India
Judiciary ordering land for lawyers’ chambers sends a very wrong message: SC | Latest News India
The judiciary using its powers to secure allotment of land for lawyers’ chambers sends a very wrong message, said the Supreme Court on Friday as it reserved orders on a petition filed by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) over an issue that has witnessed its share of controversies over the past two weeks.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, also urged lawyers that, instead of pressing for a judicial solution, the Bar must trust that the top court will take up the issue with the government on the administrative side.
“Lawyers are part of our institution. Should we use judicial orders to protect our community? It sends a very wrong message that judiciary is using its powers to take over land. Today it is land, tomorrow it will be something else. It must not be felt that the court is using its judicial powers to bulldoze its way,” said the bench, also comprising justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and PS Narasimha.
The bench, however, agreed that the issue raised by SCBA was a genuine one. “It is not that we are not concerned. You must trust us to take it with the government on the administrative side. This is an old tradition that exists in judiciary that we engage with the government. Our needs are expanding and we can convince them to consider our demands,” CJI Chandachud said.
The court was assisted by in the matter by attorney general (AG) R Venkatramani, who agreed with the bench. “The flexibility of the administrative process has a certain advantage. In court I may lose, but on the administrative side, discussions can go a long way,” he said.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who is also the president of SCBA, told the court that his only concern was that the issue should not take a back seat as the purpose of filing the petition was to start an engagement with the Centre.
The bench told Singh: “The government takes our requirements on administrative side very carefully. The judiciary was given ₹7,000 crore without a single rupee cut because they (Centre) realised it was the need of the hour. These are matters on which we must constantly engage with the government.”
Acrimony on the issue between Bar and Bench appeared to come out in the open earlier his month.
On March 2, Singh appeared before a bench headed by CJI Chandrachud and complained about the matter not being heard despite getting mentioned on several occasions. Objecting to the harsh tone used by Singh, who said at one point that lawyers may start protesting outside the homes of judges, the CJI asked Singh to keep his voice down and warned him that he would “not be cowed down” by such conduct.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Neeraj Kishan Kaul, who were present in the court, apologised to the CJI for the exchange. Later that day, SCBA members moved a resolution seeking apology from the two senior lawyers for “trying to dilute the efforts of the Executive Committee led by president”, and called for an EC meeting on March 16 to pass a resolution against them.
Former attorney general KK Venugopal intervened in the matter through a letter to Singh on Tuesday, saying that the apology offered by the two senior lawyers was to “maintain cordial relationship” between the bench and the Bar. “I sincerely request you not to allow these two resolutions so that this event may not explode into a situation where there may be two camps with enmity between the members inter se, which may not be conducive to the peace and well being of the SCBA,” Venugopal said in the letter.
It was then that SCBA cancelled the general body meeting and decided to back away from reprimanding the two senior advocates
SCBA’s petition before the top court, filed in August 2022, seeks a direction to the Union urban development ministry to allot 1.33 acres of land (earlier occupied by Appu Ghar) to the Supreme Court to be used for chamber blocks for lawyers.
After the hearing on Friday, SCBA issued a note thanking the CJI for taking up the case for hearing and reserving orders. “After waiting for 70 years, this is a significant victory for the Bar and a step forward in ensuring better facilities for lawyers who have been tirelessly serving the legal system of the country,” the note added.
Along with SCBA, other lawyer bodies such as SC Advocates-on-Record Association and the Bar Council of India, too, pitched in with their demands for increased space. The bench assured them that it will consider all stakeholders while taking up the matter at the appropriate level.
In their counter-offensive across the river Chindwin, the Japanese raiding columns have continued to move to the west in the wild and mountainous district of the Somra Hills tracts. At one or two places they have crossed the frontier into Manipur State, states an Allied war communique. At some points they are in contact with our advanced patrols. In the Chin Hills area, part of our forces have moved north from their most advanced positions to deal with the Japanese outflanking movements north of Tiddim.
On the North Burma front, the Chinese 22nd Division continue their steady drive southward from the Hakawng Valley to the Mogaung Valley and forward elements are fighting along the road south of the highest point can me pass over Jambu Bum. One Japanese prisoner and two anti-tank guns were captured on Jambu Bum, says an Allied war communique.
