TOP TEN LEGAL NEWS OF THE WEEK
1. Supreme Court stays the implementation of three farm laws and forms a committee for listening grievances of farmers.
On Tuesday Supreme Court stayed the operation of three farm laws until further orders. It further ordered for the MSP system to be continued and no farmer shall be deprived of his title. A committee was formed for listening the grievances of the farmers. The committee is asked to submit its report within two months.
2. Prayer seeking resumption of Regular physical hearing of Supreme Court
Over 500 lawyers wrote to the Chief Justice of India seeking resumption of physical hearing of court proceedings. In their latter the Court states the lacunas faced in the virtual functioning of court system like network connectivity issue, improper management by registry. Inability to meet expenses by 50 percent of young lawyers is another constraint.
3. Delhi Jal Board moves against State of Haryana for polluting Yamuna
Delhi Jal Board filed a writ petition against the state of Haryana for discharge of pollutants which is causing alarming rise of ammonia in river water. Board alleges the Sewage treatment Plant of Haryana and added that high ammonia content mixed with chlorine causes cancer. Based on the writ petition Supreme Court issued notice to State of Haryana and Department of irrigation and Water Resource Haryana seeking urgent directions to immediately stop discharge of pollutants to the river.
4. Supreme Court’s observation on “Consensual affair not a defiance for charge of kidnapping a minor”
For charge of kidnapping consensual affair cannot be a defence. This observation of supreme court is based on appeal made by the accused whose conviction was upheld by the Gujarat High Court.
5. Supreme Court ordered reopening of Anganwadi Centres outside containment zones.
Supreme Court directed the Union of India, states and union territories to reopen Anganwadi Centres situated outside containment zones which were closed due to -pandemic to provide nutritional support to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers as per statutory requirements of National Food Security Act.
6. Supreme Court issues notice against Meghalaya High Court’s order which was against Journalist Patricia Mukhim.
Supreme Court issues notice in Appeal by senior Journalist Patricia Mukhim against Meghalaya High Court’s Judgement which refused to quash criminal proceedings against her for her Facebook post condemning attack on non-tribal in Shillong.
7. Calcutta High Court observed that same gender complaints are maintainable under Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
In a landmark verdict by a single bench of Justice Sabyachi Bhattacharya, it was held that same gender complaints are maintainable under the POSH Act. Court observed that section 2(m) of 2013 Act shows that the term respondent brings within its fold a ‘person’ thereby including persons of all genders
8. Activist Saket Gokhale moves Bombay High Court seeking publication of Safety & Efficacy Trial results
A plea has been filed before the Bombay High Court for seeking direction to Drug Controller General of India for publication of safety and efficacy trial results of Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine ‘Covaxin”. The data submitted by the company showing its immunity and safety results should be available in public domain.
9. Farmers union request Supreme Court for removal of members of Committee
As Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the three farm laws and constituted committee to address the grievances of the aggrieved party, the farmers union is not satisfied with the members of the committee and has requested for the removal of three of its members because all four members seems to support farm laws.
10. Justice Ranjan Gogoi appointed as a sole arbitrator in an arbitration case
In case of MCM Service Private Limited v. Ithalia Thai Development Public Company Limited, former Chief Justice of India and Rajya Sabha member Justice Ranjan Gogoi was appointed as a sole arbitrator by Justice Indu Malhotra and Justice Ajay Rastogi based on the consent of the parties.
