The Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed a plea seeking transfer of a 2019 defamation case, holding that unproven allegations against a judge and counsel amount to an “attack on the majesty of law.” The Court imposed a Rs 50,000 penalty on the 89-year-old petitioner and directed the trial court to proceed expeditiously.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court granted anticipatory bail to Yagna Teja Reddy and his family, accused of marital harassment and forced abortion. The court highlighted a significant delay in filing the complaint and the lack of evidence. Conditions for bail included surrendering to police and cooperating with the investigation.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has allowed flexibility in filing new cases under either newly implemented or old criminal laws, stressing that the Registry cannot object based on the chosen legal framework. The recent implementation of three new criminal laws in India has sparked controversy amid efforts to modernize and Indianize the justice system, with some states considering state-level amendments in response.
The Delhi High Court has re-designated Magisterial Courts in the National Capital Territory under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, effective from July 1, 2024. The re-designation reclassifies the courts and ensures continuity with the previous court structure, transferring all judicial powers and functions previously vested in Chief Metropolitan Magistrates to the newly re-designated courts.
Teesta Setalvad, a civil rights activist and journalist, denounced three new laws replacing British-era legislation as a “mockery of the Indian Constitution.” The laws, set to go into effect on July 1, aim to streamline definitions and penalties for crimes, enhance procedural fairness, and update evidentiary standards. Critics argue that these laws undermine sovereignty and participatory democracy.