Protests can’t infringe rights of others: SC

 The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that one’s right to protest could not infringe upon the rights of others as it upheld the Uttarakhand high court verdict initiating stringent action against lawyers boycotting district court work for years.

Uttarakhand lawyers had moved the SC claiming that the HC verdict violated their fundamental right to free speech to go on strike court work to protest against issues concerning them. They said it was a mode of peaceful representation to express grievances of the lawyer community.

Rejecting the arguments, a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and M R Shah said, “Such a right to freedom of speech cannot be exercised at the cost of litigants and/or at the cost of the justice delivery system as a whole.”

“To go on strike or boycott courts cannot be justified under the guise of right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution,” the SC bench said.

Advocates in the districts of Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar have been boycotting court work on Saturdays for the past more than 35 years. The Law Commission had found that between 2012 and 2016, advocates were on strike for 455 days (average 91 days per year) in Dehradun district and 515 days (average 103 days per year) in Haridwar district.

A PIL against the strikes was entertained by the HC, which passed a series of directions on the line of law settled by the apex court banning strikes by lawyers. It also warned of contempt of court proceedings against errant advocates.

The bench also took suo motu cognisance of lawyers resorting to strikes in several parts of the country despite a series of judgments by the SC banning strikes by advocates. “We take suo moto cognisance and issue notices to Bar Council of India and all state bar councils to suggest further course of action and to give concrete suggestions to deal with the problem of strikes/abstaining from work by lawyers,” the bench said and sought responses from BCI and state councils within six weeks.

The court criticised the inaction of BCI and state councils against lawyers indulging in strikes. “The day has now come for the Bar Council of India and bar councils of states to step in and take concrete steps. It is the duty of bar councils to ensure that there is no unprofessional and unbecoming conduct by any lawyer,” it said.

Writing the judgment endorsing the steps taken by the HC against lawyers of three districts of Uttarakhand, Justice Shah said, “We direct all concerned and district bar associations to comply with the directions issued by the high court in its true spirit. It is directed that if it is found that there is any breach of any of the directions issued by the high court in the impugned judgment and order, a serious view shall be taken and the consequences shall follow, including punishment under the Contempt of Courts Act.”

Saudi bars entry of foreign pilgrims over corona virus

Saudi Arabia on 27/02/2020 banned foreign pilgrims from entering the kingdom to visit Islam’s holiest sites over the new coronavirus, potentially disrupting the plans of millions of faithful ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and as the annual hajj pilgrimage looms.

The decision showed the growing worry across the Mideast about the virus as Iran confirmed that infected cases in the country spiked by over 100, to 254 now. A total of 26 people have died so far, it said. That pushes the region’s overall cases to above 350. Iran’s death toll is highest outside of China, where the outbreak began.

Saudi Arabia’s barring of pilgrims from Mecca, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims pray toward five times a day, and also the holy city of Medina, appeared unprecedented in modern history. The kingdom's Al Saud ruling family stakes its legitimacy in overseeing and protecting the sites. Authorities also suspended entry to travelers from nations affected by the new virus who hold tourist visas for the kingdom.

It appeared Saudi officials worried about the risk of pilgrims spreading the virus as they had in Iran. The virus’s epicenter in the Islamic Republic is the holy Shia city of Qom, where the faithful in reverence reach out to kiss and touch a famous shrine. That shrine and others have remained open, despite Iran’s civilian government calling for them to be closed. There have been no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Saudi Arabia amid the outbreak

HC: Ensure lawyers for sedition-accused

To uphold the best legal traditions, a member of the Hubballi Bar Association should appear on behalf of the three Kashmiri students charged with sedition for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans in their engineering college hostel in Hubballi on February 14, the Karnataka high court observed on Thursday.

The observation came a day after the court slammed the local bar for allegedly heckling a group of Bengaluru lawyers who had appeared on behalf of the students, calling it “sheer militancy”. On Thursday, HBA officer-bearers appeared before the court with a fresh resolution, modifying the one passed on February 15 that had barred its members from appearing for the accused. However, the court was still unhappy with the modified resolution, which left the matter to individual members.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka noted that instead of modifying it, the association should have simply recalled the contentious resolution. The association agreed to take back the resolution.

