| LAND ACQUISITION - Supreme Court: Delay In Filing Appeals under Section 74 of 2013 Land Acquisition Act is Condonable |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:35:01 IST |
| In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court held that delays in filing appeals under Section 74 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 may be condoned by applying Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963. |
| CIVIL - Kerala High Court: Intentional Judicial Decisions Cannot be Altered as Clerical Errors under CPC |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:51 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that an intentional judicial determination cannot be modified as a clerical error or under inherent powers in Sections 151 or 152 of the CPC, and that the proper remedy against such decisions lies only through appeal or review. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta HC: Contempt Court Cannot Grant New Relief Beyond Original Order Once Compliance is Met |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:41 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that contempt jurisdiction is confined to ensuring compliance with court orders and cannot be used to grant fresh reliefs, ruling that once a writ direction is implemented, further changes to land records cannot be sought through contempt proceedings. |
| PROPERTY - Calcutta High Court: Partition Decree is Executable Only After Stamp Duty Payment |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:31 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that a final partition decree becomes executable only after payment of stamp duty, but clarified that the decree holder may deposit the full duty to avoid delay and later recover proportionate amounts from other co-sharers. |
| SERVICE - Kerala High Court: Disability Pension is Payable to Voluntary Dischargee For Service-Related Illness |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:20 IST |
| Kerala HC ruled that voluntary dischargee is entitled to disability pension if chronic condition was caused by military service, holding that service-related illness qualifies for pension even when discharge was voluntary, following dismissal of the petitioner's claim by the Armed Forces Tribunal. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta HC: Demolition Orders Cannot be Challenged under Article 226 if a Statutory Appeal Exists |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:11 IST |
| Calcutta High Court, Port Blair Bench, held that a municipal demolition order cannot be directly challenged under Article 226 when an effective statutory appeal exists, noting that the competent authority issued a reasoned order after hearing all stakeholders. |
| CRIMINAL - Kerala HC: Orders Barring Disclosure of Witness Statements Must State Reasons For Each Witness |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:49 IST |
| Kerala HC clarified that under Section 44 of the UAPA, any order barring disclosure of witness statements must examine each witness individually and record reasons, while hearing a petition under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita challenging Special Court orders for NIA cases. |
| CRIMINAL - Gauhati HC: POCSO Probes Must be Child-Friendly, With Sensitized Investigators to Ensure Clear Truth |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:41 IST |
| Gauhati High Court emphasized that POCSO investigations must be child-friendly and sensitive, with counselling, support persons, and clear statements, warning that casual or defective probes can prejudice both justice and the accused, potentially leading to acquittals despite proven offences. |
| CRIMINAL - Calcutta HC: Accused Has No Right on Investigation Mode or Impleadment in Probe Writ |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:32 IST |
| Calcutta HC held that an accused has no right to be heard regarding the manner or mode of investigation and dismissed applications seeking impleadment in a writ petition, ruling that neither complainants in separate FIRs nor prospective accused can demand party status during the investigation stage. |
| EDUCATION - Kerala High Court: Universities Must Regulate Student Political Activities to Curb Campus Violence |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:22 IST |
| Kerala High Court directed all state universities to establish comprehensive regulations to control student political activities on campus, following petitions including a PIL after a student's death at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, to prevent violence and ensure safety. |
| CRIMINAL - Calcutta HC: Conviction under Essential Commodities Act Invalid if Stock Measured With a 'Stick' |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:13 IST |
| Calcutta High Court set aside a petrol pump operator's conviction under the Essential Commodities Act, ruling that a criminal conviction cannot rest on stock measured with a stick and unsupported by reliable witnesses, as the prosecution failed to prove violations beyond reasonable doubt. |
| LAW OF EVIDENCE - SC: Photocopies are Not Evidence Unless Conditions for Leading Secondary Evidence are Proved |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:05 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside a sale based on a photocopied Power of Attorney, holding that a photocopy is secondary evidence and inadmissible unless it satisfies Section 65 of the Evidence Act, which allows such evidence only when the original cannot be produced for valid reasons. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Special Court Cannot Order Confiscation While Appeal Against Attachment Confirmation is Pending |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:03:55 IST |
| In a key ruling on Section 8 of the PMLA, the Supreme Court held that when an appeal against confirmation of an attachment order is pending before the Appellate Tribunal, the Special Court has no jurisdiction to decide confiscation proceedings. |
| CIVIL - SC: Quasi-Judicial Authorities Cannot Exercise Review Powers Unless Expressly Granted By Statute |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:03:46 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that quasi-judicial authorities cannot exercise review powers without statutory authorization, setting aside a Calcutta High Court judgment and holding that vesting disputed land in favour of the respondent on a minister's instructions was impermissible. |
| TRUSTS AND SOCIETIES - SC: Statutory Authorities may Intervene When Housing Societies Delay Membership Decisions |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:03:37 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that authorities may intervene in co-operative housing societies when they refuse to decide membership applications or keep them pending for long periods, while hearing a case on delayed membership for flat owners of a Mumbai society despite years of residence. |
| FAMILY - Del HC: Mother's Right to Education and Personal Growth Cannot be Restricted Due To Custody Disputes |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:21:21 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that a mother's right to personal growth, dignity, and higher education abroad is part of her Article 21 right to life and liberty, and cannot be restricted merely due to pending custody or visitation proceedings. |
| DEFENCE - Cal HC: Excessive Palm Sweating Alone Cannot Render Candidate Medically Unfit for CAPF Appointment |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:21:09 IST |
| Calcutta High Court ruled that palmar hyperhidrosis (excessive palm sweating) cannot alone disqualify a candidate from Central Armed Police Forces Constable (G.D.) recruitment. The court noted that authorities did not cite any medical guideline explicitly barring candidates for this condition. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: Consenting Adults can Choose Life Partners Without Societal or Parental Approval |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:59 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that consenting adults have the constitutional right to choose their life partners without needing societal or parental approval. The court emphasized that such decisions must be respected, upholding the sanctity of marriage based on mutual consent of adults. |
| CRIMINAL - P&H High Court: Anticipatory Bail on Settlement Can be Revoked if Compromise is Broken |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:49 IST |
| P&H High Court held that an accused cannot seek anticipatory bail based on a compromise and later back out. It recalled a 2022 bail order, stating that reneging on court undertakings misuses judicial leniency and breaches judicial trust, undermining the integrity of the process. |
| SERVICE - SC: State Government Employees Cannot Claim Dearness Allowance Twice a Year Unless Rules Allow |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:38 IST |
| While hearing West Bengal's challenge to directions on payment of Dearness Allowance under the 2009 Pay Revision Rules, the Supreme Court held that state government employees have no vested right to receive DA twice a year unless such payment is expressly provided under the rules. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Trial Courts Must Record that Free Legal Aid was Offered to Accused Before Witness Examination |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:28 IST |
| Supreme Court issued a significant direction to High Courts to instruct trial courts to inform accused persons of their right to free legal aid if they cannot afford a lawyer, and to formally record the accused's response to such an offer. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Properties Acquired by Karta are Presumed to be Joint Hindu Family Assets unless Proven Otherwise |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:16 IST |
| The court said that "Where acquisitions are made during the subsistence of the joint family, and where ancestral properties yielding income are shown to exist, properties acquired in the name of the Karta are ordinarily regarded as joint family properties unless the contrary is proved." |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Hard to Believe Married Woman Was Lured Into Sex by False Marriage Promise; Case Quashed |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:06 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside criminal proceedings against a Chhattisgarh advocate accused of repeatedly raping a married colleague, ruling that the allegations based on a purported false promise of marriage did not warrant continuation of the case. |
| DEFENCE - Kerala HC: Disability Pension is Not Payable if the Condition is Unrelated to Military Service |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:21:01 IST |
| Kerala HC dismissed a writ challenging the Armed Forces Tribunal's denial of disability pension for Generalised Anxiety Disorder, holding that pension is not payable when medical evidence shows the condition is not attributable to or aggravated by military service under the 1982 Entitlement Rules. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Bombay HC: Storing Items in a Fridge isn't Manufacturing and Doesn't Make Premises a Factory |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:20:48 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that merely storing or preserving items in a refrigerator or cold storage does not amount to a "manufacturing process" and therefore does not classify the premises as a factory under the Factories Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Unproven Adultery Allegations Cannot be Used to Deny Interim Maintenance under the DV Act |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:20:32 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that unproven adultery allegations cannot bar a wife from interim maintenance under the Domestic Violence Act, noting that unlike Cr.P.C. Section 125(4), the DV Act has no provision denying reliefs solely on such allegations. |
| CONSUMER - SC: Merely Leasing an Apartment Does Not Bar a Flat Buyer's Consumer Complaint Against the Builder |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:20:16 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that merely leasing or renting a residential flat does not exclude the owner from the definition of "consumer" under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, unless it is shown that the dominant intention at the time of purchase was commercial in nature. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: High Court Cannot Reject a Plaint While Exercising Jurisdiction under Article 227 |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:20:01 IST |
| The court observed that "…once the specific provision under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC, is available, the High Court cannot exercise powers under Article 227 to reject or strike off the plaint." |
| FAMILY - Supreme Court: While a Child's Welfare is Paramount, It is Not the Sole Factor in Custody Disputes |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:19:47 IST |
| Supreme Court emphasised that child custody decisions cannot be based solely on welfare, holding that courts must also consider other relevant factors such as parental conduct, financial capacity, standard of living, and the child's comfort and education. |
| CONSTITUTION - SC: Under RTE Act, States Cannot Justify Low Teacher Pay by Citing Centre's Failure to Release Funds |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:19:33 IST |
| Supreme Court has ruled that a State cannot justify paying teachers a meagre honorarium by citing the Centre's failure to release funds, holding that implementing the Right to Education Act is primarily the State's responsibility, which must pay teachers first and recover the Centre's share later. |
| CONSTITUTION - Chhattisgarh HC: Rape is an Affront to Womanhood and a Brutal Violation of The Right To Life |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:11:30 IST |
| While upholding a rape conviction, the Chhattisgarh High Court observed that rape is an affront to womanhood and a brazen violation of Article 21, infringing on dignity, bodily privacy, and personal liberty. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Not Named In FIR Doesn't Matter If Financial Links Show Active Role in NDPS Offence |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:11:21 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that an accused's absence from the FIR is not decisive for bail if investigations reveal financial transactions indicating active involvement and coordination in an offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Consensual Romance With Minor Nearing 18 May be Considered For Bail in POCSO Case |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:11:11 IST |
| Delhi High Court granted bail in a POCSO case, noting that while a minor's consent holds no legal value, the romantic nature of the relationship and the minor being close to 18 years are relevant factors to consider at the bail stage. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: Elective Surgery Does Not Bar Grant of Interim Bail on Medical Grounds |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:11:01 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that the non-emergency nature of a medical procedure alone cannot justify denial of interim bail, especially where ongoing pain requires timely surgery, while allowing an accused under MCOCA to seek bail to attend his mother's scheduled knee replacement. |
| CRIMINAL - Cal HC: Theft Claims and Public Humiliation Alone Don't Amount To Abetment of Suicide U/S 306 IPC |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:10:51 IST |
| Calcutta HC set aside convictions u/s 306/34 IPC, holding that while the deceased died by suicide, mere allegations of harassment or being labelled a thief were insufficient to prove abetment, as the prosecution failed to establish mens rea, instigation, or a direct act leading to the suicide. |
| CRIMINAL - Jharkhand HC: Regular Bail Plea During Interim Bail is Not Maintainable under Section 483 BNSS |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:10:42 IST |
| Jharkhand High Court held that an accused released on interim bail is not deemed to be in "custody" for seeking regular bail under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023, unless the accused is actually in judicial custody or has surrendered before the court. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Award Valid Even If Passed After Mandate Expiry When Court Extends Time |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:10:32 IST |
| The court observed "we are of the opinion that provisions of the Act, particularly Section 29A, must not be interpreted to infer a threshold bar for application under Section 29A(5) for extension of the mandate of the arbitrator even when an award is passed, though after the expiry of the mandate." |
