News

To borrow the words of one anonymous tipster, we’ve not been living under a rock for the past weeks.

The Law Commission has extended the time to seek submissions to its questionnaire and consultation on possible reform of the Uniform Civil Code by 30 days to 21 December 2016:

If you have an interest in the US judicial system, this story by GQ has a great and sad longread about why a Grand Jury failed, against all odds, to indict two cops who shot dead from near point-blank-range a 12-year-old black kid who was playing with a toy gun.

The Narendra Modi government’s push for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill and other legislation - including potential reforms of the legal services sector - could see another roadblock in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament with the Congress getting set to attack the Centre on the Supreme Court verdict to restore the ousted Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh.

The new Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday that "comprehensive consultations" were required before taking steps towards a Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Communications and Information Technology minister and lawyer Ravi Shankar Prasad has been made the law minister again in today's cabinet reshuffle, replacing DV Sadananda Gowda, reported DNA and others.

London media law firm Mishcon de Reya announced on its blog that it would bring a legal challenge on behalf of several clients to challenge whether the British executive can unilaterally invoke Article 50 of the Treaty of European Union (EU) beginning its EU withdrawal process, or whether Parliament needs to be consulted.

The Guardian has a good explainer on how exactly a UK exit from the European Union (EU) could look:

Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju, who had in January sort-of announced he would leave Facebook and its ‘stupid and arrogant’ abusing masses behind, came back again in earnest this month with a flood of Facebook and blog posts.

In a bid to prove that lawyers are not just smart, but also good looking, Legally India is pleased to announced that we’ll be seeking nominations for our new annual India’s sexiest lawyer competition.

A third woman has made a public statement accusing RK Pachauri of having sexually harassed her while she was working at Teri, aged 19, in 2008, saying that the current allegations against him are “right in line with his character, and not a case of his computer being hacked”, as Pachauri claimed in an interview published by The Guardian newspaper.

The Bihar government on Wednesday announced reservation in jobs to the third gender and set up a welfare board for them.

“The third gender will be provided reservation in government jobs and Bihar Rajya Kalyan Board will be set up soon,” Bihar Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma made the announcement in the state assembly.

After the state government recognised eunuchs and transgenders as “the third gender” following the Supreme Court order last year, the latest move to provide reservation in government jobs is hoped to give them more opportunities to become part of the mainstream.

Last year, the state government recognised them as the third gender by putting them in the Annexure 11 of the Other Backward Classes category.

According to officials, the third gender was included in the Schedule 2 of the list of Backward Castes in Bihar and will be given reservation in government jobs according to the rules and regulations.