Category: Law & Order

  • New Cashless Treatment for Accident Victims and Driver Safety Initiatives!

    New Cashless Treatment for Accident Victims and Driver Safety Initiatives!

    Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced exciting news on Tuesday! The government will soon provide cashless medical treatment for road accident victims all over India. This follows successful tests in six states. Gadkari also revealed a new driver training policy that encourages setting up schools to train drivers, aiming to reduce accidents caused by tired drivers.

    At a workshop with state transport leaders, Gadkari shared that over 480,000 road accidents happened in India this year, leading to about 178,000 deaths. To help, he urged states to work with the National Health Authority so victims can get cashless treatment quickly, helping to save lives. The new plan allows victims to receive cashless treatment for seven days or up to ₹1.5 lakh ($1,800), and families of those who die in hit-and-run accidents will receive ₹2 lakh ($2,400).

    Gadkari also discussed the importance of vehicle scrapping programs and Automated Testing Stations. He mentioned that these programs would benefit the car industry and add ₹18,000 crore ($2.4 billion) to GST tax collections.

    To improve driver training, the government plans to invest ₹4,500 crore ($540 million) to create 1,250 driving schools in India. With the growing demand for e-rickshaws, Gadkari announced that a new star rating system will be introduced to ensure their quality, similar to car safety ratings. This system will help keep prices steady and improve the quality of e-rickshaws made in India.

  • NCLAT Supports Sapphire Media’s Victory in Reliance Broadcast Bid”

    NCLAT Supports Sapphire Media’s Victory in Reliance Broadcast Bid”

    The NCLAT (National Company Law Appellate Tribunal) has decided to support an earlier ruling that lets Sapphire Media buy Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. This company is known for its FM radio station, Big 92.7 FM.

    On May 6, 2024, the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) approved Sapphire Media’s bid, but other companies, like Abhijit Realtors & Infraventure and Creative Channel Advertising & Marketing, disagreed and filed appeals. They claimed that there were mistakes in the bidding process. However, the NCLAT found no issues with how the resolution professional handled everything.

    The NCLAT said, “The process followed was in line with the rules, and we see no reason to change the original decision.” Thus, all appeals were dismissed.

    The trouble started when Reliance Broadcast Network was taken to the NCLT for insolvency on February 24, 2023, after a request from IDBI Trusteeship Services, a financial creditor. Six bids were submitted:

    – Abhijit Realtors at ₹80.20 crore
    – Creative Channel Advertising at ₹100 crore
    – Entertainment Network (India) at ₹37.17 crore
    – Sapphire Media at ₹104.28 crore

    The Committee of Creditors (CoC) decided to hold a bidding challenge process, setting a starting price of ₹240 crore. In the third round, Sapphire Media increased its bid to ₹251 crore, making it the highest.

    The CoC later called for revised offers. On November 4, 2023, Sapphire Media again led with a bid of ₹261 crore, which the CoC approved with 89% of votes. Although some alleged that Sapphire Media should have been ineligible to bid, the NCLAT rejected these claims.

  • Supreme Court Warns Judges Against Social Media Use

    Supreme Court Warns Judges Against Social Media Use

    The Supreme Court of India In a recent case, shared important advice for judges. They said there should be no showiness among judges and recommended that new judges avoid using social media. The court was looking into the firing of two women judges from Madhya Pradesh. One of the judges, Aditi Kumar Sharma, posted her court experiences on Facebook, which caught the judges’ attention.

    Sitting on the bench, Justice BV Nagarathna explained, “A judge should live simply and work hard. Being flashy has no place in judging.” The court was discussing two women judges, Aditi and Sarita Chaudhary, who were let go earlier this year along with four other female judges. They suggested that the Madhya Pradesh High Court reconsider their decisions, but the court still didn’t take back the firing of Aditi and Sarita.

    Senior lawyer R Basant agreed that judges should avoid social media, saying that if they don’t want to limit themselves, they shouldn’t join the judicial service at all. The Supreme Court added that judges should not share their opinions on cases online, as it could lead to questions about their decisions later.

    Agarwal, a lawyer helping the court, pointed out that both judges used to be valued for their performance but were rated as average later on. Aditi shared that she faced difficult times in 2021, including a miscarriage and her brother’s cancer, which may have affected her work. Senior lawyer Indira Jaising argued for Aditi, claiming her firing was unfair and based on personal grudges.

