Page 13 - High Court

Record 83,000 cases pending in Supreme Court despite higher judge count

Despite an increase in judges, the Supreme Court's case backlog has grown eightfold in the past decade, reaching a record high of nearly 83,000 cases

Singapore Indian-origin Oppn leader seeks HC trial over alleged lies

Singapore's Indian-origin leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh has applied to have his case heard in the High Court instead of the State Courts. Singh, 48, faces two charges of lying to a parliamentary committee that was convened in November 2021 to look into the lying controversy involving his party's former MP Raeesah Khan. Khan has resigned from Parliament. He applied to have the case heard in the High Court on Monday, according to a Channel News Asia report. Singh's lawyers, Andre Darius Jumabhoy and Aristotle Emmanuel Eng, relied on the case of former transport minister S. Iswaran which has been rescheduled for hearing in the High Court next month. Citing the Iswaran case, the lawyers said in the arguments that there was also "strong public interest" for Singh's case to be heard in the High Court. This is the first prosecution of its kind, the Channel cited Jumabhoy as having said. "This case goes to the very essence of our democracy, and this is not my characterisation,"

In relief for commuters, Dhaka Metro resumes service after over 30 days

The Dhaka Metro resumed services on Sunday over a month after it was shut for passengers during the unprecedented anti-government protests in Bangladesh. Two stations -- Mirpur 10 and Kazipara -- will however remain closed, according to an official notification. Commuters, especially students and office-goers heaved a sigh of relief as they had to travel through Dhaka's notorious traffic congestions daily to reach their destinations. According to the official notification, the services resumed in the morning around 7 AM. Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations were vandalised in July during the anti-government protests. The Dhaka Metro services were shut for passengers in the third week of July. "We are planning to make the metro rail infrastructure a key point installation with enhanced security for its protection from any kind of vandalism," Road Transport and Communication Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said. Khan said the interim government also plans to declare metro rail operat

Govt made petitioner approach HC to derail MVA bandh: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that the Maharashtra government used its favourite petitioner to approach the court to stop the bandh called by the Maha Vikas Aghadi against the Badlapur sexual assault. Talking to reporters, Raut said the bandh called by MVA partners was going to be 100 per cent successful and it would not have portended positively for the BJP-led Mahayuti government. The Bombay High Court on Friday restrained political parties or individuals from proceeding with a Maharashtra bandh on August 24 or any future date over the Badlapur school sexual assault incident. The government made its favourite petitioner file a petition in the court against the bandh, Raut said. He was referring to activist and lawyer Gunaratna Sadavarte, who approached the court against the bandh. Where is democracy in the country if our voices are going to be suppressed? The bandh was a manifestation of the anger in the minds of people, he said. It will be the ...

Taiwan sentences 8 military officers to prison for spying for China

The court said the defendants were "willing to collect intelligence for China that caused the leak of important secrets" and that "they were seduced by money."

Unreserved seats open to meritorious SC/ST/OBC candidates: SC to High Court

Supreme Court overrules Madhya Pradesh High Court on MBBS admissions for meritorious reserved category candidates

Wazukhana's ASI survey not permissible due to SC order: Gyanvapi management

An ASI survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque Wazukhana is not permissible as there is a Supreme Court order that the area should be preserved, the mosque management committee has told the Allahabad High Court. The Anjuman Intezamia Committee Thursday filed a counter-affidavit before the Allahabad HC in the matter seeking a survey of the Wazukhana (or ablution area) by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It has been stated in the counter-affidavit that the matter relating to Wazukhana and 'Shiv Linga' is already pending before the Supreme Court and there is a stay order operating that the area be preserved, and the responsibility for its safety and security has been handed over to the District Magistrate, Varanasi. "Hence, any further action is not permissible. Instead, the petitioner should approach the apex court to seek clarification of its 2022 order," the counter-affidavit said. "In this backdrop, the District Judge, Varanasi has rightly rejected the application of Hindu side on

