Lawyers

Lawyers, activists call for extending POSH Act to political parties

Legal experts and activists have voiced the urgent need to bring political parties under the ambit of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, known as the POSH Act, citing the need for gender equality and accountability. The reaction comes after the Supreme Court on Monday disposed of a plea seeking direction to political parties to follow the procedure for the protection of women in the workplace under the 2013 POSH Act. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Manmohan asked the petitioner to approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) with a representation for the application of the POSH Act. Sonal Mattoo, a lawyer and director of NGO Helping Hands, called for a shift in perspective, urging political parties to focus on the spirit of the law rather than its technical definition. "The problem is they're looking at the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit of the law. If you look at the letter of the law, yes, you will struggle w

SC flags absence of govt's lawyers, says it doesn't like summoning officers

Displeased over the repeated absence of the Centre's advocates in several cases, the Supreme Court on Thursday said it did not take pleasure in summoning government officers before it. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan on December 11 sought the presence of the director general of the Centre's Directorate General of Health Services while flagging the "casual approach" in a matter concerning admission of a medical aspirant belonging to persons with disability category. "The court does not take pleasure in summoning the officers to the court. However, when in spite of being duly served, the respondents do not put in appearance, we were compelled to do so," it said. On Thursday, both the officer and Centre's counsel additional solicitor general Vikramjit Banerjee appeared before the bench. "What is this? Notices are served and you don't even bother to appear," Justice Gavai said, "this is not happening for the first time. On many occasions, for the Union of India, nobod

Can lawyers boycott cases over ethical reasons? What does the law say?

The MP High Court Bar Association has passed a resolution to not represent farmers accused of stubble burning, citing environmental and public health reasons. What does the law say about legal aid?

CJI expresses concern over 'exodus of young talent' from legal practice

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna has expressed concern over the "exodus of young talent" from litigation practice and said there is a need to ensure their financial and social security. Speaking at the "Felicitation Function" organised by the Bar Council of India, Khanna said there is a need to create a minimum remuneration standard for young advocates in the first few years of their career. "The exodus of young talent from litigation practice is not merely about personal choice rather it is symptomatic of the structural issues, such as meagre financial and social security in the profession, especially for the first-generation lawyers. "To attract the community of young lawyers dedicated to serving the public, we must work towards making the profession a more conducive space, address entry-level barriers and promote support," the CJI said. Khanna said a concerning trend is being witnessed where bright young legal minds are increasingly gravitating towards corporate law fi

Justice Khanna hears 45 cases on 1st day as CJI, thanks lawyers for wishes

Justice Sanjiv Khanna heard 45 cases on his first day as the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI), and thanked lawyers and bar leaders for wishing him well. CJI Khanna entered the hallowed CJI's courtroom around noon after being sworn by President Droupadi Murmu in a brief ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He received a rousing welcome by the bar leaders, lawyers including former attorney general and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi. "I wish you a fruitful tenure as the CJI," wished Rohatgi. On Friday, Rohatgi had said that after more than a decade and CJI Y K Sabharwal (late), the top court will have another CJI from the Delhi High Court. Other lawyers present in the courtroom also wished the CJI well. "Thank you," said CJI Khanna, who assembled in courtroom 1 along with Justice Sanjay Kumar minutes after noon. When a bar leader raised an issue relating to sequencing of cases listed in a day for hearing, the CJI said it was in his mind and he will consider it. The CJI held the cou

Ghaziabad lawyers' strike enters second day, thousands of cases delayed

Bar Associations in Ghaziabad held separate sit-ins over the recent police baton charge against them in the district judge's court as the strike by city advocates continued for the second day on Tuesday. All four entry gates of the court were locked by the protesting lawyers, allowing only one gate to remain open exclusively for judges, magistrates, and judicial staff. "Litigants arriving at the district court had to navigate a detour, with approximately 12,000 cases postponed due to the strike," according to a senior judicial officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity. On October 29, a clash erupted between police and lawyers at the Ghaziabad district court in Uttar Pradesh following a heated argument between a judge and a lawyer. On Tuesday, both the Bar Association of Ghaziabad and the District Bar Association were participating in the strike, holding separate sit-ins within the court compound to demand the suspension of District Judge Anil Kumar and disciplinary action ...

Bar Council of India removes 107 'fake' lawyers from its roll in Delhi

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has removed names of 107 fake lawyers from its roll between 2019 and October 2024 in Delhi as a part of its ongoing drive to maintain "integrity and professionalism". "This decisive action is aimed at eliminating fake advocates and those who no longer meet the standards of legal practice. By doing so, the BCI has tried to continue to protect the public's trust and the legal system itself from unethical practices," read a BCI statement on October 26. BCI secretary Srimanto Sen said the names of 107 fake lawyers have been struck off from the roll in Delhi alone as part of its ongoing effort to maintain the integrity and professionalism of the legal community. "Between 2019 and June 23, 2023, several thousands of fake advocates were removed after a thorough investigation into their credentials and practices. These removals are largely due to issues of fake and forged certificates, and misrepresentation during enrolment. Besides, failure to actively practi

Govt notifies Advocates Amendment Act, to come into force on Sep 30

The Law Ministry on Friday notified a law which seeks to punish touts functioning in courts. The notification said the central government appoints September 30 as the date on which the provisions of the Advocates (Amendment) Act, 2023 will come into force. Passed by Parliament in the fag end of 2023, the law provides for preparation and publication of lists of touts. Tout means a person who procures, in consideration of any remuneration from any legal practitioner, business from him or her. But at the same time, no one's name will be included in any such list until he has been given an opportunity to prove innocence. All the aspects which are dealt with in the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879 are already covered under the Advocates Act, 1961 except the matter relating to 'touts'. All sections of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879, except three sections have been repealed through the Advocates Act, 1961. The Law Commission in its report 'Obsolete Laws: Warranting Immediate Repeal' had