Meanwhile, despite assurances from HBA office-bearers to ensure that proceedings are conducted in a peaceful manner, the bench said it's February 20 order directing the local police to provide security to advocates appearing for the three students will continue. “We would have transferred the case here. That was a simple task. However, as far as possible, it should be heard there. That will send the right signal. It is not good that lawyers have to seek police protection for appearing in a court,” the chief justice observed.

Don’t insist on domicile certificate, ONGC -Gujarat High Court

The Gujarat high court on 27/02/2020  Certificate of candidates for recruitment for the posts of technicians.

Various candidates residing outside Gujarat had approached the high court after they were disqualified on the ground that they had not supplied certificates showing that they were domiciled in Gujarat.

The petitioners came to know about this after they cleared the computer-based test and made it to the final merit list.

The candidates opposed ONGC’s decision to disqualify them saying that domicile certificate was not asked for in the advertisement issued in January 2019, and therefore ONGC cannot insist on this eligibility criterion.

After hearing the case, the high court allowed petitions filed by the candidates seeking directions to ONGC that it cannot insist on a domicile certificate at the belated stage of recruitment. The HC also directed the ONGC to add the names of these candidates in the final merit list.

'48 Hours Advance Intimation Not Mandatory To Bring Mortal Remains Of Indian Emigrants From Abroad' : Centre Tells Delhi HC

Read Full order

48 Hours Advance Intimation Not Mandatory To Bring Mortal Remains Of Indian Emigrants From Abroad

Supreme Court issues guidelines on listing of Criminal Appeals against orders involving death penalty

Death penalty Guide Line:

The Supreme Court has issued guidelines regarding the listing of Criminal Appeals against High Court orders involving the death penalty.

As per the Office Order dated February 12, these guidelines shall be followed scrupulously by all.

The guidelines are as follows:

(A) In matters where the appeal is against a High Court order upholding the death penalty and leave is granted by Supreme Court, the Criminal Appeal will be listed for hearing before a Three Judges Bench within not later than six months from the date of grant of leave, irrespective of whether an appeal is ready or not.

(B) (i) As soon as an SLP involving death penalty is filed, a communication from the Registry may be sent to the court appealed from, seeking a certificate of service as well as an original record within a period of thirty days from the receipt of such intimation or further within such period as may be directed by the Court. The record will be sent along with the translated copy of the documents which may be in vernacular language.

(ii) On grant of leave by the Supreme Court, the Registry may insist on the filing of additional documents by the parties within a period of thirty days after the receipt of intimation in this regard.

(iii) In the event records or additional documents have not been received/filed, the matter may be listed before Judges concerned in Chambers with appropriate office report for directions, instead of listing the matter before the Registrar Court as per the existing practice.

CAA Protests: Court bound to see that people have a right to agitate, says Bombay High Court

Full Judgment

The Bombay High Court on 13/2/2020 held that persons peacefully protesting against any particular law cannot be called as traitors or anti-nationals. The observation was made while granting permission for the conduct of an indefinite protest against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 in the Beed district of Maharashtra.

"... this Court is expected to consider the right of such persons to start agitation in a peaceful way. This Court wants to express that such persons cannot be called as traitors, anti-nationals only because they want to oppose one law. It will be act of protest and only against the Government for the reason of CAA."
Bombay High Court

Rajya Sabha official demoted for anti-Modi posts in social media

The Deputy Director has “failed to maintain political neutrality”, says order 

On the directive of Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, an official working in the post of Deputy Director in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat has been demoted for his social media posts allegedly against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP Cabinet Ministers and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adtiyanath. 

A memo issued by the Secretariat dated February 12 to Deputy Director (Security) Urujul Hasan charges him with “sharing several offensive, derogatory, demeaning and sarcastic posts on social media against the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and some Union Ministers and Chief Ministers as also sharing a number of posts indicating his active involvement/assistance/indulgence in political activities canvassing in connection with an election to the legislature”. 

