Weekly Legal Updates (1st-7th October 2019)

Dear Students,

In this post, we have covered the Legal updates of the first week of October (1st-7th). "Weekly Legal Updates" series aims to provide important legal events and developments. These updates will help aspirants appearing for Law Entrance Exams.

Weekly Legal Updates

1. The Central Government announced the issuance of electoral bonds

• The Central Government announced the issuance of electoral bonds from October 1 to 10 through branches of State Bank of India which can be used by individuals and companies to make anonymous donations to political parties.

About Electoral Bonds

• The central government had on January 29, 2018, notified the electoral bond scheme.
• An Indian citizen or body incorporated in India will be eligible to purchase the bond.
• Electoral bonds can be used for making a donation only to the political parties registered under section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) and which secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last general election to the House of the People or a Legislative Assembly.
• These bonds will not carry the name of the payee.
• Authorised centre - It can be purchased only from specified branches of State Bank of India.
• Denomination - Electoral bonds can be bought for any value, in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh or Rs 1 crore.
• Validity - Electoral bonds will be valid for 15 days from the date of purchase.
• The face value of the bonds shall be counted as income by way of voluntary contributions received by an eligible political party, for the purpose of exemption from Income-tax under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

2. Scottish Parliament passed Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland), Bill

• The Scottish Parliament has passed a law Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill which aims at criminalizing physical punishment to children.

3. Seven High Courts get New Chief Justices

• The President of India Ram Nath Kovind appointed Chief Justices to seven high courts. 

List of new Chief Justice of 7 High Court is as follows - 

• New Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court - Lingappa Narayana Swamy
• New Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court - Ravi Shankar Jha
• New Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court - Indrajit Mohanty
• New Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court - K. Maheshwari
• New Chief Justice of Kerala High Court - S. Manikumar
• New Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court - Arup K. Goswami
• New Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court - Ajai Lamba

Note:

• In accordance with Article 217, the Chief Justice of the High Court is appointed by the President of India in consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the State to which the High Court has jurisdiction over.
• Article 214 of the Indian constitution - According to Article 214 of the Indian constitution, each state of India shall have a High Court.

4. Mumbai's Aarey: SC has ordered the government to stop cutting down trees in Aarey

• The controversy over cutting trees for the metro project in Mumbai's Aarey colony has stopped as of now.
• On 07th October, the Supreme Court has ordered the Maharashtra government to stop the cutting of over 2,500 trees in the Aarey colony for the proposed car shed for Mumbai Metro 3 project.
• Rishav Ranjan, a student of law, had sent a letter to the Supreme Court demanding a ban on tree felling and release of protesters. Taking suo moto cognizance, the apex court directed the government to stop axing trees until October 21.
• According to the sources, Aarey forest is located adjacent to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and has five lakh trees.

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Weekly Legal Updates (1-7th Sept)

Weekly Legal Updates (8-14th Sept)

Weekly Legal Updates (15-21st Sept)

Weekly Legal Updates (22-30th Sept)

Monthly Legal Updates for Law Exams: August 2019, Download PDF