Fact-checking, research: A case for taking AI's assistance in the law

AI tools can read every single judgment available in a database to ensure that lawyers 'miss nothing'

Lawyers in Jharkhand to get Rs 5 lakh medical insurance. Know more

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday

Jharkhand cabinet approves Rs 5 lakh medical insurance for lawyers

The Jharkhand cabinet has approved Rs 5 lakh medical insurance for lawyers in the state, a move which is likely to benefit about 30,000 lawyers in the state. The cabinet also cleared a proposal to increase the pension to advocates aged 65 years and above to Rs 14,000 per month from Rs 7,000 at present. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday. The cabinet also gave its nod to a proposal to provide a stipend of Rs 5,000 every month to newly enrolled advocates. An official statement said the approval was given to make a grant-in-aid of Rs 1.5 crore to Jharkhand Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee for the financial year 2024-25 for giving the amount of Rs 5,000. It added that approval was given to pay a grant of a total amount of Rs 9 crore to the Jharkhand Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee in the financial year 2024-25 for providing the benefit of Jharkhand State Health Insurance Scheme provided to the state employees and

Jharkhand cabinet approves Rs 5 lakh medical insurance for lawyers

In a major decision, the Jharkhand cabinet on Friday approved Rs 5 lakh medical insurance for lawyers in the state, a move which is likely to benefit about 30,000 lawyers in the state. The cabinet also cleared a proposal to increase the pension to advocates aged 65 years and above to Rs 14,000 per month from Rs 7,000. The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The cabinet also gave a nod to a proposal to provide a stipend of Rs 5,000 every month to the newly enrolled advocates. An official statement said the approval was given to make a grant-in-aid of Rs 1.5 crore to Jharkhand Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee for the financial year 2024-25 for giving the amount of Rs 5,000. It added that approval was given to pay a grant of a total amount of Rs nine crore to the Jharkhand Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee in the financial year 2024-25 for providing the benefit of Jharkhand State Health Insurance Scheme provided to the State ..

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas ropes in 49 members from rival law firm IndusLaw

Following the latest hiring, CAM will have a nearly 130-strong capital markets team, one of the largest in the industry

In big relief to law graduates, SC caps advocate enrolment fee at Rs 700

The Supreme Court has said that the current enrolment fee structure charged by the state bar councils is unreasonable as it causes excessive financial burdens on young law graduates

State bar councils cannot charge sky-high fees for enrolling lawyers: SC

State bar councils cannot charge exorbitant fees for enrolling law graduates as lawyers as it perpetuates "systemic discrimination" against marginalised and economically weaker sections, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday. Stating that "dignity is crucial to substantive equality", the bench observed that state bar councils (SBCs) and the Bar Council of India (BCI) cannot "alter or modify" the fiscal policy laid down by Parliament. They are users of delegated powers under the Advocates Act, 1961, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said, specifying that they cannot charge more than Rs 650 and Rs 125 for enrolling law graduates from the general and SC-ST categories, respectively. The verdict, which was reserved on April 22, came on 10 pleas filed by some lawyers who claimed SBCs were levying exorbitant enrolment fees, and the counter pleas of some SBCs. It was alleged that the enrolment fee is Rs 42,100 in Odisha, Rs 25,000 in Gujarat, Rs 23,650 in Uttarakhand, Rs 21,460

CLAT 2025: Registration to start from today at consortiumofnlus.ac.in

The Consortium of National Law Universities will start the registration process for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2025 today, July 15. Eligible applicants can apply at consortiumofnlus.ac.in

TS LAWCET & PGLCET 2024: T'gana LAW and PG Law result to be declared today

The Telangana Law and PG Law Common Entrance Test results will be declared today at 4 pm. Candidates can check the results through the official website of TS LAWCET at lawcet.tsche.ac.in

Hunter Biden's lawyers expected in court for hearing before gun trial

Attorneys for Hunter Biden are due in court Friday for the final hearing before the president's son is expected to stand trial on federal firearms charges in Delaware as his father's reelection campaign unfolds. Hunter Biden is charged with lying about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for about 11 days in Delaware. He has acknowledged an addiction to crack cocaine during that period, but his lawyers have said he didn't break the law and the case is politically motivated. The two sides have been arguing in court documents about evidence in the case, including contents from a laptop that he allegedly dropped off at a Delaware repair shop. Defense attorneys question the authenticity of the laptop's data in court documents, but prosecutors say there's no evidence the data has been compromised and that a drawn-out fight over it at trial would be a waste of time. The laptop has been the source of controversy for years after Republicans accessed and ...

CJI Chandrachud congratulates Kapil Sibal on being elected SCBA president

Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Friday congratulated senior advocate Kapil Sibal on being elected as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). "Mr Sibal, heartiest congratulations on our behalf for being elected as the president of the SCBA. We look forward towards your cooperation and (that of) the members of the executive committee," the CJI said while holding a ceremonial bench. Thanking the CJI, Sibal said, "It is my honour that after 22 years, I have been given this opportunity to serve the bar. From our side, you will have complete cooperation and that's our commitment to the bench. It is through this cooperation that we can take the agenda forward." Sibal was elected as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Thursday. Besides Sibal, senior advocates Adish C Aggarwala, Pradeep Kumar Rai, Priya Hingorani and advocates Tripurari Ray and Neeraj Srivastava were in the running for the post of SCBA president. According to sources, S

CLAT 2025: Exam date announced on consortiumofnlus.ac.in, details inside

The Consortium of National Law Universities has announced the CLAT 2025 exam dates in the official notice for Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) exam on the site consortiumofnlus.ac.in