Magazine

Attempts by the state to conduct a caste-based census came to naught after the Patna High Court ordered a stay. The power to carry it out is vested with the Parliament which enacted Census Act, 1948.

The chief justice of India recently highlighted the use of digital technologies the Indian judiciary is experimenting with to make the judicial system more transparent, efficient and accessible. When it comes to free legal aid, however, access to law and justice through digital technologies has limited possibilities. The Pro bono Lawyering programme was launched in 2017 to achieve access to justice for all. However, pro bono lawyering has not yet become an alternative means to foster access to justice in spite of the IT revolution under Digital India.

With the celebration of Intellectual Property Rights Day, the focus swings back to importance and security of our indigenous intellectual property. Editor-in-Chief, APN channel, Rajshri Rai spoke with Controller General, Patents/Designs/Trademark, Prof (Dr) Unnat P Pandit on a host of issues. Excerpts:

The Supreme Court in a path-breaking judgment did “complete justice” by expanding its jurisdiction to grant divorce on mutual consent or by declaring irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.

One visible result of the economic liberalisation of 1991 was the opening of malls which have become a runaway hit across the country. Now the courts have offered their definition of a mall and the activities permitted, apart from just shopping, with the help of dictionaries.

As Rahul Gandhi fights a slew of cases, the weaponisation of defamation suits for political upmanship and as a pressure tactic has become apparent, leading to prolonged headache for the defendant.

The Delhi High Court has said that a person’s right to be forgotten is intrinsically linked to his right to privacy, and search engines and intermediaries are legally bound to disable access to offending content.

It has become a regular front page feature in almost every newspaper—the photograph of some of the country’s top medal-winning wrestlers staging a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for sexual offenses. The matter has  now reached the Supreme Court and the question of who wins the legal bout hangs in the balance.

India’s wildlife habitats have always faced problems of illegal construction as well as villages, roads and highways piercing through sanctuaries, and other infrastructure deemed necessary. Now, the Supreme court has taken the debate further in modifying its earlier order ensuring there are inbuilt safeguards for preventing rampant construction and abuse of process.

As the conflict between governors and state governments rise to a higher decibel, the spotlight is not only on constitutional morality, but also on the constitutional provision regarding the discretionary powers of governors. A report.