Saturday, 29 December 2018

CABINET APPROVED POCSO ACT AMENDMENT THAT MAKES DEATH PENALTY FOR AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT AGAINST MINORS


The Union cabinet approved amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012, to make punishment stricter for those who are convicted in sexual crimes against children below the age of 18 years. The Bill was introduced to amend the Indian Penal Code to provide death penalty for aggravated sexual assault of a girl less than 12 years. The amendments extend the punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault from a minimum of 10 years to a minimum of 20 years, up to a maximum of life imprisonment and even the death penalty under Section 6 of POCSO Act.


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Saturday, 22 December 2018

ABHAYA LEGAL SERVICES | DIVORCE LAWYERS IN HYDERABAD | FAMILY LAWYERS IN HYDERABAD


Abhaya Legal Services provides legal services for mutual divorce and contesting divorce, maintenance (Parents, wife & Children), mental and physical harassment, domestic violence, alimony to wife, child custody, dowry harassment, etc., apart from rendering our legal services in civil, criminal, bails, anticipatory bails, cheque bounce, documentation, documents verification, registration, legal opinions, and real estate, etc.,

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Friday, 21 December 2018

CONSUMER PROTECTION BILL, 2018 PASSED IN LOK SABHA


The Lok Sabha passed the Consumer Protection Bill 2018, which would replace the Consumer Protection Act 1986. The bill will strengthen the rights of consumers and provide a mechanism for redressal of their complaints regarding defects in goods and deficiency in services. The bill mandates a harsh penalty and even imprisonment for misleading ads and food adulteration. There will be jail term for seven years or life imprisonment and at least Rs.10 lakh fine in case of death caused by any adulterated product. The will now go to the Rajya Sabha for passage.


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Thursday, 20 December 2018

LOK SABHA PASSED BILL THAT PROHIBITS COMMERCIAL SURROGACY


The Lok Sabha passed the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016, aimed at banning commercial surrogacy and allowing only altruistic surrogacy to needy infertile couples, who have been married for at least five years. The Bill also stated that the surrogate mother has to be a close relative and there is no monetary exchange except for necessary medical expenses. Singles, homosexuals and live-in couples cannot apply for surrogacy. The Bill also entitled only Indian citizens to avail of surrogacy, whereas foreign nationals are not allowed to commission surrogacy in the country. The draft law has a provision for a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine of ₹10 lakh for violations. It will become law once the Rajya Sabha approves it.


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Tuesday, 18 December 2018

CABINET APPROVED AMENDING LAW TO MAKE AADHAAR SEEDING OPTIONAL KYC FOR MOBILE NUMBERS AND BANK ACCOUNTS


The Cabinet approved amending the existing laws to provide legal backing for seeding of Aadhaar number with mobile numbers and bank accounts as an optional KYC after the Supreme Court barred mandatory use of Aadhaar by private firms, sources said. The Cabinet approved amendments to the Telegraph Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Under the amendments, an Aadhaar holder can opt for offline verification through QR code and will not require sharing of actual Aadhaar number. The government has also proposed an imprisonment of up to 10 years for attempting to hack Aadhaar data. Those minors who have an Aadhaar number will have the option to withdraw from the biometric system on attaining 18 years of age.


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Monday, 17 December 2018

CAN’T REPLACE BIOLOGICAL FATHER’S NAME IN BIRTH CERTIFICATE, RULED BY SESSION’S COURT IN GUJARAT


A Local Court in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) refused to replace the name of a child’s biological father with that of the adoptive father on a birth certificate, saying that it is the ‘legal right of a child to preserve his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations as recognized by law’. The court passed this order after the adoptive parents had sought a change in the father’s name on the child’s birth certificate after the mother divorced her first husband and remarried. The court further clarified that inserting the name of the adoptive parents is easy and valid in cases of adoption of children who are abandoned by their biological parents.


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Friday, 14 December 2018

SUPREME COURT ASKED CENTRE TO INCREASE PENSION AMOUNT FOR SENIOR CITIZEN AND ALSO ASKED TO FILE REPORT ON OLD AGE HOMES IN THE COUNTRY

The Supreme Court asked the Centre to increase the pension amount for senior citizens and take steps to set up at least one old age home in each district in order to provide succour to elders who are below the poverty line. The Court also directed the Centre to compile data on number of old age homes in each district and the medical and geriatric care facilities available to senior citizens in each district, and granted time till January 31 to the Centre to file status report. As per Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, one old age home must be set up by states in each district.


