Cheque Bounce Lawyers in Bangalore and Recovery of Cheques Bounced

In the event that you have a Cheque issued by an indebted person that has bounced or has been disrespected, or somebody has issued a cheque bounce case against you, or you have gotten court summons for a 138 NI (Negotiable Instruments Act) objection against you, utilize Legal resolved to locate the first-class cheque bounce legal counselor in Bangalore for your requirements.

The Indian Courts are smashed with cheque Bounce cases archived under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. Regardless, an extensive number of such cases are recorded on false grounds to coerce money from someone, or out of individual sentiments of contempt to rebuke some person's photo.

Legal Resolved gives you a chance to enlist a specialist Lawyer to help Individuals who are reproved incorrectly in a cheque bounce case, extremely, end up paying money as they don't have the pertinent learning of the honest to goodness course to take if a false cheque bounce collection of confirmation is archived against them. This is the thing that you can do if a false cheque bounce assortment of confirmation is recorded against you:

A cheque is said to be bounced when it is displayed for the installment to a bank however it isn't paid as a result of some reason or the other. The accompanying can be the explanations behind bouncing of a cheque in India:

·         Mark isn't coordinating.

·         There is overwriting in the cheque.

·         Cheque was displayed after a slip by of three months, i.e. after the check has lapsed.

·         Record was shut.

·         Lacking assets in the record.

·         Installment halted by the record holder.

·         Opening dissimilarity deficient.

·         Difference in the words and figures said on the cheque.

·         In the event that the check is issued by an organization, the same does not hold up under the seal of the organization.

·         Confound in the account number.

·         In the event of shared service where the two marks are required, just a single sign is there.

·         Passing of the client.

·         Indebtedness of the client.

·         Madness of the client.

·         On the request of the garnishee.

·         Crossed check.

·         At the point when a check is issued against the tenets of trust.

·         Adjustment under tight restraints.

·         Uncertainty in the validity of the cheque.

·         Displayed at the wrong branch.

·         Intersection point of confinement of overdraft (OD)

v  For broad interest will require :

1.  The enrollment papers of the prescribed gathering with each of the commitments and liabilities of people.

2.  Follow up on which depends on your grievances and issues you defied a while later.

3.  Individual components of the people including the individual who is missing.

4.  Cheque refined components.

v  Statutory Law References

•   Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

•   Section 141 of the Negotiable Instrument Act,1881

•   81 A to the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

•   Indian Contract Act, Sec 17

•   Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA)

•   Section 30 of the Indian Contract Act

v  Landmark Judgments

·         Dashrath Roopsingh Rathod v. Stae of Maharashtra & Anr.

·         K. Bhaskaran v. Sankaran Vidhya Balan, (1999) 7 SCC 510

·         Shri Ishar Alloy Steels Ltd. v. Jayaswals Neco Ltd., (2001) 3 SCC 609

·         Harman Electronics Pvt.Ltd. v. National Panasonic India Pvt. Ltd.

v  Important Do(s) and Don’t(s)

·         A delay in documenting the grievance after the slip by of 30 days might be pardoned by the

officer just in remarkable conditions.

·         Shame of a cheque because of stop installment is additionally secured under Section 138 of the NI Act.

·         A cheque issued as a blessing/gift/some other commitment, won't be secured under Section 138 of the Act. For this area to apply, the cheque needs to convey a legitimate commitment.

·         A cheque lapses following three months.

How to Find Cheque Bounce Lawyers in Bangalore

Legal Resolved to enable you to interface with Top Cheque Bounce Lawyers in Bangalore for a lawful interview, drafting and common or criminal prosecution. Legal advisors enrolled on the Legal Resolved platform practice crosswise over locale courts, high courts, Supreme Court and different tribunals. Picking a legal counselor can confuse, you can limit your chase in light of meeting charge, area or practice regions and locate the correct legal counselor for you.

The Indian Courts are crushed with cheque Bounce cases documented under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. In any case, an expansive number of such cases are recorded on false grounds to blackmail cash from somebody, or out of individual feelings of resentment to censure somebody's picture.