According to sources, the order was issued following a year-long enquiry after an anonymous complaint flagged Mr. Hasan’s Facebook posts made from April to May 2018. Many of these posts, sources said, were merely repost of others’ statements. 

 As per the Rajya Sabha orders, Mr. Hasan has been demoted for five years and even at the end of this period he will not be allowed to resume his post of Deputy Director. 

The order rules that Mr. Hasan has “failed to maintain political neutrality” as per the Central Civil Services Conduct Rules of 1964 which has stringent provisions against participation of a government servant in any kind of political activity or even freely expressing their view.

Various sections of these rules have been invoked against Mr. Hasan. As per the rules, a government servant is debarred from joining any political party, he/she is not allowed to “canvass or otherwise interfere with, or use his influence in connection with or take part in an election to any legislature or local authority”. The government servant is not allowed to even indicate the manner in which he proposes to vote or has voted. 

The enquiry committee had also taken into account a Madras High Court ruling of May 10, 2018 against an actor-turned-politician for forwarding an offensive WhatsApp message, saying, “Forwarding a message is equal to accepting the message and endorsing the message.” 

Former Chief Secretary of Delhi Rakesh Mehta said a civil servant is not allowed to breach the political line under any circumstances and the rules are very clear about it. “The CCS Rules apply for social media posts too. A social media post cannot be considered a private correspondence. A civil servant cannot make his political views public simply because it would prejudge their decision making process,” Mr. Mehta said. However, he agreed that the rules are archaic and need to be revisited in an era of social media. 

SC Directs Political Parties To Publish Criminal Antecedents Of Candidates In LS & Assembly Polls Within 48 Hours

Story updated when order copy received.

The apex court, which was hearing a contempt plea over the issue of criminalization of politics directed the parties to upload on their websites the reasons for the selection of candidates with criminal antecedents. The Supreme Court said that political parties must publish credentials, achievements and criminal antecedents of candidates on newspapers, social media platforms and their respective websites along with an explanation. "Political parties must put all the information in public domain about a candidate within 48 hours after clearing the name and the party must also submit a report regarding publication within 24 hours after the nomination of the candidate," the top court said. The court said that parties will be liable for contempt if they failed to comply with its order and directed Election Commission to file contempt petition in SC in case of non-compliance

The Juvenile Justice Boards are not meant to be silent spectators and pass orders only when a matter comes before them -SC

"We make it clear that the Juvenile Justice Boards are not meant to be silent spectators and pass orders only when a matter comes before them. They can take note of the factual situation if it comes to the knowledge of the JJBs that a child has been detained in prison or police lock up. It is the duty of the JJBs to ensure that the child is immediately granted bail or sent to an observation home or a place of safety. The Act cannot be flouted by anybody, least of all the police,"

"All JJBs in the country must follow the letter and spirit of the provisions of the Act. We make it clear that the JJBs are not meant to be silent spectators and pass orders only when a matter comes before them. They can take note of the factual situation if it comes to the knowledge of the JJBs that a child has been detained in prison or police lock-up. It is the duty of the JJBs to ensure that the child is immediately granted bail or sent to an observation home or a place of safety. The Act cannot be flouted by anybody, least of all the police," the bench observed.

Reread Order

Section 482 CrPC- HC Cannot Quash Criminal Proceedings On The Basis Of Its Assessment Of 161 Statements: SC

 The Court, while allowing the criminal appeal, held that quashing of criminal proceedings cannot be meted out by the High Courts if a prima facie case is made out disclosing the ingredients of the alleged offence.

The Bench emphasized that the appreciation of evidence in a petition under Section 482 CRPC was a matter of exceptional circumstance.

It was held,

"It is settled law that the evidence produced by the accused in his defence cannot be looked into by the Court, except in very exceptional circumstances, at the initial stage of the criminal proceedings. It is trite law that the High Court cannot embark upon the appreciation of evidence while considering the petition filed under Section 482 CrPC for quashing criminal proceedings"

Furthermore, Court took the view that statements recorded in terms of Section 161 CRPC were wholly inadmissible in evidence and were not a valid ground for allowing a petition under Section 482 CRPC.