| CRIMINAL - P &H HC: Unfavourable Orders Cannot Justify Trial Transfer; Courts Must Prevent Forum Hunting |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:41:08 IST |
| Punjab & Haryana High Court held that judicial error is not the same as bias, and an unfavourable order, even if later overturned, does not automatically establish prejudice or justify transfer of trial, emphasizing the need to curb forum shopping and protect judicial integrity. |
| NARCOTICS - Delhi High Court: Co-Accused's Abscondence Can Be a Relevant Factor in Granting NDPS Bail |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:40:54 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that the abscondence of a co-accused is a relevant factor in considering bail under Section 37 of the NDPS Act, while hearing a bail plea of a foreign national accused in a case involving 256 grams of heroin, where one co-accused had jumped bail and was absconding. |
| NARCOTICS - Calcutta HC: Supplementary Chargesheet Filed Late in NDPS Trial is Valid if Based on Fresh Evidence |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:40:40 IST |
| Calcutta High Court dismissed a criminal revision petition challenging a late-stage supplementary chargesheet in an NDPS case, holding that under Section 173(8) CrPC, it is permissible if based on further investigation revealing fresh evidence, even near trial completion. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - MP High Court: Labour Laws are Beneficial, and Hyper-Technical Limitation Views Must be Avoided |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:40:27 IST |
| MP HC held that workmen's claims should not be dismissed on hyper-technical limitation grounds, especially when delays arose from COVID-19 or lack of legal awareness, emphasizing the beneficial nature of labour laws while dismissing Medicaps Limited's writ challenging the Industrial Court's remand. |
| FAMILY - Delhi HC: Unmarried Granddaughter's Limited Estate Can Become Absolute if Pre-Existing Right |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:40:15 IST |
| Delhi High Court recently held that the obligation to maintain an unmarried minor daughter of a pre-deceased son can constitute a pre-existing right, allowing her limited estate to enlarge into absolute ownership under Section 14(1) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Supreme Court: Temple Trust Does Not Qualify as an 'Industry' under the Industrial Disputes Act |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:39:59 IST |
| The court observed that "the respondent-Trust is a temple and as such, it would not fall within the four corners of the expression "industry"." The court upheld the termination of its accountant despite no formal inquiry and over twelve years of service. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Disputes are Not Arbitrable When the Arbitration Agreement is Alleged to be Forged |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:39:47 IST |
| The court observed "…in a case where plea is taken with regard to non-existence of an arbitration clause or agreement, the same would amount to serious allegation of fraud and would render the subject matter of an agreement non-arbitrable." |
| INSOLVENCY - Supreme Court: Single Insolvency Petition Maintainable Against Linked Corporate Entities |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:39:32 IST |
| In a relief to homebuyers, the Supreme Court held that a single insolvency petition under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is maintainable against multiple corporate entities involved in a real estate project if they are intrinsically linked in its execution and marketing. |
| CRIMINAL - Punjab & Haryana High Court: ED Can Arrest Individuals Even if FIRs are Added to the ECIR Later |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:51:08 IST |
| Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed pleas by promoters of Ramprastha Promoters & Developers Pvt. Ltd. challenging their arrest and proceedings by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, holding that arrest is valid even if FIRs are later added to the ECIR. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta High Court: 18-Month Delay in Delivering a Judgment Alone is Not Sufficient to Set it Aside |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:59 IST |
| The court observed that "...although we are somewhat disappointed at the long delay of more than 18 months from the conclusion of the arguments to the delivery of the impugned judgment, we are unable to set aside the same solely on the ground of such delay". |
| FAMILY - Bombay HC: An Adopted Child's Caste is Considered the Same as That of the Adoptive Parents |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:45 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that an adopted child's caste is the same as that of the adoptive parents, quashing the Deputy Collector, Pune's order, in a case where a woman had legally adopted a boy in 2014 under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Dacoity Convicts U/S 395 IPC Cannot Claim Benefit under the Probation of Offenders Act |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:35 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that probation under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 is unavailable to persons convicted of dacoity under Section 395 IPC, since the offence carries punishment of life imprisonment and falls outside the scope of Section 4. |
| ENVIRONMENT - SC: Polluting Company's Turnover May Be Considered While Fixing Environmental Damage Compensation |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:26 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that a company's scale of operations, including turnover, production volume, or revenue, can be a decisive factor when assessing compensation for environmental damage. |
| LAW OF MEDICINE - Supreme Court: Patients Cannot Claim Unproven Medical Treatments as a Matter of Right |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:17 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that stem cell therapy for autism spectrum disorder cannot be claimed as a patient's right, disapproved its use as standard treatment, and held that doctors or clinics offering such unscientific therapy engage in medical malpractice. |
| SERVICE - SC: State Cannot Deny Regularisation to Long-Serving Contract Staff Appointed Through Due Process |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:08 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the State, as a model employer, cannot refuse regularisation to contract workers appointed through due process, and those given repeated yearly extensions can claim regularisation under the doctrine of legitimate expectation. |
| CONSTITUTION - SC: UGC Regulations Override State Law on Forming Search Committees For University VC Appointments |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:49:58 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that forming a Search-cum-Selection Committee for appointing a University Vice-Chancellor falls under Parliament's exclusive authority, and any departure from the UGC Regulations, 2018 makes the appointment process invalid. |
| CIVIL - Ker HC: Bar Association is Not Employer & Cannot Form Internal Complaints Committee under POSH Act |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:13:37 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that the Kollam Bar Association could not constitute an Internal Complaints Committee, as doing so contravened the purpose and requirements of the POSH Act, 2013, since a Bar Association is not an employer under the law. |
| SERVICE - MP HC: Spouse's Income Cannot Be Clubbed With Public Servant's for Disproportionate Assets Case |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:13:27 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court quashed a sanction order under the Prevention of Corruption Act, holding that a public servant's spouse's independent income as an advocate cannot be included in his income to prosecute him for alleged disproportionate assets. |
| CIVIL - MP HC: Decree Holder Cannot Defeat Compromise or Initiate Execution by Refusing Debtor's Cheque |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:13:17 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court held that a decree holder cannot frustrate a compromise decree or initiate execution proceedings by refusing to accept or encash a cheque lawfully tendered by the judgment debtor in full satisfaction of the decree. |
| CIVIL - SC: After Complaint Was Withdrawn, BCI Disciplinary Committee Could Not Penalise Advocate |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:13:07 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the BCI Disciplinary Committee's order holding an advocate guilty, ruling that proceedings cannot continue once the complainant-client has unequivocally withdrawn the complaint and expressed satisfaction with the advocate's conduct. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Demolition of Private Property Must Rest on Clear Statutory Grounds and Due Consideration |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:12:57 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the Calcutta High Court's demolition order, holding that interference with property rights under Article 300-A requires clear, cogent, and site-specific evidence of illegality, which was absent to prove the Santiniketan building stood on "khoai" land. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Only Civil Court of Original Jurisdiction Can Extend Arbitral Tribunal's Mandate |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:12:46 IST |
| Supreme Court held that applications to extend an arbitral tribunal's mandate under Section 29A(4) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 must be filed only before the principal civil court of original jurisdiction, irrespective of the authority that appointed the arbitrators. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Supreme Court: Industrial Court is the Proper Forum to Decide Issues Relating to Contract Labour |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:12:37 IST |
| Supreme Court held that disputes relating to the employment and termination of contract labour must be adjudicated by the Industrial Court constituted under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 as it is the appropriate forum for such matters. |
| CONSTITUTION - SC: Menstrual Health is a Fundamental Right under Article 21; Orders Free Sanitary Pads in Schools |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:12:27 IST |
| Declaring menstrual health part of the right to life under Article 21, the Supreme Court directed nationwide implementation of the Menstrual Hygiene Policy, mandating free biodegradable sanitary napkins and functional, hygienic gender-segregated toilets in schools for girls from Classes 6-12. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Del HC: Probationers are 'Workmen' under ID Act; S.17B Wages not Recoverable if Termination Upheld |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:27:04 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that probationary employees are 'workmen' under Section 2(s) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, but their termination without a full departmental inquiry is valid if it is a simple, non-stigmatic termination order. |
| SERVICE - Kerala HC: High Courts Work On Holidays; Denying Compensatory Leave To Officers Violates Art. 229 |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:54 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that denying compensatory leave to its Gazetted Officers is illegal, arbitrary, and violates Article 229 of the Constitution, emphasizing that High Court officers are entitled to leave even when the court functions on holidays. |
| CRIMINAL - Kerala HC: Telling Someone to "Go Away And Die" in Anger Does Not Amount to Abetment of Suicide |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:45 IST |
| Kerala High Court reiterated that casual or angry remarks made during a quarrel, without the necessary intent or mens rea, do not amount to abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the IPC, emphasizing that mere words in anger cannot be construed as criminally culpable. |
| SERVICE - Chhattisgarh HC: Court Employees Cannot Enroll as Regular LLB Students in Breach of Service Rules |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:35 IST |
| Chhattisgarh High Court set aside an order allowing a probationary court employee to pursue the third year of LLB as a regular student, ruling that such permission affects administrative discipline, office functioning, and compliance with service rules. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Stray Dog Attacks on Beaches Adversely Impact Tourism |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:26 IST |
| During the hearing on stray dogs, the Supreme Court noted attacks on tourists on beaches in Goa and Kerala, observing that dogs are drawn by fish carcasses and warning that such incidents negatively impact tourism. |
| TRUSTS AND SOCIETIES - SC: Waqf Tribunals Cannot Hear Claims over Properties Not Listed or Registered under Waqf Act |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:16 IST |
| Supreme Court held that Waqf Tribunals have jurisdiction only over properties notified in the list of auqaf or registered under the Waqf Act, and set aside the Telangana High Court judgment that upheld an injunction granted by the Tribunal over an unregistered property. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - SC: Ex-Contract Workers Must Be Preferred When Employers Replace Contract Labour With Regular Staff |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:07 IST |
| The court outlined the modes and methods for re-employing workers where the discontinuation of the labour contract is valid: "If the principal employer intends to employ regular workmen for the work previously done by contract labour, they must give preference to the erstwhile contract labourers." |
| SERVICE - MP HC: MPPSC Cannot Reject Doctors For PG Additional Registration Not Mentioned in the Advertisement |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:34:32 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court allowed writ petitions by doctors challenging MPPSC's rejection of their applications for Medical Officer (Grade-I) and Specialist posts, ruling that candidates cannot be disqualified for PG additional registration not specified in the recruitment advertisement. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: SC's 'Mihir Rajesh Shah' Directive on Written Arrest Grounds Applies Prospectively |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:34:21 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that the Supreme Court's ruling in Mihir Rajesh Shah v. State of Maharashtra (2025), requiring written grounds of arrest before remand, will apply only prospectively and cannot be enforced for arrests made before the judgment's date. |
| PROPERTY - P&H HC: Customary Restrictions Can't Stop Widow From Alienating Non-Ancestral Property |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:34:11 IST |
| Punjab and Haryana High Court held that a widow can freely alienate non-ancestral property inherited from her husband without collateral consent, ruling that any customary restrictions limiting her rights are unconstitutional and cannot override the principles of equality and personal autonomy. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Complaint U/S 175(4) BNSS Against a Public Servant Must Meet the Conditions of Section 175(3) |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:34:01 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a Magistrate cannot entertain a complaint against a public servant under Section 175(4) of the BNSS unless the complainant first satisfies Section 175(3), by showing that a written complaint supported by an affidavit was earlier submitted to the Superintendent of Police. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - SC: Prior Written Demand is Not Mandatory For an Industrial Dispute to Exist or be Referred |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:33:24 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a trade union is not required to issue a formal "charter of demands" to the management before approaching the Conciliation Officer under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. |
| LAND ACQUISITION - SC: Higher Land Acquisition Compensation to Some Owners Cannot Invalidate Awards to Others |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:33:10 IST |
