Constitution of India

The petitioner, a watchman employed by the State of Gujarat from October 2007 to July 2011, was terminated without any appointment letter, service book or statutory benefits and without following due procedure. He filed an industrial dispute before the Labour Court, which awarded him a lump‑sum compensation of Rs 60,00…

Petitioners No.02 and 04 filed a special criminal application under Article 226 of the Constitution and Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita seeking quash of FIR No.11210003250994 dated 28‑10‑2025, which alleged offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Gujarat Police Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of…

M/S Soft Age Information Technology Ltd filed special civil applications under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, invoking the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, to challenge orders of the Ahmedabad Labour Court that rejected its applications for condonation of delay in restoring industrial dispute references. The c…

M/S Soft Age Information Technology Ltd filed special civil applications under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, invoking the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, to challenge orders of the Ahmedabad Labour Court that rejected its applications for condonation of delay in restoring industrial dispute references. The c…

M/S Soft Age Information Technology Ltd filed special civil applications under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, invoking the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, to challenge orders of the Ahmedabad Labour Court that rejected its applications for condonation of delay in restoring industrial dispute references. The c…

M/S Soft Age Information Technology Ltd filed special civil applications under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, invoking the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, to challenge orders of the Ahmedabad Labour Court that rejected its applications for condonation of delay in restoring industrial dispute references. The c…

The petitioner, a Junior Fireman employed by IPCL (later merged into Reliance Industries), was terminated for alleged unauthorized absence of 92 days in 2001. He claimed the absences were due to family emergencies involving a mentally ill brother and that the disciplinary inquiry denied him a fair chance to present evi…

The Torrent Power Surat Electricity Company Employees Union filed a writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, challenging an order dated 09‑05‑2025 of the Surat Industrial Court that rejected its request for production of documents. The Union argued that the Industrial Court erred in not considering…

The petitioner, representing the legal heirs of the deceased workman, filed a special civil application under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India challenging a Labour Court order that directed the respondent, Jamnagar Municipal Corporation, to pay Rs.75,000. The High Court examined the petition but noted …

The Jamnagar Municipal Corporation filed a special civil application under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution challenging a Labour Court order dated 18‑02‑2022 that directed the respondent to pay Rs.75,000 to the legal heirs of a deceased workman. The petition raised several grounds of challenge, but the High Cou…

The petitioner, who is the original complainant, is on trial for murder under IPC s.302 and sought CCTV footage of the Mundra Police Station for his defence. He filed an application (Exhibit‑448) under CrPC s.311 which the trial court initially allowed, but the DVR was found to have no backup; the footage was later rep…

The petitioner, Vishwas Sudhanshu Bhamburkar, alleged that builders near Surat Airport obtained No‑Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Airport Authority of India by submitting forged documents and constructed buildings at locations deviating 42‑1600 metres from the approved sites, thereby endangering aviation safety…

The petitioners challenged a notice dated 19‑January‑2026 issued by the Mamlatdar and Executive Magistrate ordering the removal of alleged illegal construction within two days, alleging it was issued without prior intimation and without citing any legal provision. The notice claimed the construction violated a 40‑metre…

Ganga R.K. Industries Pvt. Ltd. filed a Special Civil Application under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution challenging a Labour Court award dated 28‑04‑2025 that ordered the reinstatement of a workman with 50% back wages. The workman, originally employed as a temporary clerk‑cum‑supervisor from 01‑04‑2013, was te…

The petitioner, the heir of a deceased work‑charge watchman, filed a petition under Articles 14, 226 and 227 of the Constitution challenging an award of the Industrial Court that dismissed his claim for a compassionate appointment and imposed exemplary costs of Rs 25,000. The dispute arose from a reference under Sectio…

Mohan @ Nano Gurumukhdas Chandlani, detained as a "bootlegger" under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti‑social Activities Act, 1985, challenged the detention order dated 16‑12‑2025 via Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution. The detaining authority relied on five criminal cases under the Prohibition Act, alleging that th…

Guruprasad Kanojiya challenged a detention order dated 17‑12‑2025 that labeled him a "bootlegger" under Section 2(b) of the Gujarat Prevention of Anti‑social Activities Act, 1985. He argued that no material showed his activities disturbed public health, order or tranquility, and that the order was passed mechanically. …

The petitioner filed a Special Civil Application under Articles 14, 226, and 227 of the Constitution of India challenging the judgment and order dated 27.09.2024 passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (Auxi.), Surat in MACMA No.24 of 2024. The petitioner also sought permission to withdraw his part of share from t…

Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Ltd (GETCO) challenged an ex‑parte award dated 26 May 2023 passed by the Labour Court, Bhavnagar, which ordered reinstatement of two workmen with 20% back wages. The workmen had raised an industrial dispute over alleged oral terminations in 2013 and 2014, leading to References (L…

Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Ltd (GETCO) challenged an ex‑parte award dated 26 May 2023 passed by the Labour Court, Bhavnagar, which ordered reinstatement of two workmen with 20% back wages. The workmen had raised an industrial dispute over alleged oral terminations in 2013 and 2014, leading to References (L…

The State of Gujarat, represented by the Range Forest Officer, filed a special civil application under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution challenging a Labour Court order that awarded a compensation of Rs.70,000 to a workman. The petition argued various grounds against the Labour Court's decision. The High Court …

The petitioner, a forest department labourer, was orally terminated in 2005 without notice. He raised the dispute before the Assistant Labour Commissioner, which was referred to the Labour Court (Reference No. 16/2016). The Labour Court, on 15‑02‑2025, rejected the reference on the ground of an eleven‑year delay in fil…

The petitioner, a forest department labourer terminated in 2005 without notice, filed a conciliation proceeding which failed and subsequently raised a reference before the Labour Court in 2016. The Labour Court, on 15‑02‑2025, rejected the reference on the ground of delay, holding that the industrial dispute was stale.…

The petitioner filed a special civil application under Articles 14, 226 and 227 of the Constitution challenging a Labour Court order that required payment of Rs.86,292 with 8% interest and Rs.5,000 costs. The respondents did not appear, and an issue arose regarding an unserved notice to the deceased respondent's wife, …

The heirs of the deceased employee, Virabhai Galabhai Pateliya, filed a writ petition under Articles 14, 21, 226 and 227 of the Constitution and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, challenging a Labour Court award that granted only a lump‑sum compensation instead of reinstatement and continuity of service. The petition …

