Uttarakhand HC Vacates Stay On Panchayat Polls, Seeks State's Reply On Pleas Against New Reservation Rules

In a significant development, the Uttarakhand High Court today vacated the stay on all proceedings concerning the Panchayat elections in the State. It may be recalled that earlier on June 23, a bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mehra had stayed the elections, noting that the State Government had failed to issue a gazette notification regarding the newly proposed rotation-based reservation rules. The interim order had come while the bench was hearing a bunch of...

'Fair Trial Denied; Docs Not Provided In Braille Script': Uttarakhand HC Orders Retrial Of Blind Rape Accused Who Got 20-Yr Jail Term

The Uttarakhand High Court last week set aside the conviction and 20-year jail term awarded to a visually impaired music teacher for allegedly raping minor school students as it noted that the accused was denied a fair trial since case documents were not provided to him in Braille script. “The failure and omission to furnish the documents in Braille script, which is...

Uttarakhand High Court Stays Panchayat Polls In State Over Rotation Reservation Rules Row

The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday stayed, till further orders, all the proceedings concerning the panchayat elections in the State, noting that the state had not yet issued the gazette notification for the new rotation reservation rules for the polls. The order was passed by a bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mehra while hearing a bunch of petitions challenging...

Can A Juvenile In Conflict With Law Seek Anticipatory Bail?: Uttarakhand High Court To Decide

The Uttarakhand High Court is set to consider the question as to whether an Anticipatory Bail filed under Section 482 BNSS (earlier Section 438 of CrPC) by a juvenile in conflict with the law, as per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, is maintainable. A bench of Justice Rakesh Thapliyal has issued notice to the state of Uttarakhand to respond to the...

'Alarming; Accused Said He Will Reoffend': Uttarakhand HC Denies Bail In FIR Over 'Indecent' Post On Lord Rama, Sita

The Uttarakhand High Court recently refused to grant bail to one Riyaz, accused of posting indecent comments on Instagram targeting Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, after taking note of allegations in the FIR that the accused not only admitted to making the objectionable comment but also expressed intent to repeat such conduct in the future. A bench of Justice Rakesh Thapliyal,...

'No Allegation How Ads Were False & Misleading' : HC Quashes Uttarakhand Govt's Complaint Against Patanjali Ayurved

The Uttarakhand High Court quashed a criminal case against Patanjali Ayurved Ltd and its founders, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, over alleged publication of misleading medical advertisements.The complaint was filed in 2024 by the Uttarakhand Senior Food Security Officer for offences punishable under Sections 3, 4 & 7 of the Drugs and Magical Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements)...

Uttarakhand High Court Expunges 'Adverse' Remarks In Transfer Order Concerning Son Of Nainital Rape Accused

The Uttarakhand High Court last week expunged the 'adverse' remarks made in the order transferring Rizwan Khan, an additional assistant engineer in PWD Uttarakhand, who happens to be son of Nainital rape accused.A bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Ashish Naithani passed this order while hearing Khan's plea against an order passed by the Engineer-in-Chief and...

Orders Under Omitted Rule 96(10) Of CGST Rule, 2017 Post 8th Oct, 2024 Not Valid; No Savings Clause: Uttarakhand High Court

The Uttarakhand High Court stated that orders passed under omitted Rule 96(10) Of CGST Rule, 2017 post 8th Oct, 2024 is not valid. The Division Bench of Chief Justice G. Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra stated that there was no scope for the department to pass any order by invoking the provisions of rule 96(10) of CGST Rule, 2017 after the same was omitted on 8th October, 2024 without...

'Serious Issue': Uttarakhand HC Asks State If ST Certificates Being Issued Solely Based On Residence In Tribal Area

The Uttarakhand High Court last week sought a response from the State Government on whether Scheduled Tribe certificates are being issued merely on the basis of a person's residence in a tribal area, or if such certificates are granted only to those who belong to the notified tribal communities. A bench of Justice Rakesh Thapliyal has also sought to know as to how many persons...

Uttarakhand HC Raps Police Over Nainital Communal Violence, Warns Civic Officials Of Contempt For Demolition Notice To Rape Accused

Taking a serious note of the issuance of a demolition notice to a 73-year-old accused in a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case in violation of a Supreme Court's November 2024 order, the Uttarakhand High Court today rapped the municipal corporation officials. The court also reprimanded the district administration and SSP PS Meena for failing to prevent the...

Uttarakhand HC Stays Enforcement Directorate's Order To Provisionally Attach Property Worth ₹70 Crore Linked To Congress Leader

The Uttarakhand High Court last week stayed an order issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to provisionally attach approximately 101 Bighas of land, worth over ₹70 crore, which is linked to former minister and Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat. The ED took this action in January this year under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002, claiming that the registered...

No Provision Allows Coercive Action Before Pre-Intimation Notice: Uttarakhand HC Criticizes GST Dept For Negatively Blocking ITC

The Uttarakhand High Court criticized the GST department for the negative blocking of ITC and questioned the provision under which such deterrent or coercive action has been taken. “The working of the Department is startling and shocking. It is not known and incomprehensible as to which provision of law permits the Department to take deterrent and coercive action, even prior...