| Supreme Court held that excessive compensation paid to some beneficiaries in collusion with officials does not invalidate compensation granted to others, while hearing an appeal against a Chhattisgarh High Court ruling that had set aside the appellant's land acquisition award on that ground. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Confession Without Corroboration Cannot Form the Basis of Conviction |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:33:00 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside a murder conviction after holding that it was founded solely on uncorroborated confessional statements recorded by a magistrate, which were made by the accused in the absence of legal aid. |
| SERVICE - Allahabad HC: Not Specifying Arrest Grounds in Memo is Dereliction; Erring Cops Must be Suspended |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:58 IST |
| Allahabad High Court directed that any police officer who fails to mention specific "grounds of arrest" in the arrest memo shall face departmental proceedings and be placed under suspension, emphasizing that such omissions constitute a serious dereliction of duty. |
| CONSTITUTION - Karnataka HC: Bike Taxi Business Protected under Article 19(1)(G); State Can Regulate But Not Ban |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:48 IST |
| Karnataka High Court upheld the right of taxi aggregators to operate bike taxis, ruling that it is a legitimate business protected under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, and held that a blanket ban by the State would not constitute a reasonable restriction under Article 19(6). |
| PROPERTY - Madras HC: Encroachment on a Public Street Cannot be Allowed Even If It Has a Religious Character |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:39 IST |
| Madras High Court observed that encroachments cannot be permitted on public places or land vested in a local body even if they have a religious character, and held that it is the duty of the Municipal Commissioner to remove such encroachments after issuing due notice. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta HC: Third-Party Suits in a Deity's Name are Allowed Only When The Sebait Loses Authority |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:29 IST |
| The court observed that "Only in exceptional circumstances, where the sebait does not or by his own act, deprives himself of the power of representing the deity, a third party is competent to institute a suit in the name of the deity to protect the debottar property" |
| CIVIL - SC: Registry Cannot Intrude Into Judiciary's Exclusive Domain By Questioning Why a Party is Impleaded |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:20 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that the Registry has no authority to question or object to a petitioner's decision to implead a particular party as a respondent, nor can it seek any justification or explanation for the inclusion of a specific party in the proceedings. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Registered Sale Deed Carries Strong Presumption of Genuineness |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:09 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a registered sale deed enjoys a strong presumption of validity and genuineness, and therefore cannot be casually or lightly branded as a 'sham' merely to challenge or oppose a sale transaction. |
| INSOLVENCY - Supreme Court to NCLT : Limit Power to Decide Intellectual Property Title Disputes under IBC |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:14:28 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that NCLT, while acting under Section 60(5) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), has limited jurisdiction and cannot decide disputed questions of intellectual property ownership when such issues fall outside or go beyond the scope of an approved resolution plan |
| CIVIL - SC: Blockchain-Based Digitisation of Land Records Necessary to Reduce Property Document Litigation |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:14:19 IST |
| Supreme Court while stating blockchain ensures immutability of transactions urged Union and State Governments to urgently digitise land records and registered documents using secure, tamper-proof technologies like blockchain |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Delhi High Court Ruling upheld on Taekwondo National Sports Federation Recognition |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:14:09 IST |
| Supreme Court declined to interfere with Delhi High Court's ruling that, pending a Union Government decision, neither Taekwondo Federation of India nor Taekwondo India can function as the National Sports Federation |
| CRIMINAL - Del. HC Stresses Mandatory Legal Assistance to Preserve Fairness and Integrity of Criminal Trials |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:13:59 IST |
| Court held that requiring an accused to cross-examine witnesses without legal counsel undermines not only accused's rights but fairness of entire trial. Even if delay is suspected, trial courts should appoint an amicus curiae or legal aid counsel to ensure fairness |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: DDA Must Adopt a Litigation Policy To Screen Cases and Avoid Unnecessary Filings |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:57:27 IST |
| Supreme Court imposed a cost of Rs. 10,000 on the Delhi Development Authority, noting its consistent delay in challenging orders, and emphasized that the DDA should have a litigation policy to screen cases in advance so as to avoid belated filings and save valuable judicial time. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Subordinate Legislation Takes Effect Only From its Publication in The Official Gazette |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:57:17 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that subordinate legislation becomes binding only upon its publication in the Official Gazette, clarifying that it is the date of Gazette publication, and not merely the date of issuance of the notification, that gives such legislation legal effect. |
| SERVICE - Delhi High Court: Recruitment Notice Error Creates No Appointment Right Without Vacancy |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:57:06 IST |
| Delhi High Court set aside a CAT order directing appointment based on an erroneous recruitment advertisement, holding that a mistake in the notification cannot confer a vested right to appointment when no actual vacancy existed for the reserved category. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: Asking an Accused To Cross-Examine a Witness Without Legal Aid Vitiates The Trial |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:56:57 IST |
| The court said that "In the trial proceedings where the accused in the absence of defence counsel, is called upon to cross-examine a witness, it is not just the accused who suffers injustice. It is the entire trial which gets vitiated,". |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: Mere Pleadings Made To Prosecute or Defend a Case Do Not Amount To Defamation |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:56:46 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that mere averments in pleadings to prosecute or defend a case do not constitute defamation, stating that if a statement in judicial proceedings is false, the proper remedy is for perjury, not a separate defamation complaint. |
| CIVIL - Bombay HC: Railway Employee With Valid Privilege Pass is Bona Fide Passenger Despite Missing Entries |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:56:35 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that a railway employee with a valid privilege pass remains a bona fide passenger under Section 124A of the Railways Act, 1989, even if travel entries are not endorsed, noting that denial of status on technical grounds is unjustified absent misuse or excess travel. |
| MINES AND MINERALS - Karnataka High Court Holds Mining Leases Granted in Violation of Rule 22-D are Void Ab Initio |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:50:31 IST |
| Karnataka HC held that a mining lease granted in violation of the minimum area requirement under Rule 22-D is void under Section 19 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act Act and, being void ab initio, cannot qualify for any deemed extension under Section 8A(3) of the Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Rajasthan HC: Single Blunt Blow Causing Grievous Injury is Not Attempt to Murder Without Intent |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:50:22 IST |
| Rajasthan High Court ruled that a single blunt blow to the head causing grievous injury does not amount to attempt to murder unless repeated, forceful attacks show a clear intent to kill, as homicidal mens rea is an essential requirement for the offence. |
| SERVICE - Allahabad High Court: Recruitment Rules Cannot Override Compassionate Appointments |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:50:12 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that compassionate appointments are exceptions to standard recruitment processes, and recruitment rules cannot be rigidly applied to undermine their purpose, ensuring that deserving candidates are not denied relief meant to support them in exceptional circumstances. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: While Declining to Quash an FIR, A High Court Should Not Direct Police To Follow Section 41A CrPC |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:50:02 IST |
| SC ruled that High Courts cannot direct police to comply with Section 41A CrPC while rejecting a plea to quash an FIR, explaining that protection under Section 41A, which bars arrest if the accused appears in response to notice, is interim relief and cannot be granted at the quashing stage. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Evidence is Often Fabricated Using AI And False Allegations are Rampant in Matrimonial Cases |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:49:52 IST |
| Supreme Court expressed serious concern over AI-generated and fabricated evidence in matrimonial disputes, noting that parties, eager to 'teach the other side a lesson,' are increasingly misusing technology to build cases based on false allegations. |
| CIVIL - SC: NGT Has No Jurisdiction to Decide Disputes Relating to Building Plan Violations |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:49:41 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the National Green Tribunal cannot adjudicate disputes essentially concerning land use, zoning regulations, and town-planning compliance, even when such issues are presented as environmental disputes. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - SC: Compensatory Allowances Must Be Included While Computing Overtime Wages U/S 59 of Factories Act |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:49:30 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that compensatory allowances including House Rent Allowance, Transport Allowance, Clothing and Washing Allowance, and Small Family Allowance constitute part of the "ordinary rate of wages" for calculating overtime wages under Section 59(2) of the Factories Act, 1948. |
| COMMERCIAL - Authorities Holding Public Auctions Must Disclose All Known Encumbrances and Related Litigation |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:49:18 IST |
| Supreme Court held that non-disclosure of pending litigation and encumbrances vitiates a public auction, and directed the Ludhiana Improvement Trust to refund ?1.57 crore with interest after it auctioned a plot without informing bidders that it was already subject to a civil suit. |
| SERVICE - Patna HC: Aadhaar and GPS-Based Attendance For Medical College Faculty Does Not Violate Privacy |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:10:06 IST |
| Patna High Court upheld the mandatory use of Aadhaar-based facial authentication and GPS location tracking for faculty attendance in Bihar medical colleges, dismissing a writ petition challenging the state's directive for implementing face-based Aadhaar and GPS-enabled attendance systems. |
| CRIMINAL - Patna High Court: Cruelty Claims Against In-Laws are Unlikely Without Shared Residence or Interaction |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:56 IST |
| Patna High Court recently quashed criminal proceedings in a matrimonial dispute, holding that allegations of cruelty against in-laws are inherently improbable when there is no shared residence or meaningful interaction between the parties. |
| FAMILY - Allahabad High Court: Wife May Claim Education Expenses; Adverse Inference If Husband Hides Income |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:47 IST |
| Allahabad High Court upheld an order granting interim maintenance to a wife for her educational expenses, observing that she had prima facie established her entitlement to claim such expenses from her husband. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: State Agencies are Competent To Probe Corruption Cases Against Central Government Officers |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:38 IST |
| Supreme Court held that state police authorities have the legal competence to investigate offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and file charge sheets even when the accused are employees of the Central Government. |
| CONSTITUTION - Supreme Court: High Courts To Decide Article 226(3) Applications Within Two Weeks |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:28 IST |
| Supreme Court disposed of a Special Leave Petition against an interim status quo order of the Allahabad High Court and reminded the High Court of its constitutional duty under Article 226(3) to decide applications seeking vacating of interim orders within two weeks. |
| SERVICE - SC: AICTE Regulations Do Not Govern Direct Recruitment of Engineering Professors by State PSCs |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:18 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the All India Council for Technical Education Regulations are not applicable to direct recruitment for professor posts in engineering colleges when such recruitment is conducted by the State Public Service Commissions. |
| SERVICE - SC: Reserved Candidates Scoring Above General Cut-Off Must be Considered For Open Posts |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:09 IST |
| The court said "It is now a settled proposition of law that a candidate belonging to reserve category who has scored marks higher than the cut off marks for the General Category is to be treated as having qualified against an open or unreserved vacant post" |
| SERVICE - Supreme Court: Wait-Listed Candidates Have No Vested Right After List Expiry |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:08:59 IST |
| Supreme Court held that in matters of public employment, candidates placed on a waiting list do not gain any vested or automatic right to appointment after the statutory period of validity of the waiting list has expired. |
| CIVIL - SC: Mandatory Injunction Suit Alone is Not Maintainable When Plaintiff's Title is Disputed |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:07:48 IST |
| Supreme Court held that where serious disputes exist over title, possession, or identity of property, a suit for mandatory injunction simpliciter is not maintainable, and the plaintiff must seek comprehensive relief through a suit for declaration of title and recovery of possession. |
| SERVICE TAX - SC: Contracts to Hire Global Speakers For Media Summits are Not Taxable as Event Management Services |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:07:39 IST |
| Granting major relief to media and event organizers, the Supreme Court held that fees paid to high-profile speakers through international booking agencies are not liable to Service Tax under the category of "Event Management Service." |
| SERVICE - SC: Govt Can Exclude Overqualified Candidates From Posts Requiring Lower Qualifications |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:07:29 IST |
| Observing that States have the power to prescribe minimum eligibility for public posts, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of Rule 6(1) of the Bihar Pharmacists Cadre Rules, 2014, which mandates a diploma in pharmacy as the minimum qualification for appointment as pharmacists. |
| EDUCATION - Supreme Court Orders Reporting of Student Suicides and Bans Denial of Classes or Exams |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:07:08 IST |
| Expressing concern over rising suicides in higher educational institutions, the Supreme Court issued interim directions mandating all HEIs to report every such incident, regardless of location or mode of study, and to ensure round-the-clock access to qualified medical assistance. |
