INDIA- Impersonating the Chief Justice of India 

A person claiming to be Ranjan Gogoi, Chief Justice of India, made phone calls to Chief Justice B Radhakrishnan of the Telangana High Court and the acting chief justice of the Karnataka High Court, L Narayana Swamy requesting them to put forth names of advocates to be elevated as judges of high courts. The caller was so convincing that the judges thought they were talking to CJI Gogoi directly, however it was found that although the calls originated from the Supreme Court’s Electronic Private Branch Exchange system, they were actually made from a mobile phone.

 

PAKISTAN- Nuclear Attack Hypes- “India and Pakistan relations have again reached a dangerous level.”-Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf

A week after 40 CPRF personnel were killed in a terror attack, former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf claims that India could “finish us by attacking with 20 (nuclear) bombs” if Pakistan were to launch a nuclear attack. Musharraf also claimed that Israel wanted to establish relations with Pakistan. Musharraf, who is living in the UAE due to self-exile, says that he is ready to return to home as the political environment in Pakistan is in his favour.

INDIA- New Indian E-commerce regulations focus on data rules

Just two months after India altered e-commerce regulations governing direct foreign investments, a new policy focusing on data localization was drafted. The policy focuses on improving privacy measures to combat sales of counterfeit products, as well as restricting the flow of data across boarders. The new rules call for more local data centers and server farms. According to the document “economic activity is likely to follow data” and it is hence “vital that we retain control of data to ensure job creation within India”.

 

AMERICA- New Law proposes making eating road kill legal in California

A new California law could make eating road kill legal, which is already the case in 20 other states. The law proposes allowing those who accidentally hit and kill animals on California roads to salvage whatever parts may be edible. Butcher Ian Higgs believes that road kill doesn’t make for much of a meal “there’s not much you’re going to get out of the animal after it’s been hit like that”. In 10 years 60,000 cases of road kill have been recorded and most of them involve deer.

 

PAKISTAN- Pakistan accuses India of violating international law

Pakistan believes that India’s attempt to scrap Article 35 A of the Indian Constitution, is a violation of international law. The article prevents foreigners from acquiring any immovable property in Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement, Pakistan condemned the attempts as it “clearly aimed at bringing about demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir,”. India’s decision to scrap the Article comes in wake of the recent Pulwama attacks, which left 40 Indian officers dead. The international community urges Pakistan to deny safe haven for terrorist groups operating on its soil.

 

INDIA- Bootleg liquor kills over 100 people in India’s Assam state

More than 130 people have died after drinking illegally brewed alcohol known as hooch, making this one of the deadliest bootleg liquor-related occurrences in India’s history. Mostly plantation workers who are unable to afford licensed brands of alcohol consumed the tainted liquor that was laced with methyl alcohol. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the plantations and provided aid to the families of the dead and those still undergoing treatment.

 

INDIA- 5 lakh names added to the national sex offenders database

Over 5 lakh names have been added to the national sex offenders database for crimes against women. The database can be accessed only by law enforcement and has details such as ID photos, fingerprints and residential addresses of those convicted crimes against women. Stats show that crimes against women rose from 3,29,243 in 2015 to 3,38,954 in 2016 and the addition of the names to the database is to help law enforcement crack down on sex crimes across the country.

 

INDIA- PM Modi will avenge the Pulwama deaths says Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra

In an intellectuals’ meet organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party of Chandigarh,, keynote speaker and spokesperson of the BJP, Sambit Patra said India was furious with Pakistan’s actions in Pulwama. He went on to state that PM Modi would avenge those that died in the attacks and that the retaliation of the Modi government had just begun. Patra stated “India has been a country of rishis and gurus seeped in spirituality and whenever this holy land has seen inimical designs, the spirituality has destroyed such enemies. Pakistan too will meet the same fate,”.

 

INDIA- Delhi High Court PA Admit Card for 2018 released

The Delhi High Court has released the Admit Card for the Personal Assistant post for 2018. Candidates wishing to apply for the post of Personal Assistant to the Delhi High Court can download the Admit Card on the official website: http://delhihighcourt.nic.in/

 

AMERICA- Harsh sentence for Paul Manafort

Trump’s former campaign chairman has been labeled as a “hardened” criminal and prosecutors have urged that his sentence not be reduced. He now faces 20 to 24 years in prison with fines totaling up to $53 million for his conspiracy case in the District of Colombia. None of Manafort’s charges deal with his work on the Trump campaign and Trump personally denied knowing about Manafort sharing polling data. Manafort is currently convicted of financial fraud, witness tampering and collapsing plea agreement.

