Constitution of India

Hari Singh filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking a direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the murder of his son, Yashvir Singh, alleging that the police had ignored the FIR due to pressure from influential persons. The Supreme Court examined whether such a petition is mai…

The petitioners challenged the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's 2017 Notification and the 2021 Office Memorandum, which sought to grant ex post facto environmental clearances for projects that had commenced without prior clearance under the 2006 EIA Notification. The Court examined whether such retr…

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation claimed it had acquired the land of Bimal Kumar Shah under Section 352 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, which it argued gave it power to acquire land for streets and parks. The High Court held that Section 352 does not confer a power of compulsory acquisition and set asi…

M/s Shewalkar Developers Ltd. sought permission to construct a health/eco‑resort on Plot Nos. 14/3 and 14/4 in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, claiming the land was not forest land and that its title, derived from a 1991 sale deed, was unchallenged. The State of Madhya Pradesh contended that the plots formed part of the Pac…

The appellants, former cabin crew of Air India Limited (AIL), filed writ petitions between 2011 and 2013 alleging stagnation in pay, non‑promotion and denial of allowances, invoking Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution. While the petitions were pending, the Government of India disinvested its 100 % share in AIL, …

The original plaintiff, Mrs. Cherian, sued the Mathew family for title and possession of a 2.81‑acre land parcel. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the High Court later restored it and the decree of possession was finally passed in 2000, with a later modification requiring the defendants to pay compensation. Afte…

The case concerned an attack in which three persons were killed and five injured, allegedly committed by a group of seventeen accused. The Sessions Court convicted four accused and acquitted the rest, but the charges were found to be improperly framed under CrPC sections 211‑213, lacking specific allegations for each d…

Chaman Lal, a former truck driver employed by the Fish Farmers Development Agency (a society) and later absorbed into a government department, sought retirement benefits based on his total service. The lower courts dismissed his claim, and he argued that a similarly situated individual, Charanjit Lal, had obtained a pe…

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of six accused in the 2002 Akshardham temple terrorist attack, which were based largely on confessional statements recorded under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), testimony of accomplices, and two Urdu letters allegedly recovered from the terrorists' pockets. The Court …

The Board of Directors of the District Cooperative Central Bank, Panna was superseded by the Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies without prior consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, contrary to the second proviso of Section 53(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1960. The Board challenged t…

The appellant lodged an FIR and later informed the magistrate that another person, Prem Prakash, had not been made an accused. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate took cognizance under Section 190(1)(b) CrPC and summoned the accused, leading to charges being framed by the Sessions Judge. Prem Prakash challenged th…

The Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) engaged a large number of workers through contractors for its drilling operations in Cachar. The ONGC Contractual Workers Union sought regularisation of these workers' services, leading the State Government to refer the dispute to an Industrial Tribunal. The Tribunal held that …

The respondent, a partner of a dissolved firm, filed a criminal complaint alleging that the appellants, partners of another firm, conspired to deprive him of his share by cancelling the partnership deed without following proper dissolution procedures, invoking sections 405 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code. The partners…

The Supreme Court examined the selection of principals for intermediate colleges under the U.P. Secondary Education Selection Board Act, 1982 and the 1998 Rules. The petitioners challenged the advertisements on six grounds, including the validity of counting lecturer or head‑master experience as qualifying experience, …

Tata Motors Ltd., an unsecured creditor, challenged a scheme of arrangement approved by the Bombay High Court under Section 391 of the Companies Act, 1956, which sought to settle debts of Pharmaceutical Products of India Ltd. (the sick company) while the matter was pending before the Board for Industrial and Financial …

DLF Universal Ltd. and its trust, the colonizers of a Gurgaon colony, were directed by the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Commission to execute a fresh lease deed with a complainant who alleged unfair and restrictive trade practices in the allotment of school sites. The appellants did not challenge t…

The cooperative societies had placed fixed deposits with Indian Bank and Bank of Baroda through commission agents, and the banks later refused to honour the deposits, claiming the amounts had been used to grant loans and that a fraud involving bank officers had occurred. The societies filed writ petitions under Article…

The case concerned a partition suit filed by members of a joint family over lands where the first respondent had been granted occupancy rights under the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) Abolition of Inams Act, 1955. The respondents argued that the civil court lacked jurisdiction because the Act ousted its jurisdiction, …

