Supreme Court has struck down 158 Year Old Section 497 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) which criminalizes adultery, as unconstitutional. Writ petition named Joseph Shine v. Union of India was filed under Article 32 of the Constitution of India questioning the validity of Section 497 of IPC. A five-judge Constitution bench observed that, Section 497 is a denial of substantive equality as it perpetuates the subordinate status ascribed to women in marriage and society. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra said adultery can be a ground for divorce but not a criminal offence. CJI Misra and Justice Khanwilkar …
Fact Check: Did The Supreme Court Really Allow Advocates To Solemnize Marriages In Their Chambers?
Recently, several media reports have been doing the rounds stating that the Supreme Court has allowed advocates to solemnize marriages in their chambers under the Hindu Marriage Act 1955, overruling a Madras High Court judgment that held such marriages to be invalid.
However, contrary to what several media reports claim, what the Apex Court actually held in its recent ruling was that lawyers should not, while acting as counsel or advocates or their capacity as advocates, undertake or volunteer to solemnize marriages. The Top Court however, clarified that in their private capacity as friends or relatives, the role of an …
‘State Assisted Accused, Failed To Prosecute Fairly’: Supreme Court Directs Bihar Govt To Compensate Victims In 1995 Double Murder Case
Last week, the Supreme Court sentenced former Member of Parliament (MP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Prabhunath Singh to life imprisonment in the double murder case of 1995. While pronouncing the sentence, the Apex Court also directed compensation of Rupees 10 lakh each for both the deceased and Rs 5 lakhs each for the injured in the incident, to be paid by the Bihar Government and the convict separately. The Court also imposed a sentence of seven years imprisonment on Singh for the offence of attempt to murder under Section 307 IPC.
“The fine has been awarded of the …