| LAW OF EVIDENCE - SC: Disclosure Statements Alone Cannot Secure Conviction Without a Complete Chain of Evidence |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:58 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside a murder conviction, observing that confessional statements under Section 27 of the Evidence Act and related discoveries cannot alone sustain conviction, particularly when the chain of circumstantial evidence is incomplete. |
| CIVIL - Ker HC: Dismissal For Default Alone Cannot Justify Rejecting Restoration Plea For Lack of Vigilance |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:48 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that dismissal for default alone cannot justify rejecting a restoration plea citing lack of vigilance, noting that a previous default in execution proceedings does not automatically disqualify the petitioner from seeking restoration of those proceedings. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Pending Probate Proceedings Do Not Prevent Filing FIR For Alleged Will Forgery |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:38 IST |
| Delhi High Court refused to quash an FIR alleging forgery of a registered Will, holding that pending probate proceedings on the Will's validity do not bar a simultaneous criminal investigation into claims of fabrication and use of forged documents. |
| CIVIL - Delhi HC: Bar Associations are Not 'State' under Article 12 as They Do Not Perform Public Functions |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:28 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that Bar Associations do not perform public functions and are not a State or its instrumentality under Article 12, noting that their functions primarily protect the interests of individual lawyers and cannot be classified as State functions. |
| CRIMINAL - MP HC: Diverting Goods From Delivery Point is Misappropriation under S.407 IPC |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:18 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court held that diverting goods from the designated delivery point constitutes misappropriation under Section 407 IPC, a key element of criminal breach of trust, and that actual sale or disposal of the goods need not be proved. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad HC: Victim Compensation under POCSO Act Cannot be Withheld For Lack of Injury Report |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:08 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that under the Uttar Pradesh Rani Lakshmi Bai Mahila Samman Kosh Rules, 2015, compensation must be granted if the FIR discloses an offence under Section 4 of the POCSO Act, and the absence of injuries in the report cannot justify withholding compensation. |
| INSOLVENCY - Supreme Court Issues Directions to CoC in Builder Insolvency Cases To Protect Homebuyers' Interests |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:58:00 IST |
| SC issued directions on the functioning of the Committee of Creditors under the IBC, stressing that while its commercial wisdom is paramount, it must be exercised responsibly, transparently and with due application of mind, especially in real estate insolvencies affecting homebuyers. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Motive Becomes Irrelevant When Direct Evidence Such as a Dying Declaration is Available |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:50 IST |
| The court observed that "Motive assumes significance, primarily in cases based on circumstantial evidence. Where there is direct evidence in the form of a credible and trustworthy dying declaration, the absence of strong proof of motive is not fatal to the prosecution case." |
| TENANCY - Supreme Court: Stamp Duty on an Agreement to Sell is Leviable Only if Possession is Transferred |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:41 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that under the Andhra Pradesh Stamp Act, stamp duty is not payable on an agreement to sell that does not provide for delivery of possession, and set aside the High Court's view treating such agreements as conveyances liable to duty and penalty. |
| CRIMINAL - Karnataka HC: Appeals Against Acquittal in Bailable Offences Lie Only Before High Court |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:32 IST |
| Karnataka High Court set aside a Sessions Court conviction for causing death by negligence, holding that the State wrongly appealed an acquittal before the Sessions Court, which lacked jurisdiction to entertain appeals against acquittal. |
| FAMILY - Orissa HC: Second Marriage During Subsistence of First Remains Invalid Even After First Wife's Death |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:22 IST |
| Orissa High Court held that a Hindu man's second marriage, void ab initio during the subsistence of his first marriage, does not become valid or legal upon the death of the first wife. |
| TENANCY - Calcutta HC: Landlord Decides His Residential Needs; Courts Cannot Set Living Standards in Eviction |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:12 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that a landlord is the best judge of his residential and business needs, and courts cannot dictate living standards. Upholding an eviction decree under the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1956, it dismissed the tenant's second appeal. |
| SERVICE - Patna HC: Disciplinary Authority Cannot Impose Major and Minor Penalties in a Single Order |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:03 IST |
| Patna High Court held that major and minor penalties cannot be combined into a single order and imposed simultaneously, while hearing a writ petition by a Deputy SP challenging an order imposing both withholding of five increments and a five-year promotion ban. |
| CRIMINAL - MP High Court: Guardians Can be Liable For Minors Flying Kites With Chinese Manjha |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:43 IST |
| While hearing a suo motu PIL on the illegal sale and use of Chinese manjha, the Madhya Pradesh High Court held that if a minor flies a kite using Chinese manjha, the guardian may be held liable under Section 106(1) of the BNS, 2023, for death caused by negligence. |
| CIVIL - MP HC: Trial Courts Cannot Grant Permanent Injunction in Title Suits Without Recovery of Possession |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:34 IST |
| MP HC set aside a trial court order in a title suit, holding that the court erred in granting a decree of permanent injunction without awarding the consequential relief of recovery of possession, despite finding that the defendant had encroached upon the plaintiff's land. |
| CIVIL - Kerala HC: Petrol Pump Licence is Automatically Cancelled on Lease Expiry Without Any Hearing |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:25 IST |
| Kerala High Court clarified that under the Petroleum Rules, 2002, a petrol pump licence is automatically cancelled when the lease for the storage site expires, and no formal order or hearing is required for the cancellation, as the licensee loses the right to the site. |
| SERVICE - MP HP: Over-Age Candidate Cannot Claim Age Relaxation Due to Delay in Earlier Recruitment |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:15 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court held that a candidate who participated in the 2022 recruitment process cannot claim age relaxation merely because an earlier recruitment had extended the age limit beyond what was prescribed under the applicable Rules. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad HC: Police Must Prosecute Informants of False Firs, and IOs May Face Contempt if They Fail |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:05 IST |
| Allahabad High Court directed police to mandatorily prosecute individuals who lodge false or malicious FIRs, holding that if an investigation confirms the FIR is false, the IO is legally obliged to file a complaint against the informant under Section 215(1)(a) BNSS. |
| SERVICE - MP High Court: Women Retain Reservation Benefits After Marriage if Caste is Recognized in Both States |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:09:55 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court has held that women who move to MP after marriage from another state are not considered migrants for service or reservation purposes and will be treated as domiciled residents, ensuring they retain all benefits tied to state residency. |
| SERVICE - Delhi High Court: Home State Must be the First Preference For Claiming Insider IFS Cadre Allocation |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:46 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that under the All India Services Cadre Allocation Policy, an officer must list their home State as the first preference to claim insider IFS cadre allocation, and merely expressing willingness or listing it lower does not confer any enforceable right. |
| CIVIL - Bombay HC: ?25K Fine for Flying Kites With Nylon Manjha; Parents Must Ensure Responsible Conduct |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:37 IST |
| Bombay High Court warned that during this year's Makar Sankranti, anyone flying kites with nylon manjha will face a ?25,000 fine, while those selling it illegally will be liable to pay ?2.5 lakh, emphasizing the need for responsible behavior and adherence to the law. |
| CRIMINAL - MP High Court: Mere Illness of a Family Member, If Improving, is Not Sufficient for Interim Bail |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:27 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed a plea for interim bail, observing that the mere illness of a family member, particularly when the condition is improving and under control, does not constitute exceptional grounds for granting temporary or interim bail. |
| SERVICE - Allahabad HC: Will in Favor of Someone Does Not Affect Compassionate Appointment Based on Dependency |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:18 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that under the U.P. Recruitment of Dependents of Government Servants Dying-in-Harness Rules, 1974, compassionate appointments are based on the family member's dependence on the deceased, and a will in favor of any person does not affect eligibility. |
| FAMILY - Chhattisgarh HC: Second Marriage During Subsisting First Marriage Void Unless Custom Permits It |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:08 IST |
| Chhattisgarh High Court held that a second marriage solemnised during the subsistence of a first marriage is void under Sections 5(i) and 11 of the Hindu Marriage Act, unless the party concerned proves the existence of a valid custom permitting such remarriage. |
| SERVICE - MP High Court: Aadhaar and Voter ID Cards are Not Definitive Proof of Date of Birth |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:20:57 IST |
| The court observed that "it is evident that the Aadhaar Card and Voter Identity Card cannot be treated as determinative proof of her date of birth. These documents are prepared on the basis of self-declaration and are meant for identification purposes alone." |
| EDUCATION - SC: RTE Act promotes fraternity and equality by children of judges and vendors studying together |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:20:45 IST |
| Supreme Court held that proper enforcement of the 25% admission mandate for children from weaker and disadvantaged sections in neighbourhood unaided schools under the RTE Act, 2009, can transform India's social structure and should be pursued as a national mission. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Under Order XXI Rule 102 CPC, A Transferee Pendente Lite Cannot Obstruct Execution of a Decree |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:20:36 IST |
| Supreme Court reiterated that a purchaser who buys property during pending litigation, as a transferee pendente lite, cannot obstruct execution of the decree and remains bound by the final outcome, with such transfer being entirely subject and subordinate to the decree passed in the proceedings. |
| CRIMINAL - Del HC: Courts Cannot Compel Lawyers to Disclose Sources of Documents Filed on Clients' Instructions |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:25:21 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that a lawyer cannot be forced to reveal the source of a document provided by a client, as it is protected under privileged communication, unless there is a prima facie judicial finding of fraud. |
| FAMILY - Gauhati HC: Only A Family Court Can Grant A Divorce under Muslim Law, Not A Civil Judge |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:25:12 IST |
| Gauhati High Court held that a civil judge cannot authenticate a talaq or grant a divorce decree under Muslim law, and that only the Family Court or the District Court if no Family Court exists is the competent forum to adjudicate such matters. |
| PROPERTY - Delhi HC: Registered Property Title Prevails over Claims Based on Oral Family Settlements |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:25:03 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that a registered conveyance deed provides conclusive property ownership, and unproven or vague claims of an oral family settlement cannot override or challenge the rights of the registered owner. |
| SERVICE - Raj HC: Having Different Age Criteria For Contractual and Regular Appointments is Unconstitutional |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:24:54 IST |
| Rajasthan High Court struck down Rule 6 of the 2022 Contractual Hiring Rules as unconstitutional, holding that prescribing 21 years for contractual recruitment, versus 18 years for regular recruitment under the 1965 Rules, violated Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Vendor Remains a Necessary Party in Specific Performance Suits Even After Transferring Property |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:24:45 IST |
| Supreme Court reaffirmed that in a suit for specific performance of an agreement to sell immovable property, the vendor remains a necessary party even if he has already transferred his interest in the property to a third party. |
| FAMILY - SC: Hindu Daughter-In-Law Widowed After Her Father-In-Law's Death is Entitled to Maintenance |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:24:36 IST |
| SC has held that under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, a daughter-in-law who becomes a widow after her father-in-law's death is entitled to maintenance from his estate, ruling that the phrase "any widow of his son" includes all widowed daughters-in-law. |
| CRIMINAL - Kerala HC: Magistrate Must Pass Speaking Order, Consider Report When Taking Cognizance of Complaint |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:47 IST |
| Kerala High Court has ruled that when a magistrate takes cognizance of a case based on a protest complaint, they must consider the police's refer report and issue a speaking order, ensuring the decision is reasoned and reflects all relevant material before proceeding. |
| EDUCATION - Delhi HC: Right to Higher or Professional Education is Fundamental and Cannot be Curtailed Lightly |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:38 IST |
| Court held that "The right to pursue higher or professional education even though not explicitly spelt out as a fundamental right in part III of the Constitution, it is an affirmative obligation on the part of the state to ensure this right and the same cannot be permitted to be curtailed, lightly". |
| CRIMINAL - Ker HC: Victim Cannot File Second Appeal Seeking Special Leave Against Acquittal Under S.419(4) BNSS |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:28 IST |
| Kerala High Court recently held that a victim cannot file a second appeal against an accused's acquittal by seeking special leave under Section 419(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, affirming that the acquittal order is final and not subject to such review. |
| ELECTION - HP High Court: Panchayati Raj Elections Cannot Be Postponed Beyond Five-Year Term |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:18 IST |
| HP HC held that orders under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 cannot override the State Election Commission's authority or justify delaying elections, emphasizing that Panchayati Raj polls must be completed within their five-year term under Article 243E of the Constitution. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - Gujarat HC: Motor Accident Compensation Doesn't Cover Medical Expenses Paid by Charity |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:09 IST |
| Gujarat High Court recently observed, while hearing a plea to enhance compensation for the kin of a deceased accident victim, that amounts awarded under the Motor Vehicles Act are not a "bonanza or jackpot" and should reflect fair and reasonable relief, not windfall gains. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Bail Should Not be Refused Mechanically Nor Granted Based on Irrelevant Considerations |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:59 IST |
