Constitution of India

The case concerned commission vendors of the Northern Railway who, after being absorbed into regular railway service, sought to have 50% of their pre‑absorption service counted as qualifying service for pension benefits, as had been granted to similarly situated vendors in other railway zones. The Union of India appeal…

The appellant, Reena Hazarika, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly killing her husband, based largely on circumstantial evidence and the "last seen" theory. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had established a continuous chain of circumstances that left no reasonable hypothesis …

The Supreme Court examined the computation of compensation under Sections 163‑A, 166 and 168 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 in death claims, focusing on the appropriate multiplier, the addition of future prospects to the deceased's income, and the quantification of conventional heads such as loss of estate, loss of co…

Virendra Krishna Mishra, an Information Officer (IO) in the DANICS cadre, challenged the Cadre Review Committee's decision to encadre only three Deputy Resident Commissioner (DRC) posts while excluding Tourist Information Officer (TIO) and IO posts, alleging violation of Article 14 of the Constitution. The Central Admi…

The Supreme Court, hearing a suo motu criminal contempt petition against senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, affirmed his conviction for scandalising the judiciary through tweets and an affidavit alleging misconduct by judges. The Court held that the defence of truth under Section 13 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 r…

The petitions challenged the validity of Regulation 9 of the Medical Council of India (MCI) Post‑Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, alleging that it barred State governments from reserving seats for in‑service doctors in postgraduate degree courses. The Court examined the constitutional distribution of power…

Mukesh Singh challenged his conviction under the NDPS Act on the ground that the police officer who lodged the FIR was also the investigating officer, alleging that this dual role vitiated the trial. The Supreme Court examined the statutory scheme of the CrPC (ss.154, 156, 157) and the NDPS Act (ss.41‑44, 50‑53, 58, 35…

Innoventive Industries Ltd., a corporate debtor, defaulted on its financial obligations and a financial creditor (ICICI Bank) filed an application under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC). The debtor argued that a notification under the Maharashtra Relief Undertakings (Special Provisions) Act, …

The Supreme Court examined the acquisition of about 1,000 acres of land in Singur, West Bengal for Tata Motors' small‑car project. The Court held that the acquisition was made at the instance of a private company, not for a public purpose, and that the State failed to follow the mandatory procedures under Part VII of t…

The appellants, M.C. Gupta and Mohan Lal Gupta, were convicted for misappropriating company funds by issuing a bank draft in 1988, an offence that occurred before the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 came into force. An FIR was lodged in 1990 under the repealed Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, and the trial court …

Three BRS MLAs who were elected to the Telangana Legislative Assembly joined the INC, prompting two other BRS MLAs to file disqualification petitions under the Tenth Schedule. The Speaker delayed issuing notices for over seven months, leading the petitioners to approach the High Court, which only directed the Speaker t…

The appellants, owners of a Bangalore property, entered into an Agreement to Sell (ATS) with the complainant, who later alleged they cheated him and filed a private complaint that led to an FIR charging them under multiple IPC sections. The High Court dismissed the appellants' petition to quash the FIR, but the Supreme…

The original appellant, Khem Singh, had filed special leave petitions challenging the acquittal of three accused in a 1992 murder case. While the petitions were pending, Khem Singh died and his son, Raj Kumar, applied to set aside the abatement of the appeals and to be substituted as appellant. The Supreme Court examin…

The Gujarat Sukh Sagar Medical College & Hospital Trust obtained an Essentiality Certificate in 2014 to establish a medical college in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Despite conditional permission for the 2016‑17 academic year, the Medical Council of India (MCI) repeatedly denied renewal of permission for three successive s…

The plaintiff, a granddaughter of the late Nawab Raza Ali Khan of Rampur, sought partition of the Nawab's private properties, arguing that succession should follow Muslim personal law as the Nawab was a Shia. The defendants contended that the properties were attached to the Gaddi of the State and thus governed by the r…

Lakshmi Sreenivasa Cooperative Building Society filed suits for specific performance of alleged sale agreements of land against Puvvada Rama (deceased) and others. The trial court dismissed the suits, finding the Society failed to prove execution of the agreements, payment of earnest money, and possession, noting the a…

The petitioners filed a public interest litigation (PIL No.17 of 2017) in the Bombay High Court challenging a Municipal Commissioner order dated 31‑08‑2016 concerning refuge areas and floor‑space‑index (FSI) in a high‑rise building. The same issues were already pending before the Supreme Court in several Special Leave …

A fire broke out at a consumer exhibition in Meerut on 10 April 2006, killing 64 people and injuring more than a hundred. The victims filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking damages from the State of Uttar Pradesh and the event organizers. The State had appointed a one‑man Commission of Inqui…

The Supreme Court, hearing a suo motu writ petition concerning the management of the COVID‑19 pandemic, examined the Central Government's Liberalised Vaccination Policy, which shifted free vaccination for the 18‑44 age group to State/UT governments and private hospitals and introduced differential pricing. The petition…

The appellants' residential buildings in Prayagraj were demolished by the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) under Section 27 of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973. The PDA issued a show‑cause notice on 18 December 2020 but merely affixed it without making genuine attempts at personal service…

The appellants, eight retired assistant professors and a college librarian from Manipur, claimed a revised pension entitlement effective from 1 April 2010 based on an Office Memorandum (OM) dated 5 May 2010, which was issued by the Governor and had statutory force. The State Government issued a later OM on 24 December …

The Supreme Court revisited its earlier directions prohibiting the grant of liquor licences within 500 metres of national and state highways, hearing numerous interlocutory applications for extensions or modifications. It held that the Court’s directions, grounded in public‑health policy and the constitutional right to…

The appellant, a former Indian Army captain who was invalided out in 1979 with a 50% disability, sought a War Injury Pension, an increase of his disability rating to 75%, a service element for his full ten‑year short service commission, and revised pension rates, relying on the Ministry of Defence letter dated 31‑Jan‑2…

The appellants, a Technical Officer and a Statistical Officer in the Uttar Pradesh Excise Group ‘A’ Service, challenged a 1999 amendment that excluded their cadres from promotion to Deputy Excise Commissioner, arguing that ten vacancies that arose before the amendment should be filled under the old 1983 rules. The Supr…

The case concerned two writ petitions challenging the termination of a disabled employee by a private limited company and the termination of a contract with a public trust. Both petitioners sought relief under section 47 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation)…

