India: Law College Principal Unpaid For Two Year Over Service Book Minor Glitch

The Principal of the Nagpur University (NU) Babasaheb Ambedkar law college, Shrikant Komawar has reportedly not received salaries and other allowances for over two years due to a minor glitch with his service book. Komawar had resigned from his post as the Dean, Faculty of Humanities four months to his retirement date. It would be recalled that a director at the Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (LIT), Raju Mankar had similar errors in his service book but the government did not stop his salary. On Thursday, journalists sought clarity on the issue from the director of higher education, Dhanraj Mane and the chief secretary of higher education, Sitaram Kunte. Both officers maintained that Komawar’s case was never rectified, unlike Mankar.

Indian:  Sabarimala Temple: Police Wants Restriction In Place Despite High Court Ordering Otherwise

The Kerala Police on Thursday requested the District Collector to consider extending the restriction placed on devotees trekking to the Sabarimala Temple until after the close of the ongoing pilgrimage. The police made the request despite an order of the Kerala High Court directing the State government to remove such restrictions on devotees.  The restrictions on devotees were imposed following a violent protest that rocked Sabarimala over the entry of women into the Temple.

France: French Government Is Violating International Human Rights Law, Amnesty International’s Report Suggests

An Amnesty International report titled “Punished Without Trial” which was published on Wednesday suggested that the French government was in the habit of violating international human rights law by restricting the free movement of people linked with terrorism. According to the report, President Emmanuel Macron-led administration was circumventing the protection provided by Criminal law by placing suspected terrorists on house arrest under administrative measures.

India: Supreme Court Spares Manoj Tiwari Of Any Punitive Action But Disapproves His Action Of Breaking The Seal Of A Building

The Supreme Court bench presided over by Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta on Thursday spared the BJP Chief of Delhi, Manoj Tiwari of any punitive action but carpeted him for breaking the seal of a building that was under “mob” pressure. The apex court had last month reserved its contempt proceedings order instituted against Tiwari and sought to know if a representative can take action without recourse to the law. It would be recalled that the building was sealed in September by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) in Gokalpuri.

India: Assembly and Lok Sabha Polls: Supreme Court Dismisses PIL Seeking The Use Of Ballot Papers During The Upcoming Elections

The Supreme Court Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, on Thursday, dismissed a Public Interest Litigation filed before it by an NGO, ‘Nyay Bhoomi’ which sought the use of ballot papers instead of EVMs during the upcoming elections to elect representatives into the Assembly and the Lok Sabha house. Nyay Bhoomi has moved the court citing irregularities in the use of electronic voting machines and contended that EVMs do not guarantee free and fair polls. The court after hearing the plea dismissed the same and said: “every system is capable to be misused.”

France: Lawmakers Pass New Law Which Would Empower Judges To Pull Down Fake News During Election Campaigns

Lawmakers in France on Thursday voted massively in support of a new law which would empower judges to order the pulling down of fake news, particularly during election campaigns. Critics of the new law are of the view that the government is attempting to truncate democracy and censor the press. It would be recalled that the law was proposed by President Emmanuel Macron and was rejected twice by the French Senate. Macron on Thursday evening hailed the Parliament for finally passing the law.

India: Delhi Prison Inspection Report Irks Supreme Court, As Report Suggests Inmates Are Enjoying Comfort

A report on the situation of inmates at the Delhi’s Tihar jail irked a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur on Thursday. The report suggested that inmates, including the Managing Director of Unitech, Sanjay Chandra and his brother Ajay were enjoying comfort like Sofas and LED television despite been accused of duping several home buyers. “Is the prison authority running a parallel system,” Justice Lokur asked in his reaction to the report of the inspection. The apex court was hearing a case which relates to the inefficiency in jails across the country as highlighted by two top judges in June this year after a visit to Faridabad jail

India: Who Says Arresting Animals Is Only Limited To India? British Police Officers Arrests A Dog For Biting Him

Cases of police arresting animals usually feature on the front page of most newspapers, but the trend is not only limited to India. Last Friday, a British Police officer arrested a dog for biting him on his arm and hand. The dog named Bungle was arrested in Northamptonshire and has been booked for committing an offense under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. If found guilty, the dog may spend up to nine months in custody. In view of the dog’s arrest, over 2,500 animal rights activists have called for the immediate release of the dog. However, the police authorities have defended the action of their own.

Australia: Proposed Terrorism Law Could Make Australians Stateless, Law Council Says

The apex lawyers’ body in Australia on Thursday warned that the proposed terrorism law could render Australians Stateless. The council gave the warning through its president, Morry Bailes in a press conference to clarify the council’s stand on the proposed law. The Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison and the Minister of Home Affairs on Thursday defended the proposed terrorism law, asserting that with the law the government would have the power to strip a convicted terrorist of Australian government citizenship.

India: Bombay HC Removes Restrictions On The Use Of Biodiesel To Power Vehicles

A bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday removes the restrictions placed on the use of biodiesel to power vehicles, asserting that biodiesel does not fall within the definition of petroleum or petroleum products.  The restrictions were imposed by the Motor Spirit High-Speed Diesel Control Order, 2005, under clause 3.5. What the Bombay High Court judgment means is that biofuel manufacturers can now sell their products without restriction provided the products comply with Euro 6 and BSVI standards, as well as the guidelines set under the EN590:2013 (European) and BIS:1460 (Indian) standards.

India: Bombay HC Dismisses Vijay Mallya’s Plea Seeking To Stay ED’s Request To Declare Him A Fugitive Economic Offender

A bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea filed by Vijay Mallya, a beleaguered businessman seeking to stay the Enforcement Directorate (ED) request to declare him a fugitive economic offender, as well as to confiscate his Properties. It would be recalled that the ED had approached a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court with a view to tagging Mallya a fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders’ Act, 2018.

US: Trump Makes Thanksgiving Day Threat To Close US-Mexico Border Till Further Notice

The United States president, Donald Trump on Thursday made a Thanksgiving Day threat declaring that he would close the US-Mexico Border till further notice if it is certain that Mexico has lost “control” on its side. Trump made the threat in Washington DC on Thursday morning. He also asserted that he has directed the troops deployed to the border to use lethal force on migrants if necessary.

India: Tamil NEET Examination: Supreme Court Quashes Madras High Court Order Directing CBSE To Grant NEET Students 196 Grace Marks

The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the order of the Madras High Court which directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to grant NEET students 196 grace marks for opting to write examinations in the Tamil language due to translation errors. The Supreme Court observed that granting students grace mark would put them in an advantageous position than other students. Recall that the Madras High Court had on July 10 directed CBSE to grant 196 marks to each student that would participate in this year’s Tamil version of the NEET examinations.

Canada: Impaired Driving Conviction Could Be A Big Deal For Both Temporary And Permanent Residents in Canada

Being convicted for impaired driving in Canada could be a serious issue for both temporary and permanent residents. An Immigration worker who craved anonymity and is privy to the development said the conviction could mean deportation in extreme case. The immigration officer asserted that the development was as a result of changes in the law which was intended to upgrade impaired driving rules. Recall that Canada recently legalized the use of Cannabis.