President Nominates Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul of Supreme Court as Executive Chairman of NALSA
The President of India Droupadi Murmu nominated the Supreme Court Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
As per the Legal Services Authority Act of 1987, the Chief Justice of India is NALSA's Patron-on-Chief .
The President of the country with the help of the Chief Justice of India appoints an active or retired Supreme Court Judge as the Executive Chairman.
As per convention, the post of Executive Chairman of NALSA is always taken by the second senior judge of the Supreme Court.
It was earlier held by CJI DY Chandra during the tenure of UU Lalit, whereas Justice UU Lalit held this post during the tenure of former CJI NV Ramana.
Justice Kaul is the senior most judge after CJI. He has held the position of former Chief Justice of Madras High Court and Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Delhi High Court Changes its Roster of IP Division
The Intellectual Property (IP) Division of the Delhi High Court changed in its roster.
With effect from November 28, Justices C. Hari Shankar, Justice Sanjeev Narula and Justice Amit Bansal would deal with the IP cases.
Initially it was Justices Prathiba M. Singh, Navin Chawla and Jyoti Singh who were sitting as a part of the IP division.
Nov 27, 2022
SC Questions 'Lightning Speed' Appointment of Arun Goel as Election Commissioner
The Supreme Court questioned the Centre on Arun Goel's appointment as Election Commissioner and said his name was finalised at "lightning speed". A five-judge Constitution bench led by Justice K.M. Joseph while hearing petitions seeking reforms in the appointment of Election Commissioners, observed that Goel's file was cleared within just 24 hours.
After the Centre presented the original file of Arun Goel's appointment before the bench, the top court asked whether there was any reason behind the urgency to clear his file.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, said that Goel was working as a secretary under the government till Friday. He then took voluntary retirement and was appointed as Election Commissioner the next day.
Nov 26, 2022
Apex Court Puts Stay on the Order by Calcutta High Court to Investigate Mastermind in Illegal App...
The Apex Court put stay in an order which was passed by the High Court of Calcutta directing the CBI to investigate as to who was the mastermind behind the application filed by the West Bengal School Service Commission for saving services from illegally appointed candidates.
A bench by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud stayed the order by the High Court, which had also directed the personal appearance of the Principal Secretary of West Bengal Education Department Manish Jain.
Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for the State, said that although the petition is not listed for the day but he wanted urgent intervention as the Secretary of the Education Department had summoned by the High Court for examination.
Supreme Court Collegium for Transfer of 7 HC Judges
The Supreme Court Collegium recommended the transfer of the seven judges from four High Courts.
Those recommended to be transferred were Justice V.M. Velumani (from Madras High Court to Calcutta High Court); Justice Battu Devanand (from Andhra Pradesh High Court to Madras High Court); Justice D. Ramesh (from Andhra Pradesh to Allahabad High Court); Justice Lalitha Kanneganti (from Telangana High Court to Karnataka High Court); Justice D. Nagarjun (from Telangana HC to Madras HC), Justice T. Raja (from Madras HC to Rajasthan HC); and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy (from Telangana HC to Patna HC).
The name of Justice Nikhil S Kariel of the Gujarat High Court, who was earlier reported to have been recommended for transfer, didn't figure in the list. The Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association had protested against his proposed transfer.
Nov 25, 2022
Will Form New Constitution Bench: CJI Assures Petitioners Challenging Constitutional Validity of ...
The Supreme Court decided to constitute a new Constitution Bench for hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of polygamy and Nikah Halala, permitted under the Muslim personal law.
Earlier, a five-Judge Bench of Justice Indira Banerjee, Justice Hemant Gupta, Justice Surya Kant, Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia had issued notice on these eight petitions.
Notices were issued to the National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women and the National Commission for Minorities.
The matter was mentioned before a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Hima Kohli and Justice J.B. Pardiwala by petitioner-in-person and Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, praying that since Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Hemant Gupta have retired, a new Constitution Bench be formed for hearing of the petitions.
The CJI assured the petitioners that it will form a new bench for the same.
Nov 24, 2022
Supreme Court to Have Specialised Benches for Land Acquisition Matters, Motor Accident Claims, Ol...
Starting next week, the Supreme Court will have specialised benches to hear cases related to land acquisition, direct and indirect tax, motor accident claims, tribunal matters and old criminal appeals, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said.
A flurry of specialised benches would speed up the wheels of justice in the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud announced four exclusive benches to decide cases arising out of distinct branches of law.