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Supreme Court Dismisses Ex-Google Employee's Petition Alleging Religious Discrimination At Workplace
The Supreme Court on Friday (September 20) dismissed a writ petition file by a terminated Google employee who wrote complaints to the Prime Minister about alleged religious discrimination he faced at the workplace.The petitioner in person, Zahid Showka,t filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution stating that he was aggrieved by his termination and subsequent non-action on his written complaints to the Prime Minister's Office. The bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud comprising...
Whether Reasons Recorded By CBI To Arrest Kejriwal Met Legal Standards? A Critique Of Justice Surya Kant's Judgment
The Supreme Court's two-judge bench agreed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal should be granted bail in the CBI's 'Liquor Policy Scam' case but framed separate opinions regarding the arrest's validity though upholding the same. Justice Surya Kant upheld the arrest, noting the CBI met procedural requirements under the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C.). In contrast, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan questioned the timing of the arrest and supported Dr. Singhvi's (Kejriwal's counsel) view that the CBI's action...
'Right To Get Unadulterated Food Fundamental Right' : Kerala High Court Asks Centre To Examine Lacunae In Food Safety & Standards Act
The Kerala High Court has directed the Central Government to look into the lacunae in the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 and its Regulations. The Court stated that it is the duty of the government to have a fool proof Act and Rules to ensure that citizens are given unadulterated food.In this case, the Court was considering whether prosecution could be initiated against Pepsico India Holdings Private Limited for allegedly selling unsafe and misbranded Mint & Lemon Flavoured Green Ice...
Strange Approach By HC : Supreme Court Sets Aside Order Dismissing FIR Quashing Petition As 'Infructuous' Due To Petitioner's Arrest
The Supreme Court today (September 20) criticized a decision of the Allahabad High Court, which declared a petition seeking the quashing of an FIR as “infructuous” solely because the petitioner had been arrested.A bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Pankaj Mithal set aside the High Court's order that dismissed the petition without considering its merits.In its order, the Supreme Court stated, “The High Court has adopted a very strange approach, to say the least. The prayer was for quashing of...
Private Citizens Free To Change Party Loyalties; 10th Schedule Can't Be Challenged For Exempting Non-Elected Persons: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Friday (September 20) dismissed a writ petition challenging the constitutionality of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. The Court also noted that the validity cannot be challenged on the ground that anti-defection laws do not apply to private individuals changing their political loyalties. The 10th Schedule was introduced by 52nd Constitutional Amendment in 1985 which laid down anti-defection laws for members of the house of legislatures at center and states. The...
Citizens Have 'Right To Free Speech', Not State's Burden To Ensure That They Only Know Truth: Bombay HC On IT Amendment Rules
The Bombay High Court's 'Tie-Breaker' Judge Justice Atul Chandurkar, while opining that the amendments to the Information and Technology Rules, 2021 are 'unconstitutional' held that the citizens only have the 'right to free speech and expression' but not a 'right to truth' and thus the State cannot claim to have a responsibility to ensure that citizens know only 'truth' and not 'fake or false information.'Justice Chandurkar has given his opinion on a bunch of petitions led by comedian Kunal...
Supreme Court Issues Notice On Pleas For 33% Women Reservation In Delhi Bar Bodies, Voices Concerns About Expensive Campaign
The Supreme Court today issued notice on two petitions seeking 33% reservation for women lawyers in Delhi's lawyer bodies viz. Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) and all District Bar Associations.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order and listed the matter on September 25, refusing to stay the Bar elections in the meanwhile.One of the petitions was filed by Advocate Shobha Gupta, who contends that under representation of women in...
State Must Ensure Timely Payment Of Land Acquisition Compensation Even If Private Company Is Ultimately Liable, Delay Violates Art 300A: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court today (September 20) criticised the State of Himachal Pradesh for failing to ensure the timely payment of additional compensation of Rs. 3,05,31,095 awarded to landowners for land acquired in 2008 for a cement project run by JAL(M/s Jaiprakash Associates Limited).A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra said that the state government should have ensured compensation was paid, even if it meant recovering it from JAL, instead of making the landowners go after...
Insufficiently Stamped Document Not Admissible Merely Because It Was Exhibited Unless Deficiency Is Cured : Supreme Court
Recently, the Supreme Court justified the dismissal of the specific performance suit because it was filed based on the insufficiently stamped agreement to sell. The Court said that a relief cannot be sought based on a document that has not satisfied the legal requirements for admissibility i.e., an insufficiently stamped instrument being inadmissible in evidence could not bring relief to the litigant.“We find no reason to disagree with the findings of the Trial Court regarding the...
Supreme Court Hears AG's Arguments In Religious Conversion Case Against SHUATS University VC & Officials
The Supreme Court today heard an SLP filed against an order of the Allahabad High Court refusing to quash an FIR lodged against the Vice-Chancellor (Dr.) Rajendra Bihari Lal Director Vinod Bihari Lal and five other officials of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Science (SHUATS) over alleged illegal religious conversions.The Court had granted interim protection from arrest to the Vice Chancellor and other officials of the SHUATS in December last year. In January 2024,...
Supreme Court Issues Notice On Parents' Plea For Independent Probe Into Death Of Children Belonging To Scheduled Castes At IIT Delhi
The Supreme Court today issued notice on a plea filed by parents of two students belonging to the Scheduled Caste category, who died at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi this year. The parents have sought registration of FIR and independent investigation into the deaths by a centralized agency.The order was passed by a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.Briefly stated, the petition impugns order dated 30.01.2024 passed by the High Court of Delhi, whereby a writ petition filed...
'Dogs Won't Wait For Your Deliberations To Bite' : Supreme Court Raps Union & Kerala For Not Responding To Plea On Anti-Rabies Vaccines
The Supreme Court today directed the Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Chief Secretary for the State of Kerala to file counter affidavits in a petition seeking to constitute an independent expert committee to study the efficacy of the Intra Dermal Rabies Vaccines (IDRV) currently being administered to Humans and Rabies Veterinary Vaccine, administered to dogs in India.On October 31, 2022, a bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and CT Ravikumar issued notice on the petition....