tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-156021892024-03-08T07:34:23.515+05:30Law and Other ThingsA Blog About India's Laws and Legal System, its Courts, and its ConstitutionAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09348738084817273397noreply@blogger.comBlogger1913125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-46831209379131350172017-08-17T08:19:00.001+05:302017-08-17T08:19:14.897+05:30Government Advocates and Standing Counsel: Investigating the professional pasts of Supreme Court Judges<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">Of
the sanctioned strength of 31, 27 judges currently serve on the Supreme Court. Of
these 27 judges, 24 have previously been judges of one or more High Courts in
the country. While we are aware of the nature and duration of their judicial
positions before elevation to the Supreme Court, we know little about their
professional life before becoming judges. Amongst other questions, what was the
professional engagement of these justices before they were appointed as judges?
In this post, I wish to survey the past professional experience of these judges
and pay specific attention to whether Supreme Court justices have previously
been appointed as government pleaders, advocates or standing counsel for the
State or its instrumentalities. </span>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">I
identify a judge as a government advocate or standing counsel, if a judge has
been appointed to represent either the Union or State Government, Municipal
Bodies, Corporations and Companies that have government control and/or
involvement. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">For
the purposes of identifying judges who have previously been appointed as
government pleaders or advocates, I rely primarily on the <a href="http://www.sci.gov.in/chief-justice-judges">profile of judges as carried
and maintained on the website of the Supreme Court</a>. However, in some cases
the profiles of certain judges on the Supreme Court website remained silent on
whether they were government advocates, while the profile on the website of
High Court on which they served did make reference to such appointment. In
these cases, I have relied on the profiles as carried on the website of the
respective High Courts. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">Relying
on the profiles of the judges on the website of the Supreme Court or the High
Court have certain drawbacks, two of which merit immediate mention. First, if
the profile of a particular judge is not accurate and does not fully describe
the various professional positions he/she was appointed to, there would be a
cascading inaccuracy in the discussion to follow. For the purposes of this
post, where a profile of a Judge does not explicitly make reference to being
appointed as a government advocate or standing counsel, I have counted these
judges as not being so and assumed that they never held any such position. The
other limitation of relying on the profiles of judges on the Supreme Court
website is that they do not uniformly list the duration for which they held
such positions as government advocates or standing counsel. One is therefore not
able to accurately assess the length of their appointment and the consequent
involvement in representing the State. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">From
my reading of the profiles of the Supreme Court judges, here is what I found: Of
the 27 judges, the profiles of 19 justices revealed that they had previously
represented the State. While the profile of the 8 remaining judges were silent
on this issue, forcing me to conclude that they did not represent the State or
its instrumentalities prior to being appointed as judges. This exercise reveals
that at a minimum, 70% of the judges on the Supreme Court have previously
represented the Government and would meet my definition of a government
advocate or a standing counsel. A tabular summary of the information on the
Supreme Court and High Court website(s) are as follows: </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">Sl
No.</span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">Name
of Judge</span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">Previous
engagement</span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Additional Advocate General,
Punjab, in January 1992. Senior Standing Counsel, Union Territory,
Chandigarh.</span></div>
</td>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
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<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Dipak Misra</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">No
description </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Jasti Chelameswar</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Appointed as Additional Advocate
General on 13.10.1995</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ranjan Gogoi</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">No
description </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 28.85pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 28.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Madan Bhimarao Lokur</span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 28.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Central
Government Standing Counsel from December, 1990 to December, 1996.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Appointed
as Additional Solicitor General of India on 14th July, 1998 and continued as
such till appointed as an Additional Judge of Delhi High Court on 19th
February, 1999</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Kurian Joseph</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Government Pleader (1987)
Additional Advocate General (1994-96)</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Counsel for numerous Public Sector
Undertakings, Educational Institutions, Banks & Financial Institutions.</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 16.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 16.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="8" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">No
description </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="9" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice R.K. Agrawal</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Worked as Standing Counsel of the
Income Tax Department of the Government of India. Served a number of
corporations and institutions as their Standing Counsel</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="10" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice N.V. Ramana</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Functioned as Panel Counsel for various
Government Organizations, Addditional Standing Counsel for Central Government
and Standing Counsel for Railways in the Central Administrative Tribunal at
Hyderabad and also functioned as Additional Advocate General of Andhra
Pradesh</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="11" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Arun Mishra</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">No
description </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="12" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Adarsh Kumar Goe</span><span style="color: black;">l</span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Standing Counsel and Addl.
Advocate General for the State of U.P. in the Supreme Court and as Standing
Counsel (Civil) for NCT Delhi in Delhi High Court (from the website of the <a href="http://ghconline.gov.in/judgesSCI.html">Gauhati High Court</a>). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="13" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice R.F. Nariman</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Solicitor General of India from
July 27, 2011 to February 4, 2013</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="14" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Standing counsel for Income Tax
Department, in Madhya Pradesh High Court (from the website of the <a href="http://ghconline.gov.in/judgesSCI.html">Gauhati High Court</a>).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="15" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mrs. Justice R. Banumathi</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">No
description </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="16" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">No
description </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="17" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Appointed Special Public
Prosecutor for CBI to conduct trial in all 2G matters.</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="18" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Amitava Roy</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Senior Government Advocate of the
Government of Arunachal Pradesh in the Gauhati High Court from 1991 to 1996</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="19" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice A.M. Khanwilkar</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Appointed as Standing Counsel for
the State of Maharashtra for Supreme Court matters in October, 1985. Worked
as Additional Government Advocate for the State of Maharashtra till December,
1989. Appointed as Panel Counsel for Union of India in January, 1990 (From
the <a href="http://hphighcourt.nic.in/">Himachal Pradesh High Court</a>
website)</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 20;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="20" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Additional Solicitor General of
India from 1998 until appointment as a Judge</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 21;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="21" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ashok Bhushan</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Standing Counsel of Allahabad
University, State Mineral Development Corporation Limited and several
Municipal Boards, Banks & Education Institutions</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 22;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="22" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice L. Nageswara Rao</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Additional Solicitor General of
India from August 2003 to May, 2004 and again from 26.08.2013 to 18.12.2014</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 23;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="23" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Senior Counsel for the Delhi High Court and for the Delhi
University, Senior Panel of Union of India and Additional Senior Standing
Counsel for DDA.</span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 24;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="24" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">State Public Prosecutor of
Karnataka State from 1999 to 2002</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 25;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="25" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice S. Abdul Nazeer</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">No
description</span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 26;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="26" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Navin Sinha</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">No
description</span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 27; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 40.85pt;" valign="top" width="41"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
<ol start="27" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"> </li>
</ol>
</span></span></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 184.3pt;" valign="top" width="184">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hon'ble Mr. Justice Deepak Gupta</span><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 225.35pt;" valign="top" width="225">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Standing counsel of Himachal
Pradesh Road Transport Corporation, Himachal Pradesh Housing Board and New
India Assurance Companies (from the <a href="http://hphighcourt.nic.in/">Himachal
Pradesh High Court</a> website)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">This
information is helpful for a variety of reasons. First, it helps us gain some
insight into the professional background of Judges, before they assumed
judicial positions. It opens our eyes to the kinds of practice areas these
judges were exposed to and their involvement in representing the Sate’s
interests in courts and judicial fora. I would however caution against reading
this information as pointing to some sort of government bias in Supreme Court
judges. I think merely because these judges once represented the State, should
not automatically mean that they are ideologically predisposed in favor of the
State and/or its conduct.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">What
we should read this information as, is having the potential to throw light on
the past professional conduct, learning and experience of more than half of the
Supreme Court judges. While working as lawyers for the government, these judges
necessarily would have worked closely with law officers and government
officials of various designations and in different positions of power. They
would have been briefed by such officials, attended meetings within such
organizations and been closely associated with the departments/organizations
they were called upon to represent. Such an association with government
servants and officials would have exposed them to the inner working of the
government and/or its instrumentalities, the manner in which decisions are made
within such bodies and areas of contentious government policy/action that are
the subject matter of challenge. Those judges that were previously special
public prosecutors (Justice UU Lalit and Justice Mohan Shantanagoudar) or
standing counsel for revenue departments (Justice RK Agarwal) were involved in
essential state functions (Crime and Revenue) and were therefore intimately
associated with the conduct and interests of the State. More importantly,
through the process of such representation, these judges would have been
exposed to and understood the institutional strengths and weaknesses of the
agencies/departments they were called upon to defend. In this learning, it
would be natural to assume that these judges also became familiar with
arguments canvassed in defense of the State: exclusion of the jurisdiction of
constitutional courts where an alternative remedy exists, issues of standing
and whether a cause of action accrues to the petitioner or claimant, whether
the impugned action is in the realm of government policy (and therefore not
strictly subject to constitutional challenge) and whether the appropriate
government department/bodies have been impleaded in the concerned litigation. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">A
natural question to ask in this context would be: what happens to this
professional learning when government advocates and standing counsel assume
judicial office? Do these positions of law and arguments which were previously
routinely invoked, form part of their fundamental understanding of the law and
judicial process or is it appropriately contextualized as a professional
strategy employed in the defense of state action. Does their professional
experience form the backbone of their judicial outlook or are these judges able
to adopt an understanding and practice of the law that is detached from their
prior professional experience? These are difficult questions and I frankly do
not have any answers. But I do think that these questions form preliminary
concerns in meaningfully trying to understand judicial behavior within our
Supreme Court.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">In
fact, this data begs the question of whether judges who have previously
represented the State are likely to be biased against it? I think it is also
plausible to foresee a situation where a judge who previously represented and
defended the State, is likely to have been exposed to and called upon to defend
various inefficiencies in state functioning. After all, much of the litigation
before constitutional courts is concerned with the wrongdoing or failure in the
conduct of the State. Is a judge who was previously a public prosecutor likely
to be harsher on the prosecution given his/her first-hand knowledge on the
state of affairs within the police and investigation agencies in the country.
Similarly, would a judge who has represented the revenue department be more
likely to sympathize with an assesse given his/her understanding of the manner
in which tax and revenue authorities are committed to revenue collection,
irrespective of legal sanction for such levy. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">The
other reason why this information is interesting, is because it helps
contextualize the manner in which judicial appointments to the Supreme Court
and High Court are made. For some time now, there has been a widely held belief
that in order to be appointed as a Judge to the Higher Judiciary, one must have
represented the State or its instrumentalities in some capacity. There are immediate
benefits of being appointed as a government advocate/ standing counsel for
persons interested in judicial office: one is exposed to various facets of
public and administrative law and one is able to closely observe the working of
other constitutional actors. Not to mention that the sheer volume of work
entrusted to government advocates and standing counsel guarantees repeated
appearances in court, thereby facilitating observation and assessment of their
performance and professional conduct by sitting judges and consequent
recommendation to be appointed to a judicial position. This data can then both
explain and guide the career choices of persons interested in judicial
positions. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">In
our discussion concerning the appointment of judges, commentators of the Court
have argued that there must be some mechanism to assess and gauge the judicial
philosophy of the judges being appointed. Such an assessment is virtually impossible
without first asking what these judges did before they became judges. What was
the nature of their professional experience and in what manner and to what
extent has this impacted their judicial thinking. Without exploring their
professional past, there is no meaningful manner in which we can assess and
investigate the judicial thinking inside our Supreme Court. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">[Note
– The description of the prior professional experience has been copied from the
information carried on the Supreme Court and High Court website(s) and has only
been edited for minor language changes].</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></div>
Smaran Shettyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03057376141568971875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-16690130876831459322016-12-19T08:17:00.000+05:302016-12-24T17:04:41.277+05:30Rescheduled Vidhi talk for Today: Securing Dissenters' Consent for India's Constitution: The Role of Directive Principles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />On the evening of the 19<b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1414135961" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">th of December</span></span>, Dr. Tarunabh Khaitan, </b> Associate Professor in Law at Wadham College, Oxford, will be delivering a talk titled "<b><i>Securing Dissenters' Consent for India's Constitution: The Role of Directive Principles</i></b>". A copy of the draft article on which the talk is based is available for download <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2888987" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using India as a case study, Dr. Khaitan’s paper on the issue argues that Directive Principles can be a key tool to secure the consent of groups that would otherwise lose out in constitutional negotiations. The talk is scheduled on <b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1414135962" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday, 19th December, 2016 at 6.00 p.m</span></span> at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, D-359, Lower Ground Floor, Defence Colony, New Delhi</b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">. The talk will also be<a href="https://www.facebook.com/vidhilegalpolicy/?fref=ts"> streamed via Facebook Live</a>. </span></div>
