Important Legal News | 13 October

Supreme Court Fines Petitioner for Challenging Bombay High Court Chief Justice Appointment Over Oath Wording

In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court imposed financial penalties on a petitioner who contested the appointment of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya for not using the word ‘I’ in his oath. The petitioner argued that this omission violated the Constitution’s Third Schedule.

However, the Bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, dismissed the petition, asserting that objections to the oath, administered by the Governor and subsequently subscribed to, were baseless. The Court emphasised the need to discourage such frivolous petitions, emphasising that they divert attention from more significant cases and deplete judicial resources.

Justice Amrita Sinha Conducts ‘School Jobs for Cash Scam’ Hearing In-Camera, Halts Live Streaming

Justice Amrita Sinha of the Calcutta High Court, overseeing the ‘School Jobs for Cash Scam’ case, has decided to halt the live streaming of the proceedings and instead conduct them in-camera. She has restricted courtroom access to advocates representing the involved parties, with the Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) allowed to join the hearing virtually.

The ‘School Jobs for Cash Scam’ revolves around irregularities in the recruitment of Group C and Group D staff and teachers in government-run and aided schools in West Bengal, currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED.

Supreme Court Issues Notice on Plea to Prevent Doctors From Participating in Live Surgery Broadcast Discussions

The Supreme Court has issued notice to the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Central government in response to a plea seeking to prevent doctors from engaging in live discussions or taking questions during live surgery broadcasts (LSB).

The plea highlights ethical concerns surrounding informed consent and the potential distractions faced by surgeons during these broadcasts. It also suggests that LSBs primarily serve advertising and sponsorship purposes. The Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, has requested responses within three weeks.

Kerala High Court Seeks Response on Petition Against Exorbitant Airfares to Gulf Countries

The Kerala High Court has called for responses from the Central and State governments in a case challenging the steep airfares for travel to Middle Eastern countries. The petition, filed by Zainul Abideen, the Managing Director of the Safari group of companies in Qatar and the UAE, highlighted that these high air ticket prices are financially burdensome for many expatriates and their families.

The petitioner emphasised that air travel is now an essential part of people’s lives and the excessive airfares during festival seasons prevent expatriates from reuniting with their families in Kerala. The court will reconvene on October 20 to address this issue.