The Supreme Court examined whether the Kerala Government Order of 26 September 2000, which retrospectively withdrew electricity tariff concessions granted to classified hotels under a tourism‑industry policy, was valid. The hotels argued that the withdrawal violated their accrued rights, the doctrine of promissory esto…

The petitioners held mediclaim policies with United India Insurance Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of the General Insurance Corporation of India, and paid premiums annually. After several claims, the insurer refused to renew the policies, citing high claim ratios and pre‑existing diseases. The Gujarat High Court ordered renewa…

The Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) allotted industrial plots to various applicants under letters of allotment containing detailed payment and construction schedules. Several allottees failed to comply with the terms, leading HSIDC to issue show‑cause notices and, in many cases, to resume the p…

The State of Orissa appealed against the judgment that over‑retention charges collected by M/s Asiatic Gases Ltd. for gas cylinders were not part of the sale price under the Orissa Sales Tax Act, 1947. The assessee supplied medical oxygen and industrial gases in cylinders and allowed customers to use the cylinders on a…

The State of Andhra Pradesh appealed against two judgments of the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal that had declared Rule 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Treasury and Accounts Subordinate Service Rules, 1963 (as amended) to be violative of the 1975 Presidential Order issued under Article 371‑D. The petitioners argued tha…

The Punjab Public Service Commission advertised vacancies for the Punjab Civil Service with a reservation for "ex‑servicemen". The appellant, a former Indian Army captain, was appointed under this reservation, while respondent No. 4, a former officer of the Indian Military Nursing Service (IMNS), was denied appointment…

The dispute concerned the validity of a Government Order (GO No. 1, 1990) that permitted Technical Assistants, along with Junior Draughting Officers, Draughting Officers and Overseers, to be appointed as Assistant Engineers on transfer after five years of service and possession of a B.E./A.M.I.E. degree. The appellants…

The appellant, a founder member of Adarsh Colony Cooperative House Building Society, deposited monies between 1975 and 1982 for a residential plot. Although an administrator allotted her a 250‑sq‑yard plot (No. 41‑D) in 1983, the allotment was later cancelled and the plot was allegedly re‑allotted to another member. Th…

The State of Haryana acquired 46 acres of land in Firozpur village for a Mini Secretariat under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The initial award valued the land at Rs 16 lakhs per acre, but a reference court enhanced the valuation to Rs 72 lakhs per acre and imposed a 60% deduction for development and waiting period, …

WIPRO Ltd., an importer of computer components, challenged the customs valuation rule that mandates adding 1% of the FOB value of goods as loading, unloading and handling charges even when the actual charges are known and ascertainable. The issue was whether the proviso (ii) to sub‑rule (2) of Rule 9(2) of the Customs …

The appellant, a former employee of Bhavnagar Electricity Company, sought correction of his date of birth from 27‑06‑1937 to 27‑06‑1940 based on a municipal birth certificate and other documents, but the employer rejected the change and later terminated him on the basis of the original date. The Labour Court held that …

The Union of India challenged a Bombay High Court order directing the release of 800 Hajj seats to private tour operators (PTOs). The Supreme Court treated the matter as a public interest litigation and examined the entire Hajj policy framework. It held that the annual framing of the Hajj policy was ad‑hoc and mandated…

The Supreme Court heard an appeal by the State of Maharashtra against a Bombay High Court order that had set aside the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) in Sessions Case No.41 of 2006. The petitioner, who was related to one of the accused, claimed that the appointment violated Section 24(8) of the Code o…

The appellant, Satyawati Sharma, purchased a house in Delhi and sought eviction of tenants who were using the premises for a watch shop and a clinic, invoking the landlord's bona‑fide need under the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958. The Act’s Section 14(1)(e) permits eviction only when the premises are let for residential …

The Haryana State Minor Irrigation Tubewells Corporation, a government company, denied a pay‑scale revision to its Assistant Engineers, Sub‑Divisional Officers and Law Officers, arguing that the duties differed from those of government engineers and that the corporation faced financial loss. The employees claimed that …

The appellants, descendants of Data Ram, challenged the mutation of agricultural land in favour of respondent No.5, which was based on a purported Will of Ratni Devi, a daughter of the original owner. The Supreme Court held that the genuineness of the Will is a matter for a competent civil court and, since a suit on th…

The Special Deputy Collector (Land Acquisition) General, Hyderabad requisitioned land for defence purposes and offered compensation of Rs 4,000 per acre under the Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act, 1952. The claimants rejected the offer and an arbitrator was appointed, who awarded Rs 9,000 per ac…

