“Under Article 19(6) of The Constitution, the State has to conform to two separate and independent tests if it is to pass constitutional muster – the restriction on the fundamental right must first be a reasonable restriction, and secondly, it should also be in the interest of the general public. Perhaps the best exposition of […]
Read more "Reasonable Restriction I"Any attempt at interpretation of a long line of cases proves to be tiresome. Modern Dental College and Research Centre v. State of Madhya Pradesh, [Civil Appeal No. 4060 of 2009], delivered on 02.05.2016, provides a brave summary. Accept it with abundant caution. 5 Judges have no jurisdiction to interpret 7 or 11 erstwhile Lords. The […]
Read more "Look, T.M.A. Pai Again"Four notifications, two dated 21.12.2010 and two dated 31.05.2012, issued by Medical Council of India and Dental Council of India, were challenged in CMC, Vellore v. Union of India, (2014) 2 SCC 305. CJI Altamas Kabir held, the notifications were ultra vires the provisions of Articles 19(1)(g), 25, 26(a), 29(1) and 30(1). Hon’ble Justice Anil […]
Read more "Curse of NEET, 2016"“The power to invalidate a Legislative or Executive Act lies with the Court. A Judicial Pronouncement, either declaratory or conferring rights on the citizens cannot be set at naught by a Subsequent Legislative Act for that would amount to an encroachment on the Judicial Powers. However, the Legislature would be competent to pass an Amending […]
Read more "The Nature of Judicial Power: Hon’ble Justice Ranjan Gogoi"In England it was the practice in times of danger to the State to pass what were popularly known as Habeas Corpus Suspension Acts. Suspension did not legalize an illegal arrest; it merely suspended a particular remedy in respect of particular offences. House of Lords took the view, the power to detain could not be […]
Read more "The Diamond-Bright, Diamond-Hard Hope"Though the Rule of Casus Omissus i.e. “what has not been provided for in the statute cannot be supplied by Courts” is a strict rule of interpretation there are certain well known exceptions thereto. The following opinion of Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Ltd. v. Asher, (1949) 2 All ER 155 should be taken […]
Read more "Casus Omissus"My Lord, Perverse Judgment? “This Court has already laid down as to which finding would be called perverse. It is a finding which is not only against weight of evidence but altogether against evidence. This Court has held in Triveni Rubber, AIR 1994 SC 1341, a perverse finding is one which is based on no […]
Read more "Erroneous Judgment v. Perverse Judgment II"The Jallikattu Case, I agree, is a watershed moment in ‘animal rights adjudication’. Radhakrishnan J has a PETA Award for it. SC shall always protect its honour! In Compassion Unlimited Plus Action v. UOI, [Writ Petition (Civil) 24 of 2016] it has been argued now, no cruelty is meted out to the bulls in Jallikattu. […]
Read more "Compassion Unlimited Plus Action"December 22, 2014: “In 1923, Scrutton L.J. expressed his regret that the “Counsel who argued this case would probably not recognize any of the Judgments as having any relation to the arguments they addressed to us” [Smith v. Smith, (1923) P. 191, 202]. Lord Maugham too lamented once that it was hard for him to […]
Read more "Cent Percent, Sen Precedent"In Re: Daksh The Basic Structure Doctrine has an able critic in Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran [RR]. Christmas Comedy Night with RNR RR: “When you talk of a Structure, four professions are involved – architecture, civil and structural engineering, masonry and brick laying.” RNR: Let’s see. Katrina Kaif – Architecture (God’s Contribution, Genes), Engineering (Gym, […]
Read more "Architecture, Structure, Bricks and Walls"“Ecclesiastical Jurisprudence in India revolves around exposition of Constitutional Guarantees under Articles 25 and 26 as made from time to time. The development of this branch of jurisprudence primarily arises out of claimed rights of religious groups and denominations to complete autonomy and prerogative of exclusive determination of essential religious practices. A decision on such […]
Read more "Indian Ecclesiastical Jurisprudence"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 […]
Read more "Tape Records of Speeches"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 […]
Read more "NJAC Judgment II: Jasti Chelameswar J"“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 […]
Read more "Stale Claims Before Writ Court"‘Colorful’ does not only indicate vices or indiscretions. If Justice Shamit Mukherjee, at No. 10, is Grey, then my choice for No. 9 represents Red. It must be granted to Hon’ble Justice K.S.P. Radhakrishnan. Jallikattu, (2014) 7 SCC 547 and studying of “Bull Behavioural Ethology” fetched Justice Radhakrishnan: PETA (India) Man of the Year Award, […]
Read more "Judges with Colorful Lives: No. 9"The principle of ‘real likelihood of bias‘ has now taken a tilt to ‘real danger of bias’ and ‘suspicion of bias’ [(2004) 8 SCC 788]. Theatrics of Learned Senior Counsels? “Difficult to say for sure. But deep within, don’t we all understand” [(2014) 8 SCC 470]. No one can suppose, Hon’ble Justice Dave could be, […]
Read more "Recusants"In Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation v. Rajendra Bhimrao, (2001) 10 SCC 51 a Two-Judge Bench [Babu and Raju JJ] held, “the rules of the game, meaning thereby the criteria for selection, cannot be altered by the authorities concerned in the middle or after the process of selection has commenced.” In K. Manjusree, (2008) 3 SCC 512 […]
Read more "Referred to Larger Bench I: The Rules of The Game Principle"“It is settled law by a catena of decisions of this Court, Legislature cannot directly annul a Judgment of a Court. The legislative function consists in “making” law [See, Article 245 of the Constitution] and not in “declaring” what the law shall be [See, Article 141 of the Constitution]. If Legislature were at liberty to […]
Read more "The Nature of Judicial Power: Sir John Fenwick"The expression ‘sting operation’ seems to have emerged from the title of a popular movie called “The Sting” which was screened sometime in the year 1973. The movie was based on a somewhat complicated plot hatched by two persons to trick a third person into committing a crime. Being essentially a deceptive operation, though designed […]
Read more "The Sting Operator"‘Eligibility’ is based on objective facts. ‘Suitability’ pertains to the realm of an opinion. The appointment of a High Court Judge may only be judicially scrutinized on the ground of ‘eligibility’ or ‘lack of effective consultation’. Judicial review, in this regard, does not lie on the assessment of the ‘suitability’ of the recommendee. Hon’ble Supreme […]
Read more "Hon’ble Justice N.V. Ramana"
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