SUPREME COURT QUESTIONS BILKIS BANO RAPISTS’ RELEASE
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna questioned the remission granted to the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case during their incarceration period and said the gravity of the offence could have been considered by the state. “A pregnant woman was gang-raped and several people were killed. You cannot compare victim’s case with standard Section 302 (murder of Indian Penal Code) cases. Like you cannot compare apples with oranges, similarly massacre cannot be compared with single murder. Crimes are generally committed against society and the community. Unequals cannot be treated equally,” the Supreme Court said, a PTI news report said. “The question is whether the government applied its mind and what material formed the basis of its decision to grant remission,” the Supreme Court said. “Today it is Bilkis but tomorrow it can be anyone. It may be you or me. If you do not show your reasons for grant of remission, then we will draw our own conclusions,” it said. The Supreme Court will hear a clutch of requests challenging the remission to the convicts on May 2. It ordered all the convicts who have not been served notice to send their replies.
AMU MALAPPURAM CENTRE HOSTS NATIONAL MEET ON LAW
The Law Society of the Aligarh Muslim University Malappuram Centre, Kerala organised a national conference on “Changing Dimensions of Law in the Era of Digital Technology” on April 20.In his inaugural address, Prof. Iqbal Ali Khan (Coordinator, Nodal Centre, AMU Centres) stressed the need to strike a balance between technology and the practice of law. He gave an insight into the digital and technological changes in regular legal proceedings, this adding that these changes will help recover the backlog of cases during the pandemic.In his presidential remarks, Prof Mohammad Ashraf (Dean, Faculty of Law and Chairman, Department of Law) highlighted the threats of online bullying, new forms of cybercrime and increasing civil liberties as legitimate concerns of the digital age. He discussed how the digital era challenges the traditional approach of practising law and removes complexities arising out of it.
HC SEEKS REPLY TO BANNING LOUDSPEAKER AT MOSQUES PLEA
The Gujarat government has not replied to a high court notice issued more than a year ago on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking a ban on the use of loudspeakers at mosques. The court directed the advocate-general on April 19 to file the government’s reply by June 12. A division bench of the Gujarat High Court will take up the matter next on June 19. The petition, moved by Gandhinagar-based doctor Dharmendra Prajapati, stated that in Sector 5C, where he resides, claimed that “persons of the Muslim community were coming for prayer at different times… and they use loudspeakers that cause great inconvenience and disturbance to nearby residents”.
11 DIE OF HEAT STROKE AT M’RASHTRA BHUSHAN AWARD EVENT
Eleven people who sat in the open at the Maharashtra Bhushan award event on April 16 died due to heat stroke, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also went to a hospital where some 50 people have been admitted with heat-related health issues. Home Minister Amit Shah presented the award, instituted by the Maharashtra government, to social activist AppasahebDharmadhikari. The event was held at Navi Mumbai, where the day temperature was recorded at a maximum of 38 degree Celsius. Mr Shinde called the incident “unfortunate” and announced a compensation of ₹ 5 lakh to the families of those who died. “As per the briefing received from doctors, 7-8 people have died today, while 24 are being treated. This is a case of sunstroke. Some 50 people were admitted to the hospital, of which 24 are still there while the rest have been discharged after primary treatment,” Mr Shinde told reporters while coming out from the hospital.
AMRITPAL SINGH ARRESTED, NSA INVOKED
Radical preacher Amritpal Singh has been arrested and is in custody after eluding authorities for a month. The Centre is now focussing attention on cornering pro-Khalistani groups that pose a threat to Indians and officials in the UK, US, Australia and Canada.The grounds on which actor, writer and businessman Daljit Singh Kalsi was detained under the National Security Act and subsequently arrested last month were mostly based on the actions of Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh since he landed in Punjab in September last year. Kalsi, who allegedly helped Amritpal profess radical ideology and wage war against the State for a separate Khalistan, has been accused of being a close associate of the self-styled preacher, advising and accompanying him. He was also accused of being part of the mob that vandalised Ajnala police station on February 23, besides promoting the agenda of WPD through social media handles to radicalise youths. In the absence of direct evidence linking him to Pakistan or foreign funding so far, Amritpal’s speeches on social media and otherwise have reportedly become the main grounds on which the National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against the pro-Khalistan preacher and his co-accused.
NITISH KUMAR PITCHES OP ‘OPPOSITION UNITY’, MEETS MAMATA
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, after a brief meeting with her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav on April 24, said that there is “no ego clash” regarding a grand alliance of anti-BJP parties and that it’s going to be the people vs BJP in next year’s general elections. She claimed she has earlier too said that she has no objection to all like-minded Opposition parties getting together for the big electoral battle. “I have made just one request to Nitish Kumar. Jayaprakash (Narayan) ji’s movement started from Bihar. If we have an all-party meeting in Bihar, we can then decide where we have to go next. But first, we have to give a message that we are united. I have said earlier, too, that I have no objections,” she said while addressing the media with the two top Bihar leaders by her side.
PATNA HC GRANTS RELIEF TO RAHUL GANDHI
The Patna High Court on April 24 issued a stay order till 15 May while hearing the petition of former Congress MP Rahul Gandhi against the summons of MP/MLA court in a defamation case filed by Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi in the Modi surname case.The lower court had summoned Mr. Gandhi to appear physically on April 25 to record his statement.The defamation case in the MP/MLA court was lodged by BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP and former deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.A Patna court, on 30 March, summoned Mr. Gandhi on 12 April over the Modi surname remark, one week after a Gujarat court convicted him for defamation and sentenced Mr. Gandhi to two years in prison.The MP/MLA court of Special Judicial Magistrate Aadi Dev had passed an order on March 18 asking Gandhi to appear before it on April 12.
ADMISSIONS TO DELHI VIRTUAL SCHOOL OPEN
The second cycle of admissions to Delhi Model Virtual School (DMVS) – a full-time regular school in virtual mode – has started and the last date to apply for admissions to Class IX is May 5. Depending on the number of applications, the department may also conduct an online proctored entrance exam. For the academic year 2023-24, DMVS will be functional in the morning shift. “The provision of evening shift is dependent on demand by applicants and subject to logistics. The mode for the examinations will be online, however, the Board exams for Class X may be conducted in person at a physical centre in Delhi,” DMVS said.