The Government cancelled all petrol pump, LPG and kerosene dealership allotments made since January 2000 after media reports alleged political patronage in a few cases. Petitioners, who had received letters of intent or entered into agreements, challenged the order as arbitrary and violative of Article 14. The Court he…

The Supreme Court examined a writ petition filed by directors of Maharashtra Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. seeking relief against the Bombay High Court's order directing the State to arrest them and to compel the investigating agency to file a charge‑sheet. The Court held that arrest is a discretionary power of th…

Lohara Steel Industries Ltd., a dealer in iron and steel, bought scrap and ingots in Andhra Pradesh, sent them to its re‑rolling mill in Karnataka, and sold the re‑rolled products back in Andhra Pradesh. Under the Andhra Pradesh General Sales Tax Act, 1957, an exemption notification (G.O. Ms No 88, 1977) exempted such …

Triveni Shankar Saxena, originally appointed as a temporary Lekhpal in 1953, later served as a Consolidator and Assistant Consolidation Officer for about 17 years before being terminated on 16 October 1971 without reason and with one month's salary in lieu of notice. He claimed he was on deputation, had a lien on his o…

The respondents were appointed as part‑time lecturers under conditions that allowed removal without notice and payment on an hourly basis. They filed a writ petition in the Punjab & Haryana High Court seeking regularisation on the regular pay scale. The High Court, without addressing the parties’ arguments, allowed the…

The appellant, daughter and heir of a tenant, sought possession of an identical area in a newly constructed building as promised in a consent decree that required the landlord‑bank to give her an equal premises after demolition of the old building. The landlord complied with the demolition but failed to allocate the pr…

The Supreme Court examined a detention order issued under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA) against the husband of Smt. Alka Subhash Gadia, who could not be served with the order because he was absconding. The wife filed a writ petition challenging both the…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of a consent order under Section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which allowed the withdrawal of prosecution against Dr. Jagannath Misra and others. The Court considered whether the public prosecutor acted independently, whether the magistrate properly exercised its …

The State of Bihar repeatedly repromulgated ordinances after each legislative session was prorogued, keeping the same provisions in force for years without converting them into statutes. Four petitioners, including a professor and affected individuals, challenged the constitutional validity of three specific ordinances…

The petitioners challenged the constitutional validity of conditions (i) and (ii) attached to the exemption under section 88B(1)(b) of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948, which allowed lands of a trust for public religious worship to be exempt from tenancy provisions. Condition (i) required the trust t…

Sheela Barse, a freelance journalist, filed a writ petition challenging the operation of observation homes run by the Children’s Aid Society, Bombay, alleging that children were forced to work without pay, faced hazardous conditions, and suffered delays in repatriation. The Bombay High Court issued directions to improv…

The appellant, Prakash Amichand Shah, owned a leasehold interest in land in Surat and challenged the reservation of a portion of his land under Town Planning Scheme No. VIII (Umarwada) prepared under the Bombay Town Planning Act, 1954. He claimed the scheme violated Articles 14, 19(1)(f) and 31 of the Constitution beca…

The State of Madhya Pradesh divided the Manasa block into twenty constituencies for the Janapada Panchayat election and, after Gram Panchayat elections were completed, issued a notification on 25 November 1970 to re‑redistribute those constituencies. Devi Lal, a Gram Sabha Sarpanch, challenged the notification under Ar…

Sunil Batra, a death‑row convict, wrote to the Supreme Court alleging that another prisoner, Prem Chand, had been brutally tortured by a warder in Tihar Jail to extort money. The Court, acting on a habeas corpus petition under Article 32, appointed amicus curiae who verified the injury and the attempts to conceal it. T…

The appellant, a Vice President of Purchases at Shakti Bhog Foods Ltd., was arrested under the fourth supplementary complaint filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) for alleged money‑laundering offences linked to a bank fraud investigated under the Prevention of Corruption…

The Supreme Court examined applications for anticipatory bail filed by the husband and his family in a matrimonial cruelty case where the FIR was lodged in Rajasthan but the bail applications were made in Karnataka. The Court considered whether a High Court or Court of Session can grant anticipatory bail for an FIR out…

The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission advertised eight vacancies for Civil Judge (Junior Division) in 2013, but later added two names, including Vivek Kaist[h] and Akansha Dogra, to the select list via a government notification. The High Court held that these appointments were illegal because the added vacanci…

The Union of India sought permission to modify the National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) and introduce the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), while the petitioner challenged the legality of discontinuing NMBS benefits. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered that NMBS could not be altered without its approval. After examin…

Sanghamitra Ghosh filed a transfer petition seeking to move a matrimonial suit for restitution of conjugal rights to Bangalore, alleging physical and mental torture by her husband Kajal Kumar Ghosh and his parents, and claiming she was driven out of the marital home with their minor child. Both parties later entered in…

The appellant, a Junior Engineer in the Bihar Subordinate Engineering Service, claimed promotion to Assistant Engineer under a 1979 Government resolution that granted special promotion to those who obtained a degree and had five years of service, with inter‑se seniority to be decided by the Personnel Department. The Pe…

The State of Punjab and the State of Kerala imposed import fees on liquor imported into their territories. Licensees challenged these fees, arguing they were unconstitutional taxes that violated Articles 301, 303 and 304 of the Constitution and that liquor trade is "res extra commercium". The Court held that the fees a…

The State of Jammu and Kashmir issued a tender for construction work which was accepted by Ghulam Mohammad Dar, and the parties entered into a contract containing an arbitration clause. After completing the work, the contractor sought a 42% escalation payment, which the Chief Engineer indicated should apply to all item…

The Orissa Public Service Commission selected 39 candidates for temporary Munsif posts and sent its merit list to the State Government, which prepared a different list omitting several selectees. Writ petitions were filed challenging the State list; the Orissa High Court prepared its own list and directed appointments …

The tenant, Vithal N. Shetti, had occupied premises in Pune and erected a permanent structure (dining hall, kitchen, lavatory) in 1961. The landlord, Prakash N. Rudrakar, claimed the construction was done without his written consent and without municipal plan sanction, invoking Section 13(1)(b) of the Bombay Rents, Hot…

The Society of St. Joseph's College, a religious minority educational institution, owned a building that the State sought to acquire under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The college filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a declaration that Article 30(1A) of the Constitution bars the application of the general …

