Principles of Natural Justice VIII / The Revival of Ray XCI

RBI has been issuing ‘Master Directions’ on diverse issues since 2016. Every proceeding which involves civil consequences or adversely affects a citizen should be in accordance with Principles of Natural Justice. Erusian Equipment & Chemicals Ltd. v. State of West Bengal, (1975) 1 SCC 70 held, since blacklisting affects privileges of a blacklisted person, fundamentals […]

Claim of Juvenility V / Review of Death Penalty XXXV

This is an application under Section 9(2) of The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. As regards maintainability, Vinod Katara v. State of Uttar Pradesh, 2022 SCC OnLine SC 1204 explained rationale for raising belated claim of juvenility. It has crossed our mind, whether a boy of 12 years could commit […]

The Doctrine of Chilling Effect

To remember, it is an error to follow US Supreme Court decisions without adverting to differences of position in India. View taken by this Court in State of Kerala v. Raneef, (2011) 1 SCC 784; Arup Bhuyan v. Union of India, (2011) 3 SCC 377; Sri Indra Das v. State of Assam, (2011) 3 SCC […]

SC Resolves Conflict Between NI Act & IBC

Rainbow Papers Limited sought loans from Tourism Finance Corporation of India Limited and issued post-dated cheques which stood dishonoured. Criminal Complaint was filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Saket Courts, New Delhi. Neeraj Paper Agencies Limited requested initiation of Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process against Rainbow Papers Limited. The scope of nature of proceedings are quite different. […]

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 […]

First Information Report V

One prominent hurdle is undoubtedly ‘corruption’; ‘greed’ has been overpowering in its impact. Little wonder, outbreak of scams is commonly noticed. Since there exists no magic wand, as in fairy tales, a swish of which could wipe out ‘greed’, Constitutional Courts owe a duty to people to show zero tolerance to ‘corruption’. It would […]

First Information Report IV

Victim-Appellant, perhaps mercilessly and ruthlessly beaten up by Police Personnel present at premises of Minister-Jitendra Awhad, seeks transfer of investigation to CBI to investigate/re-investigate FIR Nos. 119 of 2020 and 120 of 2020 registered at Vartak Nagar Police Station, Thane. High Court has not committed any error in refusing to transfer investigation to CBI. But, […]

Primacy of Views IV: The Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014

Division Bench of High Court set aside an Order of Odisha Lokayukta, in exercise of power conferred under Section 20(1) of The Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014, to initiate a preliminary inquiry on a complaint received from Mr. Ranjan Kumar Das [Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Cell Unit, Bhubaneswar] indicating alleged corruption of Dr. Pradip Kumar […]

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 […]

Pushtaini, Non-Pushtaini Landholders

While, prima facie, said classification seems reasonable, the devil lies in the details. Courts have now adopted proportionality test [Om Kumar v. Union Of India,(2001) 2 SCC 386]. A classification should come with safeguards against its potential abuse [Gujarat Mazdoor Sabha v. State of Gujarat, (2020) 10 SCC 459]. The said notification by way of […]

Five Judges in February

Half-baked Lawyers serve no purpose. – Hon’ble Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Bar Council of India v. Bonnie Foi Law College, [Civil Appeal No. 969 of 2023]. _____ We may note, CJI B.P. Sinha’s Dissent in Sardar Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb v. State of Bombay, AIR 1962 SC 853: The right of ex-communication vested is not […]

Rana Ayyub

The Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 provides for a two-pronged approach, one for dealing with ‘proceeds of crime’ and other for dealing with persons guilty of offence of money-laundering. As articulated in Kaushik Chatterjee v. State of Haryana, (2020) 10 SCC 92 jurisdiction of a Criminal Court is determined by (i) offence and/or (ii) offender. […]

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 […]

Public Document

Saurav Das has prayed States to enable free public access to a Charge Sheet, filed as per Section 173 of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, in furtherance of rationale as established in Youth Bar Association of India v. Union of India, (2016) 9 SCC 473. Reliance on Youth Bar Association of India; Sections 74 […]

Pension is Not a Bounty IV

Rule 54(14)(b) of The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 requires, ‘family’ member of a deceased Government Servant must have a close nexus with the deceased Government Servant. Therefore, a son or daughter adopted by a widow of a deceased Government Servant, after death of the Government Servant, could not be included within definition of […]

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 […]

Unchartered Ocean of Policy Decision VI

R.K. Garg v. Union of India, (1981) 4 SCC 675 laid down, laws relating to economic activities should be viewed with greater latitude than laws touching civil rights such as freedom of speech, religion, et cetera. Bhavesh D. Parish v. Union of India, (2000) 5 SCC 471 observed, while dealing with economic legislation, Court would […]

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 […]

The Last Word

A Diversion for Lawyers and Others

Primacy of Views