NEWS BRIEFS

DATE : 16th September 2020

1. 'NLAT Reduced To A Farce; It Was Test Of Competence In Manipulation'

Petitioners Against NLSIU Test Submit In SC

In the latest judgment, the Supreme Court heard the petitioners who were challenging the
National Law Aptitude Test (NLAT), the separate admission test held by the National law
School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore. The bench comprising of Justices Ashok
Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah heard the said matter on Wednesday. Wherein the
senior Advocate Nidhesh Gupta appearing from the side of Professor R Venkat Rao and the
other parent of NLSIU aspirant started his submissions by giving the brief of bye-laws of the
NLU Consortium. It was submitted that the bye-laws prohibit a member from holding a
separate test, while remaining as a member. His major contention was that so long as a
person is a member of the Consortium, he is bound by the Memorandum of Association of
Consortium. He further submitted that there were reports of widespread cheating and
manipulation during the NLAT, and the University itself has said they are filing cyber
complaints. They reduced the examination to a complete farce. It was not a test of merit but a
test of competence in manipulation.

https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/nlat-reduced-to-a-farce-it-was-test-of-competence-in-
manipulation-petitioners-against-nlsiu-test-submit-in-sc-163012

http://lawtimesjournal.in/petitioners-against-nlsiu-test-submit-in-sc-nlat-reduces-to-
farce-it-was-test-of-competence-in-manipulation/

https://linkpe.in/view/news76c9426d56b84adabd9ece4633f1fc5d

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/plea-in-sc-questions-nlsius-online-admission-
process-move/article32553386.ece

https://lawtimesjournal.in/petitioners-against-nlsiu-test-submit-in-sc-nlat-reduces-to-
farce-it-was-test-of-competence-in-manipulation/?amp

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/consortium-expresses-concern-on-mass-
cheating-in-national-law-admission-test/article32615798.ece
 2. Karnataka HC Seeks Clarification From State On Delay In Investigations And
Filing Of Chargesheets Under SC/ST Act

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday questioned the state government on the reasons for the
"gross" delay in filing charge sheets in cases under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled
Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act) and its Rules. In its order, the Division
Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok Kinagi asked the following:

"Rule 7 of the said Rules, sub rule 2 provides that charge sheet shall be filed within a period of
60 days. However, out of 35,091 cases from 2015 to 2019, chargesheets have been filed only in
6,400 cases. The State shall clarfiy whether the investigating officers have submitted explanation
for delay in investigation, which is mandated by sub rule 2(A) of rule 7. The state government
will have to take a call as to why there is such a gross delay in filing charge sheets." During the
hearing, Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari, appearing for the petitioners, urged the Court to direct
the state government to provide data on compensation provided to the victims as well as the
minutes of the acquittal review committees meetings held.Another area of concern was the huge
pendency of criminal cases under the Act, the Bench noted. The matter has been adjourned to
October 15 for reporting compliances.

https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/scst-act-give-reasons-delay-charge-sheets-
karnataka-hc
https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/karnataka-hc-seeks-clarification-from-state-on-delay-
in-investigations-and-filing-of-chargesheets-under-scst-act-163052

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/hc-notice-to-state-govt-on-scst-
act/article31948712.ece

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2020/sep/17/govt-rapped-for-delays-
acquittals-in-scst-cases-2197916.html

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/hc-notice-to-state-govt-on-scst-
act/article31948712.ece

https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/karnataka-hc-issues-notice-in-plea-seeking-
proper-implementation-of-scst-prevention-of-atrocities-act-provisions-in-state
 3. Committed To Honour Constitutional Mandate To Bring Uniform Civil Code; But
It Requires Wide Scale Consultations: Centre Tells Lok Sabha

