Latest news with #GujaratHighCourt
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat HC closes suo motu contempt proceedings against Surat man seen on toilet seat, senior advocate seen ‘drinking' from beer mug during virtual hearings
The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday directed a man, who was captured attending a virtual court proceeding while 'seated on a toilet seat and relieving himself' on June 20, to perform community service at a centre for mentally challenged persons near his residence in Surat and closed the suo motu contempt proceedings initiated against him. The court also closed the suo motu contempt proceedings initiated against Senior Advocate Bhaskar Tanna after accepting his unconditional apology. Senior Advocate Tanna was seen 'drinking' from a beer mug during a virtual hearing. The Division Bench of Justices A S Supehia and R T Vachchani orally dictated the order on Tuesday, directing the Surat-based man to perform unpaid community service at Mamta Mansik Swashtiya Kendra in Surat for a period of 15 days. The court noted that the man had already deposited a fine of Rs 1 lakh with the court registry, as directed in the previous hearing on July 14 and tendered an unconditional apology. In his affidavit of unconditional apology, the man had stated that 'he realises his mistake and is ashamed of his conduct and he holds utmost respect for the majesty and authority of this court. Further it is stated that the court may take a sympathetic view and forgive him for the act', the court also noted. The court said that the act of the man for which the contempt proceedings were registered, '…is an act, which lowers the majesty and sanctity of this court. The offending act committed by the contemnor though inadvertently, is of such a high degree that it cannot be ignored. It is contended that there was no ill-intention on behalf of the contemnor to commit such an act. However, we are of the opinion that the proof of mens rea (intention) is excluded by such conduct. No defense is available to the contemnor to plead that such a nature of the act, which bows down the majesty of the court, only for reason that he had no intention to commit such act… The act committed by the contemnor has the tendency to interfere with the administration of justice and also tends to lower the authority and majesty of this court and in fact is a criminal contempt as defined by the Contempt of Courts Act…' In a separate suo motu contempt proceeding against Senior Advocate Tanna, 'for using his phone to talk and drinking from a beer mug' while attending a court proceeding virtually, the court observed that Tanna has been a practicing advocate since 52 years and has submitted an unconditional apology. The court said in the dictated order, 'From the report prepared by Registry and on overall appreciation of facts and reading of affidavit of unconditional apology, we find that contemptuous act was committed through an error and Shri Tanna had no intention to wilfully lower down majesty of this court. We accept the unconditional apology tendered by Shri Tanna. Learned senior advocate Mr Tanna has assured that such an error shall not be committed in future'. Senior advocate Shalin Mehta, appearing for the High Court Registry, submitted that a report has been filed with recommendation that the waiting room for online proceedings should be re-introduced for virtual hearings to allow only participants of a hearing to join when their matter is called out, so that no direct access is given. Mehta informed the court that the suggestion has been submitted and is pending before the full court. The Division Bench of the High Court orally stated that participants of virtual hearings are 'dragging the court' to places such as the washroom. 'The sanctity of the court, the majesty of the court is absolutely obliterated… That is very serious,' the court remarked orally. The Surat man, who was personally present in court on Tuesday, had appeared in the court of Justice Nirzar Desai by way of virtual proceedings on June 20, in the hearing for quashing a case in which he was a complainant. Senior Advocate Bhaskar Tanna was attending the virtual proceedings on June 26 in the court of Justice Sandeep Bhatt.
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Supreme Court upholds Gujarat HC relief to Vodafone Idea, strikes down Rs 7.64 cr stamp duty penalty
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a Gujarat High Court order that had quashed Gujarat stamp department's Rs 7.64 crore penalty imposed on Vodafone Idea Telecom Infrastructure, formerly known as Vodafone Towers , under Section 39(l)(b) of the Gujarat Stamp Act , 1958. The HC had set aside the penalty imposed by the Chief Controlling Revenue Authority as being disproportionate, excessive, unreasonable, illegal, and unjust. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category healthcare CXO Degree Public Policy Management MCA MBA Others Healthcare Operations Management Cybersecurity Design Thinking Finance Technology Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics Product Management Digital Marketing PGDM others Leadership Project Management Data Science Data Science Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Lucknow CERT-IIML Healthcare Management India Starts on undefined Get Details The genesis of the dispute lies in the Scheme of Arrangement sanctioned between Vodafone Idea (Transferor Company) and Vodafone Towers (Transferee Company) by the National Company Law Tribunal , Ahmedabad Bench, in September 2019. The scheme facilitated the transfer and vesting of the fiber infrastructure undertaking of Vodafone Idea into Vodafone Idea Telecom on a going concern basis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Goodbye, thinning hair. Hello, full hair! Trying this from Watsons. japonelifeskeem Learn More Undo Before approval of the merger scheme by the National Company Law Tribunal, Vodafone Idea had sought adjudication of the proper stamp duty payable on the tribunal's order. In March 2021, the Additional Superintendent of Stamps determined stamp duty chargeable on the NCLT order at Rs 25 crore and also alleged non-payment of stamp duty and then imposed a penalty under the Act, according to the appeal in the SC. Vodafone said that despite the company having expressed its readiness and willingness to pay the stamp duty, notices were issued by the stamp department imposing a penalty on it. Live Events Ultimately, in October 2021, the Office of deputy Superintendent of Stamps, Gujarat, determined that the company was liable to pay a fine of Rs 7.64 crore. This was challenged by the company before the Chief Controlling Revenue Authority, which rejected its application in 2022. However, the Gujarat High Court, on appeal, favoured Vodafone.
