LEGAL UPDATE

INDIAN NEWS

Supreme Court questions delay in setting up “independent environment regulator”

The government was asked to clarify why it had not established an “independent environment regulator” to regulate green clearances by the Supreme Court. Chief Justice of India, Sharad A. Bobde, headed a bench that directed Additional Solicitor General, Aishwarya Bhati to investigate and report back to the court. Advocate Prashant Bhushan drew attention to the delay.[i]

Delhi HC issues guidelines for the flight passengers

According to the new guidelines released by the Delhi High Court, flight passengers who refuse to wear their masks properly can now be automatically offloaded or put on a “no-fly” list.

The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has ordered that the pilots and cabin crew will not travel for 48 hours after their COVID19 vaccination.[ii]

Petition against WB Assembly Elections dismissed

The Supreme Court rejected the petition to “prohibit” the conduct of the West Bengal Assembly election in eight phases and to order a CBI investigation into the usage of the rallying slogan “Jai Shri Ram” in the run-up to the election.[iii]

TMC MP gets notice for the comments against the former CJI

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has filed a privilege motion against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra for the remarks she made against a former Chief Justice of India during a discussion on the President’s address last month. Ms. Moitra has been given a deadline of March 25 to submit her response.[iv]

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Brazil SC Judge Annuls Corruption Conviction against Former President

A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has overturned former socialist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s felony convictions, paving the way for the famous leader to run in next year’s presidential race.

Mr. Lula would be retried in federal courts in the capital Brasilia, according to Justice Edson Fachin, who ruled that a court in the city of Curitiba lacked the jurisdiction to prosecute him on corruption charges.[v]

China launches ‘Virus Passport’

China has introduced a health certificate programme for Chinese international travellers, putting the country ahead of the rest of the world in the creation of so-called virus passports. Chinese people can get a digital certificate that displays their vaccine status and virus test results via a service on the Chinese social media site WeChat.[vi]

Ruling Party of Nepal splits

Nepal’s ruling party, which includes ex-Maoist rebels and fellow communists, split after the country’s highest election body declared its name was illegal, further complicating the country’s political situation. K. P. Sharma Oli’s communist party, the CPNUML, and former rebel leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) merged in 2018 to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP).[vii]

[i] ‘SC questions delay in setting up environment regulator’, The Hindu, (10 March, 2021), 08.

[ii] Soibam Rocky Singh, ‘Wear masks properly or get off plane: Delhi HC’, The Hindu (10 March, 2021), 01.

[iii] ‘SC junks plea challenging 8-phase election in Bengal’, The Week, (9 March, 2021), <https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/03/09/sc-junks-plea-challenging-8-phase-election-in-bengal.html> accessed 10 March, 2021.

[iv] ‘MP gets notice for remarks against ex-CJI’, The Hindu, (10 March, 2021), 09.

[v] Ricardo Brito, ‘Brazil judge annuls Lula’s convictions, opens door to 2022 run’, Reuters, (9 March, 2021), <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-politics-lula-idUSKBN2B02F0> accessed 10 March, 2021.

[vi] ‘China launches virus passport amid Covid pandemic’, Times of India, (9 March, 2021), <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/china-launches-virus-passport-amid-covid-pandemic/articleshow/81408440.cms> accessed 10 March, 2021.

[vii] ‘Nepal’s ruling party splits after losing name’, Dawn, (10 March, 2021), <https://www.dawn.com/news/1611683/nepals-ruling-party-splits-after-losing-name> accessed 10 March, 2021.

Written By:

Vanshika Sharma

B.B.A.LL.B.

National Law University, Odisha

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