Tag: seeking

Ajay Maken writes to Delhi L-G seeking probe into renovation at Kejriwal’s residence

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New Delhi: A day after alleging that renovation work at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence cost Rs 171 crore and not Rs 45 crore, Congress leader Ajay Maken on Monday wrote to Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, requesting his immediate intervention to ensure that public money is not misused and to initiate a probe into the matter.
In the three-page letter to the L-G, Maken, who is a former Union minister, said, “I’m writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the extravagant expenditure, environmental damage, and violation of heritage protection and zonal plans involved in the construction of the Chief Minister’s residence in Delhi.”
In the letter, the Congress leader alleged that the construction of the new CM House has cost the exchequer around Rs 171 crore, including the relocation of 22 officers’ bungalows, with 15 out of 22 houses adjacent to CM’s house on Flagstaff Road being demolished or being vacated.

He said that this figure includes around Rs 126 crore spent on purchasing 21 new Type 5 flats in CWG Village to compensate for the housing shortage.
Alleging violation of Master Plan Delhi (MPD) 2021, Maken said, “The new CM House has been constructed in the Civil Lines Old Bungalow Zone, an area protected under MPD 2021. The previous residence was a single-storey colonial-style building, which has been replaced by a three-storey structure with a basement (B+G+1+2) with a covered area of around 20,000 sq ft (almost double the previous covered area). This construction directly contradicts the MPD 2021 provisions, which aim to preserve the heritage and character of Lutyen’s Bungalow Zone and Civil Lines Old Bungalow Zone.”
He also cited damage to environment due to removal of 28 full-grown trees, which contradicts the provisions of MPD 2021 that emphasise the importance of preserving green cover in these protected zones.
The Congress leader alleged that work orders were seemingly split by PWD to keep them below Rs 10 crore, with the intent to avoid approval of the secretary/principal secretary, PWD (for works amounting to more than Rs 10 crore).
“This was allegedly done by engineers of PWD in collusion with then PWD Minister Satyendar Jain, as required by the delegation of financial powers,” he said.

He also alleged lack of concurrence from the finance department, deviations in procurement procedure and circumventing municipal laws and deceiving the Legislative Assembly.
“In light of these concerns, I kindly request your immediate intervention to address these issues and ensure that public money is not misused, environmental damage is minimised, and heritage protection and zonal plans are strictly adhered to in future development projects. Upholding the principles of transparency, accountability, and responsible governance is crucial for the betterment of our society and for safeguarding the interests of the citizens.
“I thus request you to conduct an inquiry into the above points. And if found guilty, grant sanction for prosecution of the principal beneficiary, the Chief Minister, and the principal perpetrator, then PWD Minister of GNCTD,” Maken said.
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#Ajay #Maken #writes #Delhi #seeking #probe #renovation #Kejriwals #residence
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 8, 2023
Police Distributing Census Forms, Seeking Details Across Srinagar

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SRINAGAR: Police have been distributing “census” forms across Srinagar, seeking personal details of people including their phone numbers and occupation, reported Hindustan Times
Police acknowledged the conduct of the exercise, but refused to cite the reasons for it. Notably, the economics and statistics department said the Government of India has not started any census exercise in Kashmir.
“Officially the government of India has not yet notified the start of the census,” Srinagar district statistics and evaluation officer Anika Mushtaq said, adding that she went through the forms and they were not part of any census exercise, reported Hindustan Times
The forms titled “Census Format 2023” with name of respective police station of the area has a blank space where name of the ‘mohalla’ has to be jotted down. Each family has to fill the form with details like house number, name of the family head with cell number, family members, and their relation with family head. There are separate columns for age and occupation, along with two other “lat” and “long” columns.
The residents of Old City said that police officials have been visiting mohallas and handing over forms to the elderly people and mosque management heads to forward them to residents.
“Last month, three policemen visited me and handed over the forms. They want people to fill in the details which are there in ration cards besides phone numbers and Aadhar numbers. A few days back, they called again and wanted the forms submitted as soon as possible. We have no idea why they are seeking such details,” he said.
Another Srinagar resident said the police were dropping such forms in mosques to be handed over to people for submission. “Earlier they asked residents to submit details of tenants which were alright owing to some criminal cases. But this latest form is seeking personal details of everyone and is very disturbing,” he said.
When questioned about the issue in a message, additional director general of police, Vijay Kumar refused to comment saying he “explained it during a recent Iftar dinner and won’t repeat”. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Srinagar, meanwhile, Rakesh Balwal remained unavailable for comments despite multiple attempts.