"The conclusion of the High Court to quash the criminal proceedings is on the basis of its assessment of the statements recorded under Section 161 CrPC. Statements of witnesses recorded under Section 161 CrPC being wholly inadmissible in evidence cannot be taken into consideration by the Court"

Full Judgment

SC Upholds Constitutional Validity Of 2018 Karnataka Law Granting Reservation In Promotion For SC-ST

The Supreme Court's recent decision that there is no fundamental right to claim reservation in promotions has become a subject matter of intense debate.

The decision was discussed in the Parliament, and the Centre has told the House that the matter was under the study and consideration of the Government at "high level".

Article 16(4)(A) 

"Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any provision for reservation in matters of promotion [, with consequential seniority,] to any class or classes of posts in the services under the State in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes which, in the opinion of the State, are not adequately represented in the services under the State."

Alongside Article 16(4)(A), the Parliament has inserted Article 16(4)(B) through the Constitutional (81st Amendment) Act in 2000. It ensures that vacant posts arising out of reservation shall be carried out to subsequent years and such vacant posts will not be considered to determine the ceiling of 50% reservation on a total number of vacancies.

Latest Judgment

Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Anticipatory Bail) shall not apply to the cases under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, except when the complaint does not make out a prima facie case

The Supreme Court has observed that provisions of section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Anticipatory Bail) shall not apply to the cases under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, except when the complaint does not make out a prima facie case for applicability of the provisions of the Act.

In cases where prima facie case is not made out, the bar created by section 18 and 18A (i) of the Act excluding provisions of Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Anticipatory Bail), shall not apply, observed the bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and S. Ravindra Bhat while upholding the constitutionality of Section 18A of the SC-ST Act,, inserted vide an amendment in 2018.

The Court observed that the provisions which have been made in section 18A are rendered of academic use as they were enacted to take care of mandate issued in Dr. Subhash Kashinath (supra) which no more prevails. The provisions were already in section 18 of the Act with respect to anticipatory bail, it noted. The bench observed:

Concerning the applicability of provisions of section 438 Cr.PC, it shall not apply to the cases under Act of 1989. However, if the complaint does not make out a prima facie case for applicability of the provisions of the Act of 1989, the bar created by section 18 and 18A (i) shall not apply. We have clarified this aspect while deciding the review petitions

Regarding the power under Section 482 CrPC, the bench said:

The court can, in exceptional cases, exercise power under section 482 Cr.PC for quashing the cases to prevent misuse of provisions on settled parameters, as already observed while deciding the review petitions.  

While upholding the provisions of the SC-ST Act, it said:

"Concerning the provisions contained in section 18A, suffice it to observe that with respect to preliminary inquiry for registration of FIR, we have already recalled the general directions (iii) and (iv) issued in Dr. Subhash Kashinath's case (supra). A preliminary inquiry is permissible only in the circumstances as per the law laid down by a Constitution Bench of this Court in Lalita Kumari v. Government of U.P., (2014) 2 SCC 1, shall hold good as explained in the order passed by this Court in the review petitions on 1.10.2019 and the amended provisions of section 18A have to be interpreted accordingly.

The section 18A(i) was inserted owing to the decision of this Court in Dr. Subhash Kashinath (supra), which made it necessary to obtain the approval of the appointing authority concerning a public servant and the SSP in the case of arrest of accused persons. This Court has also recalled that direction on Review Petition (Crl.) No.228 of 2018 decided on 1.10.2019. Thus, the provisions which have been made in section 18A are rendered of academic use as they were enacted to take care of mandate issued in Dr. Subhash Kashinath (supra) which no more prevails. The provisions were already in section 18 of the Act with respect to anticipatory bail."