The respondents sought leave under Section 92 of the CPC to file a suit for removal of trustees and framing of a scheme, which the High Court initially denied but later granted on appeal. The Supreme Court examined whether a court must give notice to the proposed defendants before granting such leave and held that noti…

The Supreme Court examined whether banks could round up the rate of interest on loans to the next 0.25% under Section 26C of the Interest Tax Act, 1974, thereby increasing the tax burden on borrowers. The Court held that Section 26C is merely an enabling provision to allow banks to recover the tax on chargeable interes…

The Engineering Kamgar Union challenged the closure of a factory owned by Electro Steels Castings Ltd, arguing that the Central Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (applicable to establishments with 100 or more workers) should govern the lay‑off, retrenchment and closure procedures, not the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Disputes …

The appellant, a daughter of a deceased member of Mousumi Co-operative Housing Society, sought transfer of a flat allotted to her father after his death intestate. The Society, under a Special Officer appointed by the High Court, declared the flat re‑allotted because the heirs had not claimed the interest within the st…

The case concerned 300 acres of land mortgaged to State Bank of India (SBI) which, after the Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms (Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings) Act, 1973 came into force, was declared half of it surplus and surrendered to the Government. SBI sought to recover its mortgage money by selling the surplus land, …

Bombay Gas Co. leased a flat to its director N.K. Jalan, who later died. The company later purchased the flat, but Jalan’s son Ashok Kumar Jalan, his wife Lalita Jalan and grandson Siddharth Jalan continued to occupy it and refused to vacate. The company filed a criminal complaint under Section 630 of the Companies Act…

The appellants, former employees of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), challenged their termination, arguing that CSIR is a "State" within Article 12 of the Constitution and therefore subject to fundamental rights protections. The High Court dismissed the writ petition relying on Sabhajit Tewary,…

The petitioners, accused of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, were acquitted by special courts after two years of delay, relying on time‑limit directions from the Common Cause and Raj Deo Sharma cases. The Karnataka High Court set aside the acquittals and entertained appeals without giving notice to th…

An advocate, representing accused persons in three criminal cases, filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court challenging the transfer of those cases from a District & Sessions Judge to an Additional District & Sessions Judge/Special Judge, alleging that the transfer hampered speedy trial. The High Court dismiss…

The Supreme Court examined whether the sale of 39 lakh shares of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. by public financial institutions to Trishna Investments through BOB Fiscal Services, and the Controller of Capital Issues' consent to a mega issue of convertible debentures (including a Rs.310 crore preferential allotment to Reliance …

The Kerala Forest Produce (Fixation of Selling Price) Act, 1978 fixed minimum prices for forest produce and prohibited sales below those prices. Section 6 of the Act allowed the State Government, in the public interest, to exempt sales to Central or Kerala Government companies and to co‑operative societies (up to 10 cu…

The petitioners, senior officers of the Canara Bank Officers' Association, alleged that senior bank officials forced bank staff to collect donations and sell greeting cards for the Canara Bank Relief and Welfare Society and the Association's Trust Fund, claiming coercion and victimisation. The Bombay High Court dismiss…

Kapoor Chand, a British citizen of Indian origin, entered India with a car under the Carnet de Passage convention and later sought an import licence, altering an affidavit by changing "for three years" to "permanently". He was prosecuted under IPC s.420 read with s.511 (cheating) and related forgery provisions, despite…

The widowed appellant and her daughter claimed arrears of salary for their deceased husband, a tubewell technician who was illegally dismissed in 1954 and later reinstated by the Superintending Engineer in 1955. The trial court and first appellate court held that the employee was entitled to full salary for the period …

The Municipal Committee of Bahadurgarh had repeatedly promised that the Fateh Mandi would be exempt from octroi duty, a promise later withdrawn by the State of Haryana under its statutory powers. The petitioners, who bought plots in the market relying on the exemption, challenged the State's order imposing octroi, argu…

The Auroville Foundation appealed against the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) directions that required it to prepare a new township plan and to obtain environmental clearance before completing the Crown Road and other roads in Auroville, alleging that the Tribunal had exceeded its jurisdiction. The respondents, residen…

The petitioners, ex‑servicemen, challenged the Union of India's implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) through a November 7, 2015 letter that altered the original promise of automatic pension revisions to periodic revisions every five years. They argued that the new definition created a class within a class, vio…