Such data collection exercises by police are not new in Kashmir. Police had in 2012 issued similar “census” forms, which had elicited harsh reactions from civil society terming it “political and racial profiling”. Police had defended such actions on the pretext of “modern policing”. By 2016, such forms had become more intrusive like residents had to file details like their affiliations to religious sects or ‘maslak’, reported Hindustan Times

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#Police #Distributing #Census #Forms #Seeking #Details #Srinagar
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

May 3, 2023
Delhi HC directs concealing identity of minor girl seeking abortion

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Medical Superintendent of LNJP Hospital to withhold the identity of the 14-year-old who is seeking to have her 11-week-old pregnancy terminated.
Additionally, Justice Prathiba M. Singh directed the SHO concerned of the Delhi Police to make sure that neither the identity of the minor nor that of her family be revealed while carrying out the investigation.
The court disposed of the plea for pregnancy termination made by the minor through her mother.

No licenced medical practitioner was willing to perform a pregnancy abortion while hiding her name, it was argued on behalf of the victim’s counsel.
The court granted relief to the minor and took note of its order from January 23 in which the Delhi government was directed to issue a circular directing that the identity of a minor girl who is seeking medical termination of her pregnancy and her family shall not be disclosed in the report prepared by registered medical practitioners to the police.
The apex court’s decision in X v. The Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Govt NCT of Delhi & Anr, which exempted registered medical practitioners from being required to report offences of “consensual sexual activity” under the POCSO Act, was cited by the court.
Given the young girl’s age and the gestational time, the court asked that she get in touch with the LNJP Hospital’s medical superintendent and directed that the pregnancy be terminated because the gestational period is within the MTP Act’s permitted range.
“In terms of the judgment, the report lodged by the concerned registered medical practitioner shall be filed without disclosing identity of the victim of her family. The SHO concerned shall maintain that the identity is not disclosed during the process of investigation. The petition is disposed of,” the court ordered.

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#Delhi #directs #concealing #identity #minor #girl #seeking #abortion
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 1, 2023
SC issues notice on wrestlers’ plea seeking FIR against WFI chief

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice on a plea by the country’s seven top wrestlers seeking a direction for the registration of an FIR against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha, said: “There are serious allegation in plea on behest of international wrestlers with regards to sexual harassment meted out to them. Issue notice returnable on Friday. Liberty to serve standing counsel NCT Delhi. The complaints which form an attachment in sealed cover and shall be again resealeda.”.
The plea was mentioned before the bench by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Narendra Hooda, representing the wrestlers.

Sibal submitted that this is the wrestlers’ matter and they are sitting in dharna, and seven women have complained and one is a minor.
He stressed that an FIR has not been registered and added that the plea seeks one against Singh over alleged sexual harassment by women wrestlers.
During the hearing, Sibal argued that there is a committee report which has not been made public.
The Chief Justice asked Sibal to show the case papers.
Sibal said please see the complaint by the minor, the young girl had won a gold medal and added even the police personnel can be prosecuted for not registering an FIR.

He emphasized that the court should look at the allegations and the police are not acting.
After hearing submissions, the top court sought response from the Delhi Police.
According to the plea, the wrestlers have cited an inordinate delay in registration of FIR by the Delhi Police against the WFI President and urged the apex court to issue a direction to police to lodge a case.
The top court agreed with the petitioners to suppress their identity mentioned in the petition.
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#issues #notice #wrestlers #plea #seeking #FIR #WFI #chief
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 25, 2023
SC to hear on Apr 28 plea seeking independent probe into Atiq killing

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on April 28 a plea seeking an independent probe into the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.
Atiq Ahmad (60) and Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on April 15 night while police personnel were escorting them to a medical college in Prayagraj for a checkup.
The plea, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, has also sought an inquiry into the 183 encounters that have taken place in Uttar Pradesh since 2017.

Tiwari mentioned the matter for urgent listing on Monday before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha.
He told the bench that his plea was slated to come up for hearing on Monday but it has not been listed.
“Since five judges are not available, some cases in which dates were given have not been listed. We will try to list this on Friday (April 28),” the CJI said, adding, some apex court judges are down with COVID-19 while some others are indisposed due to other reasons.
The Uttar Pradesh Police had recently said that it has gunned down 183 alleged criminals in encounters in the six years of the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led government and this included Ahmad’s son Asad and his accomplice.
The plea filed in the apex court has sought the setting up of an independent expert committee to probe the killing of Atiq and Ashraf.