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Tarunabh Khaitanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234574402062317396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-38307198676941712772016-12-14T19:07:00.002+05:302016-12-14T19:07:29.781+05:30The demonetisation notification as it exists, suffers from illegality and violates the Constitution <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In an <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/why-demonetisation-notification-is-illegal-and-violates-the-constitution/articleshow/55916594.cms" target="_blank">op ed</a> in the Economic Times on December 10, 2016, and an earlier, more <a href="http://cprindia.org/news/5692?utm_content=buffer0feae&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">detailed piece </a>on the CPR website on December 6, 2016, I have argued that the demonetisation notification, as it exists, <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; word-spacing: 1px;">is illegal because it goes beyond the scope of what is permitted under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, (“RBI Act”), the stated source of authority for the notification. There is also a </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; word-spacing: 1px;">prima facie</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; word-spacing: 1px;"> case of direct and indirect abridgement of fundamental rights to movement (Article 19(1)(d)), trade or business (Article 19(1)(g), livelihood and in certain cases life (Article 21), the right to equality (Article 14), and the constitutional right to property (Article 300A).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; word-spacing: 1px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; word-spacing: 1px;">It is clear that section 26(2) of the RBI Act empowers the government to demonetise, that is, to declare any series of notes as illegal tender. Therefore, that part of the notification which merely declares that “Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000” notes cease to be legal tender is permissible under section 26(2). In fact, the government twice before, in 1946 and 1978, carried out demonetisation lawfully, with the same goal of addressing unaccounted money. But neither the RBI Act, nor the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, empower the government to impose restrictions on cash withdrawals or deposits in the manner it has been done, and to discriminate between holders and non holders of bank accounts, as the present notification has done. Such actions require an authorising legislation, either an Act of Parliament or an Ordinance. Both in 1946, and in 1978, similar actions were authorised by an ordinance. The failure to issue an ordinance to provide the legal basis for the demonetisation notification this time renders the demonetisation exercise illegal. Even if the act of demonetisation is severed from the restrictions placed on people’s access to their cash and bank accounts, the latter stipulations are both illegal and unconstitutional on several counts.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; word-spacing: 1px;">
<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">First</em>, Article 13 of the Constitution provides that the state shall not pass any law or issue any notification that violates the fundamental rights of the people. In <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Madan Mohan Pathak v. Union of India</em>, the Supreme Court held that “public debts” are property and “the extinguishment of such a debt owing from the state amounts to compulsory acquisition of that debt”. Such compulsory acquisition must be for a public purpose and upon payment of compensation. In <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Jayantilal Ratanchand v. RBI</em>, in the context of the 1978 demonetisation, the Supreme Court held that insofar as the demonetisation wiped out the RBI’s debt to the bearer of notes declared illegal, it constituted compulsory acquisition of property. Under Article 300A, the state may deprive an individual of property only pursuant to the authority of law, that is, by an Ordinance or an Act of Parliament. The Supreme Court has held that even a temporary deprivation of property can constitute deprivation within the meaning of this provision. The government’s failure to issue an Ordinance (since Parliament was not in session at the time of the demonetisation) to extinguish its debt to the people thereby depriving them of their property impermissibly violates Article 300A. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Of course, even if the demonetisation had been sanctioned by an Ordinance, the Court would investigate if it met a public purpose and whether those who were deprived of their property were reasonably compensated. Here the Court would likely hold in light of</span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> Jayantilal</em><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> that the Ordinance fulfilled a public purpose but there is a strong claim that the rationing of currency done by the government constitutes a form of creeping expropriation for which there has been no compensation, and that might nevertheless violate Article 300A. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; word-spacing: 1px;">
<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Second</em>, the extraordinary hardship caused by the demonetisation ordinance has impacted fundamental rights to trade, business and livelihoods of vast sections of the population and even the right to life of those who have died. While the government may “reasonably” restrict the rights to trade, business and livelihood of the people in the interests of the “general public”, the burden is on the government to show that such restrictions are reasonable. The test of reasonableness is whether the measure was necessary to achieve the government’s objectives, and whether less risky, less harmful alternatives were available. In <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Saghir Ahmad v. State of UP</em>, the Supreme Court held that the reasonableness of a law must be assessed in terms of its “immediate effects” on the affected population. Unlike the 1978 demonetisation exercise that impacted only 1% of currency held, the 2016 demonetisation measure insofar as it impacts an estimated 86% of total currency has had severely punitive effects on many sections of the population, daily wage earners, those without bank accounts, those dependent on the informal cash economy for the major source of their trade and livelihood. The notification is unconstitutional for violating their fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; word-spacing: 1px;">
Third, the notification also discriminates between holders and non-holders of bank accounts. While the government may argue that such a classification is necessary to achieve their objectives of eliminating unaccounted money, insofar as the government failed to ensure that 100% of the population had bank accounts prior to the issuance of this surprise notification, the classification may be assailed as arbitrary and violative of the right to equality under Article 14.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; word-spacing: 1px;">
I conclude the piece by stating that we live in a country governed by the rule of law, and not by the rule of men. The objectives of the demonetisation notification may be laudable, whether the notification will achieve those objectives is debatable. But, as it exists, the demonetisation notification is illegal and unconstitutional. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: AlegreyaSansRegular; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; word-spacing: 1px;">
On December 11, t<a href="http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/Demonetisation-RBI-Act-to-be-amended/article16792892.ece" target="_blank">he government announced that they will pass an ordinance</a> to extinguish the RBI's debt by extinguishing the validity of the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes. That would render the demonetisation exercise legal, but that still would not automatically validate the continuously shifting restrictions on people's rights to access their money that were stipulated in the notification and the various executive orders that followed. There are also prima facie violations of constitutional and fundamental rights and the government has the burden of showing that these restrictions were reasonable and non arbitrary. </div>
</div>
Namita Wahihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600392316403126342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-69076629536357858552016-12-14T11:21:00.000+05:302016-12-14T11:21:36.837+05:30Indian Law Review: Now Accepting Submissions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Routledge, Taylor & Francis
is delighted to announce the launch the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rilw20">Indian Law Review</a></i>. Edited
by a global team of <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=editorialBoard&journalCode=rilw20">exceptional
scholars</a>, we are excited to be publishing the first volume in 2017. Authors
are now welcome to <a href="http://www.editorialmanager.com/rilw/Default.aspx">submit
manuscripts</a>. Its current Editors are Arun Thiruvengadam, Dev Gangjee, Farrah Ahmed, Prabha Kotiswaran, Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Tarunabh Khaitan, and TT Arvind.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indian Law Review</i> is an academic - led, double- blind
peer-reviewed, generalist journal on Indian Law. It aims: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>to publish top quality scholarship on Indian law
spanning all areas of law including comparative perspectives that include
Indian Law. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->to offer a forum for the community of scholars
of Indian Law both within and outside India. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>to take a broad interdisciplinary approach to
the study of Indian Law, thereby reaching a wide readership, including legal
academics, philosophers, criminologists, anthropologists, sociologists,
historians, political scientists, legal practitioners and others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indian Law Review</i>'s scope is broad, and extends to all work
relevant to Indian law (including comparative perspectives). The journal is not
limited in terms of legal themes or methodology; the only limitation is
jurisdictional, and submissions are welcome from scholars located worldwide. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indian Law Review</i> may also publish a
small number of high quality pieces relating to the law of other South Asian
and Southeast Asian jurisdictions with historical and geographical connections
to India. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indian Law Review</i> publishes three issues per year. Each issue aims
to contain three to five articles, one to three book reviews, a literature
review, and notes on recent case and statutes. Its editorial policy requires
anonymised submissions, and strictly follows double-blind peer review.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indian Law Review</i> is
accepting submissions <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The <i>Indian Law Review</i> uses
Editorial Manager to manage the submission and peer review process, and is now
accepting submissions for articles, literature reviews, case notes, legislative
notes, and book reviews. To submit your manuscript please visit the Journal’s <a href="http://www.edmgr.com/rilw">submission page</a>. For information on preparing
your submission please visit the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?show=instructions&journalCode=rilw20">Instructions
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Tarunabh Khaitanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234574402062317396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-46672757267605846902016-12-09T16:30:00.000+05:302016-12-09T22:32:25.721+05:30Govindaswamy v. State of Kerala (Soumya Rape Case) – Analysis in the Light of Recent Controversies (Part II)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guest Post by Akshita Jha</span></b></i></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In
continuance of the Part I on the analysis of this judgment, this part
constitutes of the criticism of the judgment and its analysis in the light of
the rights of the accused and the responsibility of the Supreme Court in
safeguarding them. This part also highlights the importance of literal
interpretation of medical reports in light of settled precedents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="tab-stops: 2.25in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Other Perspective<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On factual and moralistic standards, the opinion of the
Supreme Court has been questioned by some of the media houses, Women Rights
Activists, <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sc-grievously-erred-in-soumya-rape-case-markandey-katju-3034232/">Justice Katju</a> among
others. They have questioned the stance of the SC urging to take into account
the <a href="http://justicekatju.blogspot.in/2016/09/the-supreme-court-judgment-insoumya_16.html.">plight of the victim</a>.
Katju has also legally challenged the judgment by remarking that there are 4
sub sections in S 300, the satisfaction of any of which, is enough to prove the
offence of murder and just because the intention of the accused was to make
victim weak and supine, does not mean he never intended to kill her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189" name="_gjdgxs"></a>These arguments do hold a good
value as far as the idealistic punishments for people like Govindaswamy, who
caused the victim so many injuries, raped her, robbed her and abandoned her to
die, exist. The Delhi Rape Case can be held as a good example for the injuries
that are sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. The
standards of punishment should be strictly interpreted against the accused when
the victim is not able to survive after rape, and since after the Delhi Rape
Case, such incidents have been on a rise, where the accused causes gruesome
injuries to the victims, the Supreme Court should award the strictest of the
punishment to the accused in order to set a deterrent for the society and such
minded people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Moreover, the simple chronology of the death of the victim,
3 days after getting brutally raped and injured by the accused point towards
the role of accused, though minimal in causing the death of the victim. In such
circumstances, the <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-verdict-on-soumya-rape-murder-case-not-punishment-enough-for-the-crime/story-89HuXiSdcozRY0yw1fyOCM.html.">prerogative of the apex court should be to provide a good
deterrent to the society.</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conclusion</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Very clearly, the latter group of arguments is from a
socio-legal and factual perspective. Apart from the legal challenge put forth
by Justice Katju, which can be rebutted by the above given analysis of all the
sub-parts of S 300 and the act does not fall in any of them, other arguments
are resting on the sensitivity of the victim and they fail to accommodate the
rights of the accused. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The judiciary, right
from the famous case of Virsa Singh v State of Punjab <span style="background-color: white;">1958
AIR 465</span> has relied literally on the medical
reports to adjudicate the actus reus of the accused and this reliance has been
time and again criticized. However, the Courts’ argument has rested upon its
duty safeguard the interest of the accused (S 227, CrPC) from any gross
violations of justice that can be caused to him. This job specifically becomes
tougher in the cases of death penalty, since the award is punished in the
‘rarest of the rare’ cases, the court has a duty to satisfy itself that the
particular case does and the accused is not being killed for a crime which he
did not even commit. The Court made a distinction between causing grievous hurt
and consequential death and causing death with an intention to do so under S
300. The bench relied gave preference to the precise medical report over the
actual plight suffered by the victim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The reasoning for such analysis can be attributed to the
theory of legal causation and can be traced back to Virsa Singh again. In this
case, it was opined by the apex court that the medical reports also can be open
to interpretation, if not taken literally and made subject to analysis. One
judge may find the nature of the injuries sufficient to cause death and the
other might not. To avoid this ambiguity, the court took the reports as they
were and this practice started a valid precedent. Moreover, the court also
differentiated in factual and legal causation. A person could be liable for
factually causing a wrong, however, if the acts of the wrongdoer are not
contrary to any legal principals or is not a substantive reason for the
commission of the crime, the benefit of the doubt is generally given to the
accused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Soumya case, the victim indeed died of the cumulative
effect of the bodily injuries and the forced sexual intercourse caused by the
accused. However, to ascertain that these particular injuries were caused by
the accused, the prosecution had to show the “mens rea” for causing death and
separate it from “mens rea” of committing rape, which due to the lack of
evidence and problems with the admissibility, it could not. Thus, in this
scenario, some doubt arose as to the culpability of the accused and hence the
benefit of the doubt was provided to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">However, in these circumstances and peculiarity of the facts
of the case, terming it as a “wrong judgment” is not the right thing to do. The
critiques should look into the legal aspect of the entire situation, the powers
and the limits of the apex court and the rules the court is bound to
follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Katju’s argument on “common
sense” of the court and the idealistic arguments on the death of the victim are
very non-legal and do not stand against the established legal practices and
settled precedents in Criminal Law. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, in my opinion, the SC has portrayed itself to be as
much of the accused as of the victim. It has adjudicated the case on simple
balance of probabilities and in accordance with the strict principles of law,
which in the socio-legal scenario that followed the incident has been a
herculean task.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Moreover, internationally as well as within India, <a href="http://www.icomdp.org/arguments-against-the-death-penalty/">capital punishment is being highly discouraged</a>. And amidst all the controversies, passing this judgment
has reinstated the balance between the rights of both the parties in the eyes
of law. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Therefore, this decision of
the Supreme Court will go down the books as a classic example of literal
interpretation of the statute while acknowledging and safeguarding the rights
of the accused, in a socio—legal context and amidst the rage of the society
against the judgment, where deterrence needs to be established for such crimes of
rape and causing grievous bodily injury.<!--EndFragment-->
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">(The author is a second year student at the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. Part I can be accessed <a href="https://lawandotherthings.blogspot.in/2016/12/govindaswamy-v-state-of-kerala-soumya.html">here</a>.)</span></i></div>
</div>
Vasujith Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10624262798313130319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-21596422997802663152016-12-08T20:11:00.000+05:302016-12-08T20:11:06.007+05:30Govindaswamy v. State of Kerala (Soumya Rape Case) – Analysis in the Light of Recent Controversies (Part I)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Guest Post by Akshita Jha</i></b></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This
part of the analysis puts forward the brief facts of the case, coupled with the
analysis of the medical reports and the reasoning of the Supreme Court behind
giving the final verdict.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Introduction </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After
the issuance of a notice for the contempt of court to Justice Markandey Katju,
the Soumya Rape case (Govindaswamy v State of Kerala, Criminal Appeal No.
