India: Aadhaar Act: It Would Be Impossible To Profile Citizens, SC Tells Central Government

The Supreme Court bench led by the CJI, Dipak Misra and Justices Ashok Bhushan, A M Khanwilkar, A K Sikri on Monday told the authorities that it would be impossible to profile citizens by relying on demographic and biometric information stored in UIDAI. The bench expressed disappointment on the measures put in place to protect data and called on the government to take it as a point of duty to enact legislation that would protect data.

India: SC To Hear Plea On Ayodhya  October 29

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed readiness to hear the plea on Ayodhya on the 29th of October. The court gave the date after delivering judgment on the issue of adultery. Recall that the Supreme Court on the early hours of Thursday said adultery law disregarded the dignity of women and hence declared the law unconstitutional.

US: Pennsylvania Is One Of the States Without Gun Legislation

The state of Pennsylvania in the United States is one of the few states without gun legislation. Recently, a gun rights group has been making effort to stop two bills on gun control before the parliament. One of the bills would further restrict the use of guns in domestic violence, while the other bill would permit a Judge to strip citizen’s gun rights.

India: Politicians In Dilemma Over SC’s Position On Creamy Layer

The political class in the country are currently in a dilemma over the position of the Supreme Court on the issue of creamy layer, reports said on Thursday. Earlier, the court had reserved judgment on the promotion of SC/ST communities. The president of Lok Janshakti Party, Ram Vilas Paswan who doubles as the Cabinet Minister said: “the position of the court on the creamy layer is not comfortable with us, we are patiently waiting for the government to make a pronouncement on the matter.”

India: Sabarimala Temple Case: SC To Decide Whether Menstruating Woman Can Pray In Temple

Whether or not menstruating women within the age of 10 to 50 would be allowed to pray in the Sabarimala temple would be decided today by the Supreme Court. The Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules of 1965, Rule 3(b) made it clear that menstruating women should be denied access to offer prayer at the temple. The case was brought before the court by a group of five women who contended that the law was discriminatory and an Infringement on their rights.

UK: Vegan Society Calls On Government To Enforce Daily Vegan Food In Public Institutions

Vegan Society in the United Kingdom on Thursday called on the government to consider enacting legislation that would enforce one daily vegan food in public institutions. The society made the call having observed that vegans are sometimes starved of food in hospital, prisons, council, universities, and schools. If the law is passed, the UK would be the first country that guarantees plant-based food in Europe.

India: SC Upholds Government’s Biometric Program, Places Limits On How The Data Can Be Stored

The Supreme Court bench led by the CJI, Dipak Misra on Wednesday validated the process of collecting and storing the data and information of Indian citizens under the Aadhaar Act, but, placed a new limit on how the data should be used and stored. The court Judgement means that the Aadhaar program would only be applicable to government services only. Aadhaar program will provide Indian citizens with 12-digit unique numbers linked to their fingerprints.

India: Marital Rape: Sexual Autonomy Key Value In Marriage, SC Says

The Supreme Court bench led by the CJI, Dipak Misra on Thursday while delivering judgment on adultery law said sexual autonomy is a key value in marriages. The court while commenting on the issue of marital rape asserted that the autonomy of women in marriages was “antithetical to Constitutional values.” one of the Justices on the bench, D Y Chandrachud said that any law that denies the constitutional rights of women would not stand the taste of time.

UK: VCs Urge Government To Ban Essay Mills

Vice-chancellors from several United Kingdom’s universities on Thursday called on the government to as a matter of urgency consider legislation that would ban essay mills advertisements. The Vice Chancellors made the call through a 3-page letter to the country’s education secretary, Damian Hinds. In the letter, the VCs raised the alarm over the high prevalence of students contracting essay writing to professionals and urged the government to emulate countries like New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland.

India: Probe Of BH Loya’s Death: Our Remarks Not Intended Against Lawyers, SC Says

The Supreme Court bench led by the CJI, Dipak Misra, and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud on Thursday clarified that its remarks in the April 19 ruling which dismissed several pleas that sought the constitution of an independent panel to probe the death of BH Loya was not intended against lawyers but towards the litigants. The court had ruled that the BH Loya died of natural causes on the 1st of November 2014 in Nagpur.

India: Women Lawyers Hail SC Judgement On Adultery Law

Women lawyers in the country Thursday hailed the judgment of the Supreme Court which scrapped section 497 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). They described the judgment as “a landmark victory for gender equality “. Three different lawyers, Aishwarya Bhati, Rebecca John, and Menaka Guruswamy in their separate views asserted that the Supreme Court decision was progressive and that the rights of women would be strongly embedded.

Australia: Law Council Fumes Over Uberisation Of Legal Practice

The Australian law Council on Thursday expressed dismay over uberisation of legal practice by technology. The council observed that technology and artificial intelligence have introduced a shift in the legal profession. The Queensland Law Society deputy president, Bill Potts aligns himself with the position of the Law Council. Potts said law firms were now leveraging AI-powered tool to file cases.

Canada: Privacy Commissioner Calls For Stronger Laws On Privacy Protection

The Canadian Privacy Commissioner, Daniel Therrien on Thursday called on the Government to consider strengthening the country’s law on privacy protection. Daniel made the call through his annual report submitted to the Government. Daniel also requested the government to vote more resources to his office to enable him to enforce the laws. The Canadian laws on privacy protection is seemingly weak compared to other developed economies.

Canada: It Would Be Difficult To Stop Tenants From Consuming And Growing Cannabis In Buildings, Lawyers Say

A group of lawyers on Thursday asserted that it would be impossible to prohibit tenants from growing and consuming marijuana in the apartment they live. They made the remark after a rental firm, Boardwalk issued a notice which will prohibit the growing and consumption of marijuana to tenants living in their properties from October 17, the date the use of marijuana would become legal. The lawyers called on the rental giant to seek other ways of resolving the issue.