The petitioners challenged the selection list dated 11‑11‑2019 for police constable posts, alleging that candidates originally selected under reserved categories (OBC/SC/ST) were shifted to the open category, thereby prejudicing general‑category candidates. The Supreme Court had earlier directed that the remaining 3,29…

Bimal Gurung, president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking the transfer of investigation of all FIRs (over 100 cases) lodged against him and other GJM members to an independent agency such as the CBI or NIA, alleging political bias and threat to life. The State of West Bengal …

The petitioner, Ganga Malik, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a mandamus directing the State of West Bengal to protect her life, expedite the trial of the case in which her son, Sub‑Inspector Amitava Malik, was killed, and pay compensation for the loss. The petition alleged that the accused had fired on t…

S.K. Kapoor, a government employee, was charge‑sheeted for absence without leave and dismissed. He challenged the dismissal before the Central Administrative Tribunal, which quashed the order and directed that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) report relied upon be furnished to him in advance. The Union of Ind…

The Supreme Court examined eleven writ petitions and three special leave petitions filed by registered unrecognised political parties seeking a common election symbol for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The parties challenged several provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968…

The case concerned the inter‑se seniority of two batches of directly recruited Range Forest Officers in Gujarat – non‑graduates (1979‑81 batch) and graduates (1980‑81 batch). The State Government had initially settled seniority in favour of the graduates by orders dated 12 Oct 1982 and 5 Mar 1987, publishing gradation …

Alchemist Ltd., a company with its registered office in Chandigarh, submitted a proposal for a strategic partnership with State Bank of Sikkim as part of Sikkim's disinvestment of 49% equity. After an acceptance in principle, Alchemist deposited Rs 4.5 crore in Chandigarh, but the Sikkim government later refused approv…

Ahmed Noormohmed Bhatti challenged the criminal proceedings initiated against him on complaints of private respondents and sought a declaration that Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was unconstitutional. The Gujarat High Court dismissed his petition, holding that the provision was limited to a 24‑hour …

The State of West Bengal imposed an entertainment tax on a multi‑system operator (Purvi Communication Pvt. Ltd.) and its sub‑cable operators under clause (ii) of sub‑section (4a) of Section 4A of the West Bengal Entertainment‑cum‑Amusement Tax Act, 1982 (as amended in 1998). The respondents challenged the provision as …

A drug inspector sampled a formulation purchased from a retailer and, after analysis by a Government Analyst, found it to be misbranded, adulterated and spurious. The manufacturer, Amery Pharmaceuticals, sold the drug through a distributor and was charged under Sections 27(b), (c) and (d) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act…

Following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, communal riots resulted in the deaths of thousands of Sikhs across several states. The Delhi High Court awarded compensation to the dependents of those killed in Delhi, invoking the expanded interpretation of Article 21 of the Constitution. A writ pet…

The case concerned whether court typists and steno‑typists were entitled to an advance increment under Government Order No. 182/87 after acquiring an LL.B. degree. The State of Andhra Pradesh appealed against High Court judgments that granted such increments to two typists and several steno‑typists, arguing that the ea…

The State of Maharashtra appealed against a Bombay High Court Single Judge's ex‑parte order that stayed a trial judge’s permission for Dr. Budhikot Subharao to travel abroad and awarded him Rs.25,000 compensation, alleging that the State had acted in mala fides and engaged in sharp practice. The Supreme Court examined …

The State of Gujarat had trifurcated its Electrical Engineering Branch into Junior Engineers and Supervisors and, by a 1975 resolution, introduced a quota rule fixing a 2:1 ratio for promotion to Deputy Engineer posts. The Gujarat High Court struck down this ratio as unjustified and issued a mandamus, prohibiting its e…

The Supreme Court examined petitions challenging the 2015 Delhi Judicial Service Examination, where petitioners sought re‑valuation of answer sheets, moderation of marks, relaxation of minimum qualifying percentages in written papers and viva voce, and rounding‑off of aggregate marks. The Court held that moderation is …

The petition challenged the constitutional validity of Section 21A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which bars courts from reopening bank loan transactions on the ground of excessive interest. The petitioners argued that the provision violated Article 14 and undermined State Debt Relief Acts that provide relief to …

The Supreme Court adjudicated appeals against the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's 2007 award allocating waters of the inter-State river Cauvery among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. The Court upheld the Tribunal's adoption of the principle of equitable apportionment as recognized in international rules…

The State of Karnataka sought to alter the limits of the Sedam Town Municipal Council by issuing a proclamation under Section 9 of the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1961. Vasavadatta Cement challenged the validity of the notice, arguing that it should have been posted within its factory township, an inhabited area, rat…