The Union of India filed a miscellaneous application seeking clarification of the Supreme Court’s decision in Joseph Shine v. Union of India, which struck down Section 497 of the IPC, asking whether the judgment also affects the applicability of Sections 45, 63 of the Army Act, 1950 and analogous provisions in the Air …

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) issued a tender for the Mumbai‑Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, which is funded by a loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Monte Carlo Limited submitted a technical bid that was rejected by NHSRCL as non‑responsive due to material deviations, a…

The case concerned the alleged murder of D2 and D1 in December 1990, for which eight accused were convicted under sections 120B, 302 and 34 of the IPC. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence – a lorry purchase, broken glass, alleged iron‑rod attacks and a purported conspiracy at a hotel – but failed to prove…

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai demolished the superstructures of a chawl on land owned by the heirs of Dattatray Angare and occupied by eleven tenants, citing road‑widening requirements. The Bombay High Court ordered that the owners be allowed to apply for Transferable Development Rights (TDR) and that the…

The appellant, N. Sankaranarayanan, filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking a mandamus against the Tamil Nadu Housing Board and other authorities to restrain his family members (respondent Nos. 2 and 3) from operating a petrol pump and a marriage hall on a piece of land that was the subject …

The State of Haryana employed conductors and drivers under the Haryana Transport Department (Group C) Haryana Roadways Service (Amended) Rules, 2003, initially paying them as daily wagers, then as contract labourers, and finally on the regular pay‑scale. One hundred ninety‑five employees filed writ petitions seeking re…

Mrs. Ivy C. Da Conceicao, a Grade‑I teacher with 21 years of service, claimed she was the most senior and qualified candidate for the post of principal in a minority‑run school in Goa, but the school appointed junior teachers in violation of the Goa School Education Rules. The school relied on its autonomy under Articl…

The private institutions applied in late 2007‑2008 for NCTE recognition to start B.Ed. courses, but the Northern Regional Committee rejected them citing that the cut‑off dates for application submission (31 Oct) and decision communication (15 May) prescribed in Regulation 5 of the 2007 Regulations, as amended on 1 July…

Anil Kumar Singh filed a civil suit for a permanent injunction over a parcel of land and obtained an ex‑parte temporary injunction. He later filed an application under Order XXIII Rule 1 of the CPC seeking to withdraw the suit, which the trial court allowed subject to payment of Rs 350 as costs to the defendant, a deci…

S. Samuthiram, a police officer of the Tamil Nadu Armed Reserve, was charged with eve‑teasing a married woman at a bus stand while intoxicated and with being absent from duty. A departmental inquiry found the charges proved and dismissed him from service. While his service appeal was pending, a criminal court acquitted…

The appellant, a voter, challenged the election of the respondent, a Lok Sabha MP, alleging disqualification under Section 100(1)(a) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 on the ground that he was a director of the Maharashtra Seeds Corporation, a government‑owned company. The High Court held that the respondent wa…

The Government of India had granted 3.563 acres of land in the Agra Cantonment to Hamid Ali Khan, who built a bungalow and later sold it with its appurtenant land to the petitioners. The petitioners sued the Union of India for arrears of rent, damages, and vacant possession of the bungalow and the surrounding land, whi…

The Supreme Court heard a contempt petition filed by Dr. Ashish Ranjan, who alleged that Dr. Anupama Tandon and her mother deliberately violated a Lok Adalat compromise order dated 3 May 2008 that granted the mother physical custody of their child and the father visitation rights. The Court found that the respondents h…

The Supreme Court had directed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to postpone pronouncing its judgment in a pending appeal until the result of Finolex Cables Limited's Annual General Meeting (AGM) was declared. Despite being apprised of this order, the NCLAT bench pronounced its judgment on 13 October …

The J.S. Luthra Academy, a private educational institution, was evicted from a Wakf‑owned site and sought alternative land from the Jammu & Kashmir government, which allotted four kanals in Channi Himmat, charging full price for two kanals and granting the other two for free. Residents challenged the allotment, arguing…

The petitioner, a Scheduled Caste student, secured a seat in Electrical Engineering at IIT Dhanbad after ranking 1455 in his category in JEE Advanced 2024. He attempted to pay the required admission fee of Rs 17,500 before the 5 pm deadline on 24 June 2024, logging into the portal six times between 3:12 pm and 4:57 pm,…

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) issued Request for Proposals for ground handling services at various airport groups, setting eligibility criteria that included regional clustering, a 36‑month experience requirement for scheduled flights, and a minimum annual turnover of Rs 30 crore (later reduced to Rs 18 crore). …

The father, a government clerk, died in harness and his wife was appointed on compassionate grounds; she later died. The elder married daughter’s application for compassionate appointment was rejected on the ground that a married daughter is not a dependent. The younger married daughter (respondent) also applied and wa…

The appellants, contractors, obtained an arbitral award that granted them a sum of money plus interest at 18% per annum for the pre‑reference, pendente lite and post‑award periods. The arbitrator did not provide any reasons for fixing the rate of interest. The respondents had remained silent for long periods (1977‑1989…

The Uttar Pradesh government revised the category‑wise vacancy numbers for the Technical Assistant Group‑C recruitment after discovering that diploma holders had been wrongly counted against the OBC quota. The revised requisition (20‑08‑2014) and the UPPSC Office Memorandum (12‑10‑2014) were used to conduct the written…

Z.U. Ansari, a retired Junior Engineer of the Uttar Pradesh Rural Engineering Department, was subjected to disciplinary proceedings for alleged financial irregularities. The proceedings were initiated after the Minister-in-charge of the department sanctioned the enquiry, invoking Regulation 351‑A of the Civil Services …

The petitioners, accused of possessing assets disproportionate to their known income under the Prevention of Corruption Act, had their trial transferred to Karnataka where the Supreme Court directed the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP). After a seven‑month tenure, the Karnataka Government withdrew the a…

The State of Rajasthan issued an Office Order in 1992 granting Selection Grades to Class IV and subordinate employees after 9, 18 and 27 years of service, provided their service record was satisfactory. A 1992 circular initially held that a censure would not affect eligibility, but a later Office Order in 1995 clarifie…

The appellants, sons of a deceased property owner, claimed ownership of two rooms and alleged that the respondents were merely gratuitous licencees, while the respondents asserted they were tenants paying rent since 1982. The trial court found the respondents were licencees and granted possession to the appellants; the…

The State of Haryana, through the Superintendent of Police, filed a civil suit claiming ownership of a parcel of land on the basis of adverse possession. The defendants, who were the registered owners, contested the claim, and the trial court, appellate court, and High Court all dismissed the suit, holding that the Sta…