| Supreme Court overturned the Allahabad High Court's bail order for a man accused of raping and sexually assaulting a minor under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, calling the decision perverse, unreasonable, and ignoring crucial evidence. |
| BANKING - Supreme Court: Multiple Complaints Are Valid For Dishonour of Several Cheques in One Transaction |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:49 IST |
| Supreme Court held that dishonour of multiple cheques from the same transaction creates separate causes of action under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and prosecutions cannot be quashed merely due to the multiplicity of complaints. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Preventive Detention Cannot Override Bail and Requires Proof of a Threat to Public Order |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:40 IST |
| Supreme Court quashed a preventive detention order under the Telangana Goonda Act, holding that merely branding a person as a habitual drug offender is insufficient, and that authorities must clearly demonstrate how the individual's actions posed a specific threat to public order. |
| COMPANY - SC: Complaints Alleging Fraud under Companies Act Can Be Filed Only By SFIO, Not By Private Parties |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:30 IST |
| SC held that allegations of fraud under Companies Act, 2013 cannot be pursued through private complaints, as a Special Court may take cognizance only on a complaint filed by the Director of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office or an officer authorised by Central Government u/s 212(6) of the Act. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - SC: Excavators, Dumpers Etc Used Within Factories aren't Motor Vehicles For Road Tax Purposes |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:20 IST |
| SC has held that Heavy Earth Moving Machinery & construction equipment such as excavators, dumpers, loaders, and dozers, when used solely within factory premises or other enclosed areas, do not qualify as "motor vehicles" u/s 2(28) of the Motor Vehicles Act and are therefore not liable to road tax. |
| DIRECT TAXATION - SC Explains When Shares Received After Company Amalgamation are Taxable as Business Income |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:11 IST |
| Supreme Court has held that shares obtained through a corporate amalgamation are taxable as business income under Section 28 of the Income Tax Act at the time of receipt, provided they constitute a real and commercially realizable benefit to the assessee. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Judge Who Reserved Judgment Must Deliver Verdict Despite Transfer; Successor Can't Rehear |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:50:34 IST |
| Delhi High Court has held that once a criminal trial concludes and the matter is reserved for judgment, the judge who heard the case is obligated to pronounce the verdict, even if transferred, and the successor judge cannot order a rehearing or decide the case afresh. |
| CRIMINAL - Rajasthan HC: Father's Rape of His Daughter Transcends Ordinary Crime; Victim's Testimony Suffices |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:50:24 IST |
| Rajasthan High Court, while dismissing an appeal against a POCSO rape conviction, held that the victim's testimony, as the convict's daughter, constituted the most reliable evidence, as there was no reason for her to falsely accuse her own father, underscoring the gravity of the crime. |
| BANKING - Cal HC: Banks Cannot Freeze a Company's Accounts Solely Due To ROC Labeling a 'Management Dispute' |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:50:12 IST |
| Cal HC has ruled that a bank cannot freeze a company's accounts solely because the ROC marked it as a "management dispute," especially after the marking has been removed following directions from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, emphasizing that such action alone does not justify account freezing. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT: Suspended Directors Who are Prospective Resolution Applicants Cann't Access Valuation Reports |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:50:01 IST |
| NCLT Mumbai dismissed a suspended director's challenge seeking access to valuation reports and other CIRP documents, holding that such reports are confidential and cannot be disclosed to individuals who are themselves prospective or competing resolution applicants. |
| CRIMINAL - Jharkhand HC: Mere Breach of Compromise Terms by an Accused Does Not Justify Bail Cancellation |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:51 IST |
| Jharkhand High Court has held that an accused's failure to comply with the terms of a compromise or payment promise does not, by itself, constitute sufficient ground for the cancellation of bail once it has been granted. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT: Misnaming Guarantor as 'Director' in SARFAESI Notice Doesn't Void Guarantee Invocation |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:41 IST |
| NCLAT, New Delhi, has ruled that merely referring to a personal guarantor as a "Director" in a SARFAESI notice does not invalidate the guarantee's invocation, provided the notice clearly demands payment of the outstanding dues under the personal guarantee deed. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Mumbai: CIRP Claims Cannot Invoke the 12-Year Limitation Period For Enforcing Mortgage Rights |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:29 IST |
| NCLT Mumbai has held that secured creditors cannot rely on the 12-year limitation period applicable to enforcement of mortgage rights while filing claims in a corporate insolvency resolution process, clarifying that insolvency claims are governed by a three-year limitation period. |
| SERVICE - SC: Studying in a Government Institute Does Not Create an Automatic Right to a Government Job |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:19 IST |
| Supreme Court has ruled that admission to and completion of a course in a government institution does not by itself give rise to a legitimate expectation of automatic appointment to a government post, especially where there has been a change in policy or the applicable recruitment framework. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Fresh Notification For Vijayawada ACB Police Station not Required After AP Bifurcation |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:10 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the Andhra Pradesh High Court judgment that had quashed several FIRs registered by the ACB for want of jurisdiction, holding that the High Court took an unduly hyper-technical view which led to a serious miscarriage of justice. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court Clarifies Test For Granting Bail to Accused Added at Trial under Section 319 CrPC |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:01 IST |
| Supreme Court has held that when a person is added as an accused during the course of a trial, bail should ordinarily be granted and should not be refused unless there is strong, cogent, and convincing evidence indicating serious involvement in the alleged offence. |
| LIMITATION - Supreme Court: Only Courts May Condone Delay; Tribunals Lack Power Unless Statute Allows |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:05:08 IST |
| Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Company Law Board or Tribunal has no power to condone delay in filing appeals unless such authority is expressly conferred by statute, emphasizing that condonation of delay lies with courts and not quasi-judicial bodies unless specifically provided. |
| CIVIL - SC: Under the Urban Land Ceiling Act, Notice U/S 10(5) Must be Served on the Person in Possession |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:58 IST |
| Supreme Court has ruled that proceedings under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 would abate under the Repeal Act of 1999 if the State did not lawfully take actual physical possession of excess land, including by serving mandatory notice under Section 10(5) on persons in possession. |
| CUSTOMS - SC: In Customs Classification, Statutory Tariff Headings and HSN Notes Prevail over Common Parlance |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:48 IST |
| Supreme Court held that aluminium shelves imported for mushroom cultivation cannot be classified as parts of agricultural machinery and must instead be treated as aluminium structures, thereby attracting the applicable customs duty. |
| COMMERCIAL - Supreme Court: Concluded Auction Cannot Be Cancelled Merely To Invite Higher Bids at a Later Stage |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:37 IST |
| SC has held that once a bidder is declared the highest in a lawfully conducted auction rights & obligations crystallize obligating the authority to issue an allotment letter & the mere prospect of higher bids later cannot justify cancelling the auction as such action would be arbitrary & irrational. |
| INSOLVENCY - Bombay High Court: In IBC Cases, High Courts Lack Parallel Contempt Jurisdiction over the NCLT |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:27 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that contempt petitions for breach of NCLT orders in insolvency cases cannot be filed directly in the High Court, stating that once contempt powers are conferred on the NCLT by law, the High Court cannot exercise parallel jurisdiction. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Kochi: Avoidance Provisions under Insolvency Code Aim to Restore, Not Punish, Parties |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:17 IST |
| NCLT Kochi clarified that avoidance provisions under the Insolvency Code are intended to reverse the preferential effect of certain transactions and restore the corporate debtor's estate, rather than impose punitive liability on the beneficiaries of such transactions. |
| DIRECT TAXATION - Delhi High Court: Late Payment of TDS Does Not Absolve Criminal Liability under the Income Tax Act |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:08 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that a belated or subsequent deposit of TDS does not absolve an assessee or company officials from criminal liability under Section 276B of the Income Tax Act, 1961, emphasizing that timely compliance is mandatory to avoid prosecution. |
| CRIMINAL - Poverty Cannot Bar Parole; Rajasthan HC Waives Surety For Indigent Life Convict, Sets Guidelines |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:03:58 IST |
| Rajasthan High Court held that requiring sureties from an indigent prisoner for parole, especially after past judicial waivers, violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and is morally indefensible, emphasizing that poverty cannot bar a convict from parole. |
| TENANCY - Revisional Power U/S 25B(8) of Delhi Rent Control Act is Supervisory; HC Cannot Revisit Facts |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:03:47 IST |
| Delhi High Court reiterated that its revisional jurisdiction under Section 25B(8) of the Delhi Rent Control Act is purely supervisory and does not allow the court to reappreciate evidence or revisit factual findings recorded by the Rent Controller. |
| CRIMINAL - Karnataka HC: A Neighbour Cannot be Charged With Matrimonial Cruelty under Section 498A IPC |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:03:36 IST |
| Karnataka High Court reiterated that a neighbour or stranger cannot be implicated in matrimonial cruelty proceedings under Section 498A IPC, as such disputes are confined to the husband, wife, or other family members, and outsiders cannot be held liable. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Kochi: Fraud Has No Time Limit and Directors Cannot Use Delay As a Defense |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:01:16 IST |
| NCLT Kochi held that allegations of fraud or wrongful trading are not limited by time, and directors cannot evade liability by claiming the conduct occurred long ago, directing the suspended directors of a Kochi-based insolvent company to jointly contribute Rs 11.95 crore to its assets. |
| LAW OF MEDICINE - Delhi HC: Abortion by a Married Woman For Marital Discord is Legal under The MTP Act |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:01:07 IST |
| Reaffirming women's reproductive autonomy, the Delhi High Court held that marital discord affecting a woman's mental health constitutes a valid ground for abortion under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad HC: Being 'Proclaimed Offender' Does Not Completely Bar Grant of Anticipatory Bail |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:58 IST |
| Allahabad High Court recently held that the issuance of a proclamation under Section 82 CrPC against an accused does not completely bar the court from considering their application for anticipatory bail. |
| SERVICE - Delhi HC: Delays From Medical Review Cannot Justify Ante-Dated Seniority For BSF Candidates |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:49 IST |
| Delhi High Court Full Bench held that BSF candidates whose joining was delayed due to medical re-examination cannot claim ante-dated seniority over batchmates who joined earlier, even if the delay was not their fault. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Judge Cannot Be Presumed Biased Merely Because a Litigant's Relative Is Police or Court Staff |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:40 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the Telangana High Court's order transferring a criminal case from Sangareddy to Hyderabad, holding that allegations of judicial bias cannot be presumed merely because a litigant's relatives hold official positions. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Exoneration in Disciplinary Proceedings Does Not Always Bar Criminal Prosecution |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:31 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a public servant's exoneration in departmental proceedings does not automatically justify quashing a criminal case, especially in corruption trap matters, as disciplinary and criminal proceedings are independent and governed by different standards of proof. |
| BANKING - SC: Courts Cannot Take Cognizance of Time-Barred Cheque Bounce Cases Without Condoning Delay |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:21 IST |
| Supreme Court held that courts cannot take cognizance of a belated cheque dishonour complaint unless the delay is first condoned, and accordingly set aside the Karnataka High Court's ruling that had upheld cognizance without formally condoning the delay. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Single FIR is Permissible in Mass Cheating Cases Arising From One Conspiracy |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:12 IST |
| Supreme Court held that where a single criminal conspiracy leads to mass cheating of investors, one FIR is sufficient and other complaints may be treated as Section 161 CrPC statements, setting aside the Delhi High Court's 2019 ruling requiring separate FIRs for each investor. |
| SERVICE - SC: Public Sector Enterprises Cannot Act Against Retired Employees Without Clear Rules |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:02 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a public sector corporation cannot initiate or continue disciplinary proceedings against an employee after retirement unless its service regulations expressly permit such action. |
| SERVICE - SC: Reserved Category Candidate Who Availed Prelims Relaxation Cannot Claim an Unreserved Seat |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:59:53 IST |
| Supreme Court declined to consider the appointment of a Scheduled Caste candidate to the unreserved Indian Forest Service cadre, holding that the candidate was ineligible after availing relaxation at the preliminary examination stage. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Bombay HC: Housing Society Earning From Telecom Towers Isn't An 'Industry'; Staff Get No Gratuity |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:16:20 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that merely installing telecom antennas and employing staff does not make a cooperative housing society an 'industry' under the Industrial Disputes Act or an 'establishment' under the Maharashtra Shops & Establishments Act, clarifying staff are not entitled to gratuity. |
| CRIMINAL - Del HC: Security Guards Performing Duties Cannot Be Prosecuted For Wrongful Restraint or Molestation |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:16:10 IST |