Legal Resolved lets you hire an expert Lawyer to help Individuals who are denounced erroneously in a cheque bounce case, dreadfully, wind up paying cash as they do not have the applicable learning of the legitimate course to take if a false cheque bounce body of evidence is documented against them. This is what you can do if a false cheque bounce body of evidence is recorded against you:

Top Lawyers in Bangalore Keep a duplicate of significant archives: Firstly, a safety measure is superior to cure! Keep a duplicate of all the applicable reports that demonstrate that an exchange has been made through a cheque you issued. The installment receipt, duplicate of the cheque, and so forth are a portion of the records that you can keep as a proof of installment.

Legal resolve d’s expert Lawyers do Contact your bank: When you get data with respect to cheque bounce from the check carrier, contact your bank quickly to get data whether the cheque has even bounced in any case or not. In the event that the cheque has really bounced the bank will inform you about the disrespecting of the cheque and the motivation behind why it bounced.

Expert Check Bounce Lawyers file a counter case: If the individual records a cheque bounce case, you can document an answer to the case through a check bounce legal advisor. You can likewise document a counter-argument against the individual for recording a false cheque bounce body of evidence against you. You can document a corporate case to guarantee pay and criminal body of evidence against the individual.

It is conceivable to maintain a strategic distance from the superfluous legitimate bother of a false cheque bounce case by counseling an accomplished check bounce legal advisor at Legal Resolved who can manage you about the right move to make at the correct stage before it's past the point of no return.

Legal Resolved has a group full of Cheque bounce expert Lawyers who specifically deal with cheque Bounce cases and issues related to cheque dishonor cases. We Provide the Best Lawyers so that remedy is served to individuals in an easy and professional manner.

Offence Of Abetment To Suicide (306IPC) Can’t Be Quashed On Settlement Between Parties - Bombay HC

On 2^nd March 2017, the Bombay High Court refused to quash the FIR against a person who had filed a writ petition for quashing the same on the grounds of the settlement with the victim’s father.

Case Name

Mohd. Asgar Choudhari and Ors. v. State of Maharashtra and Anr., WP No. 31 0f 2017 (Bombay HC)

Where it all began

The FIR was registered against Mohd. Asgar Choudhari, i.e., the Petitioner, under Sections 498A (cruelty), 306 (abetment to suicide) & 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) of Indian Penal Code, 1860. The petitioner was in a relationship with the victim. The first informant (father of the victim) registered the FIR on the grounds of abetment to suicide of his daughter. However, his affidavit in an order dated 2^nd January 2017 spoke otherwise, stating that “he was in a shocked state of mind due to the sudden demise of his daughter and his daughter committed suicide under depression.” This contrary statement has raised doubts over the veracity of the facts of the case. The petitioner then filed a writ petition before the Bombay High Court to quash the said FIR registered against him as the settlement has been reached between the petitioner and the first informant.

The Masqueraded Settlement

The petitioner scored a settlement with the first informant behind the curtains for an amount of Rs 8 lakhs. His cousin sent a letter dated 17-02-17 to the Senior Inspector of Police, Deonar Police Station, Mumbai mentioning the same.

The Verdict

The bench of Justice A. S. Oka and Justice Anuja Prabhudessai refused to quash the FIR on the ground that the victim of the alleged offence is no more and therefore, rejected the writ petition. However, it observed that the petitioner would not be precluded from applying for discharge.

Arbitration For Start-up

Arbitration (Meaning and Law)
Arbitration is an alternate dispute resolution mechanism in which the dispute is submitted to a neutral third-party known as the arbitrator(s). He is appointed by both the parties, who subsequently holds the arbitral proceedings, analyzed evidence and adjudges on the matter by passing an award.

Need for Arbitration for a Start-up
• It is a faster and more simpler method of resolving disputes;
• More economical than hardcore litigation;
• Start-ups are not financially phenomenal and therefore, arbitration is financially feasible;
• Private proceedings rather than courtroom drama for a start-up;
• A judge may not be the expert in the concerned arena but an expert arbitrator in that arena may be appointed.