The appellants' predecessors obtained an order under Section 8(3) of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region) Act, 1958 deleting respondent No. 1’s name from the tenant list after a compromise in which he admitted he was not a tenant and purchased part of the land. No appeal was filed, so the order b…

The landlord, Srinivasiah, sought eviction of the tenant, Balaji Krishna Hardware Store, claiming a bona fide need for the shop for his son's business. The Rent Controller, appellate authority, and Madras High Court all ordered eviction, but the Supreme Court reversed these orders, assuming an alternative vacant shop b…

The Government of Tamil Nadu issued G.O.Ms. No.145 (Revenue) on 29 January 1990 increasing the quota of Superintendents eligible for deputation as Tehsildars, a step contested by the Superintendents. The Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal set aside the order and directed the government to revise its policy and allocati…

The Committee for the Protection of Democratic Rights filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a declaration that the Commission of Inquiry appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 was not a court of law and directing the Maharashtra government to prosecute those responsible for the Bombay rio…

The State of Uttar Pradesh challenged the High Court's declaration that Section 37-A of the U.P. Excise Act, 1910 was void for violating Article 14 because it allowed an exemption for foreign liquor under Section 20(2). While the appeal was pending, the legislature omitted Section 20(2) and substituted a new Section 37…

The Government of Andhra Pradesh appealed against an order of the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal that had granted parity of pay to senior Junior Analysts who claimed that their juniors were drawing higher scales. The seniors argued that Article 39(A) of the Constitution required equal pay, while the juniors ear…

The Supreme Court examined whether the deletion of the second stage of disciplinary inquiry by the Forty‑Second Amendment eliminated a civil servant’s right to receive a copy of the inquiry report before a punishment is imposed. It held that despite the amendment, the delinquent remains entitled to the report to make a…

The daughter‑in‑law (R2) filed applications seeking recovery of arrears of maintenance and monthly maintenance from her father‑in‑law, Manmohan Gopal, after her husband Varun Gopal abandoned her and obtained a foreign divorce. The Supreme Court noted that the father‑in‑law and the husband had repeatedly defied earlier …

Dr. Balram Singh filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking the full implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 and the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993. The Court examined whether the statutes requi…

The case concerned a rice mill that consumed electricity beyond its contracted load, leading the Executive Engineer to issue a provisional assessment under Section 126 of the Electricity Act, 2003. The mill challenged the assessment and the accompanying notice of "unauthorised use" before the High Court, arguing lack o…

Prasar Bharati issued a tender for two 1 MW transmitters. BECIL and Arraycom submitted technically qualified bids. Arraycom’s financial bid of Rs 51.57 crore stated that Central Sales Tax (CST) was inclusive but also required concessional forms C/D, creating ambiguity. BECIL’s lower bid of Rs 47.35 crore quoted sales t…

Dipitimae Parida applied for the post of Anganwadi worker under the Integrated Child Development Scheme. At the deadline for applications she was unmarried, but she married later and was nevertheless awarded three marks for being a married woman during the viva‑voce. Respondent No.5 challenged the award of those marks,…

The case concerned the death of Bhagirathi Das, a mine employee of Steel Authority of India Ltd., who collapsed while on duty. His son sought a compassionate appointment under Para 8.9.4 of the 1989 Memorandum of Settlement, which provides such appointment only if death is due to an accident arising out of and in the c…

The respondent, a registered dealer under the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, purchased fish oil from unregistered dealers and sold it within Karnataka to another dealer, Kalbhavi, who intended to export the oil. The issue was whether the purchase of the fish oil attracted purchase tax under Section 6 of the Karnataka Sales T…

The dispute concerned jewellery belonging to two trusts created by the Nizam of Hyderabad. An arbitration award directed the Union of India to pay Rs 180 crore to purchase the items, which was challenged by the Union and the trustees under Sections 15 and 16 of the Arbitration Act, 1940. Public‑spirited intervenors fil…

N.P. Dhamania, an officer of the Indian Telecommunication Service, was recommended for promotion to Senior Administrative Grade Level‑II by the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) returned the panel for a "rigorous review" and subsequently excluded Dhamania and four o…

The Union created 35 floating/common super‑time grade posts in the Central Health Service and, through the UPSC, prescribed a selection process involving a Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) and an eligibility list. Dr. P. Rajaram (respondent No.1) challenged his lower ranking, alleging that promotions were made so…

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) operated a depot within the limits of the Municipal Corporation of Jullundhar and transported petroleum products to dealers outside those limits. The Municipal Corporation levied octroi under Section 113 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, which the IOC contested, arguing tha…

The Christian Medical College Vellore Association, a minority‑run educational institution, challenged two references made by the Tamil Nadu Government to the Labour Court under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, arguing that sections 9‑A, 10, 11‑A, 12 and 33 of the Act could not apply to a minority institution protecte…

The petitioners, members of the Ananda Marga socio‑spiritual organization, sought a writ directing the Commissioner of Police, Calcutta, to allow them to hold public processions accompanied by the Tandava dance. They claimed that Ananda Marga is a separate religion and that the Tandava dance is an essential religious r…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Special Bearer Bonds (Immunities and Exemptions) Ordinance, 1981 and the subsequent Act, which granted anonymity and tax exemptions to holders of special bearer bonds intended to canalise black money. The petitioners argued that the President lacked authority unde…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute arising from the acquisition of 56.14 bighas of land for a safety zone around a cement plant, where the original award of compensation was paid by Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) and a supplementary award was later issued. The key issue was whether the liability for the supplementar…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014, which created a separate statutory body to manage Sikh gurdwaras in Haryana. The Court held that Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Inter‑State Corporation Act, 1957 are merel…

The appellants, the widow and daughter of Ishwar Singh, challenged the validity of Section 50(a) of the Delhi Land Reforms Act, 1954, claiming it violated Articles 14, 15, 21 and was repugnant to the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 after the latter's Section 4(2) was deleted by the 2005 amendment. The Supreme Court held tha…

The Union of India challenged the constitutional validity of Section 115‑0 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, which imposes an additional 10% tax on dividends declared by domestic companies. Tea companies argued that because up to 60% of their income is agricultural, the dividend is agricultural income and therefore only the…

The State of Rajasthan challenged a sale of land by members of a Scheduled Caste to Aanjaney Organic Herbal Pvt. Ltd., a private limited company, on the ground that Section 42(b) of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 renders such a transfer void. The company argued that the term "person" in the provision should be given i…

