Author: NitiRiti Bureau

New Delhi, May 8. The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the government and the DGCA on a petition, filed by a 72-year-old woman who was allegedly peed on by a drunk passenger on a New York-New Delhi flight, seeking a protocol to deal with such “inappropriate behaviour” on flights. The woman claimed that after her traumatic experience on board the Air India flight, the crew did not even offer her an alternative seat even though other seats were available on the flight. Nor was she told of her rights in the face of such inappropriate behaviour. She accused…

New Delhi, May 4. The Supreme Court on Thursday closed a petition filed by women wrestlers complaining over Delhi police refusal to file an FIR against Wresting Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan and asked the players to approach the magistrate or the High Court in case of any fresh grievance. The wrestlers have accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment. The victims include a minor who has won medals for this country. They had demanded that an FIR be filed into their charges and the case investigated. Delhi police has since filed an FIR regarding the allegations. A bench…

New Delhi, May 1. The government of India on Monday assured the Supreme Court that a review of the sedition laws was underway and certain changes in the law were expected to be pushed through during the monsoon session of Parliament, prompting the court to defer a hearing on its legality. A stay on any fresh FIRs under the colonial-era provision will though continue for now. Though the court has upheld the legality of Section 124A in an earlier ruling, there have been demands to review the law because of its misuse by successive governments to quell dissent. A bunch…

New Delhi, April 28. The Supreme Court on Friday ordered all state governments and UTs to act against hate mongers irrespective of their religion even if no complaints were filed regarding such incidents with the police to protect the country’s secular fabric. Not doing so would attract contempt of court, a bench, led by Justice K.M. Joseph, said. The bench had initially in Oct, 2022, directed the states of Delhi, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to file FIRs against all those making hate speeches irrespective of their religion. Today, it directed all states to follow the same order. Hate speech is…

New Delhi, April 28. Delhi police assured the Supreme Court on Friday that an FIR would be filed on the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan as it involved a cognisable offence, while in the same breath insisting that “something else was at play here”. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud that an FIR would be filed. Mehta had at the last hearing claimed that a preliminary enquiry would be required before filing an FIR, justifying the…

New Delhi, April 27. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said on Thursday that a regular bench of the Supreme Court would examine the legality of the contentious 30-day notice period in the Special Marriage Act mandating a public notice before every marriage solemnized under the Act. The CJI said this during a hearing on a host of pleas to recognize same sex unions or marriage equality between homosexual and heterogenous couples. “We can place the notice period issue before a regular bench,” the CJI said. The notice which carries the names of the parties intending to get married under…

New Delhi, April 27. The government of India on Thursday promised everything short of legalizing same sex marriages to the LGBT community while claiming that homosexuality could be an “acquired trait” too. A top court bench, led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, is hearing multiple pleas to recognize same sex unions or accept the idea of marriage equality between homosexual and heterogenous couples. After days of hearing the issue, the court today conceded the government point that allowing such unions through a court order would necessitate huge changes in multiple gendered laws and run contrary to personal laws…

India’s award-winning women wrestlers are on the streets demanding action against the Wresting Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan over sexual harassment allegations. No action has been taken yet under the Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act, 2013, which makes it a non-cognisable offence. Or under the Indian Penal Code which incidentally now has a new provision solely covering sexual harassment, Section 354A. This makes the offence, cognisable and non-bailable. Section 354A says that a man committing any of the following acts— i) physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures; or ii) a demand or request…

The Delhi government will have to respond as to why no action has been taken so far New Delhi, April 25. The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought an explanation from the Delhi government on its failure to act on sexual harassment charges levelled by several award-winning women wrestlers of the country against Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan. The wrestlers, including the likes of Vinesh Bhogat and Sakshi Malik, have been sitting on a dharna at Jantar Mantar demanding that the government take action against the BJP leader. This is their second round of agitation demanding action against Sharan.…

New Delhi, April 24. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Monday said that judges cannot give interviews on any pending case and if they do, must refrain from hearing the case. The CJI was reacting to statements in court that Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay spoke to a Kolkata newspaper regarding TMC leader Abhishek Bannerjee when he was dealing with the case. This was drawn to the court’s attention by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. “… this just cannot be done. Please see a report of the court proceeding with a quote from the judge,” Singhvi told the…