The Arbitration Clause
The following arbitration clause is a must for a contract. It is not a legal requirement but for a speedy out-of-court settlement:
“Any dispute or difference arising between the parties to this contract out of or in connection to this contract including the question regarding its meaning, scope, legality, existence, operation, termination, validity of its breach or of compensation payable thereof shall be settled through the means of arbitration in accordance with the Rules of International Commercial Arbitration of the Indian Council of Arbitration and the award made in pursuance to such process shall be binding on the parties hereto.”

Key Terms & Conditions of a detailed Arbitration Agreement
• Validity of the arbitration agreement;
• Enforcement of arbitration agreement;
• Appointment of arbitrators;
• Place of arbitration;
• Arbitrability of dispute;
• Choice of law (substantial and procedural);
• Type of arbitration (institutional, ad-hoc or any other);
• Multi-party agreements.

Important things to Remember
• Arbitration may be binding or non-binding upon the parties, i.e., a party may even reject the award of the arbitration;
• Arbitration award can only be set aside and not appealed;
• In some cases, the costs of arbitration may even exceed the costs of litigation;
• Indian courts may refuse to allow the choice of law between the parties on the grounds of public policy.

Statutory Law References
Indian Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
Indian Contract Act, 1872

Landmark Judgments
ONCG v Saw Pipes, (2003) 5 SCC 705
Venture Global Engineering LLC v Satyam Computer Services Ltd, (2008) 4 SCC 190
Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd v Kaiser Aluminium Technical Service Inc, (2012) 9 SCC 649

Important Do(s) & Don’t(s)
• Legal consultation or online legal advice is essential for drafting arbitration agreement and arbitration proceedings;
• A start-up should always go for arbitration which is financially feasible;
• An arbitration agreement should be drafted in a detailed manner so as to outline the whole process;
• Even no. of arbitrators should not be appointed but only in odd numbers such as 1, 3, 5, 7, etc;
• Hold consolidate arbitration proceedings in case of multi-party agreements.

World’s Most Expensive Company Settlements

Business and competition are the phases of the same coin. There is cut throat competition to expand the business and it is becoming harsher day by day in the globalized World. Every company wants to become a global brand so that its presence can be appreciated world- wide in every class of consumer. The mergers and acquisitions are one of the strategies which followed by the companies to expand its horizons. The ownership of a company is acquired by the other company dealing with the same type of services or products. A legal adviser’s consultation is very crucial to facilitate a merger or acquisition. Let’s have a look on the recent settlements which happened between two companies-

 British American Tobacco Co. is going to acquire R.J. Reynolds American Tobacco Co. – 

British American Tobacco which is based in London has entered into an agreement to buy the stake in Reynolds American, based in Winston-Salem, N.C. for $49 billion. The deal is also subject to shareholders and regulatory approval. It is expected to complete in the third quarter of 2017. 

Reynolds American reported sales of $10.7 billion in 2015. British American Tobacco reported revenue of $15.8 billion, in 2015. The purchase would create the world’s largest publicly traded tobacco business, based on net sales.

 Chem China deals with Syngenta AG-

China National Chemical Corporation’s $43 billion offer for Syngenta AG., based in Basel, Switzerland was China’s biggest overseas deal announced last year. The takeover announced a year ago, is one of a trio of mega-deals that would reshape the global agrochemicals industry. The others are Dow Chemical Co.’s bid to merge with DuPont Co. and Bayer AG’s agreement to buy Monsanto Co. The combined transactions would whittle down six industry players to three giants: one American, one German and one Chinese. Syngenta AG said the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has asked for more time to review it's $43 billion takeovers by China National Chemical Corporation. Chem China filed for U.S. approval in January 2016. Repeated delays in the approval process, which has involved authorities on four continents, have pushed back the expected closing date for the deal. Companies authorities are hopeful that Merger could still win approval before April 12 EU deadline.

 The Shire completed merger with Baxalta-

The Shire has completed it's $32 billion mergers with Baxalta, creating the global market leader in rare diseases and other specialized disorders.

The Shire projected that the combined company would generate approximately 65% of its total annual revenues from its rare disease products revenues the company has forecast as rising to more than $20 billion by 2020.The combined company would consist of more than 22,000 employees across more than 100 countries, as well as more than 50 programs in clinical development.  