Indure Ltd. was awarded a turnkey contract by NTPC to erect an ash‑handling plant. To fulfil the contract it imported MS pipes and other components, which were sold to NTPC. The company claimed exemption from sales tax under Section 5(2) of the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, arguing that the sale was in the course of imp…

The case concerned the framing of charges against former MP Sajjan Kumar for alleged involvement in the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots. After the Delhi Police’s closure report, the CBI was tasked with re‑investigation and filed a charge‑sheet in 2010, relying on statements recorded many years after the incident. The appellant so…

The appellant, Ranjit Singh, was found in a locked room with a blood‑stained sword after the step‑mother was discovered dead with incised wounds. The trial and High Courts convicted him under Section 302 IPC based on oral, medical and documentary circumstantial evidence, rejecting his claim that he was already in polic…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over the appointment of Vijay Shankar Shukla, a general‑category candidate who was placed 47th in a select list for officer posts at Aryavrat Gramin Bank, a Regional Rural Bank governed by the Regional Rural Bank Act, 1976 and subject to NABARD and Central Government directives. Shu…

The Urban Improvement Trust, Udaipur sought to acquire land for a housing scheme under the Rajasthan Urban Development Act. The State of Rajasthan issued a notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, first published in newspapers in 1990 and later in the official gazette on 4 June 1992. A declara…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of land allotted to "sub‑awardees" after the land had been acquired under the Rajasthan Land Acquisition Act. It held that once a notification under S.4 and possession under S.16 were effected, the original owner's title ceased and vested in the State, rendering any subsequent sa…

The appellants and respondents were employees of the Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Engineering Service governed by the 1968 Recruitment Rules. The Rules stipulated that eligibility for promotion to Assistant Engineer be determined as of 1 January each year, requiring either 8 years of service for graduate engineers or 12 y…

The State of Madhya Pradesh, under Section 432(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, granted a special remission on Republic Day 1978 to female prisoners and those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST). Writ petitioners, including Mohan Singh, challenged the scheme, alleging violation of the right to …

The Supreme Court examined a petition by the All India Ex‑Emergency Commissioned Officers and Short Service Commissioned Officers Welfare Association seeking to extend the benefits of the 1971 Rules on reservation of vacancies to officers appointed to non‑reserved posts, alleging that the classification of officers int…

The Supreme Court examined whether civil servants who are residents of the North‑Eastern Region, but appointed to posts with "All India Transfer Liability", are entitled to a special duty allowance. The Central Administrative Tribunal had held they were entitled, relying on an Office Memorandum of 14 December 1983 that…

The appellants purchased about 7 acres of agricultural land in Moria village, Gujarat, without obtaining the prior permission required under Section 63 of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948. The Mamlatdar initiated ejectment proceedings, and the Gujarat High Court dismissed the appellants' special civi…

The petitioners, appointed as Government Counsel in Uttar Pradesh, challenged a circular dated 6‑Feb‑1990 that terminated all such appointments across the state and ordered fresh panels, irrespective of existing tenures. The State argued the appointments were purely contractual and could be ended at will without cause.…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of the Uttar Pradesh Sugarcane Purchase Tax Act, 1961, which imposed a tax of Rs.1.25 paise per quintal on sugarcane purchased by factories and 50 paise per quintal on khandsari units. The petitioners argued that the Act was ultra‑vires because sugarcane is a raw material for a "…

The appellant, Gautam Kumar Das, lost his wife and father to COVID-19 shortly after the birth of his daughter Sugandha and temporarily handed her over to his late wife's sister. After remarrying, he sought to regain custody, filing a petition under the Guardians and Wards Act and later a habeas corpus writ, but the Del…

The appellant, sister‑in‑law of Abdul Raoof, challenged his detention under Section 3 of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange & Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA) and the subsequent confirmation order, alleging that the detaining authority had not supplied WhatsApp chat records that were relied upo…

The Supreme Court examined a criminal appeal filed by the State of West Bengal against a High Court order that set aside the conviction of a 25‑year‑old accused under Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Sections 376(2)(n) and 376(3) of the IPC for raping a 14‑year‑old girl who later gave birth to his child. The Court held t…

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) employed 955 workers at its Chennai branch and disputed whether they were its employees or contract labourers hired through a cooperative society. The workers' union claimed they were permanent employees entitled to regularisation under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The matter w…

The Madras Institute of Development Studies advertised for three associate‑professor posts. Respondent No.1 applied, attended the interview and was not selected. He later filed a writ petition alleging that the selection did not strictly follow the qualifications in the advertisement and that the recruitment rules were…

The Supreme Court examined whether service tax could be levied on indivisible works contracts entered into after the Finance Act, 1994 but before the 2007 amendment that expressly made such contracts taxable. It held that the 1994 Act neither charged nor provided machinery to assess service tax on composite works contr…

The Akalakunnam Village Service Co‑op Bank issued a notification to fill one Attender and three Peon posts, reserving one for SC/ST candidates, and conducted a written test and interview. Three applicants filed a writ petition challenging the notification, alleging non‑compliance with Rule 182(5) of the Kerala Co‑opera…

Ajmera Housing Corporation filed an application under section 245C(1) of the Income Tax Act seeking settlement of undisclosed income, initially disclosing Rs.1.94 crore and later revising the annexure to disclose an additional Rs.11.41 crore. The Commissioner of Income Tax objected, arguing that the application did not…

The State of Assam filed a suit under Article 131 of the Constitution seeking a determination of its boundary with the State of Nagaland, which was created by a 1962 Act of Parliament. The Supreme Court, while a Local Commission was already appointed to examine the dispute, ordered that the parties also attempt mediati…

The appellant, a former managing director of a company that had defaulted on a loan from Andhra Bank, was charged by the CBI with cheating, forgery and corruption offences. The bank’s civil suit for recovery was later compromised, with clause 11 stating that both parties withdrew all claims against each other. The appe…

Prestige Lights Ltd. obtained an Rs.85‑lakh loan from State Bank of India secured by mortgage of its land and building. After defaulting, the bank served a notice under Section 13(2) of the Securitization, Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, and later threatened possession…

The West Bengal Freedom Fighters' Organization filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking direction for the payment of pensions under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980. Applicants were required to submit jail certificates or, in their absence, a Non‑availability of Records Certificate (NARC) togeth…

