• NATIONAL NEWS

Orissa High Court rejects Vendata Aluminum Limited's plea for expansion

Orissa Hc has upheld the centre decision to stall expansion of its refinery plant at lanjigarh rejecting the Vendata Aluminum Limited's petition. The Ministry of Environment and Forest had stalled the expansion plan of the vendata refinery on October 20, 2010. Vedanta had filed a petition in the High Court for quashing Union Ministry of environment and forest [MoEF]'s order and allow the expansion plan.

Allahabad High Court quashes acquisition of land in two more Greater Noida villages

Allahabad HC has quashed the acquisition of nearly 600 hectares of land in two villages in Greater Noida for residential purposes saying that there was no urgency involved and hence the acquisition should not have taken place without giving an opportunity for hearing to affected parties. A division bench comprising Justice Sunil Ambwani and Justice SS Tiwari hearing the matter has quashed acquisition of nearly 600 hectares of land in Greater Noida. Petitioners had alleged that Government had taken land in the name of industrial development.

Bombay High Court rejects Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited's Petition Against Deputy Director Income Tax's Order

Bombay High Court has upheld the order holding ABNL [Indian Rayon] liable to be assessed as a representative assessee of NCWS u/s.163(1) in respect of the capital gains accrued to NCWS on transfer of shares of Idea Cellular Limited in favour of Indian Rayon under Sale & Purchase Agreement.

Supreme Court asks Centre to not to implement National Wage Board's Recommendations For Two Weeks

SC has asked the center to not to implement the national wage board recommendations for journalists and other employees for next two weeks, while hearing a petition filed by Ananda Bazar Patrika media groups. A Bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma told Additional Solicitor-General Parag Tripathi: "Don't do anything for two weeks till we decide the matter." In the meanwhile, it asked Mr. Tripathi to produce a copy of the report of the wage boards in the court and give one to the petitioner, ABP Pvt. Ltd., to enable it to file its rejoinder and amend the prayers in the petition

SC Clears the Appointment of a Non-family Member as Editor to The Hindu Newspaper

SC has refused to entertain appeal against a madras high court order allowing appointment of a non-family member as editor to the Hindu newspaper and asked the company law board to expeditiously decide the Ravi faction's petition. Bench of Chief Justice S H Kapadia and Justices K S Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar asked the Company Law Board to expeditiously decide the Ravi faction's petition by conducting day-to-day hearing from the week commencing on 8th August.

Central Government Amends Schedule XIII Annexed to the Companies Act, 1956

Central Government has amended the Schedule XIII of the Act, in order to waive off the Central Government approval for payment of remuneration to professional managerial person by the listed companies & their subsidiary companies, which are not having profits or having inadequate profits.

Bifurcation of Sale & Purchase Transactions on the Basis of 30 Days Holding Period is incorrect: ITAT

ITAT Mumbai has held that CIT(A) has committed an error in bifurcating the transactions of purchase and sale of shares on the basis of holding period of 30 days & discussed the various principles laid down by the judicial pronouncements for determination of nature of the transaction.

Supreme Court Slams Delhi Police for Callous Probe into Cash-for-Vote Scam

The Apex court has asked the department to file the fresh action taken report with in two weeks after having expressed its concern over the progress made by the department in the cash-for-vote scam of July 2008. Supreme Court slammed the Delhi police for a "directionless" probe into the scam and reprimanded it for a "callous approach" adopted by the force in investigating the case.

Tripartite Agreement for Darjeeling signed between GJM and Government of West Bengal

A Tripartite agreement between Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the Government of West Bengal was signed leading to formation of a new autonomous elected Hill Council Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), which is armed with more powers as compared to its predecessor Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) formed in the late 1980s. which has been demanding a separate state for gorkhas, is likely to be signed today.

HTC to Challenge US Ruling on Apple Patents

HTC has decided to appeal against US International Trade Commission ruling that it infringed two patents of Apple Inc in producing Android based mobile phones. Taiwan-based HTC Corp, now said on July 16 that it would appeal an initial ruling made by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) that it has infringed two of 10 patents held by US giant Apple Inc. concerning portable electronic devices.

Sushil Modi To Head the Panel Negotiating GST

Deputy chief minister of Bihar Sushil Modi has accepted to head the GST panel formed to unify multiple indirect taxes imposed at the central and state levels. The BJP leader, who holds the finance portfolio in Bihar, was made the offer after Asim Dasgupta vacated the post following the Left's debacle in the West Bengal assembly elections.

Centre to Seek Recall of the SC Verdict Constituting SIT

Centre has decided to seek a total recall of the SC verdict on probe into black money, charging government with sloppy handling of the economic offence alleging that the verdict is in violation of principle of separation of power. The application drafted by the finance ministry traces case laws to drive home the sanctity of separation of powers under the constitutional scheme and says the July 4 judgment by Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar violated the cardinal principle.

Waiver of Approval for Payment of Remuneration to Professional Managerial Person by Specified Cos.