 Abbott completes the acquisition of St. Jude Medical-

Abbott has completed the acquisition of St. Jude Medical Inc., establishing the company as a leader in the medical device arena. Together the company will compete in nearly every area of the $30 billion cardiovascular market and hold the No.1 or 2 positions across large and high-growth cardiovascular device markets.

SoftBank to Buy Britain’s ARM-

In the year 2016 Japan's SoftBank acquired ARM Holdings for $32 billion, Softbank has agreed to acquire ARM Holdings, the giant semiconductor firm of U.K that supplies part of the chip design used in Apple iPhones, ARM the largest London-listed tech company by market value. ARM has a major presence in mobile processing. Its processor and graphics technology is used by Samsung, Huawei, and Apple in their in-house microchips.

 Microsoft tied up with LinkedIn- 

Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for $196 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at $26.2 billion. LinkedIn is the world’s largest and most valuable professional network and continues to build a strong and growing business. LinkedIn, based in Mountain View, California, will retain a distinct brand, culture, and independence, according to Microsoft, and LikendIn current CEO Jeff Weiner will remain in his role.

"LinkedIn and Microsoft really share a mission" of helping people work more efficiently and "There is no better way to realize that mission than to connect the world's professionals," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. 

 Acquisition of  Tyco International by Johnson Controls-

Johnson Controls Inc., a U.S. maker of car batteries and heating and ventilation equipment, acquired Ireland-based peer Tyco International Plc., in a $16.5 billion deal. 

By uniting Johnson Controls, the number one provider of building efficiency solutions with Tyco International, the number one provider of fire and security solutions, the new company is uniquely positioned as a leader in products, technologies and integrated solutions for the buildings and energy sectors.

Employment Contract

An Employment Contract is a legal agreement which delineates the terms and conditions of employment between an employee and an employer such as wages, duration of works, non-compete procedures, etc. They are usually signed and executed at the time of the inception of employment. There are majorly three types of employment contracts: -

* Full-time employment contract (FTEC)

* Part-time employment contract (PTEC)

* Freelancer employment contract (FLEC)

Key Terms & Conditions of an Employment Contract

• Definitions and Interpretations;

• Acceptance of employee by the employer for the job and acceptance of job by the employee;

• Responsibilities and obligations involved in the job;

• Duration of probationary period and salary during that period;

• Salary including Basic, HRA, Medical Allowance, Education Allowance, etc;

• Status of job: Full time, part time or freelancers;

• Place of work;

• Date of starting and ending of job;

• Working hours in a day and working days in a week (for FTEC and PTEC) or assignment completion basis (for FREC);

• Overtime (for FTEC and PTEC);

• Payroll schedule: on a daily, weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly, per piece of work, etc;

• Refunds for calls travels carried out in the course of employment;

• Holidays and Paid leaves in a year;

• Unpaid leaves and exceptions to it;

• Perquisites;

• Deductions;

• Required travels: once in a week, twice in a month, 10 times in a year, etc;

• Policies and standards;

• Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure;

• Non-solicitation which may hinder the company’s interests;

• Provident Fund

• Change in duties and remuneration would not make the present contract invalid;

• Prior notice of resignation;

• Termination of employment by the employer;

• Indemnification;

• Governing Laws;

• Dispute Resolution;

• Schedule A – Job description;

• Schedule B – Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure agreement.

Statutory Law References

Sec. 2(h) & 27 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972

Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946

Factories Act, 1948

Payment of Wages Act 1936

Minimum Wages Act 1948

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013

Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952

Landmark Judgments

Diljeet Titus v. Mr. Alfred A. Adebare and Ors. 2006 (32) PTC 609 (Del)

Niranjan Shankar Golikari v. The Century Spinning and Manufacturing Company Ltd. 1967 AIR 1098

Desiccant Rotors International Pvt. Ltd v. Bappaditya Sarkar & Anr, Delhi HC, CS (OS) No. 337/2008

Important Do(s) and Don't(s)

• Contract should be signed and executed at the time of beginning of employment;

• Lawyer consultation or online legal advice should be the priority before executing such contract;

• Bond for a minimum time period of employment should be avoided as it constrains the employee to be with the company even if the work is contrary to his expectations;

What is Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement (IPAA)

Intellectual Property (IP) is one of the most emerging arenas in law because of its economic exploitation. Some entities or persons may reap the benefits out of an IP on their own while some assign it to other entities or persons in consideration of royalty. The Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement facilitates the whole process by assigning the concerned IP to other through a contractual agreement. These are also known as Rights Agreements/IP Transfer Agreements.