Anil Kumar Srivastava challenged a NOIDA scheme to develop a commercial hub on a 54,320.18 sq m plot, alleging that the reserve price of Rs 27,500 per sq m was arbitrarily low and that the accepted bid of Rs 31,850 per sq m was undervalued, violating Article 14. The Court examined the distinction between reserve (upset…

The Supreme Court examined two civil appeals arising from a dispute over a 1956 agreement to sell land and rent it, where the plaintiff sought specific performance. The High Court had set aside the trial and district court judgments, dismissed the plaintiff's suit for ejectment and decreed specific performance, relying…

The petitioner, Ador Samia Private Ltd., filed a Special Leave Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution challenging an order of the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court that appointed an arbitrator under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The central issue was whether such an appointme…

The Gujarat Government, through its Legal Department, issued a circular directing that proposals to file an appeal against an acquittal be routed through the District Magistrate, whose opinion was considered essential before the State took a final decision. The High Court, concerned about delays, ordered that such prop…

The State of Uttar Pradesh entered into a works contract with Bridge & Roof Co. (India) Ltd., which required the State to deduct 4% tax at source under the U.P. Trade Tax Act, 1948. The Commissioner of Sales Tax, under a composition scheme, directed a reduced deduction of 1% and the State complied, prompting the contra…

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) had a stock of sub‑standard rice and issued a tender inviting licensed dealers to purchase it on the condition that they would upgrade the rice before it entered the market for human consumption. Two licensed dealers challenged the tender, alleging it violated the West Bengal Rice an…

The Sikkim State Civil Service Rules, 1977 provided for recruitment through the Sikkim Public Service Commission, which was not constituted until 1982, rendering the rules inoperative for about five years. In September 1981 the State Government issued a notification for a special recruitment, citing exigencies of servi…

Uma Charan, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was promoted to Superintendent under the Indian Police Service (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations, 1955. In September 1963 the Selection Committee, invoking Regulation 5, superseded him and 27 others, stating only that their records were not sufficient to justify appoi…

The Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi challenged the constitutional validity of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, which inserted Section 3A into the GNCTD Act, 1991 and altered the distribution of legislative and executive powers over Entry 41 of List…

The appeal concerned awards of compensation under the National Highways Act, where the amount was fixed by an arbitrator appointed by the Central Government. The petitioners argued that Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 should allow the court to modify such awards, especially where the award was …

The case involved a US‑born minor girl, M, whose mother (the appellant) fled the United States with her to India and filed for divorce. The father (respondent No.2) obtained a US custody order and sought a writ of habeas corpus in Delhi to have the child returned to the US. The Delhi High Court ordered her return, but …

The appellants applied for the post of Deputy Surveyor and, in the absence of any selection procedure prescribed in the service Rules, the executive issued instructions requiring a written examination and a physical endurance test. All candidates, including the appellants, participated in both components, but the appel…

The dispute involved alleged illegal disposal of association plots through forged documents, leading Respondent No.2 to lodge an FIR against three accused, including the appellant. The appellant sought quash of the FIR under Section 482 of the CrPC, but the High Court dismissed the application. Subsequently, the appell…

The appellants were charged in a criminal complaint alleging forgery and fraudulent sale of land, which was later withdrawn after a compromise in a related civil suit. A third party, unrelated to the dispute, succeeded in reviving the complaint before the High Court, which also granted the appellants regular bail. Six …

Automobile Products India Ltd filed a criminal complaint under Section 630 of the Companies Act, 1956 against its former caretaker, Das John Peter, for refusing to vacate a servant quarter after retirement and for allowing his daughter to occupy it. The company filed the complaint through its factory manager using a po…

Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd., a central government entity, filed a writ petition under Article 226 against the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO), a state entity, seeking execution of a lease agreement for possession of land plots. The Bombay High Court dismissed the petition, hold…

Four accused were convicted under Section 302 IPC for the murder of Khaja Saheb. The prosecution relied mainly on the testimony of PW‑3, a close relative of the deceased, while other eye‑witnesses (PW‑1, PW‑2, PW‑4) either gave only partial support or later retracted their statements. The appellants contended that PW‑3…

The respondent, a temporary government employee, was terminated on 16 August 1988 after being served notice that his services were no longer required. He challenged the termination before the State Public Service Tribunal, which held that the termination was a "termination simpliciter" without stigma and that Article 3…

The appellants, members of a co‑operative society, transferred five shares to other members via an instrument dated 31 March 1986. The Superintendent of Stamps treated the instrument as a conveyance of property and demanded stamp duty under Article 25(b)(i) of the Bombay Stamp Act, 1958. The Bombay High Court upheld th…

The appellants, successors of Girasdars and Barkhalidars, challenged the constitutional validity of the Gujarat Amendment to the Bombay Land Revenue Code, which vested all mines, minerals and quarries in the State and provided compensation based on the average of three years' net income. They argued that the amendment …

The petitioner, Anil Kumar Mahsi, filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging Section 10 of the Indian Divorce Act, 1869 as being discriminatory against husbands and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. He sought dissolution of his marriage on the ground of his wife's desertion and contended that the Act…

The respondents, manufacturers of medicinal preparations using alcohol tincture, failed to pay excise duty and obtain a licence under the Medicinal and Toilet Preparations (Excise Duties) Act, 1955. The Commercial Tax Officer issued demand notices under Rule 12 of the 1956 Rules to recover the unpaid duty. The High Cou…

The appellant, a private limited company, occupied part of premises owned by United Commercial Bank and challenged an eviction notice issued under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. The company argued that the Act, as applied to premises of a public‑sector corporation, was ultra vires P…

The petitioner filed a transfer petition under Article 139A(1) of the Constitution seeking to move a writ petition pending before the Rajasthan High Court to the Supreme Court, alleging that the High Court petition raised the same questions as a Special Leave Petition (SLP) already pending before this Court. The petiti…

The deceased woman was stabbed to death in her matrimonial home, leading to an initial prosecution of four in‑law family members under Sections 498A and 306 IPC, which resulted in acquittal. Two years later, the deceased's brother filed a complaint alleging that six family members, including A‑1 and A‑2, murdered her, …

The Supreme Court examined a long‑standing dispute between the Patriarch of Antioch’s group (the petitioner) and the Catholicos of the East’s group (the respondent) over the nature, governance and authority of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church. The Court held that the 1934 Constitution of the Malankara Association i…

