Drugs & Cosmetics

It was permissible for Registered Medical Practitioner-S. Athilakshmi to practice medicine when not performing her duty as an Associate Professor and Head of Dermatology Department in Government Omandurar Medical College, Chennai. Drugs Inspector sought to prosecute S. Athilakshmi under Section 18(c) of The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. S. Athilakshmi had not ‘stocked’ medicines for […]

Run, D.K. Bose

‘College Romance’, Season 01, Episode 05 titled ‘Happily Fucked Up’ was published and broadcasted on YouTube on 06.09.2018. Court found excessive use of ‘swear words’, ‘profane language’ and ‘vulgar expletives’. The words used cannot even be reproduced here. Depiction does not connote filming alone but conveying by a medium, which in this case is spoken […]

Magic Formula

My Lord, Political Question? No. Justice Y.V. Chandrachud, as Lordship then was, speaking in Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975) Suppl. SCC 1 held, “principle of separation of powers is not a magic formula.” Irrespective of consequences, an honest person would, ordinarily, unrelentingly take on high and mighty and persevere in righteous path. Appointment […]

Science for Everyone: DNA VI

Ajinkya alleged, Aparna was in an adulterous relationship with Kshitij Bafna. He found certain intimate messages. Ajinkya caused a DNA test at DNA Labs India. DNA Test Report indicated, “probability of paternity is 0%.” _____ Section 112 of The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 is based on presumption of public morality and public policy [Sham Lal […]

Chhabirani

Only one Academy Award has ever been revoked in history of Oscars. ‘Young Americans’ won for Best Documentary in 1969. It was discovered, ‘Young Americans’ had played in a theater in October, 1967. Oscar was handed over to ‘Journey Into Self’. _____ 03.10.1980 – Chhabirani was gang-raped… 23.04.2002 – We are satisfied, present case is a […]

The Nature of Judicial Power: Hon’ble Justice B.V. Nagarathna

Tirath Ram Rajindra Nath, Lucknow v. State of U.P., AIR 1973 SC 405 held, there is a distinction between encroachment on judicial power and nullification of effect of a judicial decision by changing law retrospectively. The former is outside competence of Legislature. The latter is within its permissible limits. It would be permissible for Legislature […]

Sikkimese

Any provision which is arbitrary, discriminatory and violative of Article 14 can be struck down. Section 10(26AAA) of The Income Tax Act, 1961 excludes Indians who have settled in Sikkim, prior to merger of Sikkim with India on 26.04.1975, but whose names are not registered as ‘Sikkim Subjects’. There is no difference and/or distinction between […]

Morality of Constitutional Tort

Needless to say, no one can either be taxed or penalized for holding an opinion which is not in conformity with constitutional values. It is only when an opinion gets translated into action and such action results in injury or harm or loss, an action in tort will lie. Courts cannot turn a blind […]

Unchartered Ocean of Policy Decision V / The Demonetization Recommendation

Shri P. Chidambaram submits, result of demonetization was disastrous. But, if Notification No. 3407(E) [08.11.2016] had a nexus with objectives to be achieved, Notification No. 3407(E) [08.11.2016] would not be bad in law merely because some citizens suffered through hardships. It will not be proper for Court to enter into an area which should be […]

Design Piracy / No Bottle, Just Bottle II

Plaintiffs allege infringement by Defendant of their Registered Design No. 306577 which was the subject matter of Diageo Brands B.V. v. Great Galleon Ventures Limited, 2022 SCC OnLine Del 2350 [‘Great Galleon’] as well. Senior Advocate, Amit Sibal points out, Section 22 of The Designs Act, 2000 identifies ‘obvious’ and ‘fraudulent’ imitation as the test. […]

The Case of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan alleges violation of his ‘publicity rights as a celebrity’ as has also been recognized by this Court in Titan Industries Ltd. v. Ramkumar Jewellers, 2012 SCC OnLine Del 2382. It cannot seriously be disputed, Amitabh Bachchan is a well-known personality and is also represented in various advertisements. Amitabh Bachchan is aggrieved by unauthorized […]

Indira Jaising

October, 1980 – Abdul Rahman Antulay set up Indira Gandhi Pratibha Pratisthan Trust which had Respondent Nos. 2 and 3 as Trustees. It was a prayer, Court should issue a Writ of Quo Warranto declaring Respondents Nos. 2 and 3 disqualified from continuing to hold office. _____ This constitutional action stands in a class by […]

The Doctrine of Blue Pencil

An insurance contract by its very nature mandates disclosure of all ‘material facts’ by both parties. Manmohan Nanda v. United Insurance, (2022) 4 SCC 582 summarizes same. A contract meant to cover a shop situated in a basement had an exclusion clause which specified, the contract did not cover the basement. Tata AIG General Insurance […]

Compensatory Discrimination / The Revival of Ray LXXXVII

Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India, Writ Petition (Civil) No. 55 of 2019 As laid down by this Court, just as equals cannot be treated unequally, unequals also cannot be treated equally. Treating economically weaker sections of citizens as a separate class would be a reasonable classification and could not be termed as an […]

Faraaz

As discussed, right to privacy is not inheritable by heirs of deceased. Plaintiffs may have been successful if their personal right to privacy was in any way being infringed by making of this movie. But, unfortunately, no such circumstance has been pleaded by Plaintiffs. It is asserted, Plaintiffs are entitled to be left alone, to […]

Referred to Larger Bench XXXII: Hijab II

The ‘essential religious practices’ of followers of Sikh faith cannot be made basis of wearing of Hijab/Headscarf by believers of Islamic faith. _____ Secularism is more than a passive attitude of religious tolerance. It is a positive concept of equal treatment of all religions. Equality before law cannot be breached by State on basis of […]

Lord Hale’s Ghost Returns

The concept of dignity forms the very foundation to the Constitution and the rights enshrined in it [Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, (1973) 4 SCC 225]. _____ Statutes are considered to be ‘always speaking’ [Dharni Sugars and Chemicals Ltd. v. Union of India, (2019) 5 SCC 480]. Court’s power to purposively interpret a statutory […]

Uno Minda v. Minda Uto

Plaintiffs cannot seek a restraint against Defendants from using their registered trademark ‘MINDA UTO’ for Plaintiffs do not have registration for said goods under Class 04 while Defendants do. In view of Section 31 of The Trade Marks Act, 1999 registration of the trademark is prima facie evidence of its validity in favor of Defendants. […]

Domain Name III

Learned Single Judge did not agree, Courts in Delhi could have jurisdiction. It does not take much in the virtual world to masquerade as somebody else. According to us, principles surrounding territorial jurisdiction, in cases of online trade via internet websites, are fairly well established. Even if a website is not directed at customers in […]

Referred to Larger Bench XXXI: Two Sets of Three-Judge Benches

There exists a clear conflict. It is necessary to have clarity. _____ Same-Day Sentencing in a Capital Offence violates Principles of Natural Justice and is opposed to Section 235(2) of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Dattaraya v. State of Maharashtra, (2020) 14 SCC 290; Bhagwani v. State of Madhya Pradesh, Criminal Appeal Nos. […]

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