Author: Rohit Verma

News summary The Allahabad High Court recently held that a conviction recorded against a juvenile under the Juvenile Justice Act cannot operate as a disqualification for…

The Supreme Court has asked the Union Government to explain how housing promised under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, can align with the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, which restricts permanent constructions in forest areas. Hearing Sugra Adiwasi & Ors. v. Pathranand & Ors., a bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Atul S. Chandurkar directed the Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Tribal Affairs to consult and file an affidavit within four weeks outlining a framework that balances housing needs of forest dwellers with conservation laws. The case is reported as 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 995.

The Supreme Court quashed a rape case against Surendra Khawse, an Assistant Revenue Inspector, filed by a colleague alleging rape under a false promise of marriage. The Court found the complaint was filed months after the alleged incident and likely motivated by revenge following workplace disputes. It emphasized that rape on false marriage promise requires proving deception from the start, and not every broken promise constitutes rape. The judgment highlights the Court’s role in preventing misuse of criminal law while ensuring genuine victims can seek justice, relying on Sections 376 IPC and inherent powers under Section 528 BNSS.

AI is transforming workplaces by streamlining hiring, evaluations, and daily tasks, but it raises serious legal and ethical issues. Biased data and opaque algorithms can replicate discrimination, as seen in Amazon’s flawed hiring tool. Beyond bias, AI may displace millions of jobs by 2030, demanding strong retraining and safety nets. Legal responses are emerging, like the EU’s AI Act and U.S. bias audit rules, but remain fragmented. Experts urge human oversight, transparency, audits, and clear laws to ensure AI enhances rather than replaces work. The challenge is building systems that are both efficient and fair.

AI challenges traditional IP rules: most countries require human authorship for copyright, while patents allow AI-assisted inventions if a person makes a real inventive contribution. Training AI on copyrighted works remains legally unclear. India’s Revised CRI Guidelines (2025) clarify AI patent eligibility, but copyright treatment of fully AI-generated content is unsettled. Experts call for clear authorship and inventorship rules, text-and-data-mining exceptions, transparency about AI contributions, regulatory sandboxes, and international cooperation to balance innovation with public access.

The Allahabad High Court held that neglect or abuse of elderly parents amounts to a violation of their Article 21 right to live with dignity. In a case involving a land compensation dispute, an elderly father alleged mental and physical abuse by his sons after receiving compensation. The sons later apologized. The Court, noting the father’s ownership, ordered the full release of funds to him and warned the sons against future interference. Citing the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, the Bench condemned elder abuse as both a moral failure and a constitutional breach.