During operations in this area our troops made a small-scale attack near Palam on March 20 in which a few prisoners and some equipment were taken. Further to the north our patrols have been active and have inflicted casualties on the enemy. An attack was made on one Japanese position in which the enemy were driven out.
In the Kaladan Valley there has been a quiet 24 hours.
JAP ATTACK REPULSED
On March 21, the Japanese made a comparatively heavy attack on our positions in the area of the tunnels on the Maungdaw-Buthidaung Road. This attack was repulsed and our positions remained intact. On the following night the enemy made two attacks on other positions further to the south which were beaten off.
To the south of Buthidaung our troops have captured a small hill feature.
Heavy and medium bombers of the Strategic Air Force, Eastern Air Command, on the night of March 21-22 attacked Prome and other targets in, South and Central Burma. The night before, heavy bombers attacked Martaban and Moulmein.
Dive-bombers, fighter-bombers and fighters of the Tactical Air Force, on March 21, attacked objectives in the Chin Hills, Chindwin Valley, Arakan Mayu and Kaladan areas. Main targets were enemy positions and communications.
Long-range fighters on March 20 and 21 maintained their offensive against communications. In one attack, locomotive and rolling stock exploded, while another locomotive’s boilers blew up and a third was badly damaged.
Escorted medium bombers have destroyed the Meza Road bridge and knocked out part of the railway bridge.
From all these operations no Allied aircraft is missing.
India
Railways lowers fare of AC-3 tier economy ticket; passengers to get refund on pre-booked tickets
The Indian Railways has issued an order to reduce the price of AC-3 tier economy class tickets. According to the railway ministry, the reduced price will be effective from Wednesday, March 22. Along with this, bedding will be made available as before.
According to railway officials, passengers who have booked tickets online and over the counter will be given a refund of the extra amount for the pre-booked tickets.
As per the order, the fare for a 3-tier economy class ticket, which had been made equal to the fare of an AC-3 tier ticket through a circular issued last year, has been reduced.
Less fare than 3AC
Three-tier economy coaches were introduced by the Railway Board to provide the ‘Best and Cheapest AC travel’ service. The fare of these coaches is 6-7 per cent less than the usual AC 3 tier.
According to officials, while an AC 3 tier coach has 72 berths, AC 3 tier economy has 80 berths. The Railways earned Rs 231 crore from the AC-3 tier economy class in the first year of its introduction.
According to data, during April-August, 2022, 15 lakh people travelled in these coaches, generating earnings of Rs 177 crore.
(With inputs from agency)
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India
Khalistani protesters hurl bottles, Indian mission responds with giant Tricolour | Latest News India
Indian High Commission in London on Wednesday responded with unfurling of a giant Tricolour after pro-Khalistani activists hurled coloured flares and water bottles towards the mission building. Around 2,000 protesters turned up again in front of the building for a planned demonstration against the crackdown on separatist elements in Punjab, with some hurling objects chanting pro-Khalistan slogans amid a heightened security presence and barricades.
Some embassy officials, in response to the protests, stood on the terrace holding a long Tricolour, according to the video footages shared by ANI.
The protesters were barricaded across the road with uniformed officers standing guard and patrolling the area throughout, thwarting any violent disorder like Sunday afternoon when India House came under attack.
Also read | India voices strong protest over Khalistani supporters’ attack on Indian consulate in San Francisco
The extra security layer in London came shortly after barricades placed outside the UK’s high commission in New Delhi and the British envoys’ residence in the national capital were removed. There were, however, no reports of any reduction in security personnel at the mission.
India had lodged a strong protest against the developments in London, with British deputy high commissioner Christina Scott being summoned to the external affairs ministry late on Sunday night over the “actions taken by separatist and extremist elements” against the Indian mission.
The Indian side demanded an explanation for the “complete absence of the British security” that allowed the pro-Khalistan elements to enter the mission premises, and the UK government was asked to take “immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each one of those involved” in Sunday’s protest.
Since the weekend, several uniformed officers have been patrolling the area in Aldwych and Metropolitan Police vans have been stationed at India Place.
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