The appellants were convicted under IPC sections 323, 324 and 325 read with section 34 for an assault incident that occurred between close relatives. They later executed a compromise deed on 29 January 2024, seeking the Court’s permission to compound the offences. The Supreme Court examined whether the conviction for t…

The widow of a permanently disabled ex‑serviceman, Smt. Sovan Devi, claimed that a 1971 inter‑departmental letter from the Soldier Welfare Department to the District Collector constituted a valid allotment of 25 bighas of land to her late husband under the Rajasthan Special Assistance to Disabled Ex‑Servicemen Rules, 1…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Presidential Orders under Articles 341 and 342, which list Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) for each State or Union Territory (UT), limit a State or UT's power under Article 16(4) to provide reservation for backward classes. It held that reservation must be confined…

The Dr. Jagat Narain Subharti Charitable Trust applied for permission to establish a new medical college in Dehradun for the 2016‑17 session. The Medical Council of India (MCI) flagged deficiencies in faculty, residents, OPD attendance, bed occupancy and questioned land‑ownership compliance, leading the Central Governm…

The petitioners, students admitted to postgraduate medical and dental courses in Goa on the basis of NEET ranks, challenged the State of Goa's order cancelling their admissions after the Supreme Court had protected those admissions. The Supreme Court held that the State could not rescind the NEET‑based admissions, as t…

The respondents, operators of sugar factories in Madhya Pradesh, challenged notices issued by market committees that required them to obtain licences under the Madhya Pradesh Krishi Upaj Mandi Act, 1972 and to pay market fees on purchases of sugarcane. The High Court quashed the notices, holding that the transactions w…

The Supreme Court examined admissions to a private unaided medical college in Rajasthan where 117 students were admitted without a competitive entrance test, contrary to Regulation 5(2) of the MCI Regulations. The Court held that there was no consensual agreement between the college and the State to admit students on t…

The Hindustan Times published an article on 20 September 2010 containing adverse and unverified information about the then Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, leading to contempt of court proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act. The appellants, including Sanjoy Narayan, Editor‑in‑Chief of Hindustan, appeale…

The appellant, a retired IAS officer appointed as State Information Commissioner, sought to retain the government house she occupied in Chandigarh beyond the four‑to‑six‑month period prescribed under Rule 13 of the Government Residences (Chandigarh Administration General Pool) Allotment Rules, 1996. The Estate Officer …

The marriage between Madduri Venkateswara Rao and Madduri Sunanda was dissolved by a California divorce decree in 2007. After returning to India, Sunanda filed a matrimonial suit, a domestic violence case, and an FIR under sections 494 and 498A IPC against her husband and his relatives. The parties later resolved all d…

The Supreme Court examined the termination of a development agreement between Yash Developers (appellant) and Harihar Krupa Co‑Operative Housing Society (respondent) under Section 13 of the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, which had been upheld by the Bombay High Court. The C…

Gaurav Kumar filed a writ petition challenging the fees levied by State Bar Councils (SBCs) at the time of enrolment, alleging that the amounts far exceed the Rs. 750 (general) and Rs. 125 (SC/ST) prescribed in Section 24(1)(f) of the Advocates Act, 1961, and that additional miscellaneous fees are being made a conditio…

The case concerned the interpretation of Customs Notification No. 20/1999, under which the respondents claimed a concessional customs duty rate for imported vitamin E50 feed powder. The Customs department denied the benefit, classifying the goods under a higher duty heading, leading to a series of appeals up to the Sup…

The respondents, Grade‑I officers of the Delhi Administration Subordinate Service (DASS), claimed a second financial upgradation under the Assured Career Progression Scheme (ACPS) after completing 24 years of service. Because the feeder grade (Grade‑I DASS) and the next promotional grade (Grade‑II of the Delhi Andaman …

The Supreme Court heard appeals by Smt. Moumita Poddar challenging the appointment of a retail outlet dealership to respondent No.2 (Alpana Saha) by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. The High Court had set aside the entire selection on the ground that the Selection Committee failed to follow the policy circular dated 4‑Sept‑…

The case concerned the promotion of constables to head constables under the Punjab Police Rules, 1934, which were amended in 1982 and 1988. The tribunal had held that constables confirmed before the 1988 amendment possessed a vested right to promotion based on seniority, and it ordered a fresh seniority list, which the…

The respondent, S.P. Nayyar, a Commandant in the Border Security Force, sought promotion to Additional DIG. The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) did not recommend him, alleging he was not fit, despite his ACRs being graded ‘Very Good’ by the Initiating and Reviewing Officers. He alleged that the Accepting Officer…

The husband, Dr. B.V. Ravi, filed a petition for divorce under Section 13(1)(ib) of the Hindu Marriage Act alleging desertion, and also sought restitution of conjugal rights. The Family Court found no proof of desertion and granted restitution, but the wife, Dr. Malathi Ravi, later lodged FIRs against the husband, lead…

The appellant, Ram Karan (deceased) through legal representatives, purchased agricultural land in 1962 from a Scheduled Caste vendor and obtained mutation in 1966. The State of Rajasthan, via a Tehsildar, filed a suit under Section 175 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act in 1993 seeking ejectment, alleging the sale violated t…

The Supreme Court was asked to resolve a long‑standing controversy over whether courts exercising jurisdiction under Sections 34 and 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 can modify an arbitral award. The issue arose from the earlier decision in Project Director, NHAI v. M. Hakeem, where the Court held that …

The appellant, an Inspector of Police, refused to register a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the complainant and used objectionable language while speaking to the complainant's mother. The State Human Rights Commission of Tamil Nadu held that this conduct violated the complainant's human rights and directed th…

Pankaj Srivastava filed a writ petition seeking a compassionate appointment as a clerk after the death of his father, a Bank of India employee. The bank opposed, invoking Clause 10(iv) of its compassionate appointment scheme and a 2002 board letter that required Government approval where disciplinary proceedings could …

The Supreme Court examined an appeal challenging a Bombay High Court order that disposed of a writ petition by adopting a "Minutes of Order" signed by counsel, without impleading parties who would be affected by the construction of a compound wall. The writ petition sought police protection for the wall's construction,…

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) issued several insurance policies in Rajasthan between 1993-94 and 2001-02 and, due to the unavailability of India Insurance stamps in the state, purchased the stamps from Maharashtra. The Rajasthan government issued show‑cause notices demanding payment of stamp duty on those p…

