Supreme Court.1. Centre for Integrity, Governance and Training in Vigilance Administration & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. .[Item 7 in court 1 – Writ Petition (Civil) 683/ 2014].Bench: Chief Justice HL Dattu, Arun Mishra J., Amitava Roy J..A petition regarding the appointment of the Chief Vigilance Commissioner. After KV Chaudhary was appointed to the post, Common Cause filed a petition challenging it. Both the matters are now being heard together..Today in court: The court issued notice to the Central government, KV Chaudhary and Vigilance Commissioner, TM Bhasin. The matter will now be listed after five weeks..2. AG v. Shiv Kumar Yadav.[Item 1 in court 4 – SLP(Crl.) 1899-1900/2015].Bench: JS Khehar J., AK Goel J..This case pertains to the alleged rape committed by an Uber driver in Delhi. The victim had moved the Supreme Court challenging that re-examination of witnesses ordered by the Delhi High court. The court had allowed this plea and stayed the Delhi High Court order..Today in court: Read the full report here..3. Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India, Min. of Law & Ors..[Item 1 in court 5 – Writ Petition (Crl) 184/2014].Bench: Dipak Misra J., Prafulla C Pant J..Petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of criminal defamation. The parties are making the final round of submissions. The hearing will resume today..Today in court: After 14 days of hearing, the Court reserved its judgment in the case today..4. The Kerala Bar Hotels Association & Anr. v. State of Kerala And Ors. .[Item 101 in Court 11- C.A No. 4157/2015] .Bench: Vikramjit Sen J., Shiva Kirti Singh J. .The case is a challenge to the liquor policy of the Kerala government whereby only five star hotels will, henceforth, be granted licenses to run Bars. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and Senior Advocate Aryama Sundaram appeared for the Bar owners in Kerala..Today in Court: Sundaram, appearing for the bar owners, submitted that as per foreign liquor rules, renewal of an existing license is ‘automatic’, subject to payment of fees. He added that as per the said Rules, grant of license maybe a privilege under Rule 13 (b) but once it was granted, it became a ‘right’..He further submitted that the object behind the statute is to make Kerala a liquor-free State but what has been done is to ban two, three and four star hotels from selling liquor and there is no curb on production of alcohol..“One does not have the right to say ‘I want to sell liquor’. But at the same time you cannot discriminate. If you give license to X, then you cannot say no to Y.”.He said that the statute created an artificial classification which has no nexus with the object sought to be achieved. He further argued that the principle of ‘reasonable classification’ itself proceeded on the premise that the restriction was imposed on an existing right. With the thrust of the Petitioners’ arguments on Article 14 so far, the matter will now be heard tomorrow..Delhi High Court.1. Ambika Soni v. Union of India & Ors and Kumari Shelja v. Union of India & Ors..[Item 1 & 2, Court 3-LPA 530/2015 and 531/2015].Bench- Pradeep Nandrajog J, Pratibha Rani J.An appeal filed by Congress MPs Ambika Shukla and Kumari Selja challenging the Single Bench order that dismissed their plea against eviction..Earlier, the Bench had directed for the matter to be posted before a different Bench that did not comprise Justice Mukta Gupta. Justice Gupta was heading the Vacation Bench that had stayed the eviction order..Today in Court: The matter was directed to be posted before a different Bench on August 18. This is the third instance of the matter being adjourned, citing Bench composition..2. Sudhir Kumar Gupta Vs All India Institute of Medical Sciences.[Item 18 & 21, Court 6- WP (C) 3033/2015].Bench: GS Sistani J, Sangita Dhingra Sehgal J..A petition filed by Dr. Sudhir Kumar Gupta, the head of AIIMS’ Forensic Department. Gupta had challenged an order passed by CAT that dismissed his petition in which he stated that a Dr. OP Murty was promoted “out-of-turn”, so as to ensure a “tailor-made” autopsy report regarding the murder of Sunanda Pushkar, deceased wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor..In March, AIIMS had moved an application before the Court to appoint a new head for the Forensics Department, Dr. DN Bhardwaj. At that point of time, the Court had sought Gupta’s response to the said appointment..Today in Court: Counsels for Gupta mentioned the matter and it was adjourned to August 24.