Ajay Kumar Choudhary, a Defence Estate Officer, was suspended on 30 September 2011 for allegedly issuing incorrect NOCs on land records. The suspension was extended four times, totalling several years, without a charge sheet for most of the period. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) directed that the suspension …

The Gyan Mandir Society was required to vacate its school at Tis January Lane after being allotted a new site at Sadiq Nagar. The teachers of the old school filed a writ petition seeking, among other reliefs, that the society absorb the teachers and students from the old school and provide free transportation for the s…

The Supreme Court examined the large‑scale conversion of residential premises to commercial use in Delhi and the failure of authorities to enforce building and land‑use laws. It held that the Constitution obliges the Court to protect fundamental rights and enforce the rule of law, especially when officials entrusted wi…

The petitioners, detained under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), challenged the computation of their preventive detention period and the effect of parole on that period. The Supreme Court examined whether the period of detention runs from the date of actu…

The Ranchi Municipal Corporation demanded Rs 1,01,501 as service charges from the Railways for the years 1993‑94 and 1994‑95. The Union of India challenged the demand, and the Patna High Court upheld it. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the municipality could levy such charges under Section 135 of the Rail…

Om Prakash Puri and partners, who operated the Trinca's restaurant in Calcutta, were assessed an ad‑hoc luxury tax of Rs.2,40,000 under Sections 3 and 4 of the West Bengal Entertainments and Luxuries (Hotels and Restaurants) Tax Act, 1972 (as amended 1974). They challenged the tax on the grounds that it was discriminat…

The petitioners sought a writ of prohibition to stop the further telecast of the TV serial "Tamas", alleging that its content would incite communal violence and violate Articles 21 and 25 of the Constitution as well as Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and IPC sections 153A/153B. The serial, based on Bhisham Sa…

The respondents, convicted under IPC sections 148, 302 and 149, appealed to the Calcutta High Court. The High Court admitted the appeal but, without receiving the Sessions Court records or fixing a hearing date, acquitted the respondents based on an alleged concession by the public prosecutor. The complainant filed a S…

T.V. Vatheeswaran, convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death in January 1975, remained in solitary confinement for eight years, including two years as a prisoner on remand. He challenged the death sentence on the ground that the prolonged delay in execution, coupled with illegal solitary confinement, violate…

The petition challenged the constitution of a three‑member inquiry committee by the Lok Sabha Speaker after a notice of motion to remove a Delhi High Court judge was admitted in the Lok Sabha but rejected in the Rajya Sabha by the Deputy Chairman, who was acting as Chairman after the Chairman’s resignation. The petitio…

The appellants Irfan and Asif Mevati were convicted of kidnapping, rape, and related offences and sentenced to death based largely on a DNA profiling report (Exhibit‑157). The trial court and the High Court relied on the report without examining any of the scientific experts who prepared it, and the appellants were giv…

Vikash Tiwary, a life convict serving a sentence for multiple offences, was transferred by the Inspector General of Prisons from Hazaribagh Central Jail to Central Jail, Dumka on 17 May 2023 after the jail superintendent warned of a potential gang war and insufficient staff to control notorious inmates. The respondent …

Mukesh Kumar Raigar, a constable in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), was found to have suppressed details of a pending criminal case in his verification form at the time of appointment. Disciplinary proceedings under CISF Rules 36 and 54 led to his removal from service after a fresh departmental enquiry. R…

The dispute concerned the seniority of Assistant Radio Officers in the Uttar Pradesh Police Radio Service, where 50% of vacancies were to be filled by direct recruitment and 50% by promotion from Radio Inspectors. Promotee candidates received appointment letters on 31 January 1996 while direct recruits were appointed o…

The father of Shashi Kumar, a horticulture department employee, died in service in 2005. Kumar applied in 2007 for a compassionate appointment, which required the family’s income, including pension, to be disclosed. He filed a writ petition in 2015 after a delay of more than seven years; the Himachal Pradesh High Court…

The Supreme Court entertained review petitions filed by the Union of India challenging its earlier decision on reservation in faculty posts at AIIMS. The issue centered on whether Articles 15, 16 and 335 of the Constitution permit reservation in super‑specialty faculty positions. The Court clarified that the power to d…