Justice Ravindra Bhat,in a separate opinion penned by him, observed thus:

As far as the provision of Section 18A and anticipatory bail is concerned, the judgment of Mishra, J, has stated that in cases where no prima facie materials exist warranting arrest in a complaint, the court has the inherent power to direct a pre-arrest bail. 20. I would only add a caveat with the observation and emphasize that while considering any application seeking pre-arrest bail, the High Court has to balance the two interests: i.e. that the power is not so used as to convert the jurisdiction into that under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code, but that it is used sparingly and such orders made in very exceptional cases where no prima facie offence is made out as shown in the FIR, and further also that if such orders are not made in those classes of cases, the result would inevitably be a miscarriage of justice or abuse of process of law. I consider such stringent terms, otherwise contrary to the philosophy of bail, absolutely essential, because a liberal use of the power to grant pre-arrest bail would defeat the intention of Parliament

Mop in Stomach: Doctor ordered to pay ₹6.85 lakh

The Gujarat State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission has ordered a Surat-based gynecologist to pay Rs 6.85 lakh to a woman for forgetting a mop in her abdomen after her C-section surgery.

Dr. Meena Vankawala will be paying the amount to one Bhavi Mehta, who was admitted to her hospital in March 2012. She delivered a son after undergoing surgery. She complained that her baby swallowed fluid during birth and hence suffered various health problems. The baby’s treatment lasted long at different hospitals.

After C-section surgery, the woman continued to feel pain in her abdomen. She consulted other doctors but did not get any relief. Finally, on May 14, 2012, she was hospitalized and sonography reflected a foreign body in her abdomen. She was operated upon and a mop of the size of 15x12 mm was found in her stomach.

Mehta sued Dr. Vankawala, her hospital and the insurance company in the consumer commission for medical negligence.

She also supplied a medical report saying that Dr. Vankawala did not remove the mop during the surgery. The case lasted for seven years and the commission accepted the patient’s claim that it was a case of medical negligence.

The commission said, “This is a case of medical negligence which is highly difficult to establish... There is no dispute that the cotton mop was left during the operation in the body of complainant No. 1(Mehta)... doctor had not taken any care to remove the mop from the body of the complainant, otherwise, she might not have suffered such severe and unbearable pain for long. This itself suggests concluding that the doctor was careless and negligent at the time of performing the operation on her.”

The complainant had sought  hefty amount of over Rs 90 lakh towards compensation for the trouble she and her son had undergone. But the consumer commission said that she was entitled to get Rs 5 lakh towards compensation, and Rs 1.5 lakh for the medical expenses she had incurred. The doctor and her insurance company were also ordered to pay Rs 25,000 to the patient for mental agony caused to them besides Rs 10,000 towards legal expenditure.

Woman gets 6 years in jail for perjury, She Was Seeking More Alimony

Jyoti Joshi’s desperate efforts to get more maintenance from her husband have landed her in jail for six years. A court in Amreli punished her for giving false evidence and making a false statement before the court, during proceedings on her plea seeking more maintenance money.

Last month, a magisterial court in Amreli sentenced her to three years’ rigorous imprisonment for supplying false evidence in court under Section 193 of the IPC. It punished her with equal jail term under Section 199 of the IPC, for giving a false statement in the declaration which is by law receivable as evidence. The court ordered her to undergo both terms consecutively.

While Joshi got six years in jail, she succeeded in her bid to increase the maintenance amount – from Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000 in December 2013. However, seven months before she got this relief from the court, the court ordered registration of a complaint against her under Sections 193, 199 and 200 of IPC.

In this case, Jyoti married Yogesh Joshi in 1987 and the couple lived in Chalala town. After matrimonial discord, Jyoti approached the court in 2003 and secured monthly maintenance of Rs 1,100 by way of a settlement in 2004. The maintenance amount was later increased to Rs 2,000.

In 2007, Jyoti filed an application for enhancement in maintenance to Rs 6,000, claiming that her husband was an accountant with the animal husbandry department in Rajkot drawing a salary of Rs 12,000. To show that she needed more money due to her dire financial status, Joshi claimed that she was living in her aunt Saguna Madhak’s house by paying Rs 2,000 rent. She thus needed more than Rs 2,000 maintenance from the husband.

The husband, on the other hand, complained before the court that his wife was lying on oath. The court ordered an inquiry and found the substance to the husband’s claim. The judge ordered the court registrar to file a complaint against Jyoti for supplying false evidence in court.

In 2014, the trial against Jyoti began. Last month, the court delivered its verdict holding her guilty of telling a lie to the court because it was established that she was not paying any rent to her aunt, because the aunt did not own any property at all.