MCA has decided to amend the Schedule XIII, in order to waive off the Central Govt approval for payment of remuneration to professional managerial person by the listed companies and their subsidiary companies, which are not having profits or having inadequate profits.

Draft Rules on Terms of Issue of Debentures or the Terms of Raising of Loans by a Public Co: MCA

MCA has issued the draft Public Companies (Terms of Issue of debenture & of raising of loans with option to convert such debentures or loans in to shares) Rules, 2011 to sort out the difficulties faced by lenders, comments on the same has been invited till 29th July.

Pending Divorce Would Not Absolve the Duty of Husband to Provide Residence to Wife: Bom HC

Bombay HC has held that merely because divorce proceedings are pending, the wife cannot be deprived of claiming residence in the shared households and ruled that a pending divorce would not absolve the duty to provide residence to wife who had complained of domestic violence.

No One Other than Advocates Permitted to Argue Cases on Behalf of Others: SC

The Apex court has ruled that a petitioner in person can argue case before a court of law, but for father or son, he need to engage lawyer saying that except for petitioner in person, no one other than advocates are permitted to argue cases on behalf of others, even official cannot argue case on behalf of company.

Executive Power of the State Cannot Be Extended to Creation of Judicial Tribunals: SC

SC has held that power to create courts tribunals vests exclusively with the legislature and executive has no authority over it saying that executive power of the state cannot be extended to creation of judicial tribunals or authorities, as it will dent the judicial independence.

No Letters Patent Appeal to lie against non-appealable order under Arbitration & Conciliation Act: SC

SC has held that no letters patent appeal will lie against an order which is not appeal able u/s 50 of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 saying that where the special Act sets out a self-contained code the applicability of the general law procedure would be impliedly excluded.

Supreme Court Turns down the PIL Filed against Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal

SC has refrained from passing any order on a PIL filed against Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal alleging that he has reduced a penalty amount favouring RCOM, opining that persons aggrieved can avail remedy provided under the law. No order is required," a bench comprising justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly said for the affidavit filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) accusing Sibal of favoring RCOM by reducing the penalty from Rs650 crore to Rs five crore for alleged violations in the Unified Access Service Licence (UASL) agreement.

SC Refuses to Interfere Karanataka Mining Rules

The Apex Court has refused to interfere in the Karanataka government's decision to frame rules to prevent illegal mining in the state while turning down the plea of mining companies challenging the state government's decision to put in place a mechanism to regulate mining. A Bench headed by Justice R V Raveendran turned down the plea of mining companies challenging the state government's decision to put in place a mechanism to regulate mining.

CBEC Clarification on Collection of Anti-dumping duty beyond the validity period

CBEC has clarified that Anti dumping levy notified in pursuance of final findings of the Director General is effective from the date of imposition of provisional duty and it can be collected beyond the stipulated period only when a notification extending the levy has been issued.

Casting Aspersions on the Character of Spouse is the Worst Form of Cruelty: Del HC

Delhi HC has opined that scandalous allegations attacking moral character of the spouse certainly amounts to worst form of cruelty in the absence of any corroborations of such allegations while accepting divorce plea.

• INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Murdoch grilled in public in UK phone hacking scandal

Britain Westminster Committee grilled Rupert Murdoch`s and his son James`s in relation with the phone hacking scandal.The committee of MPs grilled one of the world`s most powerful media moguls and his son on their role in the phone-hacking scandal that has embroiled some of Britain`s top politicians, including Prime Minister David Cameron, police and journalists. The elder Murdoch banged his hands on the table and said, "the day is the most humble of my life".

Dr. Reddy's, Sandoz and Teva sued for patent infringement in US

Roche and Helsinn Healthcare filed a patent infringement suit against Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., its US subsidiary Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Inc., Sandoz, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. over an anti-nausea drug Aloxi (Palonosetron Hydrochloride). The suit was filed in the District court of New Jersey on 8 July, 2011.

CAD$ 1.4 million awarded in largest ever trademark suit

Louis Vuitton, world's leading luxury and lifestyle accessories group, was awarded awarded CAD$1.4 million for the group and $1.1 million by the Federal Court of Canada in a trademark counterfeiting and copyright case in Canada and for its co-plaintiffs Burberry Limited and Burberry Canada Inc., for a total award of CAD $2.5 million

Google loses its bid to to acquire Nortel's patent

Google lost its bid to acquire Nortel's patents to Apple lead consortium that bagged all 6,000 patents for $4.5 billion last week. The bidding process for 6,000 patents and patent applications of Nortel began in April 2011. Google actually initiated the process with an offer of $900-million stalking horse bid.

Harbor Holdings,sues Ford Motors for Patent Infringement

US automobile giant Ford motors has been sued for multiple patent infringements by Washigton based Eagle Harbor Holdings, LLC and its subsidiary and exclusive licensee, MediusTech. The patents relate to several automotive technologies such as SYNC, Active Park Assist, Blind-Spot Identification System with Cross Traffic Alert, Integrated Control System for Stability Control, and MyKey.