The Supreme Court, exercising suo motu jurisdiction under Article 32, examined the humanitarian crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and issued directions to the Union and State governments on the supply of oxygen, essential drugs, and vaccines, as well as on hospital admission policies and protection of individuals …

The Supreme Court examined a long‑running dispute concerning the award of domicile‑based bonus marks in appointments of primary school teachers in Rajasthan. Earlier judgments (Kailash Chand Sharma and Manmohan Sharma) had declared such bonus marks unconstitutional and applied the doctrine of prospective overruling, li…

The Supreme Court examined the Central Government's order under Section 396 of the Companies Act, 1956 that compulsorily amalgamated 63 Moons Technologies Ltd. (FTIL) with its wholly‑owned subsidiary National Spot Exchange Ltd. (NSEL). The Court held that the order was ultra vires because the statutory conditions prece…

The married couple Mannar Reddiar and Adhilakshmiammal executed separate wills bequeathing their properties to their two sons, excluding their daughter Kalavathy who had earlier received gifts. After the death of the testators, the daughter and the second son filed a suit for partition and contested the probate of the …

During a hearing of Criminal Appeal No.400/2006, Senior Counsel Mr. R. Basant highlighted several common inadequacies in criminal trial procedures, such as lack of standardized witness and exhibit lists, poor recording of depositions, and inconsistent referencing of parties and evidence. He urged the Supreme Court to i…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Punjab and Haryana governments could be challenged for appointing law officers without a transparent, merit‑based process, alleging arbitrariness violative of Art.14 of the Constitution. The petitioners, who were law officers on contract, claimed that the States had no realistic a…

The respondents, transferred to the Indian Railways, sought seniority and promotion benefits under a 2005 order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The department allegedly failed to fully implement the order, prompting the respondents to file a contempt petition before the CAT, which in 2010 directed the app…

The Supreme Court, hearing a civil appeal filed by the Mineral Area Development Authority against the Steel Authority of India, noted a conflict between two earlier decisions—one by a five‑Judge Bench in State of West Bengal v. Kesoram Industries Ltd. and another by a seven‑Judge Bench in India Cement Ltd. v. State of …

The appellants, who had passed the Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JTET) under the 2022 Recruitment Rules, challenged a High Court order that allowed candidates who cleared the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) or neighbouring states' Teacher Eligibility Tests (STET) to participate in the ongoing recruitment …

The Trust obtained a decree for possession of premises occupied by the Society, but the High Court stayed execution pending the Society's appeal and imposed a conditional stay requiring deposits and a status‑quo. The Society later let out the premises for exhibitions, violating the stay conditions, leading the Trust to…

The deceased owner of a property allegedly named his tenants as abettors in a suicide note, leading the police to detain the tenants and demolish the premises with the help of the deceased's relatives. The two tenants filed complaints under Section 156(3) of the Cr.P.C., which were initially mishandled by the magistrat…

The petitioners, who were witnesses to a 2016 Jat community agitation in Haryana that involved arson and loss of life, alleged that the trial in Jhajjar was compromised by the influence of a powerful advocate, threats to witnesses, and a biased prosecuting team. They filed a transfer petition under Article 139A(2) of t…

The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. (UPPCL) cancelled the results of a 1978 recruitment for Class IV posts after discovering irregularities, terminating all appointees including Ram Gopal and Shyam Behari Lal. Shyam Behari Lal obtained relief from the Allahabad High Court on equitable grounds, which was later set …

M.V. Jayarajan delivered a public speech in Kannur criticizing a Kerala High Court order that prohibited meetings on public roads, using language that the court deemed abusive, including calling judges "idiots" and employing the regional term "sumbhan". The High Court convicted him of criminal contempt under Section 12…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Entry 25 of Schedule VI of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957, which levies tax on the processing and supply of photographs, photo prints and photo negatives. The issue centered on whether the State could tax the goods component of a works contract after the 46th…

The appellant and respondent No.1 both applied for the post of Anganwadi Worker in Odisha. The selection committee initially appointed the appellant, but the Sub‑Collector remanded the case on 26‑12‑2009, leading to a reconsideration where the appellant again emerged as the most eligible candidate. Respondent No.1 file…

The petitioners were added as co-accused under Section 319 of the CrPC in a murder trial that had already examined 134 witnesses. They sought a stay of the addition and of the trial, arguing that a blanket stay violated their right to a speedy trial under Article 21. The Supreme Court examined whether the stay order of…

The appellant, Amandeep Singh Saran, was charged with offences including IPC Section 409, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or up to ten years, and was being tried before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Raipur, a court that can impose at most seven years imprisonment. Having already spent ove…

The State of Uttar Pradesh challenged a writ petition filed under Art.226 that sought mandamus against certain respondents for alleged violations of excise licence rules and alleged fraud. The High Court, after examining the investigation, issued a series of sweeping directions ordering the creation of a separate inves…

The Supreme Court examined challenges by landowners to the Municipal Corporations of Bhopal and Indore who, under Section 305 of the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1956, issued notices to remove or set back building portions projecting beyond the regular line of a public street for a Bus Rapid Transit System…

The Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) filed a special civil application seeking to levy market fee on Biotor Industries Ltd for its purchase of castor seeds and to declare Rule 48(2) of the Gujarat Agricultural Produce Markets Rules, 1965 ultra vires of Sections 28A and 59 of the Gujarat Agricultural Produce…

The appellant, a hospital director, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on 12 May 2021 for allegedly procuring fake Remdesivir injections. He filed a representation against the detention on 18 May 2021, which was communicated to the State and Central Governments, but the authorities delayed considering i…

The Supreme Court considered whether officers invested with powers under Section 53 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) are 'police officers' within the meaning of Section 25 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and whether a statement recorded under Section 67 of the NDPS Act can be use…

Heem Singh, a Rajasthan police constable, was dismissed after a departmental enquiry found him guilty of misconduct for allegedly committing murder while on leave. He had been acquitted of the murder charge in a criminal trial because key witnesses turned hostile and the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasona…

The appellant, a landlady, sought eviction of her tenant under Section 9 of the Rajasthan Rent Control Act, claiming a bona‑fide need to use the premises for construction for her children and guests. The Rent Tribunal dismissed the petition, holding the landlady could meet her need elsewhere, but the Rent Appellate Tri…