Assignment
The term “assignment” refers to the transfer of rights vested in the owner of an IP to other entity or person. It is basically a sale and purchase of IP rights. The IP may include copyrights, patents, trademarks, industrial designs or geographical indications. The person who assigns the IP is known as the Assignor and the person to whom such IP is assigned is known as the Assignee. The assignment is different from licensing as the former facilitates the transfer of ownership of such IP for indefinite or limited time period while the latter allows the transfer of limited rights for a particular amount of time and ownership is not actually transferred.

Standard Terms & Conditions of an IPAA
• It should be in writing,
• Requirements of a valid contract to be fulfilled under the Indian Contract Act, 1872,
• Identification of the assignor and assignee,
• Definitions containing general and technical terms used throughout the contract,
• Duly mention the IP to be assigned,
• It must specify all the rights (economic and moral) and obligations assigned to the assignee,
• Mention the liability and warranty in regards to the ownership of such IP,
• Indemnification in case the IP is infringed on a third party’s rights,
• The time duration of such assignment,
• Territorial extent of the assignment,
• Governing law over such agreement and dispute resolution,
• Payment of Stamp Duty on such assignment,
• A lump-sum amount or royalty payable to the assignor,
• Attachment of the list and description of IPs to be assigned.

Important Points to Remember
• Registration of IPAA for copyright is not compulsory.
• IPAA for the geographical indication is expressly prohibited by law.
• Non-Payment of Stamp Duty does not invalidate the agreement.

Statutory Law References
Sec. 2(h) of the Indian Contract Act, 1872
Sec. 2(4) and 23 of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899
Sec. 18, 19 & 19A of the Copyright Act, 1957
Sec. 69 & 70 of the Patents Act, 1970
Sec. 37 - 43 of the Trademarks Act, 1999
Sec. 24 of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999
Sec. 30 of the Designs Act, 2000
Sec. 21-24 of the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layouts Design Act, 2000
Sec. 16 & 18 Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001

Important Do(s) and Don't(s)
• Before IPAA, it is better to conclude a Non-Disclosure Agreement in regards to the concerned IP,
• Register the IPAA with the concerned IP office with respect to the type of IP,
• For assignee, it is feasible to analyze the risks and due diligence involved in the assignment of IP so as to verify its ownership,
• Perform a valuation of the IP to be assigned in order to obtain a fair market price.
• Above all, lawyer consultation is necessary to draft the agreement so as to review the legalities.

Right to Maintenance (Law)

To combat the social injustice and prevent the neglected people from falling into destitution, a universal legal weapon has been provided under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, which is not bound by the shackles of caste and religion and vests the right to claim maintenance for those people.

Who can claim maintenance under Sec. 125?
• Wife: Under Hindu law, for the wife to claim maintenance, marriage should have been solemnized in accordance with the Hindu rites and rituals and be valid under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

Under Muslim law, women have the right to claim maintenance even after the conclusion of her iddat period. But marriage should be valid under Muslim Personal law.

Place of claim – where husband or wife resides or where the husband is physically present currently or where husband last resided with his wife.

• Children: Both legitimate and illegitimate male and female children can file for maintenance until they reach the age of majority. But adult unmarried daughters can claim for maintenance from their fathers.

• Parents: Mother and father can also claim maintenance from any of their children or all of them.

Place of Claim – where they reside or the child resides.