Supreme Court.1. Centre for Integrity, Governance and Training in Vigilance Administration & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. .[Item 7 in court 1 – Writ Petition (Civil) 683/ 2014].Bench: Chief Justice HL Dattu, Arun Mishra J., Amitava Roy J..A petition regarding the appointment of the Chief Vigilance Commissioner. After KV Chaudhary was appointed to the post, Common Cause filed a petition challenging it. Both the matters are now being heard together..Today in court: The court issued notice to the Central government, KV Chaudhary and Vigilance Commissioner, TM Bhasin. The matter will now be listed after five weeks..2. AG v. Shiv Kumar Yadav.[Item 1 in court 4 – SLP(Crl.) 1899-1900/2015].Bench: JS Khehar J., AK Goel J..This case pertains to the alleged rape committed by an Uber driver in Delhi. The victim had moved the Supreme Court challenging that re-examination of witnesses ordered by the Delhi High court. The court had allowed this plea and stayed the Delhi High Court order..Today in court: Read the full report here..3. Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India, Min. of Law & Ors..[Item 1 in court 5 – Writ Petition (Crl) 184/2014].Bench: Dipak Misra J., Prafulla C Pant J..Petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of criminal defamation. The parties are making the final round of submissions. The hearing will resume today..Today in court: After 14 days of hearing, the Court reserved its judgment in the case today..4. The Kerala Bar Hotels Association & Anr. v. State of Kerala And Ors. .[Item 101 in Court 11- C.A No. 4157/2015] .Bench: Vikramjit Sen J., Shiva Kirti Singh J. .The case is a challenge to the liquor policy of the Kerala government whereby only five star hotels will, henceforth, be granted licenses to run Bars. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and Senior Advocate Aryama Sundaram appeared for the Bar owners in Kerala..Today in Court: Sundaram, appearing for the bar owners, submitted that as per foreign liquor rules, renewal of an existing license is ‘automatic’, subject to payment of fees. He added that as per the said Rules, grant of license maybe a privilege under Rule 13 (b) but once it was granted, it became a ‘right’..He further submitted that the object behind the statute is to make Kerala a liquor-free State but what has been done is to ban two, three and four star hotels from selling liquor and there is no curb on production of alcohol..“One does not have the right to say ‘I want to sell liquor’. But at the same time you cannot discriminate. If you give license to X, then you cannot say no to Y.”.He said that the statute created an artificial classification which has no nexus with the object sought to be achieved. He further argued that the principle of ‘reasonable classification’ itself proceeded on the premise that the restriction was imposed on an existing right. With the thrust of the Petitioners’ arguments on Article 14 so far, the matter will now be heard tomorrow..Delhi High Court.1. Ambika Soni v. Union of India & Ors and Kumari Shelja v. Union of India & Ors..[Item 1 & 2, Court 3-LPA 530/2015 and 531/2015].Bench- Pradeep Nandrajog J, Pratibha Rani J.An appeal filed by Congress MPs Ambika Shukla and Kumari Selja challenging the Single Bench order that dismissed their plea against eviction..Earlier, the Bench had directed for the matter to be posted before a different Bench that did not comprise Justice Mukta Gupta. Justice Gupta was heading the Vacation Bench that had stayed the eviction order..Today in Court: The matter was directed to be posted before a different Bench on August 18. This is the third instance of the matter being adjourned, citing Bench composition..2. Sudhir Kumar Gupta Vs All India Institute of Medical Sciences.[Item 18 & 21, Court 6- WP (C) 3033/2015].Bench: GS Sistani J, Sangita Dhingra Sehgal J..A petition filed by Dr. Sudhir Kumar Gupta, the head of AIIMS’ Forensic Department. Gupta had challenged an order passed by CAT that dismissed his petition in which he stated that a Dr. OP Murty was promoted “out-of-turn”, so as to ensure a “tailor-made” autopsy report regarding the murder of Sunanda Pushkar, deceased wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor..In March, AIIMS had moved an application before the Court to appoint a new head for the Forensics Department, Dr. DN Bhardwaj. At that point of time, the Court had sought Gupta’s response to the said appointment..Today in Court: Counsels for Gupta mentioned the matter and it was adjourned to August 24.