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was responding to a question by a Member of
Parliament (MP) whether the government plans to introduce a bill on the Uniform Civil Code
(UCC) this year.“Article 44 of the Constitution of India states that the state shall endeavor to
secure for the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India. The Government is
committed to honour this Constitutional mandate. However, this requires wide-scale
consultations,”  the Minister replied. On the question of whether the government plans to abolish
minority status accorded to certain religions, the Minister said there was no such plan. The Delhi
High Court in August 2019  asked the government to file an affidavit in response to a PIL
seeking the constitution of a judicial commission or a high-level expert committee to draft a
UCC for securing gender justice, equality and dignity of women.

https://www.theleaflet.in/uniform-civil-code-requires-wide-consulation-centre-informs-lok-
sabha/#

https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates

https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/committed-to-bringing-
uniform-civil-code-require-wide-consultations-govt-120091601800_1.html

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/wider-consultations-required-for-uniform-civil-
code-govt/1937108

https://in.news.yahoo.com/wider-consultations-required-uniform-civil-142905989.html
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/wider-consultations-required-for-uniform-civil-
code-govt-6598776/

4. Supply Of Liquid Medical Oxygen From Maharashtra To Continue As MP HC

Passes Interim Direction On Plea Against Maha Govt.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court today directed the Maharashtra-based dealer to continue
supplying liquid medical oxygen to hospitals in Madhya Pradesh.A plea had been moved by a
Madhya Pradesh Government-owned hospital before the High Court after the oxygen supply was
ceased.The supply was halted in view of a circular issued by the State of Maharashtra on
September 7 restricting the supply of liquid oxygen outside the State in view of the COVID-19
pandemic situation.Issuing notice in a plea moved by Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Hospital, owned
by the Madhya Pradesh State Government, the Bench of Justices SC Sharma and Shailendra
Shukla injuncted the Maharashtra-based Inox Air Products from halting oxygen supplies into
Madhya Pradesh.Inox had halted trading liquid oxygen with the hospital following a
Maharashtra State Government Circular directing that 80% of the liquid oxygen produced in
Maharashtra would have to be used in hospitals within the State.The Court was told that the State
of Madhya Pradesh does not manufacture or produce liquid oxygen.

https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/mp-hc-grants-interim-relief-mp-govt-
against-maharashtra-decision-to-restrict-liquid-oxygen-supply

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/maha-govt-s-circular-shouldn-t-affect-
oxygen-supply-to-covid-19-patients-in-mp-hc/story-5n4TUBHV8I72Oe2pmbNNgI.html

https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/as-covid-cases-rise-mp-hc-asks-
mumbai-firm-not-to-stop-oxygen-supply-120091601940_1.html

https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2020/09/16/lgb3-mp-hc-virus-oxygen-
supply.html

https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates
 5. Lok Sabha Clears Bill For RBI Supervision Of Cooperative Banks

In a bid to protect the interest of depositors, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed an
amendment to the Banking Regulation Act to bring cooperative banks under the supervision
of the RBI.The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020 replaces an ordinance that was
promulgated on June 26.The bill, which comes in the backdrop of the PMC Bank scam, seeks
to strengthen cooperative banks by increasing their professionalism, enabling access to
capital, improving governance and ensuring sound banking through the RBI. Replying to the
debate on the bill in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said this legislation
is for depositors' safety and not for undermining powers of the Registrar of Cooperative
Societies.

https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-proceedings-lok-sabha-passes-
amendment-to-enhance-rbi-supervision-of-cooperative-banks/article32623852.ece

https://www.indiatvnews.com/business/news-lok-sabha-passes-banking-regulation-
amendment-act-bill-to-bring-cooperative-banks-under-rbi-supervision-650053

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/lok-sabha-passes-bill-to-bring-cooperative-
banks-under-rbis-supervision/1937207

https://www.theweek.in/news/biz-tech/2020/09/16/lok-sabha-passes-bill-to-bring-
cooperative-banks-under-rbis-supervision.html

https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2020/sep/16/lok-sabha-passes-legislation-to-
bring-cooperative-banks-under-rbis-supervision-2197747.html