Civil Writ - Constitutional Law - Fundamental Rights – Article 19(1)(g) – Bidi Manufacture Ban – Sections 3–4, 1948 Act – Reasonable Restrictions vs. Total Prohibition – Petitions under Article 32 by a proprietor and an employee assailing Deputy Commissioner’s orders prohibiting bidi manufacture in notified villages during agricultural seasons – Held...
Constitutional Law – Civil Writ - Freedom of Speech and Press – Pre-censorship order – Article 19(1)(a) & 19(2) – Section 7(1)(c), East Punjab Public Safety Act, 1949 – Prior restraint on “Organizer” requiring pre-publication scrutiny of specified classes of matter – Held: Pre-censorship is a restriction on freedom of speech and of the press &nda...
Civil Writ - Maintainability under Article 32 – Guaranteed remedy – Preliminary objection overruled – Article 32 confers a fundamental right to directly approach the Supreme Court for enforcement of Part III rights – No requirement to first move the High Court under Article 226 – Analogies to CrPC/CPC practice and U.S. exhaustion doctrine inapposite [Para 3].
Freed...
Constitutional Law – Civil Writ - Freedom of Speech and Press – Ban on entry and circulation of newspaper – Article 19(1)(a) & 19(2) – Section 9(1-A), Madras Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1949 – Majority per Patanjali Sastri, J. – Order prohibiting entry/circulation of “Cross Roads” directly restricts freedom of speech and expression as circul...
Civil Writ - Fundamental Rights – Right to Carry on Trade – Article 19(1)(g) – Monopoly in favour of a single contractor – Bye-laws of Municipal Board struck down – The petitioner, a wholesale commission agent in vegetables and fruits, was prohibited from carrying on his trade as monopoly rights were auctioned to another person by the Municipal Board – Bye-laws ...
Civil Writ – Habeas Corpus - Preventive Detention – Constitutionality – Article 13(2) & Preventive Detention Act, 1950 – Validity upheld – Petitioner contended that the Preventive Detention Act abridges fundamental rights under Part III and is void under Article 13(2) – Held: The issue already decided in A.K. Gopalan v. State where Act was upheld except Sect...
Constitutional Law – Article 14 – Equality before Law – Discretion under Section 19 of Slum Areas Act – Challenge on ground of unguided and arbitrary power – Held: Though Section 19(3) does not expressly lay down guidelines, its operation is controlled by the object and purpose of the Act as reflected in the Preamble and operative provisions – Sufficient legisla...
Constitutional Law – Creation of Judicial Districts – Validity of Notification – Delhi Bar Association challenged the notification issued by the Lt. Governor on 28.06.2000 dividing Delhi into nine civil districts – Petitioners argued that the Lt. Governor had no authority and that only Delhi Legislative Assembly could decide such matters – Held: Lt. Governor acted law...
PIL - Motor Vehicles – High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) – Enforcement of Statutory Scheme – States directed to take final decision within six months – Petitioner sought implementation of Supreme Court's earlier judgment in Association of Registration Plates v. Union of India regarding mandatory use of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) under Rule 50 of CMV...
Environmental Law – Aravalli Hills – Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900 – Land Notified under Sections 4 & 5 – Treated as Forest – Any non-forest use requires approval under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 – Applicants’ plea of exemption for constructions rejected – Court held that once land is notified and treated in government records as forest...