Indian Express
12 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Gujarat HC asks 8 municipal corps to install cloth bag vending machines, plastic bottle collecting machines
To ensure that 'effective steps' are taken to implement the Swachh Bharat Mission, the Gujarat High Court has recommended that eight Municipal Corporations in the state take 'proactive measures' by emulating the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB)'s initiative of installing cloth bag vending machines and reverse vending machines for collecting plastic bottles. The HC has also directed the State Monitoring Committee of GPCB and the Commissioner of Municipalities to file a joint response regarding the installation of Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) and the engagement of plastic waste processing units in municipalities across the state. On July 18, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray was hearing a PIL filed by Advocate Amit Panchal in February 2023, seeking directions to ensure 'proper sanitation and disposal of waste on Girnar hilltop.' The PIL had contended that the area had become a 'dumping ground' with trash scattered all over. The court recommended that Municipal Corporations conduct workshops in schools run by civic bodies to create awareness and ensure effective implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission. In its oral order, uploaded on Monday, the Gujarat High Court said, 'Eight Municipal Corporations in the State shall make an endeavour to emulate the initiative taken by the GPCB in installation of cloth bag vending machines and reverse vending machines (for collecting plastic bottles) in all key areas to be identified by them, specifically where there is a large footfall of the general public. The Municipalities which are managing tourist places like Dwarka and Somnath in the State shall also draw an example to set up such machines in the areas of major tourist footfall.' The Unit Head of the Plastic Waste Cell of the GPCB, in an affidavit before the HC, stated that as part of the 'strict implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, to promote eco-friendly practices,' the GPCB had installed Cloth Bag Vending Machines in key areas of Ahmedabad and Surat, and 24 Reverse Vending Machines for collecting plastic bottles across the state to encourage proper disposal and recycling. The affidavit further stated that, in compliance with the HC's April 25 order, the GPCB had inspected 91 municipalities, out of which 65 have installed MRFs and 32 have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with registered plastic waste processors. The GPCB informed the court that of the 65 MRFs, three are still non-operational, 39 are manually operated, 21 are mechanized, and five operate through both manual and mechanical means. It also informed the court that 88 show-cause notices have been issued to municipalities 'either for non-installation of MRF Facility and/or non-signing of MoU with a registered Plastic Waste Processor.' In its oral order, the court directed the State Monitoring Committee and the Commissioner of Municipalities to hold meetings with Chief Officers of the municipalities for further implementation. The order stated: '…hold a meeting with the Chief Officers, Nagarpalika (Municipality) giving them a timeline to ensure installation of MRF facility and engage plastic waste processing units registered with the GPCB. The Chief Officer of Nagarpalika shall be personally made liable with penal consequences, in case of defiance of the timeline, which shall be duly worked out by the State Monitoring Committee. The joint response of the State Monitoring Committee and the Commissioner of Municipality shall be brought before this Court in a personal affidavit of the Commissioner of Municipalities (Administration) to be filed on the next date fixed.' The matter will be next heard on September 12.