1584-1585 of 2014), which was already in the headlines in the anticipation of
death penalty for the accused, has gained the momentum once again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Keeping
the spat between Justice Gogoi and Justice Katju aside, in my opinion, the
judgment stands out as a classic example of literal interpretation of S 300 of
the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and safeguarding the rights of the accused. Thus,
in this post, I aim to analyze the judgment and emphasize the importance of the
rights of the accused in the Criminal Law system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Analysis of the judgment – review
petition</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On a
plain reading of section 300 (a) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(“If it
is done with the intention of causing such bodily injury as the offender knows
to be likely to cause the death of the person to whom the harm is caused”)</i>,
we get an idea that the offender must cause the bodily injury either with the
specific intent of causing death or with the specific intent of causing bodily
injury which will in most of the probability cause death. However, Justice
Gogoi holds that, in this case, the accused, Govindachamy, did not have the
specific intent to cause the death of the victim and this was apparent right
from the initial assaults on the victim’s body. He remarked that “the intention
of the accused (Govindaswamy) was to make victim sub-conscious or in a supine
position, so that she does not protest and resist when he commits the sexual
intercourse with her”. Justice Gogoi also remarked that since the intention of
committing sexually indecent behavior towards the victim was clear since the
beginning, in normal circumstances, the murder, if at all has to be carried,
would have been done after the intercourse. Therefore, when the intention of
the accused is to make victim weak so as to not protest while raping her, this
section does not apply and hence, the accused was acquitted of the charge for
murder. Justice Gogoi, upholding the principal laid down in William Staney v
State of Madhya Pradesh (SC 1956, AIR 116), also took into consideration that
the victim did not die on the spot or very shortly after the infliction of
injuries but survived for some days in the hospital before death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On a
literal interpretation, the judgment seems in consonance with S 300(a) and (b)
of the Indian Penal Code. However, if we go by with S 300(c) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(“If it is done with the intention of
causing bodily injury to any person and the bodily injury intended to be
inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death”)</i>,
it is to be emphasized that the injury inflicted should be sufficient in the
ordinary course of nature to cause death. In this case, according to the
forensic reports, there were two main injuries listed. The first injury was in
the head of the victim, caused due to pushing forward and banging her head,
against a flat surface. The second injury is to be emphasized here, since this
is the point of contention between the versions of the facts laid out by the
prosecution and the defence. The prosecution argues that the victim got unconscious
after the first injury and hereafter, the accused pushed her out of the moving
train. However, the defence argues that the victim herself jumped out of the
train and fell, thereafter injuring herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now
coming to the medical reports, they clearly mention the injury was on the cheek
and towards the eye of the victim, showing an upward glide and no resistance by
the hands of the victim. The inference that the medical reports suggest is that
the train was moving at a negligible speed when the victim was pushed out (or
jumped) from the train and her left side of the face hit the rail track,
causing this injury. No injury marks on the hands show that the victim was not
in a position of defending her body, as a natural reflex, from getting hurt by
the train. The point that is to be noted out of these medical reports is that,
even if the accused pushed the victim out of the train, since it was moving at
a negligible speed, and he himself jumped out of the train, after the victim,
as was seen by the security guard, the entire transaction did not include any
major risk to the life of the victim at the time of commission. The death of
the victim was caused by the cumulative effect of both the injuries. The speed
of the train is very important here. The negligible speed of the train, and
just the deep abrasions on the cheek and eye of the girl without any specific
cuts or permanent privations, combined with the medical reports show that the
victim died of the cumulative effect of the injuries, rape and abandonment
leading to a delay in the medical care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
part of this entire transaction that saved the accused was the fact that it
could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had formed the
intention of causing the death of the victim. There was more than one
hypothesis available to the proof of showing the intention of the accused(rape
and murder). Though it is true that the victim died of the injuries caused by
the accused, however, to be held guilty under S 300, it is to be proven that
the accused had sufficient “mens rea” to cause death or the act was so
dangerous that it will, in all probability, cause death of the victim. Even the
medical report has not attributed either of the injuries to be the sole cause
of death and has mentioned about the combined effect of both in addition to the
forced sexual intercourse. And it is the common knowledge that the guilt of the
accused has to be proved “beyond reasonable doubt” in order to convict
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus,
the condition is formed where, the accused caused injuries to the victim in
order to rape her and the victim died as a result. The question before the
court was whether the accused would be liable for causing the death of the
victim when he clearly wanted to commit some other crime and death happened as
a result of both the acts? And whether, in a case where there is no sufficient
proof of intention of the accused, will render him liable for a crime as
grievous as murder?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It seems the Supreme Court
has not exonerated but maintained the conviction for rape and for lack of
evidence could not substantiate the charge under 302 IPC - ultimately only the
sentence was changed from death to life imprisonment.</span><!--EndFragment-->
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>(The author is a second year student at the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. Part II will be posted tomorrow.)</i></span></div>
</div>
Vasujith Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10624262798313130319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-23281400210944905472016-12-08T11:55:00.000+05:302016-12-10T00:03:09.653+05:30Courting the People: Public Interest Litigation in Post-Emergency India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";">Guest Post by Anuj Bhuwania, South Asian University, about his new book.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";">My book 'Courting the People: Public Interest
Litigation in Post-Emergency India' is going to be released this weekend as
part of the 4th Law and Social Sciences Network (LASSnet) </span><a href="http://www.lassnet.org/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial";">Conference</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";"> from 10-12<sup>th</sup> December in New Delhi. Published
by Cambridge University Press, the book is part of a new series entitled 'South
Asia in the Social Sciences,' edited by </span><a href="http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/faculty/directory/chatterjee.html"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial";">Partha Chatterjee.</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";"> More details of the book are
available </span><a href="http://www.cambridgeindia.org/Academic/subjects/Sociology/Courting-the-People?ISBN=9781107147454"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial";">here</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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As the readers of this blog are well aware, the Indian higher judiciary has
acquired an increasingly important role in India’s public discourse in the last
few decades. The Supreme Court and the state High Courts have emerged as
enormously powerful judicial institutions in the aftermath of the Internal
Emergency of 1975-77. The principal means through which these judicial powers
have been mobilized and enacted is the jurisdiction of Public Interest
Litigation (PIL). This book studies the political role that PIL has come to
play in contemporary India. It revisits the circumstances and manoeuvres that led
to the rise of PIL and traces its political journey since then, arguing that
the enormous powers that PIL confers upon the appellate judiciary stems from
its populist character.<br />
<br />
Based on empirical research, it shows how PIL grants the appellate courts enormous
flexibility in procedure allowing them to manoeuvre themselves into positions
of overweening authority. It focuses on the most intensive laboratory of PIL in
recent times, the city of Delhi, and foregrounds the role that PIL has played
in the radical reconfiguration of the city in the 21st century. While PIL cases
are usually politically analysed solely in terms of their effects, whether
beneficial or disastrous, this book locates the political challenges that PIL
poses in its very process: arguing that its fundamentally protean nature stems
from its mimicry of ideas of popular justice.<br />
<br />
<i>Courting the People</i> examines PIL as part of a larger trend towards
legal informalism in post-Emergency India. Casting a critical eye at these
institutional reforms that aimed to adapt the colonial legal inheritance to
‘Indian realities’, this book looks at the challenges posed by self-consciously
culturalist juridical innovations like PIL to ideas of fairness in adjudication
as well as democratic politics.</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">As part of a LASSnet Conference Book Panel, a
discussion on this book will be held on Sunday 11th December between 4:15 and 6
pm at Jacaranda 1 Hall, India Habitat Centre. </span></span><a href="https://in.sagepub.com/en-in/sas/author/ujjwal-kumar-singh"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial";">Professor Ujjwal Kumar Singh</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";"> and
LAOT's own Tarunabh Khaitan will be commenting on the book. </span><a href="http://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/SitePages/sitharamam-kakarala.aspx"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial";">Professor Sitharamam Kakarala</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";"> will
be the chair. All are welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The book will be available for sale exclusively at the LASSNET
conference this weekend. It will be available in bookstores and online stores
in India soon after. It is also already available for </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Courting-People-Interest-Litigation-Post-Emergency/dp/110714745X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481120344&sr=8-1&keywords=anuj+bhuwania"><span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">pre-order</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
internationally on Amazon, though the Indian version is much cheaper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">I had recently written an </span></span><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/Making-of-a-legislative-court/article16750199.ece"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial";">opinion piece</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";"> in The Hindu, touching
on some of the themes and arguments of the book in the context of the
Indian Supreme Court's </span><a href="http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/FileServer/2016-11-30_1480502585.pdf"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial";">controversial order</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial";"> on the compulsory playing of
the national anthem in cinema halls.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09348738084817273397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-77445759051948086242016-12-04T11:23:00.001+05:302016-12-05T12:31:49.294+05:30CANCELLED:Vidhi talk: Securing Dissenters' Consent for India's Constitution: The Role of Directive Principles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The following event has been cancelled. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the evening of the <b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1414135961" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">5th of December</span></span>, Dr. Tarunabh Khaitan, </b> Associate Professor in Law at Wadham College, Oxford, will be delivering a talk titled "<b><i>Securing Dissenters' Consent for India's Constitution: The Role of Directive Principles</i></b>". </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using India as a case study, Dr. Khaitan’s paper on the issue argues that Directive Principles can be a key tool to secure the consent of groups that would otherwise lose out in constitutional negotiations. The talk is scheduled on <b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1414135962" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday, 5th December, 2016 at 5:30 p.m</span></span> at the India International Centre Annexe (Lecture Hall II) , New Delhi. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kindly RSVP for this event <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.eventbrite.com/e/talk-by-tarunabh-khaitan-on-securing-dissenters-consent-for-indias-constitution-the-role-of-tickets-29212279715&source=gmail&ust=1480917045710000&usg=AFQjCNHLIOIQ34cbHvAPOM8Jzl1cJV65VA" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/talk-by-tarunabh-khaitan-on-securing-dissenters-consent-for-indias-constitution-the-role-of-tickets-29212279715" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></div>
</div>
Tarunabh Khaitanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234574402062317396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-58924931748092125982016-11-28T14:40:00.000+05:302016-11-28T14:40:01.378+05:30Demonetisation and the Rule of Law<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wrote a short <a href="http://www.indiatogether.org/demonetisation-and-the-rule-of-law-economy" target="_blank">piece</a> for India Together describing how the current demonetisation process undermines the fundamental features of the Rule of Law. I argue that policy surprises and constant changing of regulations challenge certainty and predictability, both essential features of the Rule of Law.</div>
BN Harishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160720822823761611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-21711199713933508342016-11-26T16:14:00.002+05:302016-12-27T17:39:49.070+05:30Celebrating the Constitution: A Speech for Constitution Day<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On 26 November 2016, I
took part in a panel at the Consulate-General of India in Sydney to celebrate
Constitution Day. I’ve provided my speech notes below.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I was told to avoid
controversy and to make my speech interesting and comprehensible for a
non-legal audience. (Most of the questions after the speech were about the
Uniform Civil Code and/or Kashmir, which made it quite difficult at times to
stick to those instructions!) There are, of course, substantial shortcomings
and blind spots to the Indian Constitution – ADM Jabalpur, Koushal, Ranjit
Udeshi, Rajbala v State of Haryana, etc, etc. But I’m nonetheless proud to
celebrate the Indian Constitution and its accomplishments, and very glad to
have had the chance to sing its praises. </i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">As overly rosy or Pollyannaish as the
speech below may read, it is, after all, a way of saying happy birthday.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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I am greatly honoured to have been invited to speak today,
and to be able to be with you today to celebrate Constitution Day, and the life
of Dr Ambedkar.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The Constitution of India is more than a set of articles and
schedules. It does more than merely establish institutions for the governance
of India. Instead, scholars call the Indian Constitution a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">transformative </i>Constitution. Its provisions are not just concerned
with India as it is, but with the fulfilment of social and economic justice for
all of India’s citizens.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It was this transformative purpose that first drew me to
India, and to Indian constitutional studies. When I was 20 years old, I was
offered a chance to apply for the Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Award, a
predecessor to the current New Colombo Plan which allowed recipients to study
and work in Asia. I chose to apply to go to India, and ended up staying more
than a year. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I’d never been to India. I’d never lived outside Australia.
My wife, who came to Bangalore with me, had never left Australia before.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I chose India because of its Constitution, and because of
what that Constitution represents. Let me explain why this Constitution is so
significant, both to me and, much more importantly, to the Indian people.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As is well known, India faced extraordinary challenges at
Independence, including ensuring the safety and well-being of millions
displaced by Partition. Amid violence and uncertainty, the Constituent Assembly
convened to draft a Constitution suited to a nation of exceptional diversity,
divided by language, race, caste and class. In facing this challenge, members
of the Constituent Assembly drew encouragement and inspiration from the
experiences of other nations – including the UK, the US, Canada, Ireland and
even Australia. They looked both to what other nations had done well and what
other nations had done poorly, and tried to create, from all these different
strands and all these different schools of thought, a document suited to Indian
conditions and Indian challenges. </div>
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<br /></div>
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More than merely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reflecting
</i>the nation in which they lived, the framers of the Indian Constitution – Dr
Ambedkar chief among them – sought to create a document that would address and
combat inequalities and injustice in Indian society. Against a backdrop of
intolerance and communal divisions, the Indian Constitution prohibits
discrimination by the state on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex, or place
of birth, and guarantees freedom of religion. Against ingrained prejudice and
severe discrimination against India’s Dalit population, the Constitution
abolishes Untouchability. Following the suppression of human rights and dissent
by the British, the Constitution protects civil and political liberties. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The Indian Constitution is not flawless and not beyond
controversy. It is very long, and it has become much longer over the course of
over one hundred amendments since India’s independence. The Constitution
contains a mixture of Fundamental Rights, protecting individual civil rights,
and Directive Principles, expressed as broad aspirations setting out the ideals
and goals of the Indian state. The relationship between Rights and Principles
has prompted decades’ worth of arguments, legal challenges, protests,
controversies and further amendments. The aspirations declared by the Directive
Principles have not yet been met. The fact that these aspirations are embodied
in the Constitution provides no answer, in itself, to hunger, or sickness, or
poverty. Similarly, the fact that the Constitution contains guarantees of
Fundamental Rights is meaningless without institutions to enforce those rights
and willingness by the Indian public to assert those rights.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But it is not my purpose today to focus on the great amount
that remains undone. The reason why I’m here today is to celebrate the
extraordinary achievements of the 66 years since the Constitution was
promulgated.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Indians have strived to ensure that the promises and
guarantees of the Constitution are reflected in practice. Where appropriate, the
courts have worked in collaboration with India’s government to ensure that the
promises of the Constitution are upheld; where necessary, they have struck down
laws, policies and even amendments to the Constitution itself, in order to
uphold the basic structure of the text.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The courts have not acted alone in defence of the
Constitution. Indians from all walks of life have stood up to claim the rights
bestowed upon them by the Constitution. They have constantly pushed to make the
nation fairer, more responsive, more democratic. The Constitution does not just
belong to the lawyers or politicians of India. Its interpretation has been
shaped and transformed by cases brought by activists and NGOs, by religious
leaders and by atheists, by prisoners and by princes. Indians from every
background have claimed protection under the Constitution – something that
would be impossible without a rare shared public faith in the Constitution’s
potential and in the goals for which it stands.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Constituent Assembly that enacted the Constitution consisted
of men and women, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parsis and non-believers, drawn from different
races, different language groups, different cultures, and different castes;
some delegates were leftists, others were conservatives. Like India itself, the
Constitution does not belong to any single religion or any single language or
any single point of view, and no one group can claim a monopoly over its
meaning. It belongs to India.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This is what I find so inspiring about the Indian
Constitution – why I went to India, why I lived, studied and worked there, and
why I am so glad to be here today to celebrate this Constitution. Because in
its openness to difference and diversity, in its acceptance and employment of
intellectual traditions and lessons from around the world, in its commitment to
social welfare and uplift, even in its size, that which is great about the
Indian Constitution mirrors that which is great about India itself.</div>
Douglas McDonald-Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11968298639525157474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-11159188021281122762016-11-26T01:50:00.001+05:302016-11-26T01:53:08.688+05:30In Defence of the Triple Test: A Case for Retaining the Standard in Bangalore Water Supply (Part-II)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b>(A guest post by Saurabh Bhattacharjee, Assistant Professor of Law at NUJS, Kolkata)</b></i> <br />
<br />
<a href="https://lawandotherthings.blogspot.in/2016/11/in-defence-of-triple-test-case-for.html" target="_blank">Part-I</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>PART-II</u></b> </div>
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-IN">Why Triple Test Must Not be Interfered With?</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN">The five-judge bench in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaibir
Singh</i> had not only assailed the precedential value of the BWSSB but also
questioned the substantive worth of the Triple Test and its inclusion of
charitable organisations, liberal professions and educational institutions
within the rubric of industry. Criticising the BWSSB for being ideological and
one-sided, it drew attention to the incongruity between modes of industrial
actions like strikes, lay-off, closure, etc. and the work of hospitals and
educational institutions.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Instruments of collective bargaining and mechanisms of dispute
settlement contemplated by the IDA may indeed be ill-suited for small
charitable and educational institutions. </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As Justice
Sujata Manohar had observed in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coir
Board, Ernakulam v Indira Devi P.S.</i> that while ‘’it is of paramount
importance that a proper law is framed to promote the welfare of labour…the
kind of measures…may have to be tailored to suit the nature of such
organisations, their infrastructure and their financial capacity as also the
needs of their employees.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
Nonetheless, in absence of a separate law that provides legal protection to
employees in educational institutions and charitable organisations, it would be
regressive to exclude such sectors from the ambit of the definition of industry
through judicial fiat. It must be noted that even the 1982 amendment had
envisaged the formulation of a special law for such employees. The Statement of
Objects and Reasons of the Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act, 1982 had
stated:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“[I]t
is proposed to exclude from the scope of this expression, certain
institutions…However, …it is proposed to have a separate law for the settlement
of individual grievances as well as collective disputes in respect of the
workmen of these institutions.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In
fact, the Union of India had in its submission in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaibir Singh</i> case, referred to the absence of an alternative legal
machinery as a reason for not bringing the amended definition into force. Since
no such legal machinery has been created at the central level till date,
substituting the Triple Test with a more restrictive standard would render
millions of workers vulnerable and without any legal machinery for protection
of their employment rights. As it is, less than 10% of the workforce in India
is covered by formal labour laws.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Therefore, any rollback of the definition of industry which would further exclude
workers from legal protection without creation of a parallel legislative
framework would be an acutely retrograde measure. Keeping this in mind, it is
submitted that the nine-judge bench (if constituted) would be well-served by
maintaining the status quo and not disturb the precedential weight of this
decision. With the Union of Ministry of Labour being currently engaged in the
process of codification of Industrial Relations laws<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>,
the question of overhaul of the definition of Industry ought to be left to the
political branches of the government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It
must also be noted that the language of section 2 (j) is itself very unwieldy. </span><span lang="EN-IN">Use of words of very wide denotation like undertaking, manufacture,
calling, service, employment and avocation pose a formidable interpretive
challenge since a literal reading of some of these terms would entail inclusion
of every conceivable type of workplace into the ambit of definition.</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
Not surprisingly, </span><span lang="EN-IN">beginning with the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">D.N. Banerjee v P.R.Mukherjee</i>,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
the first case placed before the Supreme Court on this definition, judges have
struggled to evolve a coherent framework.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
As Justice Bhagwati </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: black;">observed in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Workman of Indian Standards Institution</i>,
“the tests have not been uniform, they have been guided by empirical rather
than a strictly analytical approach.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a> Indeed, standards espoused
in different cases have often reflected the ideological preferences of the
judges and not any consistent doctrinal standard founded on the language or
purpose of section 2(j). Therefore, it is arguable that any judicial
reconsideration of the Triple Test may lead to imposition of another
ideologically-driven standard. As such, it would be prudent for the nine-judge
bench to show restraint and persist with BWSSB’s Triple Test – a standard that
has operated as a precedent for more than three decades by now. </span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Indeed, even if one were to believe that a more restrictive
interpretation of definition of industry would be apposite, it must be noted
that the threshold for overturning an established precedent is much stricter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Justice Lokur declared in </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association v Union
of India</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">,
better known as the NJAC case, “the power to reconsider must be exercised
sparingly and… merely because a view different from or contrary to what has
been expressed earlier is preferable is no reason to reconsider an earlier
decision.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a> In
other words, the Court must be shown that the earlier decision is plainly
erroneous or manifestly wrong. While there may be differences of opinion on the
utility of the expansive reading of the BWSSB, it would strain credulity to
argue that the verdict is manifestly wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Looking beyond India, the majority
opinion of the United States Supreme Court in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Planned Parenthood v Casey</i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a> had, while examining a
plea for reconsideration of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roe v Wade</i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a>, had presented before
itself the following questions: a) whether the central rule had been found
unworkable; b) whether the rule could be removed without serious inequity to
those who had relied upon it; c) whether <span class="apple-converted-space">the</span>
central rule had become a doctrinal anachronism; and whether<span class="apple-converted-space"> the factual premises of the rule had changed
substantially.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>If we pose the same questions about the
BWSSB, it would be apparent that there is very little empirically grounded
material to answer any of them in affirmative. Instead in view of absence of an
alternative legal regime, any reversal of the BWSSB framework shall result in
denial of legal protection to millions of workers and defeat the statutory
intent behind the IDA. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">An Opportunity to Lift the Haze Around Sovereign Function and
Research </span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In
the previous two posts, I have sought to refute the argument that BWSSB does
not constitute a binding precedent and proposed that not only have the
standards for setting aside an established precedent have not been met in this
case but that abandonment of the Triple Test in absence of an alternative legal
regime, would lead to exclusion of a large swath of workers from ambit of legal
protection. At the same time, I submit that there are certain points of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BWSSB</i> plurality which have been a source
of confusion in the subsequent cases and do require further clarification. The
foremost among them is the scope of the sovereign function exception. As
mentioned earlier, Justice Chandrachud questioned the very need for such an
exception. But between Justice Krishna Iyer (who wrote for himself, Justice
Bhagwati and Justice Desai) and Justice Beg, there was a majority support
behind the sovereign function doctrine. Yet, we must note that Justice Beg had
a different view on both the terminology and scope of the exception. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Indeed,
even Justice Iyer’s opinion itself spoke in different voices on sovereign
functions. On one hand, he described sovereign functions of the State as 'the
primary and inalienable functions of a constitutional government'. On the other
hand, he hinted that the exception may go beyond such inalienable state
functions with his assertion that apart from Articles 309 to 311 and statutes
dealing with the defence, “other legislation dealing with employment under
statutory bodies may, expressly or by necessary implication, exclude the
operation of the Industrial. Disputes Act, 1947.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[12]</span></span></span></span></a>
As a result, the status of employees of statutory bodies which are not engaged
in inalienable state functions remain unclear. Indeed, many of recent conflicts
on the definition of industry have pertained to the status of employees of
government departments covered by statutory rules.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[13]</span></span></span></span></a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A later
2-judge bench decision in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Agricultural
Produce Market Committee v Ashok Harikuni</i> had further clarified that the “dichotomy
between sovereign and non-sovereign function could be found by finding which of
the functions of the State could be undertaken by any private person or body”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[14]</span></span></span></span></a>
and that only those which could not be undertaken are sovereign functions.