| Delhi High Court quashed criminal proceedings against security guards accused of wrongful restraint and outraging modesty, holding that actions done bonafide while performing their official duties cannot be criminalized, as they were carried out in the lawful discharge of duty. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC Absence of Formal Arrest under Section 311A Crpc Does Not Bar Giving Handwriting Samples |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:16:01 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that under Section 311A CrPC, the absence of a formal arrest does not prevent a Magistrate from directing a person to provide handwriting or signature samples for investigation or proceedings, clarifying the scope of the proviso in the section. |
| CIVIL - SC: Law Does Not Change With a New Bench; Decisions of a Coordinate Bench are Binding |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:15:51 IST |
| Supreme Court granted customs duty exemption to Adani Power for electricity from a Gujarat SEZ, while faulting the Gujarat High Court for violating stare decisis by ignoring a binding coordinate bench ruling, reiterating that the law cannot change with a change of bench. |
| CIVIL - SC: Under Order 1 Rule 10 CPC, the Plaintiff, as Dominus Litis, Cannot be Forced to Add a Defendant |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:15:42 IST |
| Supreme Court dismissed a plea to be added as a defendant, holding that the plaintiff, as master of the suit under Order 1 Rule 10 CPC, cannot be compelled to include a party against whom no relief is sought, reaffirming the principle that the plaintiff is dominus litis. |
| ARBITRATION - SC: Mere Participation in Arbitration Doesn't Bar Challenging Arbitrator; Waiver Must be in Writing |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:15:33 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that participation in arbitration does not waive the right to challenge an arbitrator's eligibility, clarifying that any waiver must be expressly made in writing and rejecting the idea of a deemed waiver under Section 12(5) of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court Directs Measures to Prevent False and Frivolous Complaints Against Judicial Officers |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:15:24 IST |
| Supreme Court issued directions for High Courts on handling complaints against district judiciary officers, emphasizing the need to distinguish between false or frivolous complaints and those that are prima facie true, to ensure fair and proper action is taken. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Terrorist Act under UAPA Includes Conspiracies to Disrupt Essential Supplies, Not Just Violence |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:15:14 IST |
| Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, observing they were prima facie the architects of the conspiracy, while granting bail to five others whose roles were merely facilitative. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Gravity of Offence Cannot Defeat Speedy Trial; Pre-Trial Detention is Punishment |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:15:05 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the right to a speedy trial under Article 21 is not eclipsed by the gravity of the offence, observing that prolonged pre-trial incarceration without trial progress amounts to punishment, while granting bail to former Amtek Auto promoter Arvind Dham. |
| CIVIL - SC: Forfeiture of Earnest Money Impermissible When Both Buyer and Seller are at Fault |
| Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:14:55 IST |
| Supreme Court held that forfeiture of earnest money is impermissible when both buyer and seller are at fault in performing the contract, as such forfeiture would unjustly enrich the seller. |
| SERVICE - P&H HC Cites Bhagavad Gita, Directs Regularisation of Daily Wage Workers For Public Good |
| Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:56:42 IST |
| Punjab & Haryana High Court, citing the principle of Rajdharma, held that a welfare State cannot demand continuous service from workers while keeping them in perpetual insecurity and directed the regularisation of daily wage employees to ensure justice, fairness, and compassion. |
| CRIMINAL - Cal HC Orders Change of Prosecutor In 2021 Murder Case, Says Accused Cannot Be Detained Indefinitely |
| Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:56:32 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that an accused cannot be detained indefinitely, criticising the State for delay in a 2021 murder trial where the accused has spent over four years in custody and only one of 39 prosecution witnesses has been partly examined. |
| GOODS AND SERVICES TAX - J&K&L HC: GST Refund is a Vested Right and Cannot Be Curtailed by Retrospective 2019 Amendment |
| Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:56:21 IST |
| Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court ruled that the 2019 GST amendment altering the limitation period for refund of unutilised input tax credit cannot be applied retrospectively to reject refund claims for periods before 1 February 2019. |
| ARBITRATION - AP HC Restores Arbitral Awards in Hindustan Shipyard Case, Allows Moderation of Exorbitant Damages |
| Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:56:09 IST |
| Andhra Pradesh High Court set aside a trial court order quashing 13 arbitral awards against Hindustan Shipyard Limited, holding that arbitrators can moderate liquidated damages if they are exorbitant or if delays are attributable to both parties. |
| CRIMINAL - Chhattisgarh High Court Grants Bail to Chaitanya Baghel in Alleged Liquor Scam Case |
| Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:55:59 IST |
| Chhattisgarh High Court has granted bail to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, in two liquor scam cases linked to alleged liquor syndicate operations that reportedly took place between 2019 and 2023. |
| ARBITRATION - Bombay HC Restores IMAX's Enforcement of Foreign Awards Against E-City, Applying Res Judicata |
| Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:15:57 IST |
| Bombay High Court recently revived IMAX Corporation's enforcement proceedings to execute foreign arbitral awards against E-City Entertainment (I) Pvt Ltd, ruling that res judicata applies even across different stages of the same enforcement petition. |
| CRIMINAL - J&K&L HC: Women Accused in Non-Bailable Offences Form a Distinct Class Beyond Sec 437 CrPC Rigour |
| Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:15:46 IST |
| Reiterating that women accused of non-bailable offences form a distinct class warranting special consideration, the J&K&L HC granted bail to three women undertrials in a murder case, holding that courts should not be constrained by the rigour of Section 437 CrPC while deciding their bail pleas. |
| ARBITRATION - HP HC: Mere Interest in a Project Cannot Justify Impleading a Non-Signatory in Arbitration |
| Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:15:36 IST |
| Himachal Pradesh High Court held that mere financial or consequential interest does not justify impleading a non-signatory in arbitration, emphasizing that only parties involved in negotiation, performance, or termination of the contract can be joined under Supreme Court tests. |
| CONSTITUTION - Madras HC: Preventive Detention Laws are Draconian, Cannot be Used to Curb Dissent or Settle Politics |
| Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:15:24 IST |
| Madras High Court observed that preventive detention laws are draconian and must not be used to settle political scores or suppress dissent, emphasizing that authorities should exercise these powers sparingly and in good faith, with courts scrutinizing any misuse or abuse of such powers. |
| ELECTION - Bombay HC Conducts Emergency Hearing from CJ's Residence as Court Staff Deployed for Elections |
| Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:15:14 IST |
| Bombay High Court held an emergency hearing at the Chief Justice's residence after the BMC Commissioner directed city court staff to report for two hours of election duty on December 30, prompting the court to proceed outside its usual premises. |
| CRIMINAL - J&K HC: Civil Remedy Alone Cannot Be Used To Quash Criminal Proceedings in Enso Tower Case |
| Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:20:40 IST |
| J&K HC held that the existence of a civil dispute does not prevent criminal prosecution. The court refused to quash a 2020 theft FIR in the Enso Tower landlord-tenant dispute, noting the same facts may give rise to both civil and criminal remedies. |
| CRIMINAL - High Court Grants Bail to J&K Bank Manager in Multi-Crore Loan Fraud Case, Emphasizing Bail As Rule |
| Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:20:21 IST |
| Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court granted bail to Jatinder Kumar, a J&K Bank manager, arrested in a large-scale loan fraud case investigated by the Crime Branch, Economic Offences Wing, Jammu, highlighting that bail is the norm and imprisonment should be an exception. |
| CRIMINAL - Kerala HC Denies Parole to Life Convict in TP Chandrasekharan Murder Case For Cousin's Funeral |
| Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:20:07 IST |
| Kerala HC refused emergency parole to Jyothi Babu, a convict in the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case, to perform his cousin's funeral rites. Babu, serving a life sentence for the 2012 politically motivated killing of RMP leader Chandrasekharan, remains in Kannur prison. |
| SERVICE - J&K&L High Court Invalidates Residence-Based Reservation, Citing Violation of Article 16 |
| Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:19:53 IST |
| Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court struck down a clause in a High Court recruitment ad that limited eligibility for district cadre posts based on residence, ruling it unconstitutional for violating the principles of equality under Article 16. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court Upholds Cancellation of Bail For Man Accused of Assault Causing Miscarriage |
| Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:19:32 IST |
| SC upheld the Bombay HC cancellation of bail for a man accused of assaulting a nightclub employee in a lift, leading to her miscarriage. Noting the initial bail was granted on technical grounds, the Court directed him to surrender within a week and seek bail on merits before the trial court. |
| CRIMINAL - J&K High Court: Courts Must Not Halt Corruption Probes, Refuses to Quash FIR |
| Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:54:38 IST |
| Reiterating that courts should not halt corruption probes at the threshold, the J&K HC dismissed a plea to quash an FIR against a former Assistant Regional Transport Officer, holding that the record shows sufficient grounds to suspect offences and no basis to invoke inherent jurisdiction. |
| CRIMINAL - J&K High Court: Right to Speedy Trial Includes Appeals; Closes 46-Year-Old Criminal Case Due to Delay |
| Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:54:24 IST |
| Highlighting the human cost of prolonged criminal proceedings, the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court closed a case stemming from a 1979 incident, holding that enforcing the remaining substantive sentence after decades of delay would serve no meaningful purpose. |
| CIVIL - Delhi High Court: No Construction or Residence Allowed on Yamuna Floodplains, Even For Graveyards |
| Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:54:09 IST |
| Delhi High Court has ruled that construction or residential use on the Yamuna floodplains is impermissible, and such activity cannot be justified even on the ground of a graveyard or religious purpose. |
| GOODS AND SERVICES TAX - Delhi HC: Non-Proof of Hearing Notice Dispatch Doesn't by Itself Show no Personal Hearing Was Given |
| Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:53:53 IST |
| Delhi High Court has ruled that the absence of documentary proof such as dispatch registers, postal receipts, or email records for a hearing notice does not, by itself, establish that the assessee was denied an opportunity of personal hearing. |
| CRIMINAL - J&K&L HC: Arbitral Tribunal Not a "Court"; Giving False Evidence Before it Doesn't Attract S.195 CrPC |
| Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:24:35 IST |
| Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court held that Section 195 CrPC does not apply to false evidence before an Arbitral Tribunal, as an arbitrator is not considered a "court" under the provision, clarifying the limits of criminal law in arbitral proceedings. |
| FAMILY - Delhi HC: Working Mothers Cannot be Forced to Bear Full Childcare Burden While Fathers Evade Duty |
| Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:24:19 IST |
| The court observed "A Court of law cannot burden, nor does the law mandate, that the working mother should be forced to exhaust herself physically, emotionally, and financially, and allow the father to take refuge behind selective, misleading disclosures about his income and technical pleas." |
| INSURANCE - J&K&L HC: Gold Voluntarily Given to Customer is 'Entrustment'; Theft Excluded from Insurance Cover |
| Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:24:05 IST |
| Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court held that when insured property is voluntarily handed over on trust, it amounts to entrustment, and any dishonest loss arising from it is excluded under the insurance policy, even if the act may legally constitute theft. |
| ARBITRATION - J&K&L HC: Second Arbitral Reference is Maintainable if Award is Set Aside Without Deciding Merits |
| Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:23:51 IST |
| Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court held that a second arbitral reference is maintainable when an award is set aside under Section 34 of the A&C Act without adjudication on the merits, leaving the underlying disputes unresolved. |
| CUSTOMS - Delhi High Court: Customs Officials Acting Officially Cannot be Cross-Examined as of Right |
| Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:23:37 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that Customs officials acting in their official capacity cannot be cross-examined as a matter of right in adjudication proceedings under the Customs Act, the court observed while partly allowing a writ petition in a customs duty evasion matter. |
| CRIMINAL - J&K&L HC: Matrimonial Remedies May Overlap, But Cruelty Claims Cannot be Selectively Invoked |
| Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:23:22 IST |
| Examining the interface of matrimonial remedies, J&K&L HC held that strict segregation of proceedings under Section 125 CrPC, the DV Act and Section 498-A IPC is not always required, as allegations of domestic violence, dowry demands, mental cruelty and physical harassment are often intertwined. |
| COMPANY - NCLAT: Oppression & Mismanagement Petition Cannot Be Filed Without Company Membership on Filing Date |
| Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:57:57 IST |
| NCLAT Chennai reaffirmed that a petition alleging oppression and mismanagement under Sections 241 and 244 of the Companies Act, 2013, is not maintainable unless the filer proves they were a company member on the petition's filing date. |
| LIMITATION - NCLAT Reaffirms That Borrower's Debt Acknowledgment Also Extends Limitation Period for Guarantors |
| Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:57:47 IST |
| NCLAT Delhi has reiterated that when a principal borrower acknowledges a debt, it extends the limitation period for initiating insolvency proceedings against the corporate guarantors, ensuring they cannot claim the limitation period has expired. |
| DIRECT TAXATION - Delhi High Court: 120-Day Timeline under Section 132B Of Income Tax Act is Not Mandatory |
| Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:57:36 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that the 120-day period under the second proviso to Section 132B(1)(i) of the Income Tax Act for deciding an assessee's plea for release of seized assets is not mandatory, and a decision taken beyond this period does not automatically become invalid. |
| ARBITRATION - Calcutta High Court: Arbitration Clause in an Expired Lease Cannot be Invoked For a Fresh Lease |
| Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:57:25 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that an arbitration clause in an expired lease deed cannot automatically apply to disputes over execution of a fresh lease, even when the proposed lease is claimed to arise from prior correspondence between the parties. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC Suspends Kuldeep Singh Sengar's Life Term, Holding Section 5(C) of POCSO Not Made Out |
| Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:57:13 IST |
| Delhi High Court suspended the life sentence of Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case, holding at a prima facie stage that Section 5(c) of the POCSO Act was not attracted and the offence did not qualify as aggravated penetrative sexual assault. |
| ARBITRATION - Calcutta HC: Award May Be Set Aside if Tribunal Rewrites Contract or Ignores Key Clauses |
| Fri, 26 Dec 2025 17:57:02 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that an arbitral tribunal cannot rewrite contractual terms or ignore determinative clauses on grounds of equity or fairness, and that travelling beyond the contract amounts to a jurisdictional error rendering the award illegal. |
| SERVICE - Delhi High Court: Statutory Appeals Cannot Be Denied Due to DRAT Vacancies or Administrative Delays |
| Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:30:46 IST |
| Delhi High Court observed that litigants cannot be denied an effective appellate remedy under debt recovery law even if their statutory appeal is delayed or remains unheard due to tribunal vacancies, recusals, or administrative challenges, ensuring access to justice is not compromised. |
| DIRECT TAXATION - Delhi High Court: Software Receipts Not Taxable on PE Basis Already Rejected by ITAT |
| Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:30:36 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that software receipts cannot attract TDS based on a presumed permanent establishment when the ITAT has already rejected such an assumption, and accordingly set aside the withholding certificate issued under Section 197 of the Income Tax Act. |
| CUSTOMS - Delhi HC: DRI or Central Revenues Control Lab Presence in Delhi Alone Does Not Confer Jurisdiction |
| Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:30:25 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that the presence of the DRI headquarters or the Central Revenues Control Laboratory in Delhi alone does not give it jurisdiction to hear customs disputes that arise in Tamil Nadu. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT Reiterates That IBC Cannot be Invoked as a Recovery Tool for Contractual Disputes |
| Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:30:16 IST |
| Delhi bench of the NCLAT reiterated that proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code cannot be invoked as a recovery tool to resolve disputed contractual claims between parties. |
| COMPANY - NCLAT: NCLT Can Order Forensic Audit on its Own, No Separate Application Required |
| Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:30:05 IST |
| Chennai bench of the NCLAT held that the NCLT has the authority to order a forensic audit on its own initiative, even when no separate application has been filed by any party seeking such a direction. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court Quashes Rajasthan Village Renaming, Says Government Must Follow its Own Policy |
| Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:29:55 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that the Rajasthan government violated its binding policy by naming new revenue villages after individuals, set aside the High Court Division Bench ruling, and restored the Single Judge order quashing the creation of Amargarh and Sagatsar villages in Barmer. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Informant's Criminal Revision Does Not Abate on Death; Other Victims May Continue |
| Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:11:44 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a criminal revision filed by an informant or victim does not automatically abate on the revisionist's death, and the revisional court may continue examining the impugned order's legality while permitting other victims to assist in the interest of justice. |
| PROPERTY - Supreme Court: Mutation of Revenue Records Can Be Based on a Will |
| Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:11:34 IST |
| Supreme Court held that mutation of land records can be carried out on the basis of a will and cannot be denied merely because the claim is testamentary, restoring mutation in favour of a legatee while clarifying that such entry remains subject to the outcome of civil proceedings on title. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Framing of Charges is Interlocutory and Not Appealable under Section 21 of NIA Act |
| Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:11:25 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that an order framing charges is interlocutory and cannot be challenged under Section 21 of the National Investigation Agency Act, clarifying that the term "order" in the provision refers only to a final order, not to intermediate or interlocutory orders. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - Gujarat HC: Not All Injuries Reduce Earning Capacity; Functional Disability Must Be Assessed |
| Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:11:14 IST |
| Gujarat High Court held that not all injuries lead to loss of earning capacity and functional disability must be assessed for compensation, noting that the tribunal had mechanically accepted a 47% disability certificate, contrary to a medical board's 27% assessment. |
| CRIMINAL - Bombay HC: Preventing Feeding Stray Dogs at Society or Bus Stop is Not 'Wrongful Restraint' |
| Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:11:04 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that a person stopped from feeding stray dogs at non-designated spots in a society, such as entry/exit points or school bus stops, cannot file a complaint under Section 126 (wrongful restraint) of the BNS, as such restraint is not unlawful. |
| LIMITATION - J&K&L HC: Failure to Frame Limitation Issue Not Fatal; Courts May Examine Limitation Suo Motu |
| Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:10:53 IST |
| J&K and Ladakh High Court held that failure to frame a specific issue on limitation is not fatal, as courts can consider limitation within broader issues from the pleadings, provided no prejudice is caused to the parties, allowing limitation to be examined suo motu. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Hyderabad: Mortgaging Property Without Lending Money Does Not Constitute Financial Debt |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:48:52 IST |
| NCLT Hyderabad held that a person who merely mortgages property as collateral without advancing any funds cannot be considered a financial creditor of the borrower, as no actual lending or financial debt arises from providing security alone. |
| ARBITRATION - Kerala HC: Fresh Arbitration Notice is Required For Second Arbitration After Prior Award Set Aside |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:48:42 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that a fresh arbitration notice under Section 21 of the A&C Act, 1996, is mandatory to initiate a second arbitration after a prior award is set aside, even if the earlier award was nullified due to the invalid appointment of the arbitrator. |
| CRIMINAL - J&K&L High Court: Successive Bail Applications Can Be Filed Even Without Change in Circumstances |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:48:32 IST |
| High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh held that a change in circumstances is not required for filing successive bail applications, allowing the High Court to hear such pleas even if earlier bail requests were rejected by a lower criminal court. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Section 311 CrPC Should be Invoked Sparingly, Only When Evidence is Vital |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:48:22 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the Gujarat High Court's order permitting the prosecution to recall an 11-year-old witness under Section 311 CrPC, holding that the provision should be used sparingly and only when the evidence is indispensable for ascertaining the truth. |
| DIRECT TAXATION - Supreme Court: Non-Compete Fees Qualify as Deductible Revenue Expenditure under Income Tax Act |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:48:13 IST |
| Supreme Court held that payment of a non-compete fee does not lead to acquisition of any capital asset or change in the business's profit-making structure and therefore qualifies as allowable revenue expenditure under Section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. |
| CIVIL - SC: Delay in Depositing Sale Balance Does not Make Specific Performance Decree Inexecutable |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:48:04 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a buyer's delay in depositing the balance sale consideration beyond the time fixed in the decree does not make a specific performance decree inexecutable, provided the buyer continued to be ready and willing to fulfil their obligations under the agreement. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Passport Renewal Cannot be Denied if Trial Court Has Permitted it Despite Pending Case |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:47:54 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the mere pendency of criminal proceedings cannot justify an indefinite denial of passport renewal, especially when the competent criminal court has allowed renewal while retaining authority to regulate or restrict the individual's foreign travel. |
| BANKING - Supreme Court: High Courts Cannot Quash Cheque Bounce Cases by Pre-Trial Inquiry Into Liability |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:47:45 IST |
| Supreme Court held that High Courts cannot quash cheque dishonour cases by conducting a pre-trial examination of disputed facts, especially when the statutory presumption under Section 139 of the Negotiable Instruments Act operates in favour of the complainant. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - Supreme Court: Driving Licence Renewal After a Gap Will Not Take Effect From Expiry Date |
| Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:47:36 IST |
| Supreme Court upheld the Telangana State Level Police Recruitment Board's view that candidates whose driving licences expired and were renewed after a gap cannot be considered to have held a licence continuously for the required period, even if renewal occurred within one year of expiry. |
| ARBITRATION - Allahabad HC: When Parties Extend an Agreement by Conduct, The Arbitration Clause Extends Too |
| Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:58:13 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that when parties extend an agreement through their conduct, even if it has formally expired, the arbitration clause within the agreement also continues to apply, ensuring that any disputes arising under the extended agreement remain subject to arbitration. |
| CRIMINAL - SC Acknowledges Child Trafficking as a Grave Reality and Issues Guidelines to Assess Victim Evidence |
| Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:58:03 IST |
| SC, describing child trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation as a "deeply disturbing reality" in India, issued detailed guidelines for courts to sensitively and realistically evaluate the evidence of minor victims, warning against dismissing their testimony over minor inconsistencies. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Arbitral Awards Cannot be Set Aside For Mere Legal Errors or Misreading of Evidence |
| Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:57:53 IST |
| SC overturned the Chhattisgarh High Court's judgment, holding that it exceeded its limited jurisdiction under Sec 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 by acting like an appellate court, reappreciating evidence, and replacing the arbitral tribunal's findings with its own interpretation. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Gravity of Offence and Accused's Role Must Guide Suspension of Sentence under CrPC |
| Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:57:44 IST |
| SC overturned the Patna High Court's order suspending the sentence and granting bail to a murder convict sentenced to life imprisonment, holding that the High Court committed a serious error by granting such relief despite the grave nature of the offence and the active role attributed to accused. |
| ENVIRONMENT - Supreme Court: Forest Land Cannot Be Leased or Used For Agriculture Without Centre's Approval |
| Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:57:33 IST |
| SC held that forest land cannot be leased or used for agricultural purposes without prior approval of the Central Government under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and ruled that any lease granted in violation of this requirement is illegal and cannot be allowed to continue. |
| SERVICE - Supreme Court: Vacancies From Resignations under CUSAT Act Must Follow Communal Rotation |
| Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:57:23 IST |
| Supreme Court has ruled that communal rotation in university appointments remains applicable throughout the validity of a rank list, and a waitlisted candidate does not gain an automatic right to appointment solely because a selected candidate resigns. |
| CIVIL - Allahabad High Court: Law Treats All Equally, State Cannot Gain Undue Benefit from Delay Condonation |
| Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:19:21 IST |
| Allahabad High Court, addressing a 5,743-day delay in filing a Review Petition, held that government departments must act diligently, filing petitions on time, and emphasized that the law treats all equally, prohibiting the State from receiving undue benefit from condonation of delay. |
| TRUSTS AND SOCIETIES - Gujarat High Court: Waqf Institutions Must Pay Court Fees When Filing Disputes in State Tribunal |
| Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:19:11 IST |
| Gujarat High Court has dismissed petitions by waqf institutions challenging the Gujarat State Waqf Tribunal's rejection of applications over waqf property disputes, ruling that waqf institutions are not exempt from paying court fees under Section 83(3) of the Waqf Act. |
| LAW OF EVIDENCE - Supreme Court: Items Given by Accused to Police Are Not Section 27 Recoveries under Evidence Act |
| Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:19:00 IST |
| Supreme Court held that items handed over by an accused during a police check cannot be treated as recoveries under Section 27 of the Evidence Act, as a disclosure must involve prior concealment and the police's discovery must directly result from the accused's information. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Omissions in Chief Examination Can Be Rectified During Cross-Examination |
| Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:18:50 IST |
| Supreme Court held that omissions in a witness's examination-in-chief can be remedied during cross-examination, ruling in a case on the validity of a Will that failure of an attesting witness to state certain facts initially does not by itself render the Will invalid. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Issues of Party Capacity and Maintainability Must Be Decided by Arbitral Tribunal |
| Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:18:40 IST |
| Supreme Court reaffirmed that issues concerning whether a person is a genuine party to an arbitration agreement and entitled to invoke the arbitration clause must be left for determination by the Arbitral Tribunal. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT: Personal Guarantors Involved In NCLT Proceedings Can Appeal Against Insolvency Admission |
| Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:31:02 IST |
| NCLAT, New Delhi, held that a personal guarantor allowed to participate in NCLT proceedings qualifies as an "aggrieved person" and is entitled to file an appeal under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code against the admission of insolvency proceedings. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT: Appellate Jurisdiction Limited to Orders Deciding Parties' Rights, Not Procedural Directions |
| Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:30:47 IST |
| NCLAT, Chennai, held that appellate jurisdiction under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is limited to reviewing NCLT orders that adjudicate or determine parties' rights, and does not extend to purely procedural or interlocutory directions such as the issuance of notice. |
| SERVICE - Bombay High Court: Technical Breaks to Temporary Employees Cannot Deny Maternity Leave Benefits |
| Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:30:38 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that a woman engaged on a temporary, daily-wage basis is entitled to maternity leave benefits and cannot be denied them merely because she was given technical breaks of one or two days after completing 120 days of service in a year. |
