Chetan ‘Porny’ Bhagat: Gujarat high court chief justice’s bench dubs Chetan Bhagat’s book pornographic after reading a passage on riots in open court, which contained “abuses”. The CJ commented: “The language doesn't look decent. A chaste writer cannot write this stuff.” [TOI]

Madras, vacancy: Madras high court potentially faces one-third roster vacancy after retirements, two state law officers and/or others might ascend in six months. [TOI]

Gopal ADR fail: Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium recommends a constitutional body – the National Judicial Commission for Performance & Audit of the Judicial System - to aid the high courts. He notes that “fixation of [pendency reduction] targets” for judges is a roadblock to justice, and the promotion of alternate dispute resolution is a failure of the justice system [Hindu]

200% Rs 20 stamp hike: Madras HC clears the way for increased advocates welfare stamp fee to be affixed with the vakalatnama – the memo of appearance. Tamil Nadu advocates are now to affix a stamp of Rs 30 instead of Rs 10 [DC]

All-woman law offices: Udaya PS Menon and Associates is Coimbatore’s only all-women law firm with seven women advocates was set up in 2000. The founder Udaya Menon explains reason behind founding the firm: “It was very difficult for me to explain at home why I had to spend so much time with my male colleagues!” [Hindu]

CLAT chat: What’s in store for CLATaspirants? NLSIU Bangalore students chalk it out. “You will find a small bunch of bright, attentive, confident people who will not hesitate in challenging your beliefs and will expect you to argue out every position you take on a certain issue.” [HT]

Engineering Law Schoolites? SC advocate and NLSIU 2001 grad criticises the “narrow worldview” of NLSIU administrators who, according to him, curtail diversification of student interests by imposing on them the belief that legal academia and advocacy are the only professional ways in which the grads can become “social engineers” [DH]