However even with respect to such inalienable functions of the state, Justice
Iyer had also suggested that not every one of the employees of departments
related to justice, defence, taxation, legislature, would be thrown out of the
umbrella of the Act’. Since the dividing line between those employees to be
excluded and those to be included within the umbrella of the statute was not
clarified, the precise scope of the sovereign exception has been left hazy even
for the classically primary functions of the state.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The other
major element of confusion in the jurisprudence of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BWSSB</i> relates to the status of research institutions. While holding
them to be industry even when run without profit motive, Justice Iyer had
reasoned that research throws up discoveries and inventions that are often sold
and patented and are valuable contributions to the wealth of the nation. Does
this mean, as ruled in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Physical
Research Laboratory v K.G. Sharma</i>,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[15]</span></span></span></span></a>
that institutions carrying out pure research which is not exploited for commercial
purpose, would not be industry? If so, how would this proposition be reconciled
with the rejection of commercial character and profit motive as decisive
elements that the Triple Test entailed? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">These
questions require elucidation from the nine-judge bench so that some of the
confusion that has emerged in the post BWSSB era can be dispelled. Instead of
looking to reconsider and jettison the Triple-Test which provides for a
universal, uncluttered and comprehensive framework for defining the ambit of
industry, the bench should seek to iron out the creases that have developed in
its application. It is pertinent to note in this context that the reference to
a five-judge bench in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaibir Singh</i>
had been necessitated by a conflict between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chief
Conservator of Forests v Jagannath Maruti Kondhare</i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[16]</span></span></span></span></a>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">State of Gujarat v Pratamsingh
Narsinh Parmar</i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[17]</span></span></span></span></a>
on the status of forestry department and the need for clarity on the scope of
sovereign function exception. This is precisely the task that the Supreme Court
should discharge in the latest reference. A modest endeavour to clarify the
ambiguities in the BWSSB verdict on the status and ambit of sovereign function
exception and research institutions would not only strengthen the BWSSB
framework but also infuse further stability to law on this question. An
overhaul of the definition and possible enactment of a supplementary
legislation is a task better left for the legislature. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">State of Uttar Pradesh v
Jaibir Singh, </i>(2005) 5 SCC 1, paragraph 33-3, 42</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Coir
Board, Ernakulam v Indira Devi P.S</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span><span lang="EN-IN">, (1998) 3
SCC 259, paragraph 21</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> See National Commission on the Enterprises in the Unorganised
Sector (NCEUS), The Challenge of Employment in India: An Informal Economy
Perspective (2009), available at < http://nceuis.nic.in/The_Challenge_of_Employment_in_India.pdf
></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> See Ministry of Labour and Employment, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">First Meeting for Drafting Labour Code on Industrial Relations Held</i>,
May 7 2015, available at http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=121373</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[5]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (1953) 1 LLJ 195</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> See <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">State of Bombay v
Hospital Mazdoor Sabha</i> (1960) 1 LLJ 251 (SC), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Corpn of City of Nagpur v Employees</i> (1960)1 LLJ 523 (SC), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ahmedabad TI Research Assn v State of Bombay</i>
(1960) 2 LL 720 (SC), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">National Union of
Commercial Employees v Meher</i> (1962) 1 LLJ 241 (SC), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">University of Delhi v Ram Nath</i> AIR 1963 SC 1873. </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (1975) 2 SCC 847, paragraph 1.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (2016) 5 SCC 1, paragraph 673.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> 505 U.S. 833 (1992)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[10]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> 410 U.S. 113 (1973)</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[11]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supra</i> n. 20, at page 856</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn12" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[12]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BWSSB v A.S. Rajappa</i>,
(1978) 2 SCC 213, paragraph 50.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn13" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[13]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> See <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sub-Divisional Inspector
of Post v Theyyam Joseph</i> AIR 1996 SC 1271, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bombay Telephone Canteen Employees Association v Union of India</i>
(1997) 6 SCC 723</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn14" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[14]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (2000) 8 SCC 61, paragraph 35</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn15" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[15]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> AIR 1997 SC 1855</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn16" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[16]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (1996) 2 SCC 293</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn17" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[17]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (2001) 9 SCC 713</span></div>
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Anup Surendranathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05624246434873983858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-4481445417888677952016-11-26T01:45:00.001+05:302016-11-26T08:41:12.779+05:30In Defence of the Triple Test: A Case for Retaining the Standard in Bangalore Water Supply (Part-I) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>(Guest Post by Saurabh Bhattacharjee, Assistant Professor of Law at NUJS, Kolkata)</i></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">The constitution of a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court to
examine whether the decision of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bangalore
Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) v A.S. Rajapppa</i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
requires a reference to a larger bench<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
has reopened the vexed question of defining ‘industry’ in industrial and labour
law. The formation of a larger bench is a much-belated response to the request
of a 5-judge bench of the Court in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">State
of Uttar Pradesh v Jaibir Singh</i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
for a larger bench for reconsideration of the BWSSB verdict. </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
majority judgment in the BWSSB case, authored by Justice Krishna Iyer, had
famously laid down the ‘Triple Test’ wherein any systematic activity, organised
by cooperation between employer and employee for the production and/or
distribution of goods and services would be considered an industry under
Section 2(j) of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (IDA). The only exception the
Court had recognised pertained to sovereign functions. Even though this
judgment held sway as the ruling authority for almost three decades, in an
astonishing decision in 2005, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaibir
Singh</i> bench held that the opinion of Justice Krishna Iyer could not be
treated as an authoritative precedent and asked for a reference to a larger
bench. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After
more than a decade, the seven-judge bench has finally been constituted and the
Bench, after concluding the hearing last week, has reserved its decision.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
News-reports on the hearing indicate that the Bench appears to be favourably
disposed towards referring the matter to a nine-judge bench. As we await its
decision, </span><span lang="EN-IN">I revisit the critique of BWSSB put forth by
the 5 judge-bench and examine the arguments of the petitioners before the
seven-judge bench in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaibir Singh</i>
case. In this series of two posts, I present the following arguments: 1) that
Jaibir Singh’s assertion that the Triple Test did not have the support of the
majority of judges of the BWSSB Bench was based on an erroneous reading of the
separate opinions in that case, 2) that the reliance placed by the petitioners
before the seven-judge bench on the analogy with Supreme Court’s recall of the
NEET Order to plead that BWSSB decision is not a judgment in eye of law ignores
the difference between the two cases, 3) that abandoning the Triple Test for
a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>more restrictive interpretation of
industry, without enacting parallel employee-protection legislation would be
regressive and 4) that while Triple Test provides an accessible and coherent
framework for defining industry, certain aspects of the BWSSB verdict do
require further clarification. In this process, I submit that a reference
should be made to a nine-judge bench. However, the larger bench should refrain
from discarding the Triple Test but should instead clarify some of those
questions left unanswered by the BWSSB case. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-IN">Not the First Assault on BWSSB</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Prior to the BWSSB decision, different benches of the Supreme Court
had grappled with the wide amplitude of the terms listed in section 2 (j),
leading to, what Justice Krishna Iyer described as, a “zigzag course of
landmark cases.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In
laying down the Triple Test in BWSSB, Justice Iyer adopted a functional
approach and carved out a coherent and yet simple framework for the definition
of industry that could be applied across different activities. It also very
demonstrably advanced the statutory intent of extending legal protection to a
wider constituency of workers. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yet,
the judgment had come under attack from several quarters even before the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaibir Singh</i> case. In fact, the
Parliament amended section 2 (j) in 1982 and took certain activities out of the
purview of the word ‘industry’.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
While the amended definition still awaits notification, a 2 judge-bench
decision in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coir Board, Ernakulam v
Indira Devi P.S</i>.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a>
launched another salvo by calling for reconsideration of the BWSSB decision by
a larger bench. Justice Sujata Manohar observed that the expansive definition
of the industry might have done more damage than good.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>
</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But
the decision of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaibir Singh</i> was a
frontal assault on the BWSSB judgment. As mentioned earlier, the case suggested
that the BWSSB majority opinion did not even constitute an authoritative
precedent. This claim was based on the following propositions: a) that judges
delivered different opinions at different points of time without perusing the
opinion of other judges on the bench and Beg C.J. who wrote a separate opinion
delivered in haste, only concurred with the conclusion that the BWSSB is an
industry and not with other assertions in the majority opinion and b) that all
the opinions had called for legislative intervention, while suggesting that
their opinions were meant to provide a workable solution till the legislature
stepped in.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BWSSB and Stare Decisis</span></u></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It
is my submission that this argument of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaibir
Singh</i> bench is profoundly misplaced and ignores the commonality between the
majority opinion of Justice Krishna Iyer and the separate but concurring
opinions of Chief Justice Beg and Justice Chandrachud. The common ground
between these opinions was not merely restricted to the final holding that the
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board is an industry but also to the Triple
Test. This can be inferred from the following observation by Justice Beg in Paragraph
165 of the judgment: “…I am in agreement with the conclusions of my learned
brother Krishna Iyer and I also endorse his reasoning almost wholly.” This
makes it abundantly clear that he agreed with the core rationale of the
majority opinion too. The only major point of departure between the two
opinions, as is evidenced by Paragraph 163, pertained to the nomenclature and
scope of the sovereign function exception. Justice Beg observed “I do not feel
happy about the use of the term ‘sovereign’ here. I think that the term
‘sovereign’ should be reserved, technically and more correctly, for the sphere
of ultimate decisions.” However, Justice Beg did not express any disagreement
on the substance or the rationale of the Triple Test. Justice Chandrachud’s separate
opinion too sounded a discordant note on the appropriateness of the sovereign
function exception. He reasoned that such an exception could not be squared
with the functional approach to defining industry that the Triple Test
espoused.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a>
However as with CJ Beg, Justice Chandrachud also did not express any difference
with the Triple Test. Therefore, it is submitted that the Triple Test – the
core tenet of the majority opinion of the BWSBB decision – indeed had the
support of the five out of the seven judges in the Bench. The common ground
between the three opinions on the Triple Test did therefore constitute a
binding ratio. It was consequently incorrect to infer that there was no
authoritative precedent merely based on the few differences between the three
opinions. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Similarly,
the claim that all the opinions desired legislative intervention to clarify the
legal position on definition of industry and that the Triple Test was devised
as a stopgap standard is a non-sequitur. The judges might have indeed sought
statutory amendments, but until such amendments are brought into force, the
ratio of the case would be a binding precedent. That the plurality of opinions
saw their decision as a temporary measure aimed at holding the field till
Parliament’s involvement does not detract from the operation of the rule of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stare decisis</i> and the </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-IN">ratio decidendi</span></i><span lang="EN-IN"> upon which the decision is based, shall remain law under Article
141 of the Constitution.</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span lang="EN-IN"></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-IN">Comparison with Recall of NEET Order and Fallacy of
False Analogy</span></u></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">One of the main arguments, reportedly forwarded by the petitioners
before the seven-judge bench centres around the claim that the judges on the
majority in the BWSSB and Justice Beg did not have the opportunity to peruse
the dissenting opinion. Consequently, the case was analogous to the recall of
order on NEET exam in a review petition in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Medical
Council of India v Christian Medical College</i>,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a>
Vellore because “there was no discussion among the members of the Bench before
pronouncement of the judgment.” Based on this comparison, it has been argued
that the BWSSB decision does not form a judgment in the eyes of the law because
of the circumstances of the case. However, this analogy is thoroughly misplaced
and disregards the differences between the two cases. The operative part of the
decision in the Medical Council of India case also referred to the neglect of
binding precedents by the majority decision in the NEET judgment. Therefore,
the lack of discussion between the judges of the Bench did not form the sole
reason for the recall. Ignorance of past precedents also contributed to the
recall. In contrast, there has not been any question whatsoever of BWSSB overlooking
binding precedents. Therefore, the reasons for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Medical Council of India</i> order do not apply to the BWSSB at all and
the attempt to draw an equivalence between the two cases is fallacious at
best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">(You can read <a href="https://lawandotherthings.blogspot.in/2016/11/in-defence-of-triple-test-case-for_26.html" target="_blank">Part-II here</a>)</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<hr size="1" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (1978) 2 SCC 213</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SC to revisit Justice Krishna
Iyer’s Landmark Judgment in Bangalore Water Supply case on Thursday</i>,
LiveLaw.in, Nov. 16, 2016, available at http://www.livelaw.in/sc-revisit-justice-krishna-iyers-landmark-judgment-bangalore-water-supply-case-thursday/</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (2005) 5 SCC 1 </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> SC May Refer the 1978 Bangalore Water Supply Judgment for
Reconsideration by a Nine-Judge Bench, LiveLaw.in, Nov. 17, 2017, http://www.livelaw.in/sc-may-refer-1978-bangalore-water-supply-judgment-reconsideration-nine-judge-bench/
</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[5]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supra</i> n.1, paragraph 1</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Act, 1982, Act
46 of 1982</span><span lang="EN-IN"></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> (1998) 3 SCC 259</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ibid.</i>, paragraph 19</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supra</i> n.3, paragraphs
21-29 </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[10]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supra</i> n.1, paragraph 179</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[11]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Order dated April 11, 2016, Review Petition (C)Nos.2159-2268 Of 2013,
