Sonali Ahuja, Author at SCC Times

NALSA and MCPC launch pan India 90-day Mediation Drive

“The special pan India mediation campaign is being organised with the objectives to settle suitable matters pending in the Courts, from the Taluka Courts to the High Courts, and taking mediation to every nook and corner of the country as people’s friendly mode of dispute resolution.”

Case Briefs High Courts

‘Humanity has suffered enough environmental damage’; Punjab and Haryana HC rejects anticipatory bail plea of man accused of illegal mining at Satluj River

The Court held that the offence of illegal mining in rivers needed to be taken seriously despite less punishment prescribed under law.

Case Briefs High Courts

“Lamentable illustration of classic administrative lethargy”: Punjab and Haryana HC rebukes State’s failure to notify Morni Hills as Reserved Forest since 1987

“To permit nearly four decades to elapse without any discernible, substantive action flowing from a statutory declaration is, to put it mildly, an affront to the principles of effective governance and a manifest failure at the end of concerned officers, both statutory and constitutional.”

Case Briefs High Courts

“Gender-sensitive, emotionally intelligent, & child-centered judicial approach required in custody of minor girls”: Allahabad HC grants minor daughter’s custody to mother

“The principle that the father is the natural guardian of the minor child-boy or unmarried girl, and after him, the mother is primarily derived from section 6 of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956, though seminal at its time. Now it smacks patriarchal bias, therefore, become obsolete in the progressive realities of 21st- century in India”

Hot Off The Press News

NHRC seeks inquest and postmortem reports on reported death of three prisoners in two days in Varanasi jails

The NHRC stated that if the media report was true then it would raise serious issues of human rights violations.

Case Briefs High Courts

Detailed Breakdown of Gujarat High Court Ruling on Delay in curing registry defects under Section 34 and its impact on arbitration applications

The Court noted that the registry did not follow the procedure prescribed in the GHC Rules for movement of the papers from the registry to the competent Court, thus there was no occasion for consideration by the Court concerned as to whether the respondents were entitled to condonation of delay in removal of office objections.

Case Briefs High Courts

Inside Punjab and Haryana HC’s detailed directions for Investigating Authorities & Judicial Officers on Gang Violence and Organised Crime

“A firm hand, with stringent law enforcement and legal measures, is essential to dismantling extortion rackets, deterring future criminal enterprises and safeguarding the moral fabric of society.”

Case Briefs High Courts

Punjab & Haryana HC takes suo motu cognizance and seeks status report on shortage of Hospital Attendants, Nursing Staff at PGIMER, Chandigarh

A news report published on 17-6-2025, highlighted that PGIMER had been facing severe shortage of hospital attendants and nursing staff, thereby which forcing relatives of patients to step in as caretakers, resulting in overcrowding and compromise in service.

Case Briefs High Courts

Punjab and Haryana HC takes suo motu cognizance of alleged felling of 2000 trees by DLF in Gurugram’s Aravallis for real estate project

According to the news report, residents and environmental activists have launched protests and official petitions against the alleged tree felling citing destruction of the Aravallis in DLF Phase 5.

Case Briefs High Courts

Gauhati High Court directs contractual music teacher to approach Governor for exercise of discretionary powers for pension relief

“The alleged termination order of the petitioner, though said to be illegal and arbitrary, was not put to challenge either in the present or earlier writ proceeding.”

Hot Off The Press News

Chhattisgarh HC prohibits litigants from carrying phones, electronic devices inside courtrooms

The Court issued a circular barring usage of any electronic device, even in switched off mode, inside the courtrooms and recording of any part of the proceedings.

Hot Off The Press News

ECI introduces new SOPs for real-time tracking & delivery of Electoral Cards in 15 days of change in electoral rolls

In continuation of the various measures undertaken by the ECI for the convenience of voters, new Standard Operating Procedures have been introduced to ensure real-time tracking and faster delivery of Electoral Cards to voters.

Case Briefs High Courts

“Mere knowledge of offender’s whereabouts not harbouring”: Punjab and Haryana HC quashes FIR against father & brother of absconder

“The well settled proposition of law is that simple denial of the whereabouts of an offender by his family members does not amount to harbouring such family member.”

Legislation Updates Notifications

Ahmedabad Plane crash: Gujarat State Legal Services Authority launches Legal Support Helpdesk to provide legal & psychological aid to affected individuals

Gujarat State Legal Services Authority, under the aegis of NALSA, launched an emergency response mechanism titled “Plane Crash Legal Support Helpdesk” to provide legal and psychological counselling to aggrieved persons.

Case Briefs Tribunals/Commissions/Regulatory Bodies

Read why NCLAT denied staying CCI order against UFO Moviez, Qube Cinema, Scrabble Digital

“Investigation has also revealed no other independent player apart from DNEG has attempted to enter the market over the last few years, which shows the enforcement of appellants model has been a significant barrier for independent players to venture into cloning and delivery of content by the appellants.”

Case Briefs High Courts

‘Court flooded with litigation due to ignorance of SOPs’; Punjab & Haryana HC directs circulation of SOPs regarding run-away couples seeking protection

The Court noted that the authorities appointed under the SOPs were either ignorant about it or lax in following the time frames and guidelines in strict letter and spirit.

Case Briefs High Courts

Gauhati HC grants relief to woman driven out of matrimonial home due to lighter complexion of child

“The parties are dark complexioned people, but their child was fair complexioned. That is the reason why the dispute arose, and the husband started to physically harass the wife and drove her out of the matrimonial house along with the child.”

Hot Off The Press News

Bombay HC invites suggestions/objections to draft amendment to Bombay High Court Service of Processes by Electronic Mail Service (Civil Proceedings) Rules, 2017

The Court asked interested persons to send their suggestions/objections via email to the Registrar (Legal and Research) on or before 15-06-2025.

Case Briefs High Courts

Punjab and Haryana High Court dismisses State’s appeals against Policewoman’s Promotion; criticises baseless Adverse Remarks in ACR

The Court stated that the Single Judge correctly assessed the sharp contradiction that crept in the policewoman’s work record as she received a commendation certificate the same year as the adverse remarks. The Single Judge also noticed that the Commissioner of Police made adverse remarks in the ACR while the Deputy Commissioner did not find anything amiss with her record.

Case Briefs Tribunals/Commissions/Regulatory Bodies

‘Interlocutory and Consensual Order’; NCLAT denies relief to BYJU’s in appeal filed against NCLT’s status quo order on its shareholding in Aakash

“The impugned order is exclusively interlocutory in nature which is yet to be considered on merits and yet to be given a final shape till the conduct of the final hearing when the interim reliefs prayed for, are heard and decided by the Tribunal.”