The Myth of Peaceful Protest

538 is the number of former students of National Law School of India University, Bangalore [NLSIU] who ‘demanded’ repeal of The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 [CAA]. They extended unconditional support to all those who choose to exercise their fundamental right to speech and assembly to ‘express dissent peacefully’. 402 is the number of former students […]

Section 24(8) of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

“The use of the term ‘assist’ in the proviso to Section 24(8) of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 is crucial, and implies that the Victim’s Counsel is only intended to have a secondary role qua the Public Prosecutor. In our considered opinion, a mandate that allows the Victim’s Counsel to make oral arguments and […]

Appointment of Justice

“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 […]

The Nature of Judicial Power: Hon’ble Justice Antonin G. Scalia

My Lord, Courts should interpret the Constitution as it would have been understood by ordinary, reasonable citizens alive at the time the Constitution was enacted or Courts should interpret the Constitution as a living organism, one meant to evolve to suit the changing needs and values of contemporary society? A standing-room-only crowd of law students and […]

Section 2(e) of The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972

07.01.2019 My Lord, Teachers are Employees under Section 2(e) of The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972? “No. Clearly Not. See, Ahmedabad Pvt. Primary Teachers’ Association, (2004) 1 SCC 755.” – Hon’ble Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, Birla Institute of Technology v. State of Jharkhand, [Civil Appeal No. 2530 of 2012]. _____ 09.01.2019 My Lord, Teachers are […]

Beauty of NEET, 2018

Every examination must be evaluated for what it is, what it should be and not for what it was, what it could be. Primary duty is to avoid arbitrary results. Correct answers to questions presented in NEET-UG, 2018 was one of the 4 Options offered. Bi-lingual questions were set in English with an Option of […]

The Last Word on Padmaavat

Witnessing Padmaavat unfold on screen, on its first day of release, was unique, especially since your smart phone kept reminding you of persistent violence. The casual viewer may have even ignored a woman threatening to immolate herself or even a policemen who stood guard, but the skeptic whispered if a riot broke out… on which […]

An Alleged Judicial Crisis on Swami Vivekananda’s 155

Two months ago, Judges 2-3-4-5 of Supreme Court wrote a long letter to the Chief Justice, complaining of assignment of Benches without any rational basis. Last Friday [*January 12, 2018*], the Judges called a Press Conference, irreversibly provoked by the Bench chosen by the Master of the Roster [Chief Justice of India], to hear a plea […]

Primacy of Views III: The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013

SC in Mohapatra, (2002) 8 SCC 1 had accorded primacy to Hon’ble Chief Justice in consultative process for appointment of an Orissa Lokayukta. Justice Lokur in Chandrashekaraiah, (2013) 3 SCC 117 however confined law laid down in Mohapatra to the facts of that case only. It was held, views expressed by Chief Justice of High Court […]

The Disputed Reality of Parental Alienation Syndrome

A citation of questionable scientific standard. _____ In a child custody dispute in Suburbs of Pittsburgh, 3 teenage boys begged a Family Court Judge not to force continued visits to their father because, they said, he was physically abusive towards them. Judge relied on an Expert Witness, retained by the father, a Columbia University Professor […]

The Kesavananda Bench II: The Chandrachud Angle

“After all the 11 Judgments of the Court were orally pronounced on April 24, 1973 CJ Sikri produced and read out in Court a paper which was called “The View by the Majority” and passed it on for signatures of all 13 Judges on the Bench. 4 Judges, Justices Ray, Mathew, Dwivedi and Beg would […]

First Information Report I

Manoj Kumar Sharma, serving in the Indian Air Force at the relevant time, got married to one Nandini on 27.04.1999. On 20.09.1999, Nandini Sharma committed suicide at her matrimonial home. Ambala Police closed the case after fulfilling the requirements of Section 174 of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 holding, there was no foul play […]

The Nature of Judicial Power: Powers of Review of Supreme Court I

Enviro Legal Action v. Union of India, (2011) 8 SCC 161 elaborated scope of Article 137. Kamlesh Verma v. Mayawati, (2013) 8 SCC 320 further held as under: (A) Review Maintainability: Discovery of new and important matter or evidence which, after the exercise of due diligence, was not within knowledge or could not be produced; […]

Look, T.M.A. Pai Again

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 […]

Primacy of Views II: Justice Mohapatra, (2002) 8 SCC 1

SC in Justice Mohapatra, (2002) 8 SCC 1 had “accorded primacy to the opinion of the Hon’ble Chief Justice in the consultative process for appointment of Lokayukta”. We have been reminded so in Sachchidanand Gupta v. State of Uttar Pradesh, [Writ Petition (Civil) No. 872 of 2015], decided on 28.01.2016. Justice Lokur in Justice Chandrashekaraiah, […]

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 […]

Chutzpah

In Hemlata Singh v. Collector [MANU/UC/0315/2008], Hon’ble Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia [High Court of Uttarakhand] notes, “Chutzpah is a remarkable expression in Hebrew. Chutzpah is said to happen when a man kills his mother and father and then asks for clemency on the ground that he is now an orphan.” Hon’ble Justice S. Dhulia is the […]

Primacy of Views I: The Karnataka Lokayukta Act

Justice Chandrashekaraiah (Retd.) v. Janekere C. Krishna, (2013) 3 SCC 117 held, views expressed by Chief Justice of High Court of Karnataka have no ‘primacy’ in process of appointment of Lokayukta or Upa Lokayukta by Governor of Karnataka. High Court was of view, since Order passed by Governor of Karnataka, appointing Justice Chandrashekaraiah as an […]

Referred to Larger Bench I: The Rules of The Game Principle

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 […]