Important Points to remember while claiming maintenance:
• The person claiming maintenance should be incapable or unqualified to earn.
• The person must have neglected the claiming party or refused to pay maintenance.
• Burden of proof lies with the husband that he did not refuse or neglect to pay maintenance.
• The standard of living matters the most. Husband is legally obliged to restore the previous (before separation) standard of living off her wife. It should not be more or less than the amount required to restore the same.
• The interpretation of live-in relationships has shifted from a casual look to a serious one where a valid marriage may be presumed.
• Maintenance is usually on a monthly basis.
• A financially unsound or physically incapable person would not be forced to provide remuneration.
• Proceedings u/s 125 are civil in nature.

Filing claim for Maintenance under Sec. 125 (Process):
1. The claim for maintenance is filed before the Judicial Magistrate 1st class. 
2. The period of limitation is 1 year from the date the maintenance fell due.

Grounds of Rejection of Claim:
• If the woman has committed adultery;
• If she was living separately from her husband without any just cause;
• If she has remarried;
• If both of them were living separately with mutual consent;
• If she was aware of her husband’s first marriage which is still in force.

Statutory law References:
Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973

Important Judgments:
Chanmuniya v. Chanmuniya Virendra Kumar Singh Kushwaha and Anr (2011) 1 SCC 141
Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum 1985 SCR (3) 844
Danial Latifi v. Union of India 2001 (7) SCC 740 
Shah Bano v. Imran Khan AIR 2010 SC 740
Mansi Vohra v. Ramesh Vohra CRL.M.C. 2474/2012

If not complied with the order for maintenance, the court-
• can issue a warrant for levying the amount due;
• can attach the property and sell to recover such due amount;
• may award imprisonment for a maximum of 1 month after the execution of the warrant or until payment if sooner made.

Restitution of Conjugal Rights (Law)

Marriage is a religious sacrament which constitutes the very basis of a social entity.  It is based on duties, rights, affection between husband and wife. But when such affection and togetherness goes into hiding, it is necessary to unearth the same through various matrimonial remedies one of which is the restitution of conjugal rights. The word ‘restitution’ refers to restoration and ‘conjugal’ refers to marriage or relating to it, i.e., comfort and affection of the spouses towards each other. When the relation goes haywire, people leave their partners in the heat of the moment or ongoing callousness. If any of the spouses leaves his/her counterpart or withdraws from the society of the other without any reasonable excuse, the latter is entitled to file a petition for the restitution of conjugal rights. The duty of the court is to restore their love and affection by making them live with each other forcefully.

Essentials to be fulfilled:

• The spouse must have withdrawn from the society of another,

• No reasonable excuse for such withdrawal,

• Aggrieved spouse files for restitution of conjugal rights.

Important Points to remember while filing a petition for Restitution of Conjugal Rights:

• Under Hindu Law, the petition is filed under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 before the district court.

• Muslims are not adjudged by any specific provisions and are guided by general laws only. Moreover, under Muslim law, a suit is filed before the civil court and not a petition.

• The burden of proof is twofold – first, the petitioner needs to establish that the respondent has left from his/her society and second, the reasonability of the excuse becomes due on the one who left. 

• In reality, it’s not possible to compel the person to start living with his/her corresponding person through a decree of the court. The court can attach the properties of the judgment debtor in order to forcefully execute the decree.

• If the decree remains unexecuted for more than one year, it becomes a valid ground for divorce under Section 13(1A) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

Step-by-Step Petition Filling Process:

1. File the petition before the District Court having territorial jurisdiction in the matter. The copy of such petition would be sent to the respondent.

2. The court would call them for counseling to settle the matter.

3. Counselling may take 4-5 sessions.

4. In the background, the wife may file for legal expenses from her husband under Sec. 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

5. If accepted by both the parties, the petition for restitution is granted.

Grounds of Rejection of Petition:

• If the petitioner was involved in some kind of matrimonial misconduct. For e.g., adultery, desertion, domestic violence, etc.

• If the respondent has a valid claim to any matrimonial relief.

Misuse of the petition:

Misuse of this remedy is widely in practice where one spouse files such petition for the restitution of conjugal rights with the knowledge that his/her counterpart would not agree for the restoration of such comfort and cohabitation. Subsequently, it becomes a legal excuse for divorce.