The appellant, KM Hema Mishra, was named in an FIR under Sections 419 and 420 IPC and sought quashing of the FIR and pre‑arrest protection by filing a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The High Court dismissed the petition, refusing to grant anticipatory bail because Section 438 of the CrPC, which pr…

The Supreme Court examined whether Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, is a protected monument and whether the 1992 notification declaring a 100‑metre prohibited area around it applies to a plot where the respondents sought to construct a multistoried building. The Court held that the 1956 notification declaring Jantar Mantar a …

The appellant Ajay Bansal filed a summary suit under Order XXXVII of the CPC for recovery of Rs 2,93,987. The respondents applied for leave to defend under Order XXXVII Rule 3(5); the Civil Judge rejected the application, calling the defence sham, and immediately passed a final decree for Rs 2,83,987 with interest. The…

The respondent, Sanjay K. Nimje, was appointed to a Maharashtra government post on 29 June 1995 and claimed Scheduled Tribe status as a member of the Halba community. A Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee examined his certificate and found him to belong to the Koshti caste, a Special Backward Class, invalidating his c…

The Orissa High Court had issued interim orders restraining the Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) from fixing tariffs for 2002-03 and 2003-04, later modifying the orders to permit the ERC to act but keeping the writ petitions pending for monitoring. The ERC proceeded to fix the tariffs and levies were bein…

Samareendra Das, appointed as Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) by the Governor of West Bengal, was terminated from service in 1979. He filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution in the Calcutta High Court, which was initially allowed by a Single Judge. On appeal, the Division Bench held that the APP i…

Cholamandalam Investments & Finance Co. Pvt. Ltd. filed a suit in the Madras High Court for recovery of money under a hire‑purchase agreement that contained a clause granting exclusive jurisdiction to Madras courts. Radhika Synthetics Ltd. later instituted a suit in the Bombay High Court claiming damages, relying on a …

The appellant, Babu Lal, was appointed on an ad‑hoc basis as Sub‑Inspector, Food & Supplies in Haryana in 1975. He was suspended on 15 April 1980 because criminal proceedings under IPC s.420 were pending, and his services were terminated on 17 November 1980 while the suspension was still in force. He was acquitted of t…

The Telecommunication Research Centre (TRC) employs Class I officers recruited directly through the UPSC and officers transferred from the Indian Telecommunication Service. Transferred officers receive a special pay allowance for the arduous nature of their duties, while directly recruited officers are denied this allo…

The petitioners, 80 directly recruited CBI officers (non‑deputationists), challenged the Central Government's policy of paying lower special pay to them compared to officers on deputation from State police cadres. They argued that the differential rates violated Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution because the office…

The Supreme Court examined the dismissal of V.N. Vajpayee, a warehouseman employed by the Uttar Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation, a statutory corporation. Vajpayee was dismissed after a preliminary inquiry without being allowed to cross‑examine witnesses or present defence, and was also ordered to pay a sum for al…

The deceased, Gohar Mohammed, was killed when his car was rear‑ended by a bus owned by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) awarded Rs.31.90 lakh compensation, holding the owner liable because the vehicle was operated without a valid permit and in breach of insurance…

The Supreme Court, hearing Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India (Writ Petition No. 494 of 2012), considered interim orders that limited the use of Aadhaar to six government schemes and made its linkage voluntary pending a final decision. The petitioners argued that the Union could not make Aadhaar mandator…

The suit concerned possession of a property claimed to be joint Hindu family property. The appellant, Raj Kumar Bhatia, sought to amend his written statement to elaborate that the property was coparcenary undivided HUF, an argument already contained in his original statement. The Trial Court allowed the amendment under…

The petition, filed by a visually disabled individual, sought comprehensive accessibility measures for roads, transport, public buildings, airports, railways, websites and other public facilities. The Court held that the right to accessibility for persons with disabilities is a constitutional right under Articles 19(1)…

The Delhi High Court had cancelled a petrol pump dealership granted to Shashi Prabha Shukla on grounds of favouritism and directed Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to auction the right to operate the outlet at a nearby location. IOC instead advertised an auction for the same site, failed to identify a new location, and lat…

Retired Supreme Court Judge Markandey Katju posted Facebook remarks calling Mahatma Gandhi a British agent and Subhash Chandra Bose an agent of Japanese fascism. Both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha passed resolutions condemning his statements. Katju filed a writ petition under Articles 32 and 19(1)(a) seeking to quash t…

