Tape Records of Speeches

Tape records of speeches are “documents”, as defined by Section 3 of The Evidence Act, and stands on no different footing than photographs [See, Ziyauddin, (1976) 2 SCC 17]. They are admissible in evidence on satisfying the following conditions: (a) The voice of the person alleged to be speaking must be duly identified by the maker […]

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The Kesavananda Bench

Knowing the Judge, is the last refinement an Advocate can hope for. Gadbois Sir shall be remembered forever for his research on Judges of Supreme Court of India. What a book! I would not have realized… _____ The NJAC Judgment is still running its course and at this juncture of history it is difficult to […]

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Disjunctive, Conjunctive I

“We are conscious of the principle that the word ‘or’ is normally disjunctive and ‘and’ is normally conjunctive. However, there may be circumstances where these words are to be read as vice-versa to give effect to manifest intention of Legislature as disclosed from the context. Of course, these two words normally ‘or’ and ‘and’ are […]

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NJAC Judgment V: Kurian Joseph J

Hon’ble Justice Kurian Joseph has been in news: first, because of his tiff with CJI Dattu and second, for his contribution in Yakub Memon. Gold fish have no hiding place. And therefore, ‘briefest’ Judgment? “Historical, Textual, Structural, Prudential, Doctrinal, Episodic, Ethical” arguments aside, “there cannot be any legal sense of an issue, which does not […]

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NJAC Judgment II: Jasti Chelameswar J

Honourable. Honourable. Honourable. Hon’ble Justice Altamas Kabir has shared the Bench with Hon’ble Justice J. Chelameswar for days on end. Hon’ble Justice Altamas Kabir was sworn in at the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court on the same day as Hon’ble Justice Ruma Pal. They are friends. It is widely rumored, Hon’ble Justice Ruma Pal facilitated Hon’ble […]

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Stale Claims Before Writ Court

“Writ Court while deciding a Writ Petition is required to remain alive to the nature of the claim and the unexplained delay on the part of the Writ Petitioner. Stale claims are not to be adjudicated unless non-interference would cause grave injustice. In the case at hand, the employee was dismissed from service in the […]

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The Ninja

Judges are hard pressed animals. But they do not stand aloof on these chill and distant heights. Describing your Grandson as a Ninja with a Mask, is cute [on the part of Hon’ble CJI H.L. Dattu].

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Lord Roche I

My Lord, What is the Alexander Adair Roche, Baron Roche Principle? Where a power is given to do a certain thing in a certain way, the thing must be done in that way or not at all. Other methods of performance are necessarily forbidden. “The origin of this rule is traceable to the decision in […]

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