    The court agreed that all judges should be treated the same, emphasizing that the expectations for case handling should be fair for both male and female judges. The hearing will continue next week for more discussions on this sensitive matter.

  • Supreme Court Halts Mosque Surveys: Major Win for Religious Harmony

    Supreme Court Halts Mosque Surveys: Major Win for Religious Harmony

    In a big move, India’s Supreme Court has told all lower courts to stop any new cases or surveys that check if old temples are beneath mosques. This ruling comes after many Hindu groups started legal battles to reclaim faith places. It aims to ease rising tensions and confusion around these sensitive issues.

    The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, made it clear that no new lawsuits can be opened or any actions taken until they finish looking into the important Places of Worship Act, 1991. This law was created to keep the religious identities of all places of worship the same as they were on August 15, 1947. It prohibits making changes to religious sites, except for the famous Ayodhya site, which is involved in another ongoing case.

    The court reminded everyone that in 2019, it decided that the Places of Worship Act is essential for maintaining equality and harmony between different faiths. They stressed that no other courts should handle these cases until the Supreme Court makes a final ruling.

    This order follows a rise in legal petitions, particularly from Hindu groups, looking to investigate significant mosques like Gyanvapi in Varanasi and Shahi Idgah in Mathura. Some Hindu leaders argue that the Act restricts their rights to reclaim temples that were destroyed long ago.

    On the flip side, Muslim groups warn that challenging this law might disturb the peace and harmony between religions. They believe reopening these issues can make minority groups feel unsafe.

    In the meantime, the court has asked the Indian government to clarify its position about the Act, stressing that the discussions around these religious sites are very serious and need careful handling.

  • INDIA Bloc to Challenge Election Results Over EVM Manipulation Claims

    INDIA Bloc to Challenge Election Results Over EVM Manipulation Claims

    The opposition group in Maharashtra, called the INDIA bloc, plans to ask the Supreme Court for help after believing that there was unfair handling of voting machines (EVMs) during the recent assembly elections.

    Prashant Jagtap, a leader in the NCP party, announced this decision after meeting with important leaders like Sharad Pawar, who is the chief of NCP, Arvind Kejriwal from AAP, and Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi in New Delhi. Pawar had spoken with other leaders from his party who were disappointed with their election losses.

    The INDIA bloc thinks they lost because the voting machines were manipulated to help the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition. In last month’s elections, the BJP coalition won 235 out of 288 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance only got 46 seats.

    During the meeting, Kejriwal also expressed worry about the voter lists in Delhi, where elections are coming up early next year.

  • Jaipur Court Awards ₹99 Lakh to Girl Injured by Power Line

    Jaipur Court Awards ₹99 Lakh to Girl Injured by Power Line

    A court in Jaipur has ordered Jaipur Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited to pay 99 lakh rupees (about 9.9 million) to the family of a five-year-old girl. This happened because a high-voltage power line fell on her in March 2015, which resulted in her arms being amputated. The decision was made on November 28 and the money is meant to help with her ongoing medical treatment and future care.

    Details of the Compensation
    The court said the compensation money will be kept in a fixed deposit account. The family will get 6% interest on this money every year, starting from 2016 (the year the claim was made). This interest will be paid to the family each month to help pay for her medical needs.

    When the girl turns 21, she will be able to take out 25 lakh rupees (about 2.5 million) for her own use. The rest of the money will continue to help with her care as she grows up.

    Court’s Message
    The judge pointed out how important daughters are to families. He shared that this compensation is meant to help lessen the pain caused by this terrible accident. This ruling brings closure to a case that showed how serious it can be when public utilities neglect safety.

  • Supreme Court Rules on Political Party Membership in Bar Elections”

    Supreme Court Rules on Political Party Membership in Bar Elections”

    On Friday, the Supreme Court said that in a democracy, it’s okay to have different ideas, but those ideas must follow the rules of the Constitution. Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said this while looking at a petition from a lawyer named Jaya Sukin. She wanted the court to tell the government and the Bar Council of India that people running for positions in bar groups shouldn’t belong to any political party.

    The judges replied that there’s no law stopping a political party member from holding elections for bar bodies. They said, “You want us to create a new law? That’s not possible.” Senior lawyer Sirajuddin spoke for Sukin, arguing that if candidates can be members of political parties, they might favor those parties during elections. However, the judges countered, asking, “What’s wrong if a Bar office-holder has political beliefs?”

