“The same set of judicial precedents were cited and debated before us by both sides. The first in sequence is, Judgment of Constitution Bench in Mohammad Shujat Ali v. Union of India, (1975) 3 SCC 76. While referring to observations of Justice Brewer, “the very idea of classification is that of inequality”, it was recognized, […]
Read more "The Revival of Ray XXXI"Sudhir Krishnaswamy taught me at National Law School of India University, Bangalore in 2006. This book, first published in 2009, grew out of his Doctor of Philosophy in Law Dissertation at Oxford University. Extensively researched. Magnificently written. Excerpt, follows. _____ The Basic Structure Doctrine evolved in the context of challenges to the constitutionality of land […]
Read more "The Doctrine of Basic Structure I"“There can be no rule of law, there can be no democracy unless there is a strong, fearless and independent Judiciary. This independence and fearlessness is not only expected at the level of Superior Courts but also from District Judiciary. Most litigants only come in contact with District Judiciary. They cannot afford to come to […]
Read more "Purity of Character II"It was my request to Supreme Court that all while they let go of death in case after case, to not only explain always why those cases are not ‘rarest of rare’, but also explain whether death is a penalty or an award. In the last 11 months, I have briefly described 15 cases whereby […]
Read more "Review of Death Penalty XVI-XVII-XVIII"The primary function of Courts is to interpret and apply laws according to will of those who made them and not to transgress into domain of policy-making. It is not for Court to pronounce policy. It cannot term a particular policy as fairer than the other. Courts must exercise restraint. “Untouchability though intended to be […]
Read more "Untouchability"“I am glad, Arghya Sengupta and Ritwika Sharma have decided to publish a book dealing with appointment of Judges to Supreme Court of India. From time immemorial, mankind desired to have wise and humane Judges with the wisdom to discriminate between truth and falsehood. The legends of King Solomon and Dharmaraja and the like are […]
Read more "Appointment of Justice"“It is settled law that the fundamental right under Article 30 cannot be waived. The historical reasons for enacting Article 30(1) have been set out in some detail in the Judgment of Shelat, J. and Grover, J. in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) 4 SCC 225. This was further fleshed out in the […]
Read more "The Revival of Ray XXX"Shivrang Yadavrao Waghmare was appointed as a Judicial Magistrate on 01.03.1985. He was dismissed from service on 15.01.2004. The allegation was, Justice Waghmare had a ‘proximate relationship’ with a Lawyer and thus, decided favorably in favor of the Lawyer’s clients, including the Lawyer’s family when they were parties to certain proceedings. This is ‘gratification’ of […]
Read more "Purity of Character I"“The most significant impact of Doctrine of Separation of Powers is seen and felt in terms of institutional independence of Judiciary from other Organs of State. Judiciary, in terms of personnel, the Judges, is independent. Constitutional Bench Judgments have uniformly ruled, Doctrine of Separation of Powers, though not specifically engrafted, forms part of the Basic […]
Read more "The Doctrine of Separation of Powers I"King-Emperor v. Khwaja Nazir Ahmad, AIR 1945 PC 18 has been quoted with approval, several times. The functions of Judiciary and Police are ‘complementary’ and not ‘overlapping’. They must be left to exercise their own function, subject to exceptions. Investigation into crimes is the prerogative of Police and excepting in ‘rare cases’, Judiciary must keep […]
Read more "The Nature of Judicial Power: Hon’ble Justice R. Banumathi"In Shrimati Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Shri Raj Narain, [1976 2 SCR 347] Ray CJ. and Chandrachud J. had laid stress on rule of law in our constitutional scheme. The term ‘rule of law’ is not a magic lamp which can be scratched to invoke a power which brings to any person in need whatever […]
Read more "The Discomfort of ADM Jabalpur II"Hon’ble Justice L. Nageswara Rao in State of Tamil Nadu v. G. Hemalathaa, Civil Appeal No. 6669 of 2019 quoted Chief Justice John Roberts in Caperton v. A.T. Massey, 556 U.S. 868 (2009). “Extreme cases often test the bounds of established legal principles. There is a cost to yielding to the desire to correct the […]
Read more "Hard Cases Make Bad Law"“The circumstances under which an employee can withdraw the resignation tendered by him and what are the limitations to the exercise of such right, have been dealt by this Court in a number of decisions. It is well settled, normally, until the resignation becomes effective, it is open to an employee to withdraw his resignation. […]
Read more "Prospective Resignation"P.S. Malik, Additional District Judge [Dwarka, New Delhi], against whom disciplinary proceedings alleging sexual harassment is underway, filed a Writ Petition under Article 32. Supreme Court was quick to note, expression of opinion by Court on issues relevant and material in a disciplinary inquiry may cause prejudice. An important question was considered, nonetheless. The word […]
Read more "The Revival of Ray XXV"It is admitted, after a personal hearing took place on 30.07.2011, no decision was passed on objections submitted by land-owners, either allowing or disallowing their objections; nor was any communication sent to them. It is abundantly clear, in absence of an order being passed as contemplated by Section 20D of The Railways Act, 1989 no […]
Read more "Non-Communicated File Notings I"“While the powers the High Court may exercise under its Writ Jurisdiction are not subject to strict legal principles, two clear principles emerge with respect to when a High Court’s Writ Jurisdiction may be engaged. First, the decision of the High Court to entertain or not entertain a particular action under its Writ Jurisdiction is […]
Read more "Writ Jurisdiction of High Courts I"“It is the experience of the Judge that comes to his aid and the said experience should be used with care, caution, circumspection and courageous prudence.” – Hon’ble Justice Dipak Misra, Vikram Anantrai Doshi, (2014) 15 SCC 29. _____ I) Shankar, (2019) 5 SCC 166. II) Manjit Singh v. State of Punjab, [Criminal Appeal No. […]
Read more "Compromising the Non-Compoundable"“In Kunhayammed, (2000) 6 SCC 359 this Court held, “logic underlying Doctrine of Merger is, there cannot be more than one Decree or operative Orders governing same subject-matter at a given point of time. Doctrine of Merger is not of universal or unlimited application.” This position of law has been recently affirmed and reiterated by […]
Read more "The Doctrine of Merger II"Uncontrolled and indiscriminate entry of persons, Hindu or Muslim, from Pakistan into India or from India to Pakistan, is fraught with the possibility of espionage and sabotage. When employed for espionage, care is taken to see, he does not know who his real employers are but knows only the name of his contact man, whose […]
Read more "The Golden Lasso of Truth"“Judicial Review, as is well known, lies against the decision-making process and not the merits of the decision itself. If the decision-making process is flawed inter alia by violation of the basic principles of natural justice, is ultra-vires the powers of the decision maker, takes into consideration irrelevant materials or excludes relevant materials, admits materials […]
Read more "The Nature of Judicial Power: Constitutional Ethos I"
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