Statutory law References:

Section 9, 13(1A) & 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955

Important Judgments:

Saroj Rani v Sudarshan Kumar Chadha AIR SC 1984 1562

T. Sareetha v. T. Venkatasubbaiah A.I.R. 1983 A.P. 356

Do(s) and Don't(s):

• If you (husband) face the threat of Sec. 498A of IPC, don’t file for restitution of conjugal rights.

• If the petition has been rejected, it is better to file for divorce.

SC’s landmark decision to Protect Online Freedom of Speech

Before 2015, no sane person would have thought that the knees of Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 would go weak and that too against one of the most powerful persons of Maharashtra. In March 2015, Supreme Court of India struck down Sec. 66A which restricted the freedom of speech and expression under Art. 19(1)(a) while upholding the people’s right to know.

How it all began

In 2012, two girls allegedly posted some negative comments against the total shutdown in Mumbai in pursuance to the death of Shiv Sena leader the late Bal Thackeray. After their arrest, a Bristol University astrophysics graduate, Shreya Singhal, filed a PIL before the Supreme Court of India where she challenged the undue restrictions on online speech which had been acknowledged under Sec. 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Section 66A reads as follows: “Any person who sends by any means of a computer resource-

a)      any information that is grossly offensive or has a menacing character; or

b)      any information which he knows to be false, but for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine.”

Contentions of the Parties to the Case

Section 66A was not originally enacted with the statute of 2000 but inserted by way of 2009 amendment. The petitioner’s contention circled around the fact that restrictions under Sec. 66A are in clear violation of the right to free speech and expression enshrined under Art. 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. Causing of annoyance, hatred, danger, obstruction, insult, ill-will, insult, criminal intimidation, injury, inconvenience are not hit by the conditions of Art. 19(2). The public has the right to know various kinds of views on a particular topic. However, it was countered by the respondents with the contention that the legislature is in the best position to understand and cater to the needs of the people.

The Judgment

The Apex Court placed focus upon what is the content of “freedom of speech and expression”. It stated three concepts in this regard – first is a discussion, second is advocacy and third are incitement. Discussion and advocacy form the core of Art 19(1)(a) but when it effects incitement, Art. 19(2) comes into play. However, what may be offensive to one may not be to other. It observed that the whole discussion centered around public disorder and ‘reasonable restrictions’ can be interpreted on the lines of Chintaman Rao v. State of Madhya Pradesh, [1950] S.C.R. 759, Mohd. Faruk v. State of Madhya Pradesh & Ors., [1970] 1 S.C.R. 156. It also stated that written words causing inconvenience, danger, annoyance, etc. does not count as an offense itself and are vague and overbroad. The court further observed that it is bound by the law laid down in Ram Manohar Lohia’s case [1960] 2 S.C.R. 821 and held that “Section 66A is unconstitutional also on the ground that it takes within its sweep protected speech and speech that is innocent in nature and is liable therefore to be used in such a way as to have a chilling effect on free speech and would, therefore, have to be struck down on the ground of overbreadth.” The bench of Justice J Chelameswar and Justice Rohinton F Nariman further supplemented their findings by stating that government’s assurance to prevent misuse of the provision will not matter as governments come and go.

Surprisingly, a data released by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in 2015 showed that 2,402 people were arrested under Sec. 66A in 2014.

Right to be forgotten- Kerala High Court asks Indian Kanoon to remove name of the rape victims from Judgements

In 2017, a rape victim filed a petition before the Kerala High Court to pass an order directing the online web portal ‘indiankanoon.com’ to strike off her name published in a Kerala High Court judgment on its website and also prevent her name from being visible in the search results of Google, Yahoo, etc.

Facts:
The name of the rape victim appeared online on ‘indiankanoon.com’ in the judgment of the Kerala High Court which was passed in regards to her. Moreover, the judgment appeared in the general search results of Google and Yahoo.

Legal Contention:
She stated that the publication of her name was without authorization/prior permission from the court or her which is in clear contravention of the mandate provided under Rule 5 of the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practises and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011. Her grievance extended to the search results of Google and Yahoo.
According to her, the publications violated her right to privacy and right to a dignified life enshrined under Art. 21 of the Constitution of India as it has diminished her job prospects and social life which has brought upon further shame and destitution upon her. Furthermore, the essence of Section 228A of IPC is also diluted.

Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code:
Under Section 228A of IPC, disclosure of the identity of a rape victim may amount to two years imprisonment and fine. She also contented her ‘right to be forgotten’. In State of Karnataka v. Puttaraja AIR 2004 SC 433, the Apex Court of India held that the names of the rape victims should not be mentioned in court cases keeping in mind the social object of preventing social victimization or ostracism of the victim and hence, in line with Sec. 228A.

What is “Right to be Forgotten”?
The roots of this phrase ‘Right to be Forgotten’ can be traced back to the ‘Right to Oblivion’ in French Jurisprudence. The rationale of such a principle was to give an opportunity to the offenders to object against the publication in regards to their crimes and strike off their names for an effective social integration. This right went into practice in the European Union and Argentina as well and has been seen as a tool for social integration and development of a person. In Vasunathan v. Registrar General, 2017 SCC OnLine Kar 424, Karnataka High Court, while directing its registry to remove the name of the victim from being reflected in the public domain, observed, “This is in line with the trend in Western countries of ‘right to be forgotten’ in sensitive cases involving women in general and highly sensitive cases involving rape or affecting the modesty and reputation of the person concerned.”
Recently, a tussle has been going on between France and Google over the ‘right to be forgotten’ where France is trying to impose such rule upon Google to censor its search results. In India, there are no provisions under Information Technology Act, 2000 or any other statutes which prevents Google or any other search engine to enforce the ‘right to be forgotten’ as the scope of public domain is pretty scary. It will wrangle anything out from the world. To prevent such anomalies, the weapon of Judicial Activism is a requirement.

Order
Recognizing the ‘right to be forgotten’ and confidentiality of her identity under Sec. 228A of IPC, Justice Shaji P. Chaly of the Kerala High Court directed the web portal indiankanoon.com to remove her name from its website. However, no such direction has been passed towards Google and Yahoo.

AIBA recommends Radical Reforms in Judiciary

The 11-point Radical List:
All India Bar Association (AIBA) chairman, Adish C Aggarwala, submitted a reformatory 11-points suggestion list to the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and former Chief Justice of India Mr. H. L. Dattu in the month of April 2015. It was given as a radical tool to pump up judiciary’s functional efficiency.
The noteworthy points of the Charter were –
• Financial independence of Judiciary is given so that it is not dependent on the government to expand infrastructure.
• In regards to National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), the two eminent personalities in question should never be amongst lawyers, judges, and judiciary. Moreover, the Committee of Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition should appoint those two eminent personalities to ensure their independence and impartiality.
• The appointment to the Supreme Court as a Judge should be driven by proportional representation of the Indian states in accordance with their population.
• Only sitting judges should be appointed to Tribunals and Commissions and retired judges should be kept away from such posts. To enable such appointments, sanctioned posts of judges should be increased.
• The retirement age of the judges at all three levels should be increased – from 65 to 68 in the case of a Supreme Court judge, from 62 to 65 for a High Court judge and 60 to 62 for all subordinate judges.
• Seniority should be the only basis for the promotion of a subordinate judge to the High Court and from High Court to Supreme Court. If a judge is not appropriate for such promotion, his employment as a judge should be terminated immediately.
• Four benches of the Supreme Court should be established in the east, west, north-east and south India. Apart from bringing justice to the easy access of the litigants, it would move the justices to places where their relatives are not practicing.
• Appointment of high court judges as Chief Justice of another High Court should be prevented altogether as they are totally dependent upon the local judges for administration.
• Video-graphing of all cases should be mandatory which would subsequently become part of the case file only and would also act as a regulator over the litigants, lawyers, and judges.
• Live broadcast of all the cases should be available on its official website.
• Judicial clerkship of 1 year should be pre-mandated for practicing as a lawyer. The salary for such time period should be Rs 25000/- per month.

The list was submitted with all the relevant details to the above-mentioned points in order to bring transformation in the Indian judiciary.