Triumph of truth: Sanjay Singh on HC suspending his sentence in 2001 case

AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Thursday hailed the Allahabad High Court order that stayed the execution of the sentence awarded to him by a Sultanpur court in a 2001 protest case as the "triumph of truth". The Rajya Sabha MP of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also expressed gratitude towards senior counsel and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Satish Chandra Mishra, who represented him in the high court. "The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has stayed the three-month sentence awarded in a 23-year-old case. Truth triumphed with the decision of the honourable high court. Heartfelt gratitude to senior advocate, respected Shri Satish Mishra ji. Satyamev Jayate," Singh said in a post in Hindi on X. The MP-MLA court of Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh had, on January 11 last year, sentenced Singh to three months of rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 1,500 on him for creating obstructions on a public road and inciting violence during a protest in the district in 2001. The appeal of .

New York's top court rejects Republican-led challenge to voting by mail

A New York law allowing any registered voter to cast a ballot by mail was upheld Tuesday by the state's highest court, which rejected a Republican challenge to the legislation. The 6-1 ruling from the state Court of Appeals affirmed lower courts in finding that the voting expansion law approved by the Legislature last year did not violate the state's constitution. The lawsuit was part of a widespread GOP effort to tighten voting rules after the 2020 election and was led by US. Rep. Elise Stefanik. Challengers argued that the constitution required most people to vote in person. Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote in the majority opinion that there is no "clear, unequivocal, and persistent" understanding by government that the constitution requires in-person voting. Democrats attempted to expand mail voting through a constitutional amendment in 2021, but voters rejected the proposal after a campaign from conservatives who said it would lead to voter fraud. State Republican Party Chairman

Karnataka HC orders stay on action against Siddaramaiah over MUDA land scam

The Karnataka High Court said that no action will be taken against CM Siddaramaiah until the petition against the Governor's sanction is heard

TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy moves HC challenging notice by Kolkata Police

Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy on Monday moved the Calcutta High Court, challenging a notice sent to him by the police in connection with a social media post he made over the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Kolkata Police served the notice to the veteran politician on Sunday, asking him to appear before it. Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj granted permission to Roy's lawyer to file his petition challenging the notice. The court said it will hear the petition on Tuesday. In his social media post, the veteran TMC MP demanded that the CBI undertake "custodial interrogation" of Kolkata Police commissioner and previous principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in connection with its probe into the alleged rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor.

Siddaramaiah moves HC against guv's nod for prosecution in MUDA scam

CM Siddaramaiah filed a writ petition requesting for cancellation of permission given to the prosecution

HC refuses to quash proceedings against six for disrespecting national flag

The Allahabad High Court has refused to quash criminal proceedings against six people accused of carrying a tricolour with Quranic verses during a religious procession, saying such incidents could be exploited by those who seek to create communal discord. Dismissing the petition filed by Gulamuddin and five others, Justice Vinod Diwakar said the act was punishable under the Flag Code of India, 2002, and there was a violation of the Prevention of Insults of National Honour Act, 1971. Stressing that the tricolour symbolises unity and diversity of the nation, transcending religious, ethnic and cultural differences, the court observed, "It is a unifying emblem representing the collective identity and sovereignty of India. Act of disrespect towards the 'tiranga' can have far-reaching social cultural implications, particularly in a diverse society like India." Such incidents could be exploited by those who seek to create communal discord or fuel misunderstandings between different ...

Meghalaya HC bans single-use plastic in temples, shops across state

The Meghalaya High Court has banned single use plastic in temples and shops across the state. The High Court Bench headed by Chief Justice S Vaidyanathan also advocated for introduction of tetra pak cartons, which are primarily made from paper and could be an effective alternative to replace plastics. The fight against plastics is not just an environmental crusade, but a battle for the health and future of our planet. "To begin with, such a move can be started from temple premises. Temple authorities must ensure that there is no usage of plastic bags in and around the worshipping places," the Division Bench said in an order while hearing a PIL on the matter on Friday. "CCTV cameras shall be installed in all temples, so that if anybody carries plastics inside the temple, that can be curtailed to some extent," it added. The bench also imposed a ban on shops from storing and using plastic bags proposing heavy fines to be imposed on violators. "If any shops are found to have stored ..

