Shivam Sharma

The Kerala High Court directed the release of two children from Delhi who were sent to a shelter home on the grounds that they were being forced into child labour by selling articles on the streets. It brings focus on the interpretation of the law by various agencies.

The six-decade-old row between Karnataka and Maharashtra can be traced to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. Other states too are embroiled in disputes which are nowhere near resolution.

Petitions have been filed in various courts regarding “harm” done to non-human objects, be they dogs, cows, trees or rivers. Should they be seen as frivolous pleas which waste the court’s time?

Despite stringent rules, the sale of acid continues unchecked on e commerce sites and elsewhere leading to horrific instances of the victims being disfigured for life. Worse, it takes up to 10 years for an acid attack case to be resolved in court.

The apex court in a recent hearing observed that religion is the choice of a person and he has freedom of religion, but conversions by allurement, by offering food grains and medicines, was wrong.

In order to update the National Population Register, the centre may come out with a Bill that proposes that the Registrar General of India maintain a national database of births and deaths.

How accurate and legal are polygraph tests? Aftab Poonawala, accused in the murder of Shraddha Walker, underwent a polygraph test at the forensic science laboratory in Delhi. However, assessments of polygraphy by scientific and  government bodies suggest that the test is an imperfect or invalid means of assessing honesty.

Courts have generally given preference to the convenience of the wife while deciding transfer petitions. However, in some cases, courts have said that the main consideration must be the requirement of justice.

The “red light on, gaadi off” campaign of the Delhi government has hit a hurdle with the L-G raising objections to it. This is despite such campaigns running successfully in other countries to reduce vehicular pollution.

The apex court recently clarified that the psychological evaluation of condemned prisoners by expert doctors, and access to them by mitigating investigators, are essential before the hearing begins on their appeals against the death sentence