available at https://indiankanoon.org/doc/33592071/</span><span lang="EN-IN"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anup Surendranathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05624246434873983858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-30928513890653567322016-11-22T19:16:00.003+05:302016-11-22T19:17:48.173+05:30The “Ban” on NDTV India: A Primer & Some Questions <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guest Post by Sujoy Chatterjee</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Union Government has faced </span><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/0ldRPSAEiPQGINOCKXWrTI/NDTV-India-blackout-A-case-of-govt-overreach.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">criticism</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from sections of the </span><a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/journalists-groups-unanimously-condemn-ndtv-ban-116110701745_1.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">media</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/pucl-condemns-one-day-ban-on-ndtv-india-116110501010_1.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">civil society</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for imposing a 24-hour “ban” on Hindi news channel “NDTV India”. The Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MI&B) justified the move by contending that NDTV India acted against </span><a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/freedom-of-press-yes-but-nations-interests-first-venkaiah-naidu-ndtv-ban-3740888/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">national interest</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by telecasting sensitive information during an ongoing counter-terrorism operation. New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) has filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court challenging the Union’s decision. This post traces the preceding developments, and explores whether television news media stands on a different legal footing than other news media sources.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MI&B Advisories </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the 26/11 attacks, handlers based outside India reportedly </span><a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/26--11-mumbai-attacks-pakistan-isi-let-zabiuddin-ansari/1/203259.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">watched</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the attacks live on Indian news channels and provided real-time</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://nypost.com/2009/11/15/chilling-phone-calls-of-the-mumbai-terror-attack/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">telephonic instructions</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the terrorists in Mumbai. The Supreme Court took judicial note of this fact in </span><a href="http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/outtoday/39511.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mohammed Ajmal Mohammad Amir Kasab v. State of Maharashtra</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and stated as an obiter</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “T</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he coverage of the Mumbai terror attack by the mainstream electronic media has done much harm to the argument that any regulatory mechanism for the media must only come from within.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a fallout of 26/11, the MI&B issued advisories on 27.11.2008, 03.12.2008 and 20.11.2009 respectively, ‘advising’ news channels not to report the location, strategy, etc. of security forces engaging with terrorists. Similar advisories, although not related to counter-terrorism operations, were issued on </span><a href="http://mib.nic.in/WriteReadData/documents/All_TV_Channels_Advisory_.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">20.09.2013</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://mib.nic.in/WriteReadData/documents/Advisory_to_all_News_channel.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">03.03.2015</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> regarding news content related to (Muzaffarnagar) communal riots and the documentary “India’s Daughter” respectively.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On 20.03.2015, in response to the alleged </span><a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/no-live-coverage-of-anti-terror-ops-ib-ministry-to-tv-channels/1/425134.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">live</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> news coverage of terror attacks in Kathua, J&K, the MI&B issued a specific </span><a href="http://mib.nic.in/WriteReadData/documents/Advisory_dated_20.3.2015.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">advisory</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with regard to counter-terrorism operations, ‘advising’ television channels not to telecast “live coverage” of counter-terrorism operations and to restrict “media coverage” to briefings by designated officials till operations conclude.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/no-live-coverage-of-anti-terror-ops-ib-ministry-to-tv-channels/1/425134.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Media reports</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from that time suggested that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had proposed amendments to the Programme Code for prohibiting live coverage of counter-terrorism operations.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Programme Code Amended</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Programme Code comprises content which cannot be telecast on television channels, and is prescribed by the Union Government under Section 5 of the Cable Television Networks Act, 1995. The Code is contained in Rule 6 of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. The Union Government is empowered under Section 20 of the Cable Television Networks Act, 1995 to regulate or prohibit the transmission of channels when there is, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inter alia</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, any violation of the Code.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On 21.03.2015, the Union Government </span><a href="http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2015/163487.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">amended</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the Code, and inserted sub-clause ‘p’ to Rule 6(1). The new sub-clause ‘p’ effectively limited news channels’ “live coverage” and “media coverage” of counter-terrorism operations, curiously without defining “live coverage” and “media coverage”. In my view, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Live coverage” of counter-terrorism operations may perhaps be akin to real-time videographic coverage of security movement, locations, etc., while “media coverage” may involve news reporting, whether by an anchor from a studio or by a correspondent from the field. The two coverages may or may not always be mutually exclusive. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On 27.07.2015, in response to the alleged </span><a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/punjab-and-haryana/gurdaspur-attack-ib-ministry-asks-news-channels-to-desist-from-live-coverage-of-anti-terror-operations/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">live</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> news coverage of a terror attack in Gurdaspur, Punjab, the MI&B issued an </span><a href="http://mib.nic.in/WriteReadData/documents/Advisory_.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">advisory</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to channels to desist from violating the recently-inserted Rule 6(1)(p). It appears that till 2016, the Union Government’s action/advisories were directed towards all channels and broadcasting associations, and no channel was singled out regarding coverage of counter-terrorism operations.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Order against NDTV</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On 02.01.2016, terrorists attacked the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, Punjab. NDTV India’s coverage on 04.01.2016, while counter-terrorism operations were underway, was questioned by the Union Government. NDTV India was served a show-cause notice regarding its coverage. The MI&B, after considering NDTV’s representation and the recommendation of the MI&B’s Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), passed a detailed </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzXilfcxe7yuV3dEQ3p4OUVab2c/view" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">order dated 02.11.2016</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> prohibiting the transmission of NDTV India for 24 hours. The Order was passed, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inter alia</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, on the grounds that NDTV India’s coverage revealed strategically sensitive details and violated Rule 6(1)(p). </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whether NDTV India actually revealed strategically sensitive details, whether its coverage disclosed something more than information shared at official briefings, etc., are factual aspects which require complete information regarding the official briefings, specialized knowledge of counter-terrorism operations, etc. There are not enough details in the public domain to draw any conclusions at this stage.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NDTV’s Defence</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One facet of NDTV’s defence, as recorded in the Order, is that its news report contained details which were already reported by other media sources. NDTV justified this submission by relying on numerous news reports of print editions. Reliance was also placed on reports carried by media houses which run news channels. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is not clear whether the said reports were published/broadcast on newspapers/news channels or on some other media, including internet. NDTV’s submission appears to be that since these details were already in the public domain (through print and perhaps other media sources), hence there could not be legal restrictions on reporting of such details by news channels. This line of reasoning pre-supposes, amongst others, that there ought to be no distinction among content carried on different media, i.e., print media, electronic media, internet. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Supreme Court shed light on this in </span><a href="http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgs1.aspx?filename=10896" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, where the Court framed the question as follows, “… whether there is any distinction between the freedom of the print media and that of the electronic media such as radio and television, and if so, whether it necessitates more restrictions on the latter media.” </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At a time when internet usage was barely in its infancy in India, the Supreme Court answered the first part of its question by stating, “the electronic media is the most powerful media both because of its audio-visual impact and its widest reach covering the section of the society where the print media does not reach..” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the second aspect, the Court held,</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he wider range of circulation of information or its greater impact cannot restrict the content of the right nor can it justify its denial. The virtues of the electronic media cannot become its enemies. It may warrant a greater regulation over licensing and control and vigilance on the content of the programme telecast. However, this control can only be exercised within the framework of Article 19(2) and the dictates of public interests. To plead for other grounds is to plead for unconstitutional measures.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Electronic vis-à-vis other Media </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The possibility of different regulatory standards for content across different media was recently recognised in </span><a href="http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgst.aspx?filename=42510" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shreya Singhal v. Union of India</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The Supreme Court held that the internet is a distinct category as opposed to print and electronic media, and that there could be specialized laws for regulating speech on the internet. To that extent, judicial precedents may not support the proposition that content across all media are at par. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shreya Singhal</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> having classified internet as more powerful than television may benefit NDTV in its legal battle. Most media houses running news channels nowadays have corresponding websites containing regular news updates, video clips, news articles, blog posts, etc. This is in addition to myriad standalone news websites, promptly updating content. The content uploaded on all these news websites may coincide, or even precede, the broadcasting of similar content on news channels, and such websites are freely accessible worldwide. Viewed from this perspective, security concerns over coverage of counter-terrorism operations may not be effectively assuaged by only regulating television coverage. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The State may be justified in regulating news content, within constitutional/statutory limits, during exigencies such as terror attacks. However, Rule 6(1)(p) appears to be a case of holding news channels to a high standard of reporting, at a time when there is no standard whatsoever for online news outlets. While there is undoubtedly an intelligible differentia between television and internet, the test of reasonable classification may fail while considering whether the objective of maintaining the integrity of counter-terrorism operations can be achieved by regulating news on television but not news on the internet.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Road Ahead</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Minister for MI&B, after meeting NDTV’s representatives on 07.11.2016, put the enforcement of the Order on hold till NDTV’s representation seeking review was decided. Consequently, the Supreme Court deferred the hearing in NDTV’s petition till 05.12.2016. Should the Union Government revoke or modify the Order before that date, NDTV may be inclined to withdraw its petition.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, NDTV, having reportedly challenged the constitutional validity of Rule 6(1)(p) as well, may decide to put forth </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">arguments</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on the <i>vires</i> of Rule 6(1)(p) irrespective of the Union Government’s decision on the Order. In that event, the fate of Rule 6(1)(p) shall not only have an impact on television news coverage during terrorist attacks, but may have wider implications on whether the State should regulate content on news media during exigencies, and if so, which media may be regulated to what extent. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "garamond"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[The author is an advocate based out of New Delhi]</span></div>
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V.Venkatesanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08138846925562952785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-68535084625584198542016-11-17T06:46:00.000+05:302016-11-17T06:49:47.547+05:30Constitution Bench Judgment on Entry Tax<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Guest Post by Charanya Kumaran, Advocate, New Delhi</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Recently, a Constitution Bench of 9 judges of the Supreme Court of India delivered a judgment on validity of entry tax legislations enacted by various States. Entry tax is a tax on entry of goods into a local area for use, consumption or sale and is levied by individual State Governments under Entry 52 of List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The issue in dispute is whether the levy/charging of entry tax by States infringes Article 301 of the Constitution. Article 301 provides that trade, commerce and intercourse shall be free within the territory of India. Since entry tax is a tax on entry of goods, which is linked to movement of trade and commerce, it had to be seen whether the freedom guaranteed under Article 301 is being violated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Article 301 falls within Part XIII of the Constitution and is subject to the other Articles (Articles 301 to 304) of Part XIII. The Parliament and State legislatures are permitted to impose such restrictions on freedom of trade, commerce and intercourse as may be required in public interest under Articles 302 and 304(b) respectively. However, Article 303 prohibits creation of restrictions that have a result of giving preference to any one State over another except in situations arising from scarcity of goods in any part of India. Finally, Article 304(a) allows States to impose a tax on goods imported from other states to which similar goods produced in that state are subject, in order to prevent discrimination between such imported goods and locally manufactured goods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The scope of Article 301 was examined by a bench of five judges of the Supreme Court in Atiabari Tea Co. Ltd. v. State of Assam</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/wb222164/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/UXOQE9HH/Article_Entry%20Tax_VR.docx"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">, where a tax was levied on transport of sugar in the state of Assam. The tax was struck down on the ground that it had a direct and immediate effect of impeding the free movement of goods, which was an essential feature of freedom of trade. The law laid down in Atiabari was further clarified by a bench of seven judges in the Automobile Transport</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/wb222164/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/UXOQE9HH/Article_Entry%20Tax_VR.docx"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[2]</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> case, where the tax on entry of motor vehicles was challenged to be violating Article 301. The Supreme Court carved out a class of taxes, known as compensatory taxes from the ambit of Article 301. According to the Court, such taxes were regulatory in nature - for provision and use of trade facilities - and could not qualify as restrictions. However, with time, from 1964 till 2003</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/wb222164/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/UXOQE9HH/Article_Entry%20Tax_VR.docx"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[3]</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">, divergent views emerged in High Courts and the Supreme Court regarding the understanding and application of compensatory tax theory.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In this backdrop, a nine-judge bench (Constitution Bench) of the Supreme Court was constituted to examine the validity of entry tax legislations under Part XIII of the Constitution. Different aspects of the issue were identified and explained.</span><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Compensatory taxes</span></strong></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While answering the reference regarding compensatory taxes being out of purview of Article 301, the majority has held that the concept of compensatory taxes is not recognised by the Constitution and that it does not have any juristic basis. To this extent, cases from Automobile Transportation to Jindal Stripe have been overruled.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This means, entry tax legislations can no longer be challenged as not being compensatory, i.e. there is no correlation between the tax collected and facility provided to the trade. Similarly, States cannot try to uphold their entry tax legislations by inserting provisions such as for creation of a consolidated fund for entry tax, etc.</span><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong></em><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whether non-discriminatory taxes would per se violate Article 301</span></strong></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While framing this question, it appears the Court has assumed that discriminatory taxes would anyway fall foul of Article 14 and Article 304(a). Hence, the majority decision only chose to examine whether Article 301 would cover non-discriminatory taxes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Court has recognized that the source of power to levy taxes for the Parliament as well as the States emanates from Article 245 and 246 read with Article 265 of the Constitution. Since the power to tax is a sovereign power of the State, any limitation on such power must be expressly provided in the Constitution and cannot be inferred by interpretation. The Court found that the language of Article 301 does not impose any fetter on taxing power of States. In this background, it has been held that non-discriminatory taxes would not per se be a restriction on the right to free trade, commerce and intercourse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<em><strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Scope of Article 304</span></strong></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With respect to the scope of Article 304, it has been held that Articles 304(a) and 304(b) operate in different fields. The Court has taken a view that Article 304(a) covers limitations on power of State to levy tax, whereas 304(b) does not deal with taxes at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Accordingly, the majority has held that to test whether an entry tax legislation is valid or not, it must fulfil the test of Article 304(a), in that it must not be discriminatory. The Court has also recognized such taxes can also be challenged under Article 14 of the Constitution, that deals with discrimination.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In other words, a tax levied to create a level playing field between goods imported from outside the state and goods produced within the state, would be valid. However, when a tax is levied in a discriminatory manner with an intent to create a trade barrier, such a tax would be struck down as being unconstitutional.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is important to understand that the Constitution bench has not commented upon the validity of any particular entry tax legislation. Rather, it has urged the regular benches of the Supreme Court to decide the validity of individual State legislations based on the principles so formulated by it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="file:///C:/Users/wb222164/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/UXOQE9HH/Article_Entry%20Tax_VR.docx"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> AIR 1961 SC 232<br /> </span><a href="file:///C:/Users/wb222164/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/UXOQE9HH/Article_Entry%20Tax_VR.docx"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[2]</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Automobile Transport (Rajasthan) Vs. State of Rajasthan, AIR 1962 SC 1406</span><br />
<a href="file:///C:/Users/wb222164/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/UXOQE9HH/Article_Entry%20Tax_VR.docx"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">[3]</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Khyerbari Tea Co. Ltd. v. State of Assam, (1964) 5 SCR 975; G.K. Krishnan v. State of Tamil Nadu, (1975) 1 SCC 375; Bhagatram Rajeev Kumar v. Commissioner of Sales Tax, M.P., (1995) Supp (1) SCC 673; State of Bihar v. Bihar Chamber of Commerce, (1996) 9 SCC 136; Jindal Stripe Ltd. v. State of Haryana, (2003) 8 SCC 60; Jindal Stainless Ltd. v. State of Haryana, (2006) 7 SCC 241</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09348738084817273397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-36095625465714947372016-11-16T03:30:00.000+05:302016-11-16T03:30:05.177+05:3010th Annual NLSIR Symposium on Regulating E-Commerce in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[The
following announcement is posted on behalf of the National Law School of India
Review]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The National Law School of India Review
(NLSIR), the flagship journal of the National Law School of India University
(NLSIU), Bangalore is pleased to announce the <i>10th Annual NLSIR
Symposium on Regulating E-Commerce in India</i> scheduled to be held
on <b>26-27 November, 2016</b> at the International Training Centre,
National Law School of India University, Bangalore.<br />
<br />
The E-commerce sector in India has seen tremendous growth in recent years.
