by one Balu Gopalakrishnan, a lawyer, alleges foul play in the decision of the Pinarayi Vijayan-government to choose the services a foreign-based private company for storing and...

Madras HC Cancels Summer Vacations Of HC & All Subordinate Courts In Tamil Nadu & Puducherry [Read Notification]

The Madras High Court has adjourned the summer vacations for all the courts in the state of Tamil Nadu and in the UT of Puducherry. In notifications issued for the same, it has been intimated that the summer vacation of all the Subordinate courts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, scheduled for May 1 till May 31, are kept in abeyance and stand adjourned. Similarly, the summer vacations...

Allahabad HC Intimates That Courts & Tribunals In State Will Open For Working From April 20 [Read Letter]

The Allahabad High Court has announced that all the Courts subordinate to it, including the Tribunals, that do not fall under containment zones will be opened for working from April 20. In a letter addressed to all the District Judges in UP, the Registrar General intimated that all the Courts subordinate to Allahabad High Court and all Commercial Courts, Motor Accident Claims Tribunals...