The Supreme Court heard a batch of writ petitions filed by the All India Judges Association seeking clarification on the promotion and recruitment mechanisms in the judicial services, including the quota for Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations (LDCE), qualifying experience requirements, and suitability tests.…

The Himachal Pradesh government amended its Labour Officer recruitment and promotion rules in 2006, increasing the total posts from five to twelve and introducing a 75:25 ratio of promotion to direct recruitment. Three Labour Officers (respondents 1‑3) who were already in service argued that the vacancies created befor…

The petitioners sought specific performance of a contract for two cinema theatres in Calicut, but the trial court dismissed the suit. On appeal, a two‑judge Division Bench of the Kerala High Court delivered conflicting judgments and, without identifying any point of law difference, confirmed the trial court decree unde…

Morgan Stanley Mutual Fund, a SEBI‑registered domestic mutual fund, sought to issue a public fund scheme after obtaining SEBI approval for its draft scheme and advertising the issue. A prospective investor filed a petition before the Calcutta District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum seeking an ex‑parte injunction res…

The Supreme Court examined the status of the Large-Scale Industrial Area (LIA) in Kota, Rajasthan, and held that the land has remained under the uninterrupted ownership and lessor relationship of the State Government, not transferred to RIICO by the 1979 order. It found that the leases granted to JKSL and later to Arfa…

The State of Odisha and other respondents challenged the appointments of Hindi teachers in aided Middle English (M.E.) schools, arguing that the teachers were appointed without complying with the Odisha Education (Recruitment and Conditions of Service of Teachers and Members of the Staff of Aided Educational Institutio…

The Uttar Pradesh Awas Evam Vikas Parishad (appellant) sought to withdraw from the acquisition of two plots of land under Section 48 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, invoking a 2008 notification that cancelled an earlier 2005 exemption. The respondents, heirs of the original landowner, challenged the withdrawal, argu…

The Supreme Court, hearing a public‑interest writ petition filed by Lok Prahari, addressed the chronic backlog of about 57 lakh cases and the roughly 40% vacancy rate in High Courts. It held that the dormant constitutional provision under Article 224A can be invoked to appoint retired judges as ad‑hoc judges to clear o…

The State of Bihar appealed against the Patna High Court's order granting conditional bail to Amit Kumar, the principal of Vishnu Rai College, who was alleged to be the king‑pin of the "Bihar Toppers Scam" involving tampering of answer sheets, illegal firearms, and large sums of cash and property. The High Court had re…

The State of Himachal Pradesh filed a civil appeal against the Himachal High Court’s order that quashed a Cabinet decision dated 18 July 2009, which discontinued three vocational courses (Art and Craft, Library Science, PTI) in Vocational Training Centres (VTCs). The writ petition originally sought directions for admis…

The appellants were initially appointed as Assistant Engineers on a temporary, ad‑hoc basis in 1986‑88 under the Arunachal Pradesh Administration (Public Works Department) Group‑8 Post Recruitment Rules, 1983, with the understanding that they would be regularised after a two‑year probation. After completing probation, …

The State of Karnataka entered into a Memorandum of Understanding and a Framework Agreement (FWA) with a private consortium to develop the Bangalore‑Mysore Infrastructure Corridor, requiring acquisition of about 20,193 acres of land. Several public‑interest writ petitions challenged the FWA on grounds of fraud, misrepr…

The case concerned V.U. Warrier, a former "gold‑collar" officer of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), who after retirement failed to vacate a residential quarter allotted to him and was charged penal rent. ONGC deducted Rs.53,632 of the penal rent from the gratuity payable to Warrier under the ONGC (Death, Reti…

The case concerned a no‑confidence motion against the Chairman of the Sanchar Municipal Board, which had 20 elected members, 2 nominated members and one ex‑officio MLA, totalling 23 members. The motion was declared passed by the Sub‑Divisional Officer because the required two‑thirds majority was calculated on the basis…

Inder Parkash Gupta challenged his placement at No.13 in the select list for lecturer posts in the Jammu & Kashmir Medical Education Department, alleging that the J&K Public Service Commission had applied its 1980 Rules, which allocated 100 marks to a viva voce test, in violation of the statutory 1979 Recruitment Rules…

The Union of India appealed against the Karnataka High Court’s affirmation of a Central Administrative Tribunal order that quashed the appointment of R.K. Raghavan as Director of the CBI and directed a fresh selection process. The first respondent, C. Dinakar, a senior IPS officer who had retired, claimed that the appo…

The State of Rajasthan appealed to the Supreme Court against a Rajasthan High Court order that refused leave to appeal an acquittal without providing any reasons. The Supreme Court held that a High Court must record reasons when refusing leave under Section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, as the refusal fo…

Chetak Construction Ltd. alleged that Justice R.D. Vyas of the Madhya Pradesh High Court had bought a flat from the respondent and therefore should recuse himself from hearing an appeal. The judge refused, made disparaging remarks, suggested contempt proceedings against the appellant and its lawyers, and unilaterally d…

Miss Radha Bai, an Assistant Director in the Pondicherry Social Welfare Department, alleged that a minister and officials misused a shelter home for women and attempted to molest her. She complained to the Governor, who ordered a judicial enquiry, but the administration failed to comply. The Madras High Court dismissed…

The appellant, Kanwar Lal, succeeded to a 1920 lease of 4,805 acres granted under the Government Grants Act, 1895, which was later taken over by the Uttar Pradesh Government Estates Thekedari Abolition Act, 1958. The State amended the Grants Act and later enacted the Validation Act, 1970 to revive the earlier notificat…

The Scheduled Caste Uplift Union filed a writ petition challenging an amendment to the Defence Quality Assurance Rules, 1979 which required a three‑year regular service as Junior Scientific Officer and a degree in engineering for promotion to Senior Scientific Officer Grade‑II. The petitioners, who were only diploma ho…

The State Government advertised for Grade‑I and Grade‑II teacher posts requiring a second‑class M.A. degree. M. Tripura Sundari Devi, who held only a third‑class M.A., was nevertheless appointed as a Post Graduate Teacher. When her original certificates were examined, the deficiency was discovered and she was denied en…

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) withheld grant-in-aid to the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) after multiple committees found irregularities such as fake qualifications, unauthorized promotions and misuse of funds. Seventeen CRRID employees filed a writ petition seek…