S. Mahesh, a Scheduled Caste candidate, was appointed by Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd. (NLC) but could not produce his original caste certificate. He informed the corporation and asked to be treated as a general‑category candidate; the corporation accepted, allowed him to join service and later promoted him. Years l…

The appellant, a visually‑handicapped allottee of a fair‑price shop, challenged an appellate order that restored the original allottee's licence and cancelled her own allotment. The High Court dismissed her writ petition on the ground that she was not a necessary party. The Supreme Court examined whether a subsequent a…

The plaintiff entered into a 1989 agreement to purchase a house from defendant No.2, paid the full consideration, but the seller failed to execute the sale deed. The plaintiff filed two suits: one for permanent injunction to prevent dispossession by defendant No.1 and No.2, and another for specific performance of the s…

The respondents were initially appointed as work‑charge helpers in 1979 and later selected as Junior Clerks in 1984 after a limited competitive exam. They claimed that, having performed the duties of Junior Clerks, they were entitled to the Junior Clerk pay scale retroactively from 1979 and from 1 April 1982, invoking …

The respondent, a Speech Therapist/Audiologist appointed in the non‑executive S‑6 grade at Durgapur Steel Plant, sought parity in pay and cadre with a senior employee (B.V. Prabhakar) holding an executive E‑1 grade at Rourkela Steel Plant. The company rejected the claim, citing its personnel manual which allows each pl…

The State of Uttar Pradesh issued an order restricting eligibility for the Special Basic Training Course (BTC) 2007 to candidates whose B.Ed. degrees were from institutions recognized by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). Several candidates whose degrees were from institutions that were later recognized…

The case involved a series of civil suits filed in 2001 that had been repeatedly amended and impleaded, leading to a long pendency. The plaintiff sought to file a rejoinder after the defendants had filed written statements, but the trial court initially rejected the application, later allowing it on review. The High Co…

The appellant, an unmarried woman in a consensual relationship, sought to terminate a 22‑week pregnancy under Section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act and Rule 3B of the MTP Rules. The Delhi High Court held that Rule 3B applied only to married women and denied the relief, prompting a Special Le…

The appellants were convicted of offences under the IPC and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention) Act for assaulting the complainants in separate incidents in 2000 and 1995. After the convictions, the parties entered into amicable settlements, and the appellants sought to have the non‑compoundable offe…

The State of Jammu & Kashmir sought to appoint a Re‑T (teaching guide) under its Rehbar‑e‑Taleem scheme. An advertisement dated 29‑Nov‑2002 stipulated an upper age limit of 35 years as on 1‑Jan‑2002, with the phrase "as far as possible" regarding age qualification. Respondent No.2, born on 28‑Dec‑1965, was selected des…

The appellant Amit Shrivas claimed a compassionate appointment after his father, a work‑charged driver, died in service; the father had become a permanent employee after 15 years but was still paid from the contingency fund. The 2008 Madhya Pradesh policy excluded work‑charged/contingency employees from compassionate a…

Jamal Uddin, a Scheduled Tribe candidate born on 31‑01‑1965, applied for a regular Munsif post in Jammu & Kashmir after serving as an adhoc Munsif. The 2002 Public Service Commission notification required candidates to be not more than 35 years old as of 1 January of the examination year, and his application was reject…

The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation acquired 37 acres of land for a golf‑cum‑hotel resort under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, but later transferred portions of the land to private entities. Several landowners challenged the acquisition, alleging fraud and diversion of public purpose. The High Court, a…

The appellant, a logistics company, was awarded a contract to handle and store iron and steel at the central dispatch yard of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL) and deployed 36 motor vehicles exclusively within the enclosed premises. It sought exemption from motor vehicle tax under Section 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Motor V…

The Rajasthan High Court had directed the state to consider a candidate, who had applied for a Civil Judge post as a General category applicant and paid the general fee, for one of the two vacancies reserved for persons with disabilities after she later claimed visual impairment based on a disability certificate showin…

The respondent, K.V. Abdul Khader, was Chairperson of the Kerala State Wakf Board and was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly. The appellant, Ashraf Kokkurr, filed an election petition alleging that the respondent was disqualified under Article 191(1)(a) of the Constitution because he held an office of profit. T…

The Rajasthan Government issued notifications granting reservation in promotion for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, which were later quashed by the Rajasthan High Court because the State had not complied with the quantifiable data requirements laid down in M. Nagaraj's case. General‑category employees filed civi…

The appellant, Mohammed Ajmal Mohammad Amir Kasab, was one of ten Pakistani terrorists who launched a coordinated attack on Mumbai on November 26, 2008, killing 166 people and injuring 238. He was convicted by the trial court on multiple charges including waging war against the Government of India, murder, and terroris…

The appellants, wholesale vegetable and fruit vendors, were ordered by the Gauhati High Court to vacate the Machkhowa market in Guwahati to make way for an administrative building, and were directed to shift to a new market at Ganeshguri. They challenged the order, claiming a violation of their fundamental right to car…

The appellant Sukhdev Yadav was convicted of murder, kidnapping and related offences and sentenced to life imprisonment fixed at twenty years without remission, along with fines. After serving the full twenty‑year term on 9 March 2025, he sought release but the Delhi High Court had earlier denied his furlough applicati…

The appellant Ajwar filed a criminal appeal challenging a bail order granted by the Allahabad High Court to respondent No.1, Waseem, who had been repeatedly granted and then cancelled bail by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had earlier cancelled the bail on two occasions, directing that any future bail could be so…

The respondent, a judicial officer, opted for a revised pay scale under the Haryana Civil Services (Judicial Branch) and Haryana Superior Judicial Service Revised Pay Rules 2001 and gave an undertaking to refund any excess salary. After his compulsory retirement, the pay rules were revised again in 2003, and an audit s…

The petitioner, convicted under the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts and sentenced to death by a TADA court, sought a writ under Article 32 to stay the execution of the death warrant dated 30 April 2015, alleging procedural irregularities and that his curative petition had not been decided by a bench constituted as per Supreme …

The Union of India challenged the validity of Notification Nos.102/87‑CE and 103/87‑CE which granted exemption from excise duty on iron and steel scrap from ship‑breaking only to importers who had paid customs duty at Rs.1,400 per Light Displacement Tonnage (LDT). The respondent, N.S. Rathnam & Sons, had paid a lower c…

Mahaveer C. Singhvi, an Indian Foreign Service probationer appointed in 1999, was discharged on 13 June 2002. He challenged the discharge before the Central Administrative Tribunal, the Delhi High Court, and finally this Court, alleging that the order was punitive, based on alleged misconduct uncovered through a secret…