 

INDIA- Bombay High Court Restrains publishing of Vijaypat Singhania’s autobiography

Vijaypat Singhania, former chairman and managing director of Raymond Limited, has been restrained from publishing his autobiography “The Incomplete Man” due to the work being subject to two suits of injunction. According to Gautam Singhania, Raymond group chairman and Vijaypat’s distanced son, the work contains defamatory content and confidential trade secrets as well as the title (“The Incomplete Man”) making obvious reference to the company’s tagline “The Complete Man” belittling the company’s registered trademarks.

 

INDIA- Gujarat HC rejects “pre-import” condition as constitutionally invalid

The Gujarat High Court ruled that exporters who wrongfully took advantage of Goods & Service Tax (GST) exemption were allowed to be penalized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP). A court order stated that “The ‘pre-import condition’ contained in paragraph 4.14 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-2020, inserted vide Notification No.33/2015-2020 dated 13.10.2017 and inserted vide… are hereby struck down as being ultra vires the Advance Authorization Scheme as contained in the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-2020 as well as the provisions of the Handbook of Procedures,”.

 

INDIA- Madras HC rejects plea seeking more time for school exams

The Madras high court has dismissed petitioner A Martin’s plea seeking to award students with more time to complete board exams as “unnecessary”. Martin also believes that a three day gap between subjects is necessary for the students to answer the very difficult and “indirect” questions. The plea was dismissed and Martin was advised to not waste judicial time.

 

INDIA- Daughters of two army officials seek policy to protect the rights of security personnel

Daughters of two army officers have moved to the Supreme Court to petition a policy that will protect the human rights of security personnel. Preeti Kedar Gokhale (19) and Kajal Mishr (20) seek the creation of a comprehensive policy that will protect the rights of armed forces personnel against unruly individuals or groups attacking them during duty. The petition states that depriving armed forces to prosecute people who commit offences against them is a violation of their fundamental right to life and liberty.

 

AMERICA- Could a new law let a Killer free?

Daniel Marsh, a 15-year-old boy, was tried as an adult and convicted for the brutal double homicide of 76-year-old Claudia Maupin and 87-year-old Chip Northup. Daniel was diagnosed as a psychopath that killed for pleasure and convicted and sentenced to 52 years to life. Four years after his conviction a new California law has got lawyers arguing that we should be retried as a juvenile where the maximum sentence is running only to age 25.

 

INDIA- Aadhaar is now in peoples court

The end of the 16^th Parliament has foiled the Modi government’s attempt to bring back Aadhaar based e-KYC authentication for banking services. There has been much buzz around how certain private interests knew about the Aadhaar amendments before the rest of the country and there is much evidence to question the implementation of the Aadhaar scheme as well as the actual intent behind it. The many hunger deaths caused by delaying or refusal of various subsidies may have been accepted in Supreme Court but still remains sub judice in the people’s court.

 

 

CANADA- British Columbia’s request to declare Alberta oil export law unconstitutional rejected

The British Columbia’s request to declare an Alberta law that could restrict the flow of refined oil products to B.C has been rejected because the law was never officially proclaimed. Justice R.J Hall said that to strike the law would be premature. The act allows limits on fuel exports to B.C. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley defended the law saying that she doesn’t wish to impose hardship on B.C but must also safeguard Alberta’s interests.

 

AUSTRALIA- Changes in law could allow single parents surrogacy

Current West Australian laws prohibit single men using a surrogate, however, in August last year, a bill was introduced to amend the current law and allow same sex couples and single men to engage in surrogacy arrangements. Nick Goiran does not support the decision and believes that it is not the government’s place to intervene. Health Minister Roger Cook said that the changes make sense and that they comply with the Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act. Roger Cook said, “These are simple changes, humane, compassionate, and we really should be getting on with them.”

 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES- Defamation carries a large cost in UAE workplace

If an employer issues a written warning to an employee with regards to performance and contained within the letter are any discriminatory remarks, the employee is entitled to file a criminal complaint against the employer. According to Article 6 of the Federal Decree Law No. 2 of 2015 on Combating Discrimination and Hatred, “Any person, who commits any act of discrimination of any form by any means of expression or by any other means, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a period not less than five years, and by a fine not less than Dh5,00,000 and not exceeding Dh1,000,000 or either one of these two penalties.”

 

PAKISTAN- Prime Minister Imran Khan: “Vibrant bar associations have a key role in ensuring rule of law”

In a message to the newly elected members of the High Court Bar Associations across the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that bars play an important role in promoting democratic values and enhancing institutions. Minister Khan also expressed his optimism for the new leadership and its ability to strengthen the justice system. He hops that the new leadership and government will work together in extending the country’s reform agendas.