News18
14 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
'Dragged Court To Toilet': Gujarat HC Raps Man Who Appeared In Proceedings From Washroom
Last Updated: The video of a man attending the Gujarat High Court online proceedings from a toilet seat had gone viral on social media, prompting the court to take up suo motu case against him. The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday rapped the man who had attended virtual court proceedings from a toilet seat and was seen relieving himself on live video in June, stating that he 'dragged the court to the toilet". On July 14, the court had imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the man, identified as Saman Abdul Rehman Shah. The court said that it has ordered Shah to do community service for contempt of court. A Division Bench of Justices AS Supehia and RT Vachhani heard the suo motu contempt of court case against him today. The court said that by his actions, the majesty of the court is 'obliterated". — sanjoy ghose (@advsanjoy) June 27, 2025 'I view it in the sense that because of his action, the court proceedings or the court institution are dragged to the washroom. I view it in that sense. What's happening is that the sanctity and majesty of the court is absolutely obliterated," Justice Supehia said, Bar and Bench reported. The judge said that the institution, such as the court, was dragged into a place like a toilet. '…and that hurts. It's very serious. He is participating in the process; he is dragging the high court to the toilet," the judge observed. Shah's lawyer told the court that he has deposited Rs 1 lakh fine as imposed on him. The bizarre incident at the Gujarat High Court grabbed a lot of attention after the man joined the session from his toilet. This happened on June 20 in front of Justice Nirjar S. Desai, and the moment was recorded on video. The video starts with a close-up of the man, known as 'Samad Battery', wearing earphones around his neck. As he moves his phone, it becomes clear that he is sitting in a bathroom. The video even shows him cleaning himself before leaving the toilet. He disappears for a short while and then returns in a different room. view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 16:25 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Manual scavenging: HC seeks report from local bodies to ensure they are equipped with necessary infrastructure
To ensure that all local bodies in Gujarat have the equipment and machineries, mandated by the government in a resolution to completely eradicate manual sewer cleaning and for strict compliance of the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 in the state, a division bench of the Gujarat High Court has directed the Commissioners of Municipalities to get a report from each of the local bodies. In this context, the court has also observed that it is incumbent that all local bodies are equipped with necessary infrastructure either on their own or by engaging a contractor who must be equipped with the necessary machines and equipment to be used by sanitation workers engaged by the local body or the contractor. The court passed an order in this regard on July 7, while acting on a public interest litigation (PIL), seeking strict implementation of the 2013 Act in Gujarat. The PIL was moved by an Ahmedabad-based voluntary organisation, Manav Garima, in 2016, seeking strict implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, in the state. In the PIL, the petitioner had highlighted repeated incidents of death of people engaged in manual scavenging by contractors hired by the municipalities and municipal corporations as well as other local bodies across the state. Complying with an earlier order of the court, the Commissioner of Municipalities had filed an affidavit before the court, stating that a virtual meeting was convened with the Regional Commissioners of municipalities of six zones, the Mission Director, Swachchh Bharat Mission and Deputy Commissioner (Administration) on April 30 this year wherein they were directed to strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the state government through its Urban Housing and Urban Development department to all local bodies by a government resolution, dated April 3, 2025. As recorded by the court in its latest order, the guidelines in the government resolution included procurement of 'certain machineries (equipment) for cleaning of drains so that the safety of safai karmi of the local bodies can be ensured.' In its order, the court noted, 'As there is a mandate for cleaning of drains and manholes in a particular manner, there is a requirement to equip the nagarpalika, municipal corporations and other local bodies with these equipment. There is a requirement to make an inquiry as to whether the local bodies in the state are equipped to carry out the mandate of the government resolution dated 03.04.2025…' The court order added, 'We say so, as according to us, payment of compensation, termination of contract, blacklisting of contractor and lodging of first information report against the contractor and erring officers are not a complete answer to the problem. The main issue is about absolute eradication of manual scavenging or manual sewer cleaning in the state of Gujarat by ensuring strict compliance of the provisions of the Act.' 'Once manual scavenging is completely banned, any engagement of a single person as manual scavenger is violation of the legislative prohibition. It is the duty of the executive to ensure strict implementation of the legislative provisions and in this direction, it is incumbent that all local bodies are equipped with necessary infrastructure either on their own or by engaging a contractor who must be equipped with the necessary machines and equipment to be used by safai karmi, engaged by the nagarpalika or the contractor.' It also stated: 'We, therefore, require the Commissioner of Municipalities (Administration), Gandhinagar, to get a specific report from each of the local bodies through the concerned officer…whomsoever is in direct supervision of the local bodies to ensure that all local bodies in the state are equipped with the equipment/machineries as mandated in the government resolution dated 03.04.2025.' The court said that after receiving reports from the officers concerned, the office of Commissioner of Municipalities has to 'compile the same and place it before the court'. 'Considering the seriousness of the issue', the court also said that the Advocate General of the State should be engaged to assist the court in the matter.