The Tamil Nadu legislature enacted three land‑acquisition statutes (1978, 1997 and 2001) which were later held repugnant to the Central Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The Madras High Court declared the three state statutes void and quashed acq…

The Supreme Court considered several interim applications concerning the La‑Residentia residential project, which was marketed as an Amrapali Group development promising delivery within 36 months. After a forensic audit, the Court had earlier ordered that 19.75% of the project (632 flats) be surrendered to the Amrapali…

Lal Singh, convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act and sentenced to life imprisonment, applied for premature release under CrPC ss.432 and 433 after being transferred to a Punjab jail. The Gujarat Government rejected his application; the Punjab High Court directed Gujarat to reconsider …

The appellant organisation Sambhavna filed a writ petition seeking a mandamus directing the University of Delhi to introduce bridge and foundation courses, provide accessible reading material, train teachers, and include disability representatives in university bodies for visually impaired students. The University resp…

The case concerned an Assistant Foreman of an Ordnance Factory who was served a charge memo alleging bribery and challenged the disciplinary proceedings on the ground that the charge memo was issued by an authority subordinate to his appointing authority. The Central Administrative Tribunal quashed the charge memo, a d…

The petitioners challenged the constitutionality of sections 34(1), 47(1)(a)(i) and 58(1)(a)(i) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which base the pecuniary jurisdiction of district, state and national consumer commissions on the value of consideration paid rather than the compensation claimed. The challenge arose fr…

The mother, a working professional, filed a petition seeking permanent custody of her two minor children, alleging the father might forcibly remove them. The Family Court restrained the father and granted limited visitation, which the father appealed. The High Court then ordered a 15‑day monthly interim custody for eac…

The appellants, legal heirs of the deceased Kathiresan, filed suits seeking declaration of title and injunction over a suit land purchased by Kathiresan. The respondent, a relative, invoked Article 227 of the Constitution before the Madras High Court, seeking rejection of the plaints on the ground that they were barred…

A 14‑year‑old girl, X, who alleged sexual assault, became pregnant and sought termination of her pregnancy beyond the statutory 24‑week limit. The High Court denied the request, relying on a clarificatory opinion of a medical board that did not assess the impact on X's physical and mental health. The Supreme Court set …

The Rajasthan Waqf Board claimed that a structure identified as the Qalandari Masjid on Tiranga Hill was a waqf religious site situated within Survey No. 6731, which had been leased to Jindal Saw Ltd for mining. The High Court allowed the mining lease to proceed, prompting the Board to appeal. The Supreme Court examine…

The Supreme Court examined multiple writ petitions challenging the seniority and appointment of judicial officers in Rajasthan's District Judge cadre after the 2010 Judicial Service Rules came into force. The petitioners argued that officers promoted ad‑hoc to Fast Track Courts should retain seniority from their initia…

The State of Haryana issued notifications under Section 5(2) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 fixing and revising minimum rates of wages, including provisions that classified unskilled workers as semi‑skilled after a certain period of experience, prohibited segregation of wages into allowances, included security staff as…

The Supreme Court examined whether the transmission assembly, an intermediate component produced during the manufacture of tractors by M/s. Escorts Ltd., attracted excise duty under the Central Excise and Salt Act. The Court held that transmission assemblies are distinct, commercially known products and therefore quali…

The employees of the Andhra Pradesh Labour Department challenged G.O.M. No.14 (1994) and No.22 (1996) which allowed promotion by transfer to the post of Assistant Labour Officer. The State Administrative Tribunal struck down those G.O.M.s as ultra vires the Presidential Order but held the striking down to be prospectiv…

The Union of India, through the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, sought Supreme Court directions to transfer Rs 5,000 crore from the unutilized balance of Rs 24,979.67 crore lying in the "Sahara‑SEBI Refund Account" to the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies for disbursement to the genuine depositors of the Sahara…

The appellants were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the murder of Abbas Baig, based primarily on the oral testimony of three eyewitnesses. They challenged the conviction, arguing that the eyewitness evidence was unreliable, that the defence counsel's suggestions during cross‑examination …

The Central Bank of India and other nationalised banks (appellants) challenged the validity of a cut‑off date they fixed for calculating gratuity payable to retired employees (respondents) under their Regulation 46. The respondents argued that the cut‑off date, which limited the benefit of revised pay scales to retiree…

The Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD) Board extended the service of retired Parpathedar P. Seshadri on a contract basis beyond the age of sixty. Respondent S. Mangati Gopal Reddy filed a writ petition, styled as a public‑interest litigation, alleging that the extensions violated Rule 13 of the TTD Service Rules, 198…

Ramdas Athawale, a Lok Sabha member, filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the validity of the Lok Sabha's resumption on 29 January 2004, arguing that the President’s special address under Article 87 was required because it was the first session of the year. The Court held that the December 2003 session wa…

Vedanta Limited operates a copper smelter at the SIPCOT industrial complex in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the State Government ordered its closure for repeated violations of environmental norms, including operating without consent, improper hazardous waste management, and dumping…

The Supreme Court was asked to consider whether, under its Article 142 powers, it could issue blanket directions that all interim stays granted by High Courts should automatically lapse after six months and that High Courts must dispose of such cases on a day‑to‑day basis. The Court examined the object of interim order…

The case concerned a former High Court judge who, after retirement, served as President of the Madhya Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for nearly five years. He claimed pension for that period based on a 2002 executive order of the State Government, although the Madhya Pradesh Consumer Protection Ru…

The case concerned the Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, which reserved 64 postgraduate (PG) medical seats under its State quota – 32 for candidates who had studied at the college (institutional preference) and 32 for candidates deemed "residents" of Chandigarh based on broad residence criteria. The …

The Narcotic Control Bureau appealed against a High Court order that suspended the ten‑year rigorous imprisonment sentence of Lakhwinder Singh, convicted under the NDPS Act, and granted him bail pending appeal after he had served 4½ years. The issue was whether the appellate court could grant such relief when the convi…

The appellant purchased a mortgaged property at an auction conducted on 31 July 2007 and received a sale certificate on 30 November 2007, thereafter developing the property. The guarantor of the original borrower challenged the auction before the Debt Recovery Tribunal, which set aside the sale; the decision was later …