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Thursday, 13 December 2018

BAN SALES OF ONLINE MEDICINES ACROSS THE COUNTRY: DELHI HIGH COURT


The Delhi High Court ordered a ban on the sale of online medicines by e-pharmacists across the country and directed the Central and Delhi governments to implement the order immediately. The court passed the order while acting on a PIL filed by Delhi-based dermatologist Zaheer Ahmed. In his petition, he had complained that lakhs of medicines are selling on the internet without much regulation, posing a huge risk to patients and doctors alike. He also pointed out that online sale of medicines is not permitted under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Pharmacy Act, 1948.


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Wednesday, 12 December 2018

DON’T REVEAL IDENTITY OF VICTIMS OF RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, EVEN IF THEY ARE DEAD: SUPREME COURT


The Supreme Court prohibited the media from publishing or airing the names and identity of victims of rape and sexual assault, including those who have died, cannot be disclosed even in a remote manner. The Court said that only Special Courts under POCSO can permit the disclosure of the identity of a minor victim, that too, only if such divulgence were in the interest of the child. The Court also asked the states and Union territories to set up ‘one-stop centre’ in every district to provide integrated assistance to rape victims through police, medical, legal services along with counselling, relief and rehabilitation.


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Tuesday, 11 December 2018

ABHAYA LEGAL SERVICES | DIVORCE LAWYERS IN HYDERABAD | FAMILY LAWYERS IN HYDERABAD


Abhaya Legal Services provides legal services for mutual divorce and contesting divorce, maintenance (Parents, wife & Children), mental and physical harassment, domestic violence, alimony to wife, child custody, dowry harassment, etc., apart from rendering our legal services in civil, criminal, bails, anticipatory bails, cheque bounce, documentation, documents verification, registration, legal opinions, and real estate, etc.,

Mobile: +91-9346950711          


Thursday, 6 December 2018

SUPREME COURT APPROVED WITNESS PROTECTION SCHEME, 2018 AND DIRECTED TO SET UP VULNERABLE WITNESS DEPOSITION COMPLEXES IN EVERY DISTRICT OF COUNTRY


The Supreme Court on Wednesday approved the Central government’s draft witness protection scheme and asked all the States to implement it until Parliament comes out with legislation. As per the scheme, police escort will be provided to witnesses who are threatened and, if needed, they would be relocated to a safe house. The Supreme Court has directed that witness deposition complexes be set up in all district courts by the states and union territories within a year.


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BANGALORE BASED CONSUMER COURT SAID THAT MATERNITY BENEFITS NOT JUST FOR LIVE BIRTHS


A Consumer Court in Bangalore city criticised a private insurance company’s contention that is applicable only to live births. The judges slammed the firm’s decision to deny a Bengaluru techie her policy claim after she had to abort her 23-week twin foetuses. After a five-year battle by the victim, the court rapped the firm for acting unjustly and ordered full payment as well as compensation, and stated that childbirth doesn’t indicate living or dead child. It is a settled proposition of law that a child in its mother’s womb is entitled to all rights.


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Wednesday, 5 December 2018

SUPREME COURT ASKED BIHAR AND KERALA HIGH COURTS TO SET UP SPECIAL COURTS TO SPEED UP TRIALS OF CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST TAINTED NETAS


The Supreme Court directed constitution of special courts in each district of Bihar and Kerala for the trial of pending criminal cases against present and former MPs and MLAs. The direction came after the court was told that there are 4,122 criminal cases pending, some for over three decades, against sitting and former members of Parliament and legislative assemblies while 1,675 are against former lawmakers.


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Monday, 3 December 2018

LAW MINISTRY APPROVED AMENDMENTS TO POCSO ACT TO BRING PUNITIVE MEASURES AGAINST THOSE IN POSSESSION OF PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL INVOLVING KIDS


The law ministry has approved the proposal for amendments to Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act, 2012 to bring punitive measures against those in possession of pornographic material involving kids. For those found storing such material for commercial use, the jail term may extend to five years on first conviction, will be non-bailable and involve hefty fine. On second conviction, jail term could extend up to seven years. Now the Amendment Bill will prepare for Cabinet note.


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