G Rohini

In a setback to the Arvind Kejriwal government, the Delhi high court on Friday quashed the executive decision to get the books of accounts of the three private power distribution companies (discoms) in the city-capital scrutinised by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

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The Delhi high court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL seeking cancellation of the visa given by government to controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen for allegedly violating Foreigners Act by preparing scripts for a film and a serial here.

A division bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath refused to entertain the plea, saying there was no public interest in the matter.

NGO All India Human Rights and Social Justice Front claimed Nasreen had indulged in “anti-national activities” by preparing the script for a TV serial, which was to be aired in West Bengal in 2013 but could not be screened on Bangla channel due to protests by some religious groups. She had also scripted a Bengali film “Nirbashito”, purportedly based on her life, which was shown at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2014, claimed the plea.

The plea said that the activities were in violation of the statute which prohibited preparing scripts for films and serials by a foreigner without permission from the government. It also sought prosecution of Nasreen for violating the Foreigners Order of 1948 and the Foreigners Act of 1946.

The Delhi high court on Monday issued notice to central government and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and its chief RK Pachauri on the plea of a woman employee who levelled sexual harassment allegations against the environmentalist.

The Delhi High Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea challenging the establishment and jurisdiction of the {National Green Tribunal (NGT)} and also the rules for appointment of its chairperson, judicial and expert members.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath admitted the plea which has sought to declare NGT as illegal, invalid and ultra vires of the constitution.

Filed by advocate Ravinder Kumar, the plea challenged the constitutional validity of various provisions of of the NGT act relating to the establishment and composition of the tribunal and qualifications required for appointing the chairman and judicial and expert members.

The plea alleged that the fixation of the terms of office of the chairman and judicial members smacked of political intervention statutorily incorporated in the NGT Act to accommodate post retirement, re-employment extension and benefits to judges of the Supreme Court, high courts and bureaucracy.

A total of 2,273 cases were disposed of and a settlement amount of over Rs. 28.37 crore was awarded to claimants by various Delhi courts during the seventh monthly National Lok Adalat held on Saturday.

A Delhi State Legal Services Authority spokesperson said 40 benches were constituted in which 2,236 cases were disposed of pertaining to traffic challans, criminal compoundable cases and a settlement amount of Rs 16,28,18,058 was awarded to claimants.

It was the seventh monthly Lok Adalat organised in district court complexes -- Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, Patiala House, Saket, Rohini and Dwarka -- under the supervision of Delhi high court Chief Justice G Rohini.

Lok Adalats were organised in all the three debt recovery tribunals where 23 cases were disposed off and the settlement amount was approximately Rs 11,38,89,204.

Lok Adalats were also organised in district consumer forums in which three benches were constituted. Fourteen cases were settled and the settlement amount was Rs 69,30,025.

Hot on the heels of the government getting ready to create special fast-track commercial divisions of all high courts, Delhi high court chief justice G Rohini has decided to redesignate four benches of the Delhi high court to exclusively handle commercial disputes, of which around 20,000 are currently pending.

“According to information released by the office of the Registrar General, Delhi high court, two benches hearing matters of Original jurisdiction, and two division benches, as Commercial Appellate courts, will start functioning from Thursday,” reported the Indian Express.

“Two of these will be e-courts and will function as paperless courts. Sitting judges with the appropriate experience and expertise have already been appointed,” reported The Hindu].

According to the Express, DHCBA secretary Abhijat said it was “alarming that the decision was taken without consulting the Bar” and said that it was a “prima facie meaningless order” since the issue of jurisdiction was to be finalised by the Parliament. “The decision is at best an administrative order which can’t override or supplant a bill which is still being drafted,” he said.

The Delhi high court yesterday stayed until April 27 a decision of its single judge to bring the Attorney General of India’s (AGI) office under the RTI Act.

The Times of India reported that “a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said that the single judge’s findings “require consideration” and it will hear the appeal filed by the Centre against the ruling” that the AG is not a public authority.

The Times of India reported that the purchase of laptops by over 300 judges of the lower courts will be examined by Delhi chief justice G Rohini and a panel, after discrepancies were raised into how the money was spent, with allegations that some may have bought TVs or home theatre systems rather than computers.

Due to alleged impropriety in using the Rs 1.1 lakh grant by one district judge, meant for the purchase of laptops and computers, the elevation of a batch of five district judges including him has also been stalled, according to another report by the Times of India.

Pending inquiry against the accused judge by Rohini, the process for elevating all the five judges whose names had been recommended for elevation to the Delhi high court, is in limbo.