Shankar Lal Sharma, a 73‑year‑old man of limited means, filed a Special Leave Petition against Rajesh Koolwal & Ors. The Court appointed Sanchar Anand as amicus curiae, who represented the petitioner pro bono on fourteen occasions. The Court examined the duty of advocates to assist indigent litigants and the broader co…

The case arose from FIR No. 60/2017 alleging wrongful confinement, trafficking and conspiracy against Ajay Malik for employing a tribal domestic worker. Malik sought quashing of the criminal proceedings and compounding of the offences, supported by a no‑objection affidavit from the complainant, while the State opposed …

The petitioners, wards of serving railway employees, sought appointment under the Largess Scheme, which allowed entry into railway service without competitive examination. The Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court had earlier directed the Union of India to reconsider the scheme on constitutional grounds. …

The New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) appointed respondent No.4 as Project Engineer (Electrical) on deputation from the U.P. Power Corporation in February 2014 and later absorbed him in May 2015. The appellants, who were Assistant Project Engineers, challenged the appointment and absorption, arguing th…

Mukesh Kumar, a death‑row convict in the Nirbhaya gang‑rape case, filed a mercy petition under Articles 72 and 161 of the Constitution, which was rejected by the Lieutenant Governor on 15 January 2020 and by the President on 17 January 2020. He challenged the rejection before the Supreme Court, alleging that relevant m…

The Supreme Court examined two questions referred to a larger bench: whether an order of anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) must be limited to a fixed period, and whether such bail terminates when the accused is summoned or when charges are framed. Relying on the Constitution Benc…

Four Indian Air Force officers were granted Premature Separation from Service (PSS) under the Air Force Human Resource Policy, subsequently withdrew their requests and sought to continue in service. The Air Headquarters rejected their withdrawal applications, citing Paragraph 18 of the policy which permits withdrawal o…

The petitioners applied for direct recruitment to the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service (UPHJS) but were debarred because they exceeded the age ceiling prescribed in Rule 12 of the UP Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1975. They challenged the constitutional validity of Rule 8(1), which mandates recruitment at interva…

The case concerned the detention of Abdu Rahiman under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA). The detenu filed a representation against his detention, which was rejected by the competent authority; the rejection was communicated to him by an under‑secretary rat…

The Commissioner of Commercial Taxes of Kerala challenged a penalty of Rs.86 lakh imposed on K.T.C. Automobiles for allegedly evading Kerala sales tax by registering 263 cars sold from its Mahe branch under the Pondicherry Sales Tax Act. The High Court set aside the penalty, holding that the sale was completed at Mahe …

The case concerned the murder of Ravi Prakash, alleged to have been committed by accused Nos.1, 2 and 4 under Sections 302 and 120B IPC. The trial court convicted the three accused based on the testimony of two eye‑witnesses and medical evidence, but the High Court acquitted them, finding material inconsistencies in th…

The Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) advertised 65 Assistant Engineer (Civil) posts on 21‑12‑2018 and conducted a screening test on 30‑06‑2019 under the 2010 Rules, which did not provide for negative marking. The APSC later introduced a new 2019 Procedure effective 01‑04‑2019, containing Clause 12.2 that purporte…

The appellant, R.R. Inamdar, a Scheduled Caste teacher, was promoted to the solitary post of Lecturer in English in a Karnataka school based on roster points. The senior fifth respondent, who was appointed earlier, challenged the appointment, arguing that reservation under Article 16(4) could not apply to a solitary po…

The appellant, Deep Industries Ltd, was contractually terminated by ONGC for allegedly supplying second‑hand equipment and was subsequently black‑listed for two years. The dispute was referred to arbitration, where the arbitrator stayed the blacklist order conditionally, and the first appeal under Section 37 was dismis…

The appellant, a Deputy Superintendent of Police in the CBI, was transferred by executive order to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in 1988. While his pay was initially protected, a later pay revision granted to his CBI batchmates was not extended to him, resulting in a lower salary and pension. The appellant s…

The appellants, holders of mining leases in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, sought extension of their leases for periods during which mining was prohibited by orders of the National Green Tribunal and subsequent state notifications. The State argued that neither the Uttar Pradesh Mining Minerals (Concession) Rules, 1963 nor …

The dispute concerned the ownership of Khata No. 201 in Sultanpur, where Kamla Devi claimed a share inherited from her father Ram Samujh, while Krishna Nand and Shiv Ram asserted title based on a 1938 purchase recorded in their uncle Ram Adhar's name. Three consolidation authorities under the Uttar Pradesh Consolidatio…

The appellants were appointed as clerks on an ad hoc basis in 1975‑76 and were regularized on 3 May 1977 with seniority backdated to 1 April 1977. A 1991 writ petition had granted them seniority by counting their ad hoc service, but the High Court later redrew the seniority list excluding ad hoc periods, a decision cha…

The Supreme Court of India, by a 4:1 majority, struck down the practice of excluding women aged 10 to 50 from the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. The Court held that the devotees of Lord Ayyappa do not constitute a separate religious denomination under Article 26 of the Constitution. The exclusionary practice was found no…

Five Haryana MLAs merged with the Indian National Congress and the Speaker accepted the merger. Kuldeep Bishnoi filed disqualification petitions under Article 191 and the Tenth Schedule, alleging the merger violated paragraph 4(1). The High Court, invoking Order 41 Rule 33 CPC, directed the Speaker to decide the petiti…

An FIR for offences under sections 467, 468, 471, 409 and 114 IPC was filed against the appellant. He sought quashing of the FIR and a stay of investigation under Section 482 CrPC, but was arrested before the stay order took effect. The magistrate remanded him to police custody and later to judicial custody. The High C…

The President of India referred a matter under Article 317(1) of the Constitution seeking the removal of Ms. Mepung Tadar Bage, a member of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC), alleging misbehaviour in connection with the leakage of the Assistant Engineer (Civil) Mains Examination question paper in …

The dispute concerned a 11,200 sq ft parcel in Nachimuthu Nagar that was earmarked for public purpose in a layout plan approved in 1978 and revised in 1981 under the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act. After the original owner, Nachimuthu Mudaliar, died in 2004, his heirs sold the land to the appellants in 2009 a…

The appellants were appointed by Canara Bank and other central government undertakings in the Scheduled Caste category based on caste certificates issued under Karnataka state circulars that listed their community as a synonymous Scheduled Caste. After the Supreme Court’s decision in State of Maharashtra v. Milind, the…

The Union of India challenged a High Court order that quashed an FIR registered under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for the alleged sale of unlicensed drugs, holding that prosecution for offences under Chapter IV of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 must be initiated only by persons named in Section 32 of the A…