HC sets aside assessment proceeding against NRI over faceless issue

It should be noted that the notification by the CBDT carved out an exception for international taxation cases, including NRIs, for reassessment

HC orders media houses to take down defamatory videos against RS MP Reddy

The Delhi High Court has directed several media houses to take down and block the URLs of certain videos and posts on social media which contained defamatory statements against Rajya Sabha MP Venumbaka Vijaya Sai Reddy. The high court, in an interim order, said if the media houses fail to remove the URLs within 10 days, the Member of Parliament will be at liberty to approach and request the intermediaries, including Google, Meta Platforms and X, which must then take them down within 36 hours. The high court it its observation expressed displeasure over the spreading of rumours, especially when it has the potential to affect the dignity of a woman and the reputation of a person. Perusal of such statements further reveal that most of them are based on rumours and it is trite law that rumours unlike truth must not be acted upon as an information for dissemination before the public at large especially when such rumours can potentially affect the dignity of a woman as well as the ...

School jobs row: SC to hear plea of WB govt challenging Calcutta HC order

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear in September the pleas of the West Bengal government and others challenging a Calcutta High Court order that invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state government and aided schools. A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud granted time to the parties to file their responses to the petitions by August 16. "Time for filing the written submissions for the petitioners in the West Bengal group of matters will be extended till next Friday," Chief Justice Chandrachud said. The bench, also comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, asked the nodal counsel to prepare a common compilation of the records in electronic form and ensure that the judgments cited by the parties were part of one set of the PDF documents. The top court, which has been hearing 33 petitions on the high court's April 22 judgment on the matter, has now fixed a final hearing in September. On July 16, it granted the la

PIL filed in Madras High Court to regulate functioning of You Tube

The Madras High Court on Monday ordered notice to the Centre and Tamil Nadu government on a petition, which sought to regulate and restrict the functioning of You Tube so as to bring it in conformity to Indian laws, social and religious restrictions, notwithstanding the right conferred under the fundamental right. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice P B Balaji posted after four weeks, further hearing of a PIL filed by advocate V Parthiban. According to the petitioner, media trials were effectively carried out on YouTube to hamper the investigation and decisions when the matter was sub-judice. Even such media trials, freely posted and commented on the social media site escape the eyes of law from contempt as You Tube disowns responsibility for any content posted by YouTubers, though it was also a beneficiary of any post, apart from those updating such content, he added. Several innocent people were getting affected. They were being judged by ..

Courts have bolstered country's reputation for arbitration: Justice Kohli

The courts in the country have bolstered India's reputation as a favourable destination for arbitration by upholding the sanctity of arbitral awards, Supreme Court judge Justice Hima Kohli has said. She was speaking at a seminar -- 'Recent Developments in Arbitration to Promote Business' -- organised by law firms Gibson Dunn Secretariat and UNUM Law, along with the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC) and General Counsels' Association of India on Friday. Justice Kohli said the growth of international trade made dispute resolution more complex and to address the challenges, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), especially arbitration, had emerged as a powerful tool for businesses. "In recent years, India has made significant strides in establishing itself as a reliable partner in arbitration and mediation services. India's transformation into a commercial arbitration hub has been driven by the judiciary's unstinting commitment to fast-tracking matters under the ...

HC asks MP govt to convene meeting to resolve minimum wages issue

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to convene a meeting of all stakeholders to discuss the classification of minimum wages according to different zones. During a hearing on Thursday, an official from the labour department informed the bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Duppala Venkata Ramana that the state government has agreed to fix different minimum wages according to industries. The court was hearing a plea filed in April this year, in which industrial organisations sought the classification of minimum wages in the state based on circumstances in different industries and zones. The official said the respondent/state was ready to fix minimum wages industry-wise or group of industry-wise, and as far as the region-wise classification was concerned, it is open for discussions with the petitioners. To this, the court said, "In such circumstances, the respondent/state is directed to convene a meeting with the petitioner