| INSOLVENCY - Kerala HC: Civil Courts Cannot Grant Injunctions in NCLT Matters and Such Orders Can Be Set Aside |
| Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:30:29 IST |
| Kerala High Court reiterated that civil courts lack jurisdiction over matters within the exclusive domain of the NCLT, holding that injunctions granted in violation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code are patently illegal and liable to be set aside. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Lis Pendens Applies To Money Suits on Mortgaged Property, Including Ex Parte Proceedings |
| Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:30:20 IST |
| Supreme Court has ruled that the doctrine of lis pendens under Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act applies to money recovery suits involving mortgaged immovable property, and that the restriction on transfer operates regardless of whether the proceedings are contested or conducted ex parte. |
| BANKING - SC: SARFAESI Act Was Not Applicable in Nagaland Before its 2021 Adoption, Dismisses Creditor's Plea |
| Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:30:11 IST |
| Supreme Court has dismissed a secured creditor's plea to initiate recovery under the SARFAESI Act against a borrower in Nagaland, holding that such proceedings were impermissible as the Central law was not in force in the State at the relevant time. |
| CIVIL - J&K&L High Court: Revisional Powers Must Be Used Within Reasonable Time; Merits Don't Justify Delay |
| Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:09:07 IST |
| J&K&L High Court quashed an order reopening revenue mutations after over 40 years, holding that revisional powers, even in fraud cases, must be exercised within a reasonable time, and the merits of a case cannot justify excessive delay in exercising such powers. |
| SERVICE - J&K&L HC Rules it Illegal and Inequitable to Deny Regularisation to a Daily Wager After 34 Years |
| Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:08:58 IST |
| J&K&L High Court dismissed the UT's challenge to a daily wager's regularisation, holding that denying regularisation after over 34 years of service is illegal, inequitable, and violates the State's welfare obligations toward its employees. |
| COMPANY - NCLT Mumbai: Oppression Claims Against Majority Shareholders Do not Justify Winding up a Company |
| Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:08:49 IST |
| NCLT Mumbai dismissed a winding-up plea against Nissan Motor India's former partner Hover Automotive India, ruling that allegations of oppression by majority shareholders cannot justify liquidation when alternative remedies under the Companies Act are available. |
| CIVIL - SC: Separate Suits Against Confirmed Auction Sales are Barred; Remedy Available under Sec 47 |
| Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:08:39 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that once an auction sale is confirmed and no challenge is filed to set it aside, a separate suit contesting the confirmation is barred under Order XXI Rule 92(3) CPC, and the proper remedy is an application under Section 47 CPC on limited grounds. |
| CRIMINAL - SC Calls For Sensitising Future Generations on Equality in Marriage to Combat Dowry Practices |
| Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:08:29 IST |
| While overturning the acquittal of a husband and his mother in a case of dowry death and cruelty, the Supreme Court found it necessary to issue general directions aimed at effectively addressing and curbing the social menace of dowry deaths. |
| CRIMINAL - SC Directs Trial Courts to Systematically Catalogue Witnesses and Evidence in Criminal Judgments |
| Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:08:20 IST |
| Supreme Court issued directions to all trial courts to institutionalize a standardized format for systematically cataloguing witnesses, documentary evidence, and material objects in criminal case records and judgments. |
| DIRECT TAXATION - Supreme Court: Foreign Companies' Head Office Expenses in India are Capped under Section 44C |
| Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:08:11 IST |
| In a setback to foreign companies operating in India, the Supreme Court has ruled that all head office expenses incurred outside India, whether common or solely for Indian operations, are subject to the deduction cap under Section 44C of the Income Tax Act, 1961. |
| SERVICE - J&K High Court: Umadevi Judgment Does not Justify Perpetual Temporary Employment |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:30:42 IST |
| J&K High Court held that long-serving daily rated workers employed before 31-03-1994 cannot be denied regularization under SRO-64, and clarified that the Umadevi judgment cannot be used to justify perpetual temporary employment for permanent work. |
| ARBITRATION - Kerala High Court: Review Petition Cannot Be Entertained Against an Order Refusing Arbitration |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:30:30 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that review petitions against orders under Section 11 of the Arbitration Act, 1996, refusing to appoint an arbitrator are not maintainable, emphasizing that the court becomes functus officio after deciding such petitions and cannot revisit the merits through review. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - Calcutta High Court: Mere Presence of Alcohol in Post-Mortem Cannot Bar Compensation to Heirs |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:30:19 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that the mere presence of alcohol in a deceased accident victim's post-mortem report cannot deny compensation to heirs under the Motor Vehicles Act, dismissing New India Assurance's appeal and upholding the award to the motorcyclist's family. |
| INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS - Delhi HC Upholds Interim Injunction Against 'Power Flex' in Bata's Trademark Infringement Case |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:30:06 IST |
| Delhi High Court upheld an interim injunction restraining Leayan Global from using the mark "POWER FLEX" for footwear in Bata's trademark suit, dismissing appeals from both parties, while allowing limited use of the tagline "THE POWER OF REAL LEATHER" without undue emphasis on "POWER." |
| COMMERCIAL - NCLT Reiterates That an Auction Purchaser is Not Liable For a Corporate Debtor's Electricity Dues |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:29:54 IST |
| NCLT Chandigarh directed the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board to restore electricity to a property bought in liquidation, ruling that the auction purchaser cannot be held liable for the corporate debtor's pre-auction electricity dues, clarifying entitlement to a fresh connection. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT: SEBI Penalties Imposed After Liquidation Begins are Not Admissible as Claims |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:29:43 IST |
| NCLAT, New Delhi, held that SEBI penalties imposed after the start of liquidation cannot be admitted as claims under the IBC, and accordingly rejected SEBI's ?21.80 lakh claim against Annies Apparel Pvt. Ltd., clarifying that such penalties do not qualify as insolvency claims. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT: Issuing Cheques For Another Entity's Liabilities Does not Constitute Operational Debt |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:29:30 IST |
| NCLAT, New Delhi, held that issuing cheques for another entity's dues does not justify insolvency in the absence of a direct contract with the creditor, and set aside the NCLT order admitting Nayati Healthcare and Research NCR Pvt. Ltd. into insolvency over alleged unpaid dues. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT New Delhi: Insolvency Pleas Cannot Be Admitted When Information Utility Records Show a Dispute |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:29:20 IST |
| NCLAT held that the existence of a dispute recorded with an Information Utility mandates rejection of an insolvency plea by an operational creditor, and accordingly set aside the insolvency proceedings against OFB Tech Pvt. Ltd. initiated by the tribunal earlier. |
| SERVICE - Supreme Court: Compassionate Appointees Cannot Later Claim Entitlement to a Higher Post |
| Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:29:05 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a person who accepts a compassionate appointment cannot later seek a higher post, stressing that such appointments are exceptions meant for immediate relief and that once the offered post is accepted, the appointee is bound by the scheme's terms. |
| BANKING - Bombay HC: SARFAESI Sale Invalid if Sale Certificate is Not Issued Prior to IBC Moratorium |
| Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:53:07 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that once an interim IBC moratorium is in place, a secured creditor cannot proceed with a SARFAESI sale. It ruled that Union Bank of India could not accept balance payments or issue a sale certificate after the borrower's personal insolvency process had begun. |
| CIVIL - J&K&L HC: Courts Should Exercise Caution When Granting Interim Relief in Public Infrastructure Cases |
| Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:52:57 IST |
| J&K and Ladakh High Court highlighted delays that stalled the Aishmuqam Degree College for over a decade, causing "avoidable hardship" and "educational loss" to successive student batches, emphasizing the need for timely action in public infrastructure and welfare projects. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Ahmedabad: Objections to Coc Cannot Bar RP From Challenging Preferential Transactions |
| Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:50:44 IST |
| NCLT Ahmedabad held that objections to the formation of the Committee of Creditors cannot prevent a Resolution Professional from filing an application under Section 43 of the IBC to challenge and reverse preferential transactions. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT: Amounts Listed As 'Other Advances' in Company's Balance Sheet aren't Financial Debt under IBC |
| Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:50:34 IST |
| NCLAT, Delhi, recently held that amounts recorded as "other advances" in a company's balance sheet, including long-standing advances with no repayment demand, do not constitute borrowings and thus cannot be treated as financial debt under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. |
| LAW OF MEDICINE - SC Sets Up Secondary Medical Board to Assess Passive Euthanasia Plea of Man in Vegetative State |
| Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:50:25 IST |
| Supreme Court has directed the AIIMS Director to form a Secondary Medical Board to evaluate whether passive euthanasia may be allowed for a 32-year-old man who has been in a vegetative state for 12 years after a fall. |
| CIVIL - SC: Doctors Were Unwavering Heroes in COVID-19, and Their Sacrifice Remains Indelible |
| Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:50:16 IST |
| Supreme Court, while ruling that the PM Garib Kalyan Package insurance scheme covers even doctors not formally requisitioned by the government, reflected on the vast scale of the COVID-19 crisis and acknowledged the crucial, selfless role played by doctors and health workers. |
| TENANCY - SC: Public Premises Act Prevails over State Rent Laws For Evicting Unauthorised Occupants |
| Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:50:06 IST |
| Supreme Court held that once premises qualify as "public premises" and the tenancy is lawfully terminated, the occupants become unauthorized and cannot seek protection under State Rent Control Acts, requiring eviction under the summary procedure of the Public Premises Act, 1971. |
| SERVICE - Madras HC: All State Departments Must Address Representations by Persons with Disabilities Promptly |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:13:51 IST |
| Madras High Court directed the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu to issue a circular instructing all state government departments to ensure that representations submitted by persons with disabilities are considered and addressed at the earliest. |
| ARBITRATION - Meghalaya HC: Non-Signatory or Non-Existent LLP Cannot Claim Arbitration via Group of Companies |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:13:42 IST |
| Meghalaya High Court dismissed Suraksha Salvia LLP's appeal against the termination of a PPP for a diagnostic centre in Shillong, ruling that a company not in existence at the time of the agreement cannot invoke protection under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. |
| COMPANY - SC: NCLT Can Forfeit Entire Deposit if Purchaser Defaults on Payment for Liquidation Assets |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:13:32 IST |
| Supreme Court held that if a purchaser defaults on payment for liquidation assets sold under judicial supervision, the entire deposit can be forfeited. Section 74 of the Indian Contract Act cannot be invoked for a refund, as no contract exists between the purchaser and the liquidator. |
| COMPANY - NCLT Ahmedabad: Complaints Against Auditors or Company Secretaries Not Grounds for Company Probe |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:13:22 IST |
| NCLT Ahmedabad held that complaints of professional misconduct against auditors or company secretaries cannot justify an SFIO investigation under Sections 212 or 213 of the Companies Act, as such actions pertain only to the individual and do not entitle the complainant to probe the company. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Kolkata: Costs for Compromise or Arrangement Scheme not Part of Liquidation Expenses |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:13:13 IST |
| NCLT Kolkata clarified that expenses a liquidator incurs while exploring a compromise or arrangement for a corporate debtor cannot be treated as liquidation costs or reimbursed. It emphasized that Liquidation Regulations distinguish between "liquidation costs" and the liquidator's "fee." |
| DIRECT TAXATION - SC: Statutory Corporation Can Deduct under S.36(1)(viii) Only for Income from Long-Term Finance |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:13:03 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a statutory corporation cannot claim the 40% deduction under Section 36(1)(viii) of the Income Tax Act for income earned outside its core activity of providing long-term finance for industrial, agricultural, or infrastructure development in India. |
| CONTEMPT OF COURT - SC: Contempt Power isn't Judges' Personal Shield nor a Tool to Silence Legitimate Criticism |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:12:54 IST |
| Supreme Court held that contempt powers cannot be used to silence criticism or shield judges, stressing that they must never become a personal armour. It added that since the power to punish includes the power to forgive, mercy should guide the Court when a contemnor shows genuine remorse. |
| CIVIL - SC: Women's Representation Requirement Applies to All Bar Associations in Gujarat |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:12:44 IST |
| Supreme Court clarified that its earlier direction mandating women's representation in Bar Associations applies uniformly to all Bar Associations across Gujarat, irrespective of their specific names or classifications. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Woman May Move Her Department's ICC For Harassment by Employee of Another Workplace |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:12:34 IST |
| Supreme Court held that if a woman faces sexual harassment at work by someone outside her organisation, she may file the complaint before the Internal Complaints Committee of her own workplace, and need not approach the ICC of the third party's establishment. |
| ARBITRATION - SC: Arbitrator's Mandate Ends on Time Expiry; Substituted Arbitrator Must Continue After Extension |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:12:25 IST |
| Supreme Court held that if the 18-month period for issuing an arbitral award lapses without any request for extension, the arbitrator's mandate ends under Section 29A(4) of A&C act. Thus, when the Court later grants an extension, it must appoint a substitute arbitrator under Section 29A(6). |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Police May Freeze Bank Accounts under S.102 CrPC in Prevention of Corruption Cases |
| Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:12:15 IST |
| Supreme Court held that police or investigating agencies have the authority to freeze a person's bank account under Section 102 CrPC (now Section 106 BNSS) when proceedings are initiated against them under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. |