On Monday(28th Oct), Justice KS Puttaswamy, a pivotal figure in India’s legal history, passed away at 98. He challenged the Aadhaar scheme’s constitutionality in 2012, leading to a landmark Supreme Court ruling recognizing privacy as a fundamental right. His contributions shaped the discourse on privacy, surveillance, and data protection in India.
The Delhi High Court has recommended the termination of Aman Pratap Singh, a district judge in Dwarka, following concerns about his conduct. On October 10, the Department of Law, Justice, and Legislative Affairs notified his termination, emphasizing the judiciary’s commitment to upholding standards of conduct and maintaining public trust.
The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, has recommended the appointment of three advocates as judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court and four judicial officers for the Kerala High Court. Additionally, Justice Siddaiah Rachaiah of the Karnataka High Court has been recommended for permanent judgeship.
Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari has been appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, effective from October 11, 2024, following the retirement of Justice Ritu Bahri. This appointment ensures judicial continuity, while Justice Narendar’s nomination for Chief Justice awaits government approval, marking a transitional period for the court.
Bar associations in Tamil Nadu are protesting Justice R Subramanian’s derogatory remarks towards Senior Advocate P Wilson, urging action for respectful communication in courts. They demand a committee to address courtroom conduct and investigate social media leaks. This incident underscores the need for reforms to ensure dignity in judicial interactions.
The Delhi High Court convicted Advocate Sanjay Rathod for appearing intoxicated before a magistrate and issuing threats against her. The court found his behavior to be contemptuous and unacceptable, but as he had already served five months in jail for related charges, no further sentence was imposed. The incident occurred in 2015 at the Karkardooma Court.
The Allahabad High Court set aside a punishment order against a judicial officer who was accused of receiving “objectionable photographs” from a woman on Facebook and being in an improper relationship with her. After being selected as a civil judge, the judicial officer had received multiple friend requests on Facebook, many of them with queries about competitive examinations.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Today (May 17th) took its objection to the transfer of the Bhushan Steel money laundering case to the Delhi High Court, citing concerns over the remarks made by a judge who allegedly questioned the likelihood of bail in ED matters. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma presided over the hearing on Friday and issued a notice to the accused, Ajay S Mittal.