“Issue guidelines/directions to safeguard the rule of law by constituting an independent expert committee under the chairmanship of a former Supreme Court justice to inquire into the 183 encounters which had occurred since 2017 as stated by Uttar Pradesh Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) and also to inquire into the police custody murder of Atiq and Ashraf,” it said.
Referring to Atiq’s killing, the plea said “such actions by police are a severe threat to democracy and rule of law and lead to a police state”.
“In a democratic society, the police cannot be allowed to become a mode of delivering final justice or to become a punishing authority. The power of punishment is only vested in the judiciary,” the plea submitted.
It said extra-judicial killings or fake police encounters have no place in the law.
When the police turn “daredevils then the entire rule of law collapses and generates fear in the mind of people against the police which is very dangerous for democracy and this also results in more crimes,” the plea stated.
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#hear #Apr #plea #seeking #independent #probe #Atiq #killing
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 24, 2023
SC advises techie couple seeking divorce to spend time with each other

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court has told a couple, who are software engineers seeking a divorce, why don’t they give a second chance to the marriage as both of them were not able to devote time to their union.
A bench of Justices K M Joseph and B V Nagarathna said, “Where is the time for marriage? Both of you are software engineers posted in Bengaluru. One goes to duty during the day and the other at night. You have no regret for divorce but have regret for marriage. Why don’t you give a second chance to the marriage.”
Justice Nagarathna said that Bengaluru is not a place where divorces take place so frequently and the couple may give a chance towards their union.

However, the counsels for both the husband and wife told the bench that during the pendency of this petition, the parties were referred to the Supreme Court Mediation Centre in order to explore the possibility of a settlement between them.
The bench was informed that both husband and wife have agreed upon a settlement agreement in which they have decided to dissolve their marriage by a decree of divorce by mutual consent under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 on certain terms and conditions.
The counsels informed the bench that one of the terms was that the husband would pay a total sum of Rs 12.51 lakh towards a full and final settlement of all monetary claims of the wife as a permanent alimony.
The bench noted in its order dated April 18, “When queried by this Court, the parties stated that they have indeed agreed to settle their disputes amicably by parting ways and seeking divorce by mutual consent. They also state that the terms of settlement would be adhered to by them and hence the marriage may be dissolved by a decree of divorce by mutual consent.”
The bench added that in the circumstances, “We have taken on record the settlement agreement as well as the application filed under Article 142 of the Constitution. We have perused the same. On perusal, we find that the terms of the settlement agreements are lawful and there is no legal impediment for accepting the terms of settlement”.

It also took on record that the husband paid a total sum of Rs 12,51,000 to the petitioner-wife who has acknowledged the receipt of the demand drafts.
“In the circumstances, we exercise our power under Article 142 of the Constitution and dissolve the marriage between the parties by a decree of divorce by mutual consent under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955,” the top court said.
It also quashed various other proceedings lodged by husband and wife in Rajasthan and Lucknow under the Dowry Prohibition Act, domestic violence Act and other connected cases.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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#advises #techie #couple #seeking #divorce #spend #time
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 23, 2023
Mob lynching: SC issues notice to Centre, states on plea seeking fair compensation policy

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from Centre and state governments on a PIL seeking direction to adopt uniform and fair compensation policy for victims of mob lynching in the country.
A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagarathna noted that writ petition, filed by Indian Muslims for Progress and Reforms, has been filed in public interest seeking inter alia the implementation of the directions issued by this court in the case of Tehseen S. Poonawalla v. Union of India and others (2018).
Advocate Javed R. Shaikh, counsel for the petitioner, drew the court’s attention to the pertinent passage in the aforesaid judgment wherein it was directed that the states shall frame a scheme for the purpose of providing victim compensation in cases of lynching/mob violence under Section 357A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

He submitted that certain states have formulated a scheme while many of the states have not done so till date.
“It was further submitted that the said judgment had given guidelines as to the manner in which the victim compensation scheme had to be formulated inasmuch as the state governments have to give due regard to the nature of the bodily injury, psychological injury and loss of earnings including other opportunities such as loss of educational opportunities and expenses incurred on account of the suffering due to the mob lynching/ mob violence”, noted the top court, in its order.
“In this regard it was submitted that the endeavour of the petitioner is to seek implementation of the directions issued by this court in the aforesaid judgment and further to have as far as possible a uniform policy for grant of exgratia compensation to the victims of hate crime/mob lynching”.
After hearing the counsel, the bench said: “We issue notice to the respondents. The respondents are directed to file their respective affidavits with regard to the implementation of the directions issued in the aforesaid case and the manner in which it has been done. The said affidavit shall be filed within a period of eight weeks from the date of the service of notice.”