However, the legal environment has imposed one of the biggest challenges to the
growth of the sector, with the development of law seldom keeping pace with
business innovation. The Symposium puts these issues in the spotlight with four
sessions discussing various aspects such as foreign investment, taxation, and
liability.<br />
<br />
Confirmed speakers for the Symposium include Mr. Chetan Nagendra, Partner,
AZB Partners, Ms. Ashwini Vittalchar, Partner, Samvaad, Mr. Mahesh Murthy,
Founder, Pinstorm, Mr. Suhaan Mukerji, Partner, PLR Chambers, Mr. Samsuddha
Majumder, Partner, Trilegal, Mr. Rajesh Simhan, Partner, Nishith Desai, Mr.
Promod Jain, Tax-Director, Flipakrt, Ms. Nisha Uberoi, Partner, AZB Partners,
Mr. Manas Chaudhary, Partner, Khaitan & Co., Mr. Ramji Srinivasan, Senior
Advocate, Mr. Yaman Verma, Senior Associate, Shardul Amarchand, Prof. Rahul
Singh, NLSIU, Bangalore, Mr. Pranav Mehra, Snapdeal and Ms. Pratibha M.
Singh, Senior Advocate; and more are yet to confirm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This year, the discussions will be divided
into four panels:</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Session I</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Business Models and Regulation of
Foreign Investment</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Forenoon, 26 November 2016)</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Session II</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Indirect Taxation: Challenges and
Concerns</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Afternoon, 26 November 2016) </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Session III</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Interplay between E-Commerce and
Competition Law</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Forenoon, 27 November 2016)</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Session IV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Liability Regimes: Ensuring Compliance</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Afternoon, 27 November 2016)</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Registration charges are Rs. 500 for
Students and Rs. 1000 for Professionals. To register for the event, please fill
out this form - </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022https\:\/\/mailtrack\.io\/trace\/link\/33db55fbe9724f588d9090a0052437baa6cdae85?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgoo\.gl%2FS5qkhm&signature=e01188d6a382e721\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1155cc; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">goo.gl/S5qkhm</span></u></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">For
more details visit our Facebook page at </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022https\:\/\/www\.facebook\.com\/nlsir\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc;">https://www.facebook.com/nlsir/</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">For further information, please contact
Akshat Agarwal (Chief Editor): </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">+91-9731390988</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> <span lang="EN-IN" style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">;
Sharwari Pandit (Deputy Chief Editor) : </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">+91-9619439861</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> or email us at </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="mailto:mail.nlsir@gmail.com"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">mail.nlsir@gmail.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Umakanth Varottilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12438677982004444359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-25573955101088108722016-11-16T00:28:00.000+05:302016-11-16T00:28:26.132+05:30Medical Terminal of Pregnancy -- Keynote Lecture by Upendra Baxi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>Professor Upendra Baxi recently spoke at OP Jindal University on the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. Here is a transcript of his remarks.</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mr Vice Chancellor, OP Jindal University, Dr. Dipika Jain and her Colleagues, distinguished faculty colleagues, dear students, and gentlepersons:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All of us meet under shadow of the US President-elect Donald Trump.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I just this morning read that Carol Sanger, a professor at Columbia Law School, pressed "send" to e-mail her publisher the final version of her book about abortion. As it turned out, the Champagne bottle remained unopened as the results poured in. Now she says: ‘It feels like a death,". She quotes the observation of one of her students: "‘We think we are just walking down the street, and everything is the way it was, but it’s not."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In his campaign speeches, Trump has vowed to promote anti- abortion ethos and promised judicial elevations to SCOTUS which would reverse the <i>Roe v Wade</i> decision. He even once said that women who prefer and demand abortion should be sent to the gallows. His pro-life stance certainly does not give much relief from gender based stereotypes, unless he decides to act differently as the President.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And his running mate (now Vice President elect, and Governor of Indiana) even singed a bill into law that required funeral for aborted foetuses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This monograph could not have been more timely and I suggest that they share a few copies with the President-Elect and members of his would be Cabinet, the Congress and the Senate, and eleven SCOTUS nominees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">India has many problems but reproductive rights is not one of them and maybe there is scope for reverse learning here for the United States of America.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In any case, now (more than ever) is the time for critical solidarity among women of the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I congratulate The Centre for Health, Law, Ethics and Technology at Jindal Global Law School for this report on legal judgments and orders relating to medical termination of pregnancy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Monograph briefly explores judicial decisions and is particularly important form professional health care providers. It would even be more important if it were translated in some constitutionally recognised languages so that the affected women have a more direct information about the living law.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The search to translate normative law into living law is always unending: conscious activists and bureaucrats mist now step in to accelerate the pace and the rate of social transformation. In this context, the Centre will also do well in bring in another monograph on women’s’, and human rights and social movements role in generating and sustaining women’s health, life, equality, and reproductive rights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although it is presented in a digest from, the monograph renders an important social service in stressing that safe abortion is declared as women’s right over her body. Whatever be the original intention the MRTP, the SCI (Supreme Court of India) and most High Courts have performed constitutional wonders by aligning this right to Article 21 rights to human dignity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The monograph does well to highlight the ruling that the requirement of consent for abortion does not stipulate spousal consent but only consent of close womenfolk. This is no doubt an important advance but further progress entails only the consent of the affected woman: only then would the emancipation of women from the sorrows and sufferings of imposed patriarchy will be fully attained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I would like to particularly emphasize that ways in which the 20-week limit for termination in India have now been overcome by constitutional interpretation throughout India where courts have allowed for post-20 week terminations where the ‘pregnancy resulted from rape and where the pregnancy was not viable’. This is a welcome recent judicial interpretive trend though some day we should ask why was it became necessary in the first place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are troubling discourses such as<i> V. Krishnan v. Rajan Alias Madipu Raja, </i>(December 1993) where ‘the court makes a strong case for banning abortion altogether through a selective exploration of medical, legal, and religious texts’ and even ‘endorses teenage marriage and pregnancy’. Such decisional discourses continue to suggest not just some confused judicial understanding of pro-life approaches but also an imperfect appreciation of gender equality as underscored by the Constitution. More importantly, they stress the importance of constant vigil, which Justice Learned Hand described (in another context) as ‘the price of liberty’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I regret that I cannot be with you for the rest, as all correspondence with me somehow indicated that this conference will end with lunch! But I had a glimpse of your animated conversation this morning concerning guardianship under the MRTP Act. I agree with the view expressed that what matters is not so much the consent of the guardian in minor rape cases and unwanted teenage pregnancy but of the freedoms and rights of the violated self (being engaged with the Bhopal catastrophe since day one till now I don’t deploy the term ‘victim’ as it is a way of revictimizing the victim). But I wonder whether the concept or the doctrine of <i>parens patriae</i> is of any use in the context of MRTP consent. It is of course a cause of continuing agony that this doctrine was used by the State and the Supreme Court to promote a settlement with the Union Carbide and its affiliates. But it also true that that a multinational corporation was sued in the United States courts by a sovereign state as a third world plaintiff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally, (and for the time being) any transformation of the normative law requires that we transform also the objectives of MRTP Act from those of population control and family planning measure into those that aim at genuine promotion and protection of full reproductive autonomy rights of women. I do not think that a full normative right to a safe abortion and women’s autonomy over their own bodies (as a matter of principle) have been fully recognized. There is need for a judicial invention of a new human right under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which Parliament may later recognize as a separate fundamental right (as happened in case of the right to education).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In this context, may I suggest that the Centre and the Jindal Global University may do well to follow the idea of a Young Person’s Law Commission to prepare a report and a draft bill in this regard? We at Delhi University, in the 80s, did precisely that in relation to the Beggary Act. The experiment failed to yield a new policy and law but those involved in preparing the bill and the report learnt much and the socio-ethical conviction that it generated about human rights still stays with students who have become lawyers and even Justices. Perhaps, time has arrived now for this idea when there is so much emphasis on India that has the largest number of young persons in the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">May I once again congratulate Dipika Jain and her colleagues, and of course Raj Kumar—the indefatigable Vice Chancellor, and the OP Jindal Global University, for this important publication and future activities of the Centre?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank you. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09348738084817273397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-12078529434135079382016-11-13T04:48:00.000+05:302016-12-27T17:41:41.162+05:30Exorcising the Bank Nationalisation Case: Jindal Stainless Ltd v State of Haryana and Australian Caselaw<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span lang="EN-US">This post is not a summary of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in
<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/entry-tax-on-goods-from-other-states-constitutional-supreme-court-4369610"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jindal Stainless Ltd v State of Haryana</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i>Civil Appeal No. 3453/2002 (2016)
(“the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Entry Tax </i>case”). Other
contributors to this blog will undoubtedly weigh in on the full implications of
this decision soon enough. This post is a (very brief) sequel to <a href="https://lawandotherthings.blogspot.com/2016/09/australian-correspondence-lessons-for.html">my
previous post</a> on how the Australian High Court’s decision in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v Whitfield </i>could bear upon Indian jurisprudence
on restraints on interstate trade and commerce. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In that previous post, I noted that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v Whitfield </i>untangled the complex thickets of jurisprudence
that had grown up around Australia’s equivalent to Part XIII of the Indian
Constitution – and, in doing so, reversed some of the Australian constitutional
notions (such as those arising from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New
South Wales v Commonwealth </i>(1948)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i>“the
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bank Nationalisation case</i>”) that had
been cited and applied by the Indian Supreme Court in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Atiabari Tea Co v State of Assam (“Atiabari”) </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Automobile Transport (Rajasthan) Ltd
(“Automobile”)</i>. In the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Entry Tax </i>case,
the Supreme Court cited <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v Whitfield </i>at
length, with the eventual test devised by the majority – prohibiting
discriminatory taxes on interstate trade rather than taxes in and of themselves
– closely resembling that which resulted from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v Whitfield</i>. Nearly 30 years after discredited Australian
orthodoxies were killed off in their homeland, their Indian progeny have at
last been interred.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">As Banumathi J observed in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Entry
Tax </i>case (at [84]), ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Australian
cases relied upon in Atiabari and Automobile’ </i>– principally the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bank Nationalisation case </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">James v Commonwealth – ‘failed to stand the
test of time’</i>. (Or, more picturesquely at [87]: that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v Whitfield </i>and its successors demonstrate that ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the ramshackle cottage on which the
decision[s] in Atiabari and Automobile was based has itself fallen down’</i>.
The extent to which these decisions can be said to be ‘based’ on Australia’s
cottage was disputed, as noted below.) As Thakur CJ (with Sikri and Khanwilkar
JJ) put it at [105], <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v Whitfield </i>demonstrates
that the applicability of earlier Australian authorities to the interpretation
of Part XIII has ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fizzled out’ </i>over
time – with, by implication, Indian decisions based in large part upon those
Australian decisions similarly losing some measure of salience. (This notion is
reiterated explicitly by Banumathi J at [89].)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">While broadly agreeing with Thakur CJ, Ramana J took care to note
(drawing on past fluvial references to the Thames and Potomac in Indian
constitutional law) that the plains of the Ganges can never be fertilised by
the waters of the Murray (River) – even given that for the Murray and the
Potomac alike ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it is important to see the
course which they have sailed and taken their countries to glory’</i>.