The Commissioner of Service Tax appealed against M/s. Adani Gas Ltd. challenging the taxability of charges collected for supplying pipelines and measurement (SKID) equipment to gas consumers. The issue was whether Section 65(105)(zzzzj) of the Finance Act, 1994 applied, i.e., whether the supply of such tangible goods f…

The Supreme Court examined a batch of writ petitions challenging the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines dated 06 July 2020, which required all Indian universities to complete final year examinations by 30 September 2020 amid the COVID‑19 pandemic. Petitioners argued that the guidelines were ultra‑violet of A…

The testator, Raja Sardar Singh, died in 1987 without apparent legal heirs and had executed a will bequeathing his assets to the Khetri Trust. The Trust sought probate, which was dismissed by the Delhi High Court, while agnates also objected. The Rajasthan Collector, after an inquiry, initiated escheat proceedings unde…

The appellants, the Metropolitan of Quilon Diocese and a Vicar appointed by him, sued the parishioners of St. Mary's Church, Kattachira, seeking a declaration that they alone have the right to conduct religious services and manage the church and its cemetery, based on an assignment‑cum‑gift deed (Ext‑A3). The trial cou…

The Supreme Court considered an interlocutory application filed by the Federation of Indian Industries (Southern Region) seeking permission to sell iron‑ore and manganese‑ore in Karnataka without the e‑auction mechanism overseen by the Court‑appointed Monitoring Committee. The Court examined the past experience of ille…

The appellants were convicted under Sections 148, 302 read with 149, 341, and 323 of the IPC for the death of Khushal Salgar. The prosecution relied on the testimony of two eye‑witnesses, a dying declaration, and forensic evidence. The Supreme Court examined whether the evidence established a common object to cause mur…

The appellants, prominent badminton players and their coach, were accused in a private complaint of falsifying birth records to gain entry into age‑restricted tournaments, leading to the registration of an FIR under Sections 420, 468, 471 and 34 IPC. The complaint relied mainly on an unauthenticated 1996 GPF nomination…

The case arose from the Bhima‑Koregaon violence of December 2017, after which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) expanded the investigation, searched the residences of several activists and arrested Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira. The prosecution alleged that the two were members of the banned CPI (Maoist) and…

The State of Karnataka issued a land acquisition notification under Section 17 of the Karnataka Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act, 1973. The petitioners challenged the notification on grounds of inadequate consideration of objections, alleged lapse of the acquisition process, and the constitutionality of Secti…

During the 2015 Kerala budget presentation, several opposition MLAs climbed onto the Speaker's dais and damaged furniture, leading to a criminal case under IPC sections 427, 447, 34 and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. The public prosecutor sought to withdraw the prosecution under Section 321 of t…

The petitioner Yakub Abdulrazak Memon, whose death sentence under the TADA Act had been confirmed by the Supreme Court, filed a review petition and a curative petition challenging the order dated 9 April 2015. The curative petition was considered by a bench of the three senior-most judges, but not by the judges who had…

The Gorakhpur Development Authority (GOA) sought to acquire land for a residential colony and, under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, invoked the urgency clause of Section 17(4) to dispense with the mandatory Section 5A enquiry. The appellants, land owners, challenged the validity of this dispensation, arguing that no m…

The Chandigarh Administration appealed against several orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that directed the construction of a verandah in front of Court Room No.1 of the High Court and the laying of green paver blocks in a kutcha parking area. The Administration argued that the verandah could jeopardise the UN…

The Supreme Court examined the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) unauthorised felling of over a thousand trees in the Delhi Ridge and its failure to disclose this during a hearing, despite pending applications for permission. The Court held that these actions amounted to wilful disobedience of its 1996 order in M.C. …

Karan Singh was convicted for the murder of Raj under IPC s.302, the prosecution alleging a motive of non‑payment of Rs 47,000 for a buffalo. Eye‑witnesses Maya Devi (PW‑3) and her daughter Birma (PW‑4) saw the appellant dragging the victim with a rope, and an independent witness (PW‑8) corroborated the allegation. The…

S.R. Tewari, an IPS officer on deputation with the BSF, was subjected to disciplinary proceedings resulting in eight charges, of which only charges 4 and 6 were held proved. The disciplinary authority initially dismissed him, the Central Administrative Tribunal reinstated him, and the Delhi High Court directed a fresh …

The appellants, long‑time tenants of premises that later became part of a Wakf, were facing civil eviction when the Wakf Act, 1995 was amended in 2013 adding a penal provision (Section 52A) and a definition of "encroacher". The Wakf Board filed a criminal complaint under Section 52A alleging the appellants were encroac…

The Supreme Court heard a batch of appeals filed by the Mathura Vrindavan Development Authority, other development authorities and the State of Uttar Pradesh against several writ petitions that challenged demand notices for various fees levied by the authorities under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Ac…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the High Court's acquittal of Phoolchand Rathore, who had been convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his wife under sections 302 and 201 IPC. The prosecution's case rested on alleged motive (a dispute over jewellery), a disclosure statement and recovery of blood…

BSNL conducted a recruitment exam for Telecom Technical Assistants. Two OBC candidates (Alok Kumar Yadav and Dinesh Kumar) scored higher than the last selected general‑category candidate. The question was whether such OBC candidates must be adjusted to the general‑category pool and not counted against the OBC quota, wi…

The appellant, previously acquitted of kidnapping and rape offences, repeatedly threatened and teased the victim, a teenage girl, leading her to set herself ablaze and die. The victim’s dying declaration, recorded by a Head Constable in the presence of a doctor, implicated the appellant as the sole cause of her death. …

The appellant, a former President of the BCCI, challenged an amendment to Clause 6.2.4 of the BCCI's Regulations that exempted IPL, Champions League and Twenty‑20 events from the ban on administrators having commercial interests. He argued that the amendment was made to benefit the second respondent, who as a BCCI offi…

The actress S. Khushboo made remarks in a 2005 news‑magazine survey endorsing societal acceptance of premarital sex and live‑in relationships. Several members of the PMK political party filed criminal complaints alleging defamation, obscenity, indecent representation of women and incitement under the IPC and the Indece…

The respondent, a civil servant of Jharkhand, was dismissed after disciplinary proceedings for alleged misconduct, including financial irregularities and forgery. The draft charge‑sheet and a proposal to suspend him were placed before the Chief Minister, who approved the proposal on 21 March 2014, after which the charg…