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#Mob #lynching #issues #notice #Centre #states #plea #seeking #fair #compensation #policy
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
SC junks PIL seeking FIR against Vijayvargiya over his remarks on women’s attire

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a PIL seeking registration of an FIR against senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya and others over his controversial remark on clumsily attired women.
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna rejected the plea which sought a mechanism at the central and state level to deal with people making such remarks.
The bench said if the petitioner, Delhi resident Anjale Patel, and others had grievances over the statement, they could approach an appropriate forum including the lower court.

On April 6, Vijayvargiya, a BJP general secretary, had said “badly dressed” women looked like “Shurpnakha”. In Ramayana, Shurpnakha is the sister of demon king Ravan.
Vijayvargiya came under fierce attack from women’s groups who called his comments, made at a function in Indore, “sexist and misogynistic”.
Advocate Satya Mitra, appearing for the petitioner, sought registration of an FIR against the BJP leader under section 354 (outraging the modesty of woman) and section 500 (punishment for defamation).
He said there should be a mechanism, either at the Centre or state level or both, to deal with and take action against those making such statements.
The bench said although it is dismissing the petition, it should not be construed that it is approving the statement.

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#junks #PIL #seeking #FIR #Vijayvargiya #remarks #womens #attire
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
SC dismisses plea seeking direction to issue public apology to relative of Narayan D Apte

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed with a cost of Rs 25,000 a plea which sought a direction to the Centre to issue a public apology to a relative of Narayan D Apte, who was hanged in November 1949 for his role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, for being responsible for his “custodial murder”.
The plea also challenged the constitutional validity of a law which granted ex-post facto powers to a special judge to grant pardon to an accused saying it was used to “falsely implicate” Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the Gandhi murder trial.
“Everybody can just walk-in in this court and file whatever they want?” a bench of Justices S K Kaul and A Amanullah wondered.

The bench also referred to one of the prayers made in the petition, filed by Abhinav Bharat Congress’ through its founding president Pankaj K Phadnis, which said in “partial atonement of injustice” done to Savarkar, the Centre may be directed to form an empowered committee of eminent persons for giving overseas scholarship to meritorious students for undertaking post graduate studies as envisaged by Savarkar in 1944.
“I think we should impose cost,” the bench told the counsel who was appearing for the petitioner.
“You cannot waste our time like this,” the apex court observed, adding, “The habit of walking in this court without anything….we will not allow this”.
The counsel said the petition is not for either Nathuram Godse or Savarkar and it was only for Apte.
The bench dismissed the plea with a cost of Rs 25,000 to be deposited in the lawyers’ welfare fund.

The petition had challenged the constitutional validity of the Bombay Public Security Measures (Delhi Amendment) Act, 1948, which amended section 13 of Bombay Act 6 of 1947 by introducing sub section 2 (A).
It said this granted ex-post facto powers to a special judge to grant pardon to an accused and the powers were used to falsely implicate Savarkar in the Gandhi murder trial and “eliminate him as contender for being Prime Minister in independent India.”
“The murder trial of such an esteemed person (Mahatma Gandhi) had to be conducted in a manner that ought to have set standards for criminal trials in Republic of India. Respondent failed to do so to promote his own vested interests” it claimed.
The plea alleged that the three victims of the “legal mistrial” were Savarkar, D S Parchure and Narayan D Apte.
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#dismisses #plea #seeking #direction #issue #public #apology #relative #Narayan #Apte
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
Gautam Navlakha moves SC seeking change of address for house arrest

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New Delhi: Activist Gautam Navlakha, who was ordered to be kept under house arrest in a public library in Mumbai in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case, on Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking a change of address.
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna was told by counsel for Navlakha, that the place, where he is under house arrest, is a public library and needs to be vacated.
“All I am seeking is change of address in Mumbai”, Navlakha’s counsel said, requesting for urgent hearing.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who was appearing in another matter in the court, said he had no idea about the mentioning of the application and sought time to respond to it.
The bench said it will take up the matter for hearing on next Friday.
On November 10, last year, the top court allowed Navlakha, who was then lodged in Navi Mumbai’s Taloja prison in connection with the case, to be placed under house arrest owing to his deteriorating health.
Noting the activist has been in custody since April 14, 2020, and prima facie there is no reason to reject his medical report, it had said Navlakha does not have any criminal background except this case and even the Government of India had appointed him as interlocutor to hold talks with Maoists.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which the police claim triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.

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#Gautam #Navlakha #moves #seeking #change #address #house #arrest
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023