The appellant, a Havaldar in the Indian Army, was discharged in 2001 after being diagnosed with AIDS based on a medical report that linked his HIV-positive status with neuro‑tuberculosis. He challenged the discharge, arguing that the diagnosis was erroneous, his CD4 count remained above the threshold prescribed in the …

Pawan Kumar Gupta, convicted of a capital offence, filed a mercy petition with the President of India which was rejected. He challenged the rejection through a writ petition under Articles 32 and 72 of the Constitution, contending that his claim of juvenility had not been finally decided, that he suffered torture in pr…

The appellant, Dr. Subhash Kashinath Mahajan, a senior government official, was charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for refusing sanction to prosecute two senior officers who had made adverse entries in his service record. He sought anticipatory bail and the quashing o…

During the hearing of a writ petition, four individuals shouted abusive language, threatened judges and one even threw a chappal at the bench in the presence of the Solicitor General and senior counsel. Justice Pasayat ordered their immediate detention and three months' simple imprisonment for contempt of court without…

The M.P. Housing Board and Progressive Writers & Publishers entered into three successive agreements concerning the construction and ownership of a press complex. The third agreement of 31 May 1980 required full payment by 31 October 1980, failing which it would be cancelled. The Board alleged the arbitrator exceeded h…

The Supreme Court entertained a contempt petition filed by C. Elumalai & Ors. alleging that the respondents, A.G.L. Irudayaraj & Anr., had willfully violated the Court's order dated 19 March 2007 which directed the Madras High Court to dispose of a suit within six months and refrain from creating any third‑party rights…

The appellant, V. Subramaniam, filed a suit for dissolution of an unregistered partnership firm against Rajesh Raghunandra Rao. The defendant argued that the suit was barred by Section 69(2A) of the Indian Partnership Act, 1932, inserted by the Maharashtra Amendment Act of 1984, which restricts unregistered firms from …

Peeka Y Re‑rolling Mills (P) Ltd., a registered dealer under the Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963, purchased steel ingots that were exempt from tax under a notification issued under Section 10 of the State Act. The State assessed purchase tax under Section 5A on the same ingots, arguing that no tax had been collected…

Palitana Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd. filed a contempt petition against the State Government of Gujarat and its officers for refusing to implement the Supreme Court's 15 October 2004 order granting non‑agricultural (residential) permission over certain government lands. The petitioners alleged that the respondents deliberatel…

The workmen (respondents) filed applications under Section 33‑C(2) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 seeking recovery of overtime allowances for duties involving moving locomotives. The Labour Court allowed the applications and awarded the claimed amounts. The employer (Indian Railways) challenged the award by filin…

The appellants, tenants, were ordered to vacate premises under the Bihar Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1982. After the trial decree and a dismissed first appeal, they filed a second appeal in the Patna High Court, but neither they nor their counsel appeared at the hearing. The High Court nonetheless…

The appellant, a direct recruit to the Rajasthan Administrative Service under the 1954 Rules, challenged Rule 25 of the Rajasthan Administrative Service (Emergency Recruitment) Rules 1976, which gave emergency recruits a notional year of allotment for seniority, alleging discrimination under Articles 14 and 16 of the C…

The respondents, appointed as Kurk Amins on commission basis by District Magistrates/Collectors of Uttar Pradesh, were tasked with recovering outstanding dues of cooperative societies. The State of Uttar Pradesh contended that such Kurk Amins, being appointed under a scheme of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, we…

A writ petition filed by MP Dinesh Trivedi and NGOs under Article 32 sought full disclosure of the Vohra Committee Report, its supporting annexures, and the names of officials implicated, and challenged the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. The Court held that the Report tabled in Parlia…

The dispute arose from the Gram Panchayat elections in Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, where the names of about 94 persons were deleted from the draft electoral roll. The affected persons filed a writ petition seeking to be allowed to vote. The High Court initially ordered that they could participate, but the electi…

S.K. Das, a commission agent dealing in grains and other commodities in Chirgaon, was levied weighing dues under market bye‑laws framed by the Town Area Committee (TAC) of Chirgaon. He challenged the demand of Rs.1892.26 in a writ petition, arguing that the bye‑laws were ultra vires, that the dues were a fee (not a tax…

The petitioners, transporters of goods across Uttar Pradesh, challenged Section 28-B of the Uttar Pradesh Sales Tax Act, 1948 and Rule 87 of the Uttar Pradesh Sales Tax Rules, 1948, arguing that the provisions were beyond the State's legislative competence, infringed Articles 301 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, and i…

Moushmi Ann Jacob owned 14.57 acres of land classified as paddy land and applied to change its nature under the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008 to obtain an education loan. The State demanded a conversion fee of 10% of the fair value of the entire land, invoking a 2021 Government Notification th…

The appellant, convicted of murder and sentenced to thirty years without remission, filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court but suppressed the fixed‑term nature of his sentence, leading the Court to initially treat the case as a simple life sentence. The SLP was drafted by senior advocate Rishi Malhot…

Kuldeep Kumar contested the mayoral election of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation held on 30 January 2024. The presiding officer, Anil Masih, declared the BJP candidate Manoj Kumar Sonkar elected, treating eight ballots cast for the appellant as invalid after marking them with an ink line. Video evidence and physica…

The husband filed for divorce on the ground of adultery and sought a DNA test of their son, born during the marriage, to establish paternity. The Family Court and the High Court ordered the DNA test, but the Supreme Court set aside those orders, holding that the conclusive presumption of legitimacy under Section 112 of…

The Supreme Court examined whether Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) was subject to the 24‑April‑1990 notification issued under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, and whether the workmen who were engaged through contractors were direct employees of BHEL. The Court held that BHEL’s Haridwar ope…

Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd., a government‑owned company, terminated the services of employee Partha Sarathi Sen Roy under a clause that allowed dismissal at the company's sole discretion without reason. The employee challenged the termination by filing writ petitions, contending that the clause was unconstitutional and th…

The State of Assam filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) under Article 136 of the Constitution challenging only the Gauhati High Court's order dismissing its review petition, without challenging the original judgment of the Writ Appeal dated 20 November 2007. The Court examined whether an SLP can be entertained when the…

The respondent, an Inspector in the Himachal Pradesh Transport Corporation, was charge‑sheeted and served notice of a departmental inquiry by post and by publication in a newspaper. He chose not to appear, and the inquiry proceeded ex parte, resulting in a finding of guilt and termination of his service. He challenged …

The Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, a statutory body governed by the Punjab Warehousing Corporation Act, 1957, issued a circular on 23 January 2001 purporting to regularise state employees. Respondent No.1, Manmohan Singh, was appointed on a contract basis, his contract was later not renewed and his services were…

The State of Manipur appointed several individuals as Mandols, Process‑Servers and Zilladars in its Revenue Department without any recruitment rules and without the knowledge of the State Government. The appointments were made on a temporary basis, no records were kept, and the Revenue Commissioner later denied making …

Lachhman Dass, a tenant who had purchased a suit property from Jagat Ram and his wife, challenged a consent decree that granted a pre‑emption right to the daughter of the original owner, who had filed a suit for pre‑emption without impleading Dass. The Supreme Court held that the decree was void because Dass, who had n…

Retired judges of the High Court, including Justice S.N. Saxena, sought payment of the balance of their leave‑encashment amount or permission to deposit it in the Treasury after retirement. The Union of India refused, relying on the "one‑time settlement" concept in Rule 208 of the All India Services (Leave) Rules, 1955…

The case involved Sukhbir Singh, who was convicted of murder (Section 302 IPC) along with eight co‑accused for a fatal assault that arose from a sudden quarrel over mud splashed on him. The prosecution alleged that all nine formed an unlawful assembly with a common object to kill the deceased, invoking Section 149 IPC.…

The State of Tamil Nadu appealed against a Madras High Court order that had quashed a preventive detention order issued on 2 August 1999 against Baskar and three others. The High Court had held the detention order vague because it allegedly did not specify the exact overt act attributable to each accused. The Supreme C…

The State of Tamil Nadu issued a preventive detention order against Balasubramaniam in 1999. The Madras High Court, hearing a habeas corpus petition under Articles 226 and 21 of the Constitution, quashed the order on the ground that the sponsoring authority’s affidavit mentioned six cases while the detention order refe…

Ashok Leyland Ltd., a manufacturer of trucks, sold vehicles to state transport undertakings and other buyers through its regional sales offices (RSOs) across India. The company filed Form ‘F’ with the Tamil Nadu sales‑tax authority, claiming the movement of goods to RSOs was a transfer, not a sale, and paid sales tax i…

The appellants, Kerala recruits in the Land Revenue Department, challenged the validity of the Special Rules issued by the Government of Kerala on 16 June 1980, which retrospectively required Lower Division Clerks to pass certain promotion tests dating back to 1963 and 1964. The Kerala High Court struck down those rule…

The respondent, a Smallpox Supervisor in the Haryana Health Department, resigned to contest state assembly elections and his resignation was accepted. After losing the election, he applied to withdraw his resignation, but the application was rejected, leading him to file a writ petition. The Punjab & Haryana High Court…

The wife of the appellant was admitted to a government civil hospital for delivery and a sterilisation operation. During the sterilisation a mop was left inside her peritoneal cavity, leading to peritonitis and her death. The appellants sued the State of Maharashtra and the doctors for damages. The trial court awarded …

The West Bengal Registration Service’s Sub‑Registrars, although gazetted and placed in the State Service, were paid on a scale lower than the minimum State Service scale (scale No.17). They challenged the State Government’s refusal to upgrade their pay, arguing that the denial violated Articles 14 and 16 of the Constit…

Kailash Chand Mahajan, a retired chief engineer, was appointed Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board in 1981 and his term was repeatedly extended. After he turned 65, the State introduced an ordinance and later an amendment act inserting an age‑limit provision into Section 5(6) of the Electricity (Su…

Bachan Lal Kalgotra, chairman of the Action Committee of West‑Pakistani refugees, migrated to Jammu & Kashmir in 1947 and has lived there for about forty years. Although an Indian citizen, he is not a "permanent resident" under Section 6 of the Jammu & Kashmir Constitution and therefore is barred from the electoral rol…

The landlord, Ratan Lal, sought to evict his tenant, Ravi Dutt Sharma, under section 14(1)(e) of the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958. He had earlier applied for permission under section 19(1)(a) of the Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act, 1956, but the application was dismissed. The tenant argued that the landlord …

The petitioners challenged the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955 and its amendments of 1972 and 1977, alleging violations of Articles 14 and 19 of the Constitution and claiming the provisions were arbitrary, discriminatory and unreasonable. The Court examined whether the Acts, placed in the Ninth Schedule before 24 Ap…

Ramchandra A. Kamat was detained under section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 and arrested on 5 September 1979. He sought to make a representation against his detention but was denied copies of the statements and documents referred to in the grounds of dete…

The appellant, a senior medical officer about to retire, was served with a charge‑sheet alleging misconduct for taking leave without sanction, defying Election Commission directions, not participating in a pulse‑polio programme, and threatening a senior assistant. An inquiry officer found most charges unproved, yet the…

The appellants owned a 10,034 sq. m. plot in Ahmedabad that had been under temporary acquisition by ONGC since 1996 for oil exploration. After purchasing the land in 2005, they were paid a nominal rent of Rs 24 per sq. m. per annum, later increased to Rs 30, and sought a writ to quash the temporary acquisition and rele…

Advocate-on-Record Siddharth Rajkumar Murarka filed a writ petition seeking to use the style "Law Chambers of Siddharth Murarka, Sole Proprietor Siddharth Rajkumar Murarka" on his letterhead and Vakalatnama, arguing that such a designation is permissible and that other High Courts allow it. The petition raised two ques…

The appellant, a tenant, challenged the Bank of India's attempt to take possession of a mortgaged premises under the SARFAESI Act after the landlord defaulted on a loan. The Court examined whether Section 35 of the SARFAESI Act, a non obstante clause, could override the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999 and allow the …

The Supreme Court dismissed appeals and writ petitions filed by employees of the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (JNVS) who sought to be covered under the Office Memorandum (O.M.) dated 1‑May‑1987 and the Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules, 1972. The Court held that NWD…

Surender Singh Parmar retired from the Indian Navy after 13 years, 10 months and 13 days of service, short of the 15‑year qualifying period for pension. He claimed that, under the Ministry of Defence instructions of 30 Oct 1987, a fraction of service of three to six months should be rounded up to a half‑year, allowing …

The petitioners, industrial units in the hill areas of Uttar Pradesh, claimed a 33.33% Hill Development Rebate on electricity charges granted under a 1996 notification issued pursuant to Section 49 of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948. Subsequent notifications reduced the rebate to 17% and finally withdrew it entirely…