Interestingly (in light of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v
Whitfield</i>’s seismic effect on Australian law), one of the stated reasons
for Ramana J’s caution in relying on foreign jurisprudence is that ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they may be subject to change which will
inevitably stir the matter once again’</i>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">The most detailed and searching analysis of Australian caselaw (and,
relevantly for present purposes, of the use made by Indian judges of Australian
cases) in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Entry Tax </i>decision is
that of Bhushan J in dissent. The position is bluntly put at [316] in his
judgment:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">We are
thus of the view that the concept as evolved in Australia and America with
regard to freedom of trade and commerce cannot be adopted in respect of
interpretation of our Constitution[. D]espite arguing against the relevance of
foreign judgments, the States themselves are now relying on the foreign
judgments in [the] context of ‘direct and immediate effect test theory’. The
change in the legal position in Australia and America does not have any bearing
on the Indian legal position as our Constitutional framework is different from
those countries.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Bhushan J noted, in this regard, that the framers of the
Constitution had taken inspiration from section 92 of the Australian
Constitution (which may broadly be described as Part XIII’s equivalent) but ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did not stop there’, </i>instead imposing
further textual restraints upon the right conferred by article 301 in articles
302 to 306. (In an unacknowledged irony, this approach – dispensing with
accumulated jurisprudence in a bid to return to the textual meaning, informed
by renewed analysis of the drafting history of the relevant provisions – is
precisely the approach taken by the High Court in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v Whitfield, </i>which <a href="https://lawandotherthings.blogspot.com/2016/09/australian-correspondence-lessons-for.html">as
previously noted</a> was remarkably novel at that time in Australian
constitutional jurisprudence. Chandrachud J’s scholarly dissent devotes
substantial attention to the drafting history of Part XIII, even while emphasising
(at [6]) that ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">[t]he challenges to
governance which India has faced over the last seven decades cannot be ignored
in giving present meaning to the constitutional text’</i>.) These provisions,
as well as other unique features in Indian constitutional law (for example, a
traditionally greater openness to examination of the ‘reasonableness’ of given
restrictions) were cited by Bhushan J (at [313]) as key points of
differentiation between the Indian and Australian constitutional schemes.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">Bhushan J proceeded to assert that although Australian decisions had
been <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cited </i>in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Atiabari, </i>the findings reached in that decision were not premised
upon those Australian cases; instead, Gajendragadkar J in particular ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">found justification for his conclusion from
the [Australian] judgments’ </i>without basing that conclusion upon such. (This
hence diminishes the significance for Indian law of those Australian judgments’
fall from favour in Australia.) This point regarding the importance of
Australian caselaw in past Indian legal developments would be contested by
Banumathi J, who (at [82] of his judgment) describes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Atiabari </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Automobile</i>’s
reliance on Australian cases as representing ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a mechanical implantation of a foreign concept into the Indian legal
system, not keeping in view the distinct features of Indian Polity and the
Constituent Assembly debates’. </i>(Again, shades of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cole v Whitfield</i>!) Banumathi J asserts the invalidity of the
‘direct and immediate effect on trade and commerce’ test in fairly blunt terms
flowing almost immediately from his discussion of Australian and American
authorities. Thakur CJ took a more moderate approach (at least rhetorically)
than that of Banumathi J – acknowledging Gajendragadkar J’s nuanced examination
of the appropriate role of comparative jurisprudence in constitutional
interpretation (at [59] in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Atiabari</i>)
and ultimately stating (at [99]) that Gajendragadkar J ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">referred to these [Australian] decisions with a view to supporting his
conclusions by reference to Judges in other jurisdiction[s] responding to
similar challenges posed by interpretation of what His Lordship described as
“sister constitutions”’</i>. (Thakur CJ’s subsequent blunt statement at [100]
that the Court ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">relied upon’ </i>Australian
decisions should be read in light of this prior concession.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US">I do not believe that there is, ultimately, any great gulf between
Bhushan J’s interpretation of the use of comparative authorities in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Atiabari</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Automobile </i>and that of Thakur CJ. Even given that, of course, it is
the text of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Constitution </i>that the
Court is called upon to determine, the fact that (foreign) constitutional
notions previously found to be persuasive have since fallen from favour
elsewhere is a relevant factor in determining how much weight to afford (domestic)
decisions that reached similar conclusions – albeit given that those domestic
decisions may still stand on their own absent (to Bhushan J) extraneous,
unnecessary citations of foreign jurisprudence. As the new orthodoxy on Part
XIII evolves, there is, at least, the appearance of consensus that the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bank Nationalisation </i>case and similar
doctrines are no longer applicable to Indian conditions, with even the approach
of the dissenters rooted in unique Indian constitutional (and, for Chandrachud
J in particular, political) conditions rather than justified even in part by
drawing support from long-since-discredited Australian notions.</span></div>
Douglas McDonald-Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11968298639525157474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-31503451381824984572016-11-10T08:59:00.001+05:302016-11-10T08:59:33.556+05:30Call for Papers -- Public Policy and Constitutions Conference<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The third conference of the International Public Policy Association will take place at Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy from 28th June to 30th June 2017. One of the panels explores public policy differences between countries with liberal constitutions and those with transformative constitutions. The organizers have issued a call for papers. More details are available <a href="https://nlsiumppblog.wordpress.com/2016/11/09/934/">here</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09348738084817273397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-58795819795436759932016-11-08T14:18:00.001+05:302016-11-08T14:18:46.114+05:30Event announcement: The First Constitutional Law Olympiad at ILS Law College, Pune<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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mso-para-margin-left:0in;
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[This is a post about an event being held in early 2017. The text sent to us by the organisers follows] </div>
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<br /></div>
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We are pleased to announce the 1st National
Constitutional Law Olympiad being organised by ILS Law College, Pune and
Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL) in January-February 2017 in
commemoration of the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Eligibility</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The competition is open to all students pursuing
5 year or 3 year LL.B. course from Indian colleges/universities. There is no
cap on number of participants from each college/university.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Registration</strong></div>
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Online registration will be open from October 20,
2016 to December 31, 2016. The fee for registration is Rs. 500.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<strong>Exam Process and Dates</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first and the quarter final rounds of the
competition will be held online on January 8 and Jaunary 29, 2017 respectively.
The semi-final and the final round will be held at ILS Law College, Pune on
February 24 and February 25, 2017 respectively.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<strong>Prizes</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The winner of the Olympiad will receive two
prizes of Rs. 10,000 each. The first and the second runner up will also
receive two prizes of Rs. 5,000 each and Rs. 3000 each respectively. There
are many more prizes for all other rounds. All contestants shall receive a
participation certificate.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<strong>Contact Details</strong></div>
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For further details on registration, prizes,
syllabus etc., please visit the website <a href="http://www.lawolympiad.in/#/home" target="_blank">www.lawolympiad.in </a>or write an e-mail
at clo@mkcl.org. The student co-ordinators and their contact numbers are as
follows: Ms Gnanusha: 07768060959 | Ms Sushil: 07066565902 | Mr Rishabh:
07798900396 </div>
</div>
Arun Thiruvengadamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15902119597448574508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-4174276962035348802016-11-02T17:43:00.000+05:302016-11-02T17:43:30.446+05:30Section 377 and Refugee Status Determination
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The impact of section
377 of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indian Penal Code </i>is not
measurable solely by reference to formal prosecutions resulting in reported
decisions. As the Delhi High Court found in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz
Foundation v Government of NCT of India (“Naz Foundation”), </i>the
criminalisation of same-sex sexual conduct, even where not enforced, serve to ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">entrenc[h] stigma and encourag[e]
discrimination in different spheres of life’</i>, exposing India’s LGBTQ
community to ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">harassment, blackmail,
extortion and discrimination’</i> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.liiofindia.org/in/cases/dl/INDLHC/2009/2450.html">Naz
Foundation <span style="font-style: normal;">at [50]</span></a></i>). The Supreme
Court’s consideration of these issues (and of the impact of s 377 on personal
autonomy and privacy in general) on appeal in </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://liiofindia.org/in/cases/cen/INSC/2013/1096.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Koushal
v Naz Foundation</span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (“Koushal”) </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">was notoriously
cursory, as explored by </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.epw.in/journal/2013/52/commentary/struggling-reason.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sheikh and Narrain</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The complex interplay
between formal criminalisation, a lack of reported prosecutions and societal
stigma is reflected both in the sharp disparity between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal</i>’s<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>treatment of s 377 and to diverse,
unpredictable outcomes for LGBTQ Indians applying for asylum in other nations
(on the basis of feared persecution due to their sexual orientation or gender
identity). The current UK ‘country guidance decisions’ for same-sex oriented
men and lesbians from India (respectively), </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.refworld.org/docid/52fe3d744.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">MD</span></i></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.refworld.org/docid/56b34b464.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AR
and NH</span></i></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
are both relatively optimistic with regard to the prospects for same-sex
oriented men and women to ‘reasonably’ relocate within India to escape risks of
harm in their home areas; these findings depend to a significant degree upon the
view that risks of harm predominantly arise from non-state actors (for example,
family members) rather than deriving in any large measure from state conduct.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a> In
Australia, by contrast, LGBTQ Indians have been recognised as refugees (albeit
in the circumstances of individual cases) before <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation; </i>between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz
Foundation </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal</i>; and since
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal</i>. This post briefly considers these
decisions in terms of how foreign decision-makers have engaged with the nature
and operation of s 377.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An application for
asylum by a person already present in Australia ordinarily begins with an
application for a protection visa. If this application is refused by
Australia’s Department of Immigration, an applicant will ordinarily have a
right of appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (“AAT”). Decisions by
the Department are not published; <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/UQLawJl/2013/8.pdf">less than half</a>
of the decisions of the AAT (or of the Refugee Review Tribunal [“RRT”], which
previously reviewed protection visa refusals) are published on </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AustLII</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, the Australian Legal Information Institute.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On a rough count,
there are 19 published decisions of the AAT and RRT (“the Tribunals”) on
AustLII regarding applications for asylum by LGBTQ Indians. (All of these
decisions relate to individuals identifying, or fearing that they will be
perceived, as gay, lesbian or bisexual.) Of these, the Tribunals affirmed the
decisions under review (that is, found that the applicants were not owed
protection) in 8 cases and found that the applicants possessed well-founded
fears of persecution (on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender
identity) in 11 cases. In all but one of the ‘affirmed’ decisions, the
Tribunals found that the applicants had fabricated their claim to be homosexual
or bisexual (and to fear harm on that basis); in the one exception (from 2001),
the RRT accepted that the applicant was a lesbian but found that she could </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/RRTA/2001/890.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">settle in one of several major cities without being subjected to
discrimination because of her sexual orientation</i>’</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Of the 11
‘remitted’ decisions, 3 pre-date 2009; 7 were decided after <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation </i>but before <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal; </i>and one was decided after <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal</i>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Prior to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation</i>, RRT decisions frequently
considered s 377 as a relevant factor in whether applicants would face a real
chance of persecution if removed to India – reiterating </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinosrch.cgi?query=%22377+of+the+Indian+Penal+Code+is+still+operative%22&results=50&submit=Search&mask_world=&mask_path=&callback=on&method=auto&meta=%2Fau"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">in multiple decisions</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> that ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">s 377 of the Indian Penal Code is still
operative, and the harassment and repression of homosexual men continues to
those who are not prepared to practice their sexuality in complete secrecy’</i>.
This was accepted even in light of acknowledgments that </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/RRTA/2008/271.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Article 377 cases rarely make it to court’</i></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, with the Tribunal
considering instead abuses committed by police under the auspices of the law
even absent formal prosecution. Decisions regarding the effects of s 377
continued even after <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation</i>,
with the RRT (despite noting the Delhi High Court’s decision in that case)
warning (at [113]) that </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/RRTA/2010/133.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">section 377 of the Indian Penal Code is still operative and at any time
could be used and enforced against the applicant’</i></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. (It is unclear
whether this was a use of stock language from decisions predating <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation </i>or an assertion that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation </i>would only be followed
within Delhi. Less controversial, as a matter of jurisprudence, would be the
RRT’s warning in that same case that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz
Foundation ‘is unlikely to have any immediate impact either now or in the
reasonably foreseeable future as to how Indians generally and Latin Catholics
in Kerala, the applicant’s home state, specifically, regard homosexuality’</i>.)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even after <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation</i>, the RRT accepted that
state officials continued to harass and discriminate against gay and lesbian
Indians – noting in 2012 that </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/RRTA/2012/1162.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">homosexuals… face physical attacks, rape, and blackmail, and that some
police committed crimes against homosexuals and used the threat of arrest to
coerce victims not to report the incidents’</i></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (at [86]), and in
April 2013 that </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/RRTA/2013/314.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">India [cannot] be said to provide a reasonably effective and impartial
police force in relation to crimes against homosexuals’</i></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (at [32]). The RRT
proved willing to accept that treatment of this kind was not contingent upon
formal criminalisation, as in </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/RRTA/2012/1169.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1200247
</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[2012]</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> at [158]:</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[T]he Tribunal accepts that the
negative attitude of the general public towards homosexuals is still reflected
in the police force and in other state agencies, as well as in government
itself, and that private persecution of homosexuals could be condoned by the
police such that it takes on an official quality.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/AATA/2016/3013.html">1414394 <span style="font-style: normal;">[2016]</span></a></i>, the only published decision
since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal </i>in which either of the
Tribunals accepted that the applicant genuinely feared harm on the basis of
their sexual orientation, the AAT considered at length (at [66]-[70]) the
reasoning and aftermath of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal</i>,
including citing articles by Gowthaman Ranganathan and Akila R.S. and noting (albeit
not by name) the subsequent decisions in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">National
Legal Services Authority v Union of India </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kirankumar Devmani v State of Gujarat. </i>The AAT found (at [89]) that
s 377 </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/AATA/2016/3013.html"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">has been rarely used and there are few reports of cases where the
police have not provided effective protection’</i></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. The AAT nonetheless
accepted that the applicant would be at risk of harm from his family in Punjab
(his home state); that the police in Punjab would not provide an adequate
degree of effective protection to him; and, having regard to his personal
circumstances (in particular, his display of symptoms consistent with Acute
Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), that it would be
unreasonable for him to relocate within India in order to escape risks of
persecution in Punjab.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Individual members of
the Tribunals hear and decide applications. <a href="https://auspublaw.org/2016/07/country-guidance-decisions">Unlike in the
UK</a>, there is no formal mechanism for ensuring consistency between how
individual Tribunal members perceive the circumstances of LGBTQ people in India
(although some consistency is created by frequent reference to the same sources
of country information). Only a small sample of the Tribunals’ decisions are
publicly available (with even smaller sample sizes for each era examined
above). Nonetheless, interesting trends emerge from the limited data available.
Prior to 2009 (and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation</i>),
the RRT frequently had regard to the persecutory effects of s 377 even in the
course of acknowledging a lack of formal reported prosecutions. Even after <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation</i>, the RRT did not find
that an end to formal criminalisation would represent any significant shift in
state practices (even in the course of citing observers like the Alternative
Law Forum <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/RRTA/2010/863.html">which
noted the role of s 377 in prompting and legitimising state abuses</a>).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is concerning that
the one published decision since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal </i>in
which an Indian seeking asylum on the basis of sexual orientation was accepted
as credible nonetheless reflects a shift (paralleling that in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal </i>itself) towards regarding formal
prosecutions resulting in reported decisions as the sole measurable form of ‘use’
of section 377, regarding an absence of evidence of abuses of this particular
variety as evidence of a lack of abuses under the section as a whole. It is to
be hoped that, even before <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal </i>is
overturned and s 377 once more regarded as unconstitutional, the notion that
state abuses do not solely occur through formal channels but can result from
arbitrary, untrammelled licence on the part of state officials (encouraged but
not necessarily formally sanctioned by criminalisation) – asserted by civil
society groups and granted some measure of recognition in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naz Foundation</i>’s assertions as to the far-reaching effect of s 377
beyond formal prosecutions – will be recognised and acted upon, both in India
and abroad.</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> I have discussed these issues in more detail in my paper <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Koushal v Naz Foundation and the Lessons of
International Refugee Law</i>, <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2623778"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">available
on SSRN</span></a> and soon to be published in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gender, Human Rights and Law </i>volume 4, edited by Sarasu Thomas.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=15602189#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
have criticised the UK Upper Tribunal’s approach in this regard in a paper to
be presented at </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.lassnet.org/data/LASSProg.pdf"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">December’s LASSNET conference</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Douglas McDonald-Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11968298639525157474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-45154187885143827982016-11-02T14:02:00.000+05:302016-11-02T14:02:06.361+05:30Bhopal: Law, Accidents and Disaster, A Digital Archive initiated by Marc Galanter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black;"><b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guest Post by Jarrod Bogucki</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">The University of Wisconsin Law School is proud to present Bhopal: Law,
Accidents and Disasters in India, a Digital Archive initiated by Marc Galanter.
This archive is a collection of resources related to the December 1984
disaster at a Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal, India. Professor
Marc Galanter, a University of Wisconsin-Madison Emeritus Faculty member, who
studies Indian law, appeared as an expert in a court case related to the
disaster. In the years following his involvement in the case, Professor
Galanter collected articles, letters and other documents pertaining to the
tragedy and its subsequent legal action. With the launch of this newly
created archive, these documents are now collected, organized, and made
available to the public.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">The Bhopal Digital Archive contains thousands of digital files, each
with accompanying descriptive data to aid in scholarly research. These
files include court documents from both the United States and Indian cases
surrounding the event, articles from newspapers and journals around the world,
and a variety of other resources gathered in one place. The documents
describe court proceedings, contain scholarly analysis, and showcase
investigative journalism that occurred in the decades following the disaster.