The University of Agricultural Sciences advertised three Assistant Professor posts in Sericulture. The Selection Committee prepared a merit list placing J. Ashoka (appellant) at the top, followed by other candidates. The Board of Regents, however, appointed Dr. Fathima Sadathulla (respondent No.3) and another candidate…

The appellant, a Muslim airman, applied to retain his beard on religious grounds but was ordered to shave under Air Force policy. He was discharged after refusing, and his writ petition challenging the order was dismissed by the High Court. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether Regulation 425(b) of the Armed Fo…

The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights and other NGOs filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking enforcement of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and its 1995 Rules, alleging widespread non‑implementation by State and Central authorities. They pleaded for directions…

The petitioners, originally engaged as daily‑wage workers in Madhya Pradesh, were classified as "permanent employees" under the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Rules, 1963, and obtained court orders directing that their pay be fixed in the regular pay‑scale of the posts. The State Government, how…

The Supreme Court dismissed Civil Appeal No. 5838 of 2012 filed by K.K. Sharma and others against the High Court of Delhi’s orders dated 23 Oct 2009 and 1 Jun 2012. The High Court had been directed to implement a 1998 judgment that declared a 1988 amendment to the Delhi High Court Establishment Rules void for violating…

The Haryana Financial Corporation (HFC) advertised an auction of a defaulting unit’s land and accepted a Rs.2.5 lakh earnest deposit from Rajesh Gupta, the highest bidder. Gupta discovered that the plot lacked an independent access road and repeatedly requested clarification and plans, but HFC failed to respond and lat…

The appellant, Laxmi Kant Bajpai, challenged the election of Hazi Yaqoob to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on the ground that votes from 21 localities, allegedly outside the delimitation order, were improperly included in the electoral roll, violating Sections 100(1)(d)(iii) and (iv) of the Representation of th…

The Supreme Court examined whether Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) could continue mining weathered secondary ore beyond the 2005 deadline set by earlier orders, and whether its operations were causing environmental harm. The Court found that KIOCL had used the period for commercial extraction without taking …

The dispute concerned the validity of inter‑State stage‑carriage permits issued under Section 88 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. A 1968 reciprocal transport agreement between Rajasthan and Haryana fixed a ceiling of 13 permits, which had to be countersigned by the other State. The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corpor…

Manohar, a landowner, filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking a direction for the State of Uttar Pradesh to determine and pay compensation for land that had been taken and on which the State constructed office buildings. The High Court ordered the State to pay compensation within three months, finding…

The appellant, a non‑redeeming co‑mortgagor, claimed a 9/12 share in a jointly owned mortgaged property and sought declaration of title, possession, or partition after another co‑mortgagor fully redeemed the mortgage and took possession. The trial court and first appellate court decreed partition, ordering the appellan…

Advocate S.K. Sundaram sent a telegram to Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand on 3 November 2000 demanding his resignation, threatening criminal complaints under IPC sections 420, 406, 468 and 471, a writ of quo‑warranto and a demand for Rs 3 crore. He later filed a criminal complaint before a magistrate, attaching the t…

The petitioners, senior judicial officers in Bihar, challenged a High Court order that denied them the benefit of extending their superannuation age from 58 to 60 years, arguing that the Supreme Court’s directions in the All India Judges' Association cases automatically conferred such a right. The Court held that the S…

The President, under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, established a permanent bench of the Rajasthan High Court at Jaipur and defined its territorial jurisdiction over eleven districts, while retaining a discretionary power to transfer cases to the principal seat at Jodhpur. The Acting Chief Justice later issued an…

The respondent, a subordinate judicial officer in Uttar Pradesh, was compulsorily retired at age 58 on the basis of an adverse remark recorded by an Inspecting Judge. He challenged the retirement, arguing that the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Officers (Retirement on Superannuation) Rules, 1992—framed under Article 309 of the…

The plaintiff, a legal representative of a member of the Pattakkal tarwad, claimed a reversionary right to the properties of the extinct Kandangalam tarwad, asserting that Pattakkal was an undivided branch of the ancient Pandambeli tarwad. The lower courts dismissed the suit, holding that Pattakkal was not a branch of …

The Supreme Court examined two public‑interest petitions seeking to restrain the Union of India from conferring the Bharat Ratna and Padma awards, arguing that such awards constitute prohibited "titles" under Article 18(1) of the Constitution. The Court held that the framers intended to abolish hereditary or honorific …

The respondent, Subhra Chakraborty, filed a criminal complaint against Bodhisattwa Gautam under IPC sections 312, 420, 493, 496 and 498‑A alleging false promise of marriage, a secret marriage, sexual relations, and forced abortions. Gautam sought to quash the complaint via a petition under CrPC s.482, which the Gauhati…