    Justice Surya Kant pointed out that important people in law, like the late Ram Jethmalani, were part of political parties but also contributed greatly to the legal world. He asked if we should miss out on the wisdom of such talented individuals just because they were involved in politics.

    The judges emphasized that there’s no law against political party members running for bar body elections. They joked, suggesting that Sirajuddin should also join a political party to gain experience. When Sirajuddin asked to send this matter to the Law Commission for more study, the judges refused and allowed him to take back his petition.

  • Supreme Court Questions Uttar Pradesh’s Harsh Gangster Act in Ongoing Case

    Supreme Court Questions Uttar Pradesh’s Harsh Gangster Act in Ongoing Case

    On Wednesday, the Supreme Court said that the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act seems very harsh. This statement came while they were looking into a case of a man who disagreed with a May 2023 ruling from the Allahabad High Court, which turned down his request to stop the ongoing legal proceedings against him in a Kasganj district court. The Supreme Court judges, Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan, said they would examine the case further after admitting the appeal.

    Last November, the Supreme Court had already asked the Uttar Pradesh government to respond to this situation and told them that no serious action could be taken against the man while they were looking into it. The man’s lawyer argued that he was being unfairly charged under the 1986 Act for illegal mining in the Ganga River. He pointed out that he had been accused twice for the same thing.

    The state’s lawyer referred to the 1986 Act, suggesting that it needs proper consideration. The Supreme Court mentioned that there is also a separate case about the constitutionality of some parts of this Act, which they will review. The man’s lawyer stated that he was wrongly accused and that the charges against him were based only on another case where his name wasn’t even mentioned. On November 29, the Supreme Court decided to look at the separate matter regarding the Act’s rules and asked the Uttar Pradesh government for its opinion.

  • Hero Electric Appeals Court Ruling on FAME-II Subsidy Investigation

    Hero Electric Appeals Court Ruling on FAME-II Subsidy Investigation

    Hero Electric has taken action in the Delhi High Court against a decision made by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The ministry has asked for a Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to look into claims that Hero Electric wrongly received money from the government’s FAME-II program, which provides support for electric vehicles. The Ministry of Heavy Industries also asked Hero Electric to pay back Rs 130 crore because they believe the company did not follow the rules of the program.

    During the court hearing on Wednesday, Justice CD Singh advised Hero Electric to talk with the ministry to work out the problem peacefully. While this is happening, the court told the government not to take any action against Hero Electric until they check on the progress of these talks. The next hearing has been set for December 20, 2024, allowing time for both sides to find a solution. The FAME-II scheme, which stands for Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, is a program by the government to encourage the use of electric vehicles by giving financial help.

  • Rajya Sabha Functions Again: Key Issues Raised in Session

    Rajya Sabha Functions Again: Key Issues Raised in Session

    New Delhi:After several days of confusion, the Rajya Sabha, which is a part of India’s Parliament, started working normally again on Tuesday. Members of the House began discussing important public issues. They started with the Zero Hour, a time set aside for urgent issues, followed by the Question Hour where questions can be asked.

    Since the beginning of the Winter Session on November 25, the Rajya Sabha had not let any business happen because opposition members kept raising strong objections about various topics. These topics included serious claims of corruption against the Adani Group and recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh.

    On Tuesday, members of the Samajwadi Party (SP) left the House during Zero Hour, and members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) also walked out shortly. Earlier, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar mentioned that he had received 42 requests for adjournment under Rule 267, which is a record in the last 25 years of the Constitution. However, he did not approve any of these requests.

    Dhankhar also pointed out that one member had submitted more than one request under Rule 267 and said it was impossible to consider all of them. He expressed his disappointment that one request was made public before being discussed. This was called a serious issue and he said it would be talked about with leaders of different parties. He urged members to keep to high ethical standards.

    Later, the House moved on to mention important local issues. M Mohamed Abdulla (DMK) and Vaiko (MDMK) discussed the damage caused by Cyclone Fengal in Tamil Nadu. Subhasish Khuntia (BJD) asked for faster work on the new international airport planned for Puri, Odisha. Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) raised concerns about the recent violence in Sambhal. Congress member Pramod Tiwari also spoke about the same issue.