This extensive collection is by no means complete, and it will continue to grow
as new documents and resources are discovered.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">The Law School strives to make the Bhopal Collection a useful online
resource, and to that end has added features to aid in research and
discoverability. The content of the collection can be fully searched
across text and data fields for each record. Many documents can be
downloaded as PDFs, and all can be requested through the library at the
University of Wisconsin Law School. To supplement the content, the
archive provides links to additional related resources and background
information on the Bhopal disaster. The archive itself is designed to be
viewed on desktop, tablet, and mobile displays.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">This project was and continues to be a highly collaborative effort, with
contributions from faculty, students, librarians and IT staff. Many hours
were spent organizing and scanning documents, writing computer code, and
cataloging the collection to make sure it is accurate and easy to use.
The Law Library would like to thank the numerous people who worked so hard on
this collection. The project would not have been possible without them.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">The 1984 chemical leak in Bhopal was a terrible tragedy, with very real
repercussions both in the courtroom and in the real world to this day.
The University of Wisconsin Law School hopes that by providing information
about this event we can raise awareness and encourage education that may aid in
preventing future industrial catastrophes, while providing documents that were
difficult if not entirely possible to locate previously. If nothing
else, this collection will serve as a reminder of what happened and as
dedication to the people of Bhopal. It would be another tragedy to forget
the many who suffered and died as a result of this disaster.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Please visit Bhopal: Law, Accidents and Disaster, A Digital
Archive initiated by Marc Galanter at <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://repository.law.wisc.edu/bhopal-collection">http://repository.law.wisc.edu/bhopal-collection</a></span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><i>(Jarrod Bogucki is </i></span><span style="text-align: left;"><i>IT Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin – Madison Law School)</i></span></span></div>
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Vasujith Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10624262798313130319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-2448230742664071362016-10-19T11:49:00.000+05:302016-10-19T11:53:41.028+05:30Access to Justice - Decoding Delays in Civil Cases<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;">Earlier this year, <a href="http://dakshindia.org/" target="_blank">Daksh India</a> (of which blog member Harish Narsappa is a founder) conducted the </span><a href="http://dakshindia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Daksh-access-to-justice-survey.pdf" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px rgb(229, 229, 229); color: #f6821f; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; transition: color 300ms, background-color 300ms, opacity 300ms; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">‘Access to Justice’ Survey</a>.<span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"> Through a method of random sampling,researchers interviewed about 9000 litigants, spread over 300 locations across the country. Of these, 4696 litigants had civil disputes pending before the courts. In <a href="http://dakshindia.org/access-justice-survey-decoding-delays-part-civil-cases/" target="_blank">this</a> piece Rishabh Sharma and I analyse these civil cases. In particular, we examine those cases which have been pending for more than 5 years in the court of first instance. Our analysis is aimed at understanding what are the characteristics of these cases, and whether there is any pattern to the kinds of cases that are likely to witness such long pendency.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;">We find that there is a pattern behind long pendency of cases in the courts. Powerful parties have the ability to mould the system in their favour and obtain early relief when they approach the courts, but delay the matter when they are sued. Similarly, the most dis-empowered segments of the population are more likely to face delays in their cases as compared to comparatively better off persons. Finally, we find that the subject matter of a case impacts its likelihood of long pendency. Suits relating to land and recovery of money - both closely connected to a well-functioning economy - are more likely to face delays compared to other types of cases. This raises concerns about the economic costs of delays.</span></div>
Aparna Chandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06243943390200589989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-83459833144656324682016-10-14T12:17:00.000+05:302016-10-14T12:17:01.045+05:30Women as Respondents under the Domestic Violence Act: Critiquing Harsora v. Harsora<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Last week, in <a href="http://www.judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgs.aspx" target="_blank">Hiralal Harsora v. Kusum Harsora</a>, the Supreme Court held that Section 2(q) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 is unconstitutional to the extent that it defines "respondents" under the Act to only include "adult males" and the relatives of an aggrieved woman's husband/domestic partner. In effect, the judgment included women and minors within the definition of respondents, such that cases can now be filed against them under the Act. In <a href="https://clpgnlud.wordpress.com/2016/10/14/women-as-respondents-under-the-domestic-violence-act-critiquing-the-sc-decision-in-harsora-v-harsora/" target="_blank">this</a> post, I argue that women <b><i>should</i></b> be exempt from the definition, at least as against their marital relatives. This exemption is based on power differentials within the family - power differentials that structure the occurrence, the subjective experience, as well as the adjudicatory evaluation of domestic violence.</span></div>
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Aparna Chandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06243943390200589989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-9978346879464176232016-10-14T10:19:00.000+05:302016-10-14T15:55:23.887+05:30Denial of Counsel in Arbitral Proceedings: Public Policy Implications Under S.34 of the Arbitration Act 1996<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>Guest Post by Badri Natarajan</i></b></div>
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<u><b>Introduction</b></u></div>
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This post discusses whether the denial of counsel in arbitral proceedings, can be against public policy for the purpose of S.34 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (the “Act”) and the principle of “equality of arms” that is a core part of natural justice.</div>
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I will argue that an arbitral clause denying (both) parties the right to counsel is likely to be valid, unless it breaches the natural justice principle that there must be equality of arms and a level playing field between the parties, in which case it will be against public policy and liable to be set aside under S.34 of the Act. An arbitral clause that denies counsel to one party only is likely to be invalid on that ground alone. </div>
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This post is based on a S.34 petition in the Madras High Court, in which I represented the Petitioner challenging an arbitral award (<i>TC Mohan v Emkay Commotrade Ltd</i>, OP 818 of 2013). The petition was dismissed, but the judgment has not yet been pronounced, and therefore the High Court’s reasoning is unknown, since the case involved a number of other substantive issues.</div>
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The detailed facts of the petition are not relevant. The 90 year old retired Petitioner (an investor) entered into arbitration proceedings against the Respondent (his broker, which is a member of the Multi Commodity Exchange of India, the “MCX”). The proceedings were governed by the MCX Bye-Laws and pursuant to Rule 15.22 of the Bye-Laws, neither party was entitled to legal counsel. Accordingly, the Petitioner represented himself and the Respondent was represented by a Legal Officer whose qualifications are unknown but is believed to have had legal training and experience in handling disputes of this nature. They resulted in an Award against the Petitioner, which was subsequently challenged in the present case.</div>
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Depending on his interpretation of Rule 15.22, the Arbitrator may have allowed the Petitioner to be represented by another person with legal training (as long as they were not a qualified advocate). However, the question never arose as the Petitioner assumed he could not be represented by anyone when he was told that he could not be represented by an advocate. He was not expressly informed that he could be represented by someone other than a qualified lawyer. In any event, it is not clear that Rule 15.22 would allow this, but that discussion is beyond the scope of this piece. The Respondent was not affected by this issue because they were not represented by a third party (qualified lawyer or otherwise) - they were represented by an employee who was a Legal Officer with experience conducting legal proceedings. </div>
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In August 2013, a writ challenging the constitutionality of the same MCX Bye Law Rule 15.22 was filed in the Madras High Court (<i>Mary Roseline and Stephen v Geojit Comtrade</i>). Only press reports of this writ are available but it appears that the Petitioners in that case obtained an interim stay order before the commencement of arbitral proceedings and did not proceed under the Act. However, the final disposition of this writ is not known. </div>
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<b><u>Denial of Counsel in Arbitral Proceedings May Be Against Public Policy</u></b></div>
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Our argument was that applying Rule 15.22 to arbitral proceedings is against public policy under S.34(2)(b)(ii) of the Act. This is because a restriction of this kind is against the principles of natural justice and in particular, the right to a fair hearing.</div>
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The law relating to public policy in the context of S.34 is complex (and there is no direct binding precedent on this point), but most of it is not relevant. It is clear that an award made pursuant to a serious disability against the principles of natural justice will be against the “fundamental policy of India” and “justice or morality” as set out in <i>ONGC v Saw Pipes</i> (2003 (5) SCC 705) and therefore against public policy for the purposes of S.34. </div>
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There is no general rule that natural justice requires the right to legal representation in all circumstances. The Supreme Court has held in a number of cases that denial of legal representation – even if it was in accordance with disciplinary rules by which the parties were bound – is a breach of natural justice on the facts of the case. In particular, it has done so in circumstances where the other side was represented by a legal practitioner (very broadly defined and not necessarily an Advocate).</div>
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Restrictions on the right to legal representation have also been upheld in a range of cases, provided that there is equality of arms – that there isn’t a situation where one side is represented by a legal practitioner, but the other side does not have the right to be represented by one. In other words, the Supreme Court has repeatedly struck down restrictions on the right to legal representation where one party (usually the employer or government) is represented by a person with legal training and experience in conducting legal proceedings (even if they are not legally qualified) and the other party has no such experience and is representing themselves, which is exactly what happened in the present case, rendering the resultant Award liable to be set aside under S.34 of the Act. </div>
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A single Judge of the Bombay High Court held (<i>Faze Three Exports</i> (2004 (2) Arb LR 163 (Bom)) – Para 8-10) that S.24 of the Act affords parties the right to be heard by the tribunal and natural justice requires it since arbitration is a judicial proceeding. Every Court/Tribunal with a duty to act judicially must allow a party to be represented by a legal practitioner as that is a part of the duty to act fairly.</div>
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However, the learned Single Judge went on to observe that:</div>
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“I am of the considered opinion that even in arbitration proceedings, parties are entitled to be represented by a legal practitioner if they so desire unless they have agreed in writing that none of the parties shall be represented by a lawyer.”</blockquote>
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There is no further analysis of this point and it may be obiter in any event. In particular the learned Judge does not appear to have heard submissions about, or considered the line of cases dealing with the need for equality of arms in the context of legal representation. Nevertheless this broad statement must be read down in line with the principles laid down by the Supreme Court and larger benches of the Bombay High Court on those grounds.</div>
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The Supreme Court has held (in <i>JK Aggarwal</i> (1991 (2) SCC 283), Para 4 onwards):</div>
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“It would appear that in the inquiry, the Respondent-Corporation was represented by its Personnel and Administration Manager who is stated to be a man of law. The rule itself recognises that where the charges are so serious as to entail a dismissal from service the inquiry-authority may permit the services of a lawyer. This rule vests a discretion. In the matter of exercise of this discretion one of the relevant factors is whether there is likelihood of the combat being unequal entailing a miscarriage or failure of justice and a denial of a real and reasonable opportunity for defence by reason of the appellant being pitted against a presenting- officer who is trained in law. Legal Adviser and a lawyer are for this purpose somewhat liberally construed and must include "whoever assists or advises on facts and in law must be deemed to be in the position of a legal adviser". In the last analysis, a decision has to be reached on a case to case basis on the situational particularities and the special requirements of justice of the case. It is unnecessary, therefore, to go into the larger question "whether as a sequel to an adverse verdict in a domestic enquiry serious civil and pecuniary consequences are likely to ensue, in order to enable the person so likely to suffer such consequences with a view to giving him a reasonable opportunity to defend himself, on his request, should be permitted to appear through a legal practitioner" which was kept open in Board of Trustees of the Port of Bombay v. Dilipkumar MANU/SC/0184/1982 : (1983)ILLJ1SC . However, it was held in that case: “In our view we have reached a stage in our onward march to fair play in action that where in an enquiry before a domestic tribunal the delinquent officer is pitted against a legally trained mind, if he seeks permission to appear through a legal practitioner the refusal to grant this request would amount to denial of a reasonable request to defend himself and the essential principles of natural justice would be violated....(p. 837) 5. On a consideration of the matter, we are persuaded to the view that the refusal to sanction the service of a lawyer in the inquiry was not a proper exercise of the discretion under the rule resulting in a failure of natural justice; particularly, in view of the fact that the Presenting-Officer was a person with legal attainments and experience. It was said that the appellant was no less adept having been in the position of a Senior-Executive and could have defended, and did defend, himself competently; but as was observed by the learned Master of Rolls in Pett's case that in defending himself one may tend to become "nervous" or "tongue tied", Moreover, appellant, it is claimed, has had no legal background. The refusal of the service of a lawyer, in the facts of this case, results in denial of natural justice.”</blockquote>
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A Division Bench of the Bombay High Court has (in <i>Venkatraman v Union of India</i> (1986 IILLJ 62 Bom), Para 11-16) reiterated the points made by the Supreme Court in <i>Port of Bombay</i> cited above, and further explained why the definition of legal practitioner should be read broadly to include legally experienced individuals, in order to ensure a fair fight between the parties.</div>
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<b><u>Conclusion: Principles</u></b></div>
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I submit that the correct interpretation of the law in this area is that there is a right to be represented by counsel in judicial proceedings (including arbitral proceedings) as a matter of natural justice, but it is not absolute and can be restricted or contracted out of. </div>
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However, such restrictions cannot have the effect of removing “equality of arms” or disturbing the level playing field between the parties, and restrictions which have such an effect will be against the principles of natural justice and therefore invalid. </div>
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In particular, this means that (a) a party cannot contract out of the right to legal representation unilaterally, where the other party is entitled to representation and (b) even if both parties are not entitled to representation by counsel, a party cannot be denied counsel if the other party is represented by a “legal practitioner” (even if such a person is not legally qualified but is merely more experienced and knowledgeable in the legal field). </div>
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If a party is denied counsel in arbitral proceedings in breach of the above principles, an award arising out of such flawed proceedings will have been reached in proceedings that did not satisfy the requirements of natural justice and the right to a fair hearing and thus be against the public policy of India and liable to be set aside under S. 34 of the Act. </div>
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This conclusion is in line with the broader societal interest in maintaining equality of arms between litigating parties. While there can never be perfect equality in the real world (and one party is likely to have a better case on the merits), there is a societal and judicial interest in promoting equality of arms to the extent possible, as laid down by the Supreme Court. While denying the benefit of counsel to one party, but not the other is plainly against this principle, the courts must also be wary of restrictions that appear neutral on their face but have the effect of breaching this principle in particular situations. For example, the restriction in the present case would have been much less objectionable if it was limited to disputes between MCX members (who are all relatively sophisticated entities with the resources to obtain legal advice and conduct litigation themselves if required), but extending it to disputes between MCX members and retail clients, who are frequently unsophisticated small investors with no experience of the legal system is more questionable. </div>
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In this context, while beyond the scope of this post (and possibly be the subject of a future post), it is interesting to note the backlash against arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism in the United States in the last year or so and consider the impact of similar tactics in India. The US backlash relates to the use of compulsory arbitration clauses in standard-form contracts with retail consumers (particularly in the financial services industry), with (allegedly) a view to deprive consumers of an effective remedy against the large corporate counterparty. </div>
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<i>(Badri Natarajan is an Advocate and English solicitor with a dispute resolution practice in the Madras High Court and London)</i></div>
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Vasujith Ramhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10624262798313130319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-83208484673638437362016-10-11T05:50:00.000+05:302016-10-11T05:50:02.244+05:30Has the Supreme Court's Ganga Judgment Reduced River Pollution? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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How sustained are the impacts of the Supreme Court's decisions on environmental issues? Shareen Joshi, a development economics excerpt at Georgetown University, addresses this issue in a forthcoming <a href="http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2836547">paper</a>. She focuses on the Supreme Court's decision tackling industrial pollution in the Ganga. According to Professor Joshi, "difference-in-difference" estimations indicate that the ruling led to reductions in river pollution and one-month infant mortality.</div>
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The paper tests whether the identified health impact is fully explained by policy-induced changes in pollution levels. The analysis also quantifies the adverse impact of water pollution on infant health and documents the persistence of such impacts in downstream communities.</div>
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