The Government absorbed central civil servants into public enterprises and offered them retirement benefits, including the option to commute one‑third of their pension or, in some cases, the entire pension. Petitioners who had commuted the full pension were denied the restoration of the one‑third commuted portion under…

The Union of India appealed to the Supreme Court under Article 136 against an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that had given certain directions to the respondent officer. The Court examined the service record of the first respondent, noting that his career was outstanding both before and after the pe…

The appellants, owners of land in Bairam Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, challenged a notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 dated 23 July 1983, which, together with a declaration under Section 6, invoked the urgency clause of Section 17(4) and dispensed with the inquiry required by Section 5‑A, for the p…

The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ex‑Employees Association sought parity in pension for clerical staff who retired before 1 January 1989, arguing that the denial of a pension calculated on basic salary plus dearness allowance violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. After nationalisation, the pension scheme was …

K.S. Subramanian, a permanent civilian worker in the Defence Department, was terminated under Article 310 of the Constitution without cause. He sued for a declaration of illegal termination and damages, obtaining a decree for Rs.25,000 which was affirmed by the High Court. The Supreme Court examined whether Article 311…

In the Assam Legislative Assembly election, Abdul Wazed's nomination was rejected on the ground that he was under 25 years of age and allegedly disqualified under Section 9‑A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 because he held a lease of ferry tolls under the Northern India Ferries Act, 1878. The High Court h…

Dr. Asim Kumar Bose, a Specialist Grade II radiologist attached to Irwin Hospital (a teaching hospital of Maulana Azad Medical College), claimed eligibility for appointment as Associate Professor (and later Professor) of Radiotherapy based on his ex‑officio role as Associate Professor of Radiology. The Ministry of Heal…

Lallubhai Jogibhai Patel was detained under Section 3 of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 on 30 January 1980. He filed a writ petition (No. 449 of 1980) under Article 32 challenging the detention, which was dismissed. After the dismissal he raised additional grounds …

The dispute concerned whether a new industrial unit, Rubfila International Ltd., was entitled to a five‑year exemption from the enhanced power tariff under the Kerala Government Order of 6 February 1992 from the date of commercial production (26 March 1995) or from the date of energisation (16 September 1995). The Kera…

U.P. Jal Nigam (appellant) had declared the appointments of 122 candidates void on 11 August 2017, but the Allahabad High Court set aside that order, holding it violated natural justice and that the authority had not distinguished between tainted and untainted candidates. The High Court granted the appellant liberty to…

The petitioner, a widow of an army major, sought proper fixation of her pension and arrears, receiving only a nominal amount. The Court observed widespread discontent among serving and retired armed forces personnel regarding pay, pensions, and rehabilitation, and noted that existing mechanisms were inadequate. Exercis…

Amar Singh and Jaya Pradha, both Members of Parliament, filed writ petitions under Article 32 challenging the threat of disqualification after being expelled from the Samajwadi Party, relying on the Supreme Court's decision in G. Viswanathan's case. They argued that the decision improperly extended the Tenth Schedule's…

The Ishwar Nagar Cooperative Housing Society expelled Dr. Parmanand Sharma, a member since 1961, after he purchased a property in Delhi in the name of his Hindu Undivided Family. The Society relied on Rule 25(1)(c)(i) of the Delhi Cooperative Societies Rules, 1973, which disqualifies members who own a residential house…

Mrs. Paramjit Kaur filed a habeas corpus petition under Article 32 of the Constitution alleging that her husband, Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human‑rights activist, was abducted by persons in police uniforms in broad daylight in Amritsar. The petition also highlighted serious allegations that the Punjab police had been cre…

The State of Uttar Pradesh published a notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 to acquire land for development. The State later issued a Land Policy offering alternate plots to owners whose land was acquired, categorising owners by land size. Government Orders clarified that persons who purcha…

The State of West Bengal and the Calcutta Municipal Corporation appealed against a Calcutta High Court decision that held the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 1990 unconstitutional for imposing a one‑year ban on applications for high‑rise building plans. The Act introduced Section 398A, which barred any …

The Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation (C.E.S.C.) engaged private contractors to excavate, lay and maintain electric lines. The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (E.S.I.C.) directed C.E.S.C. to deduct E.S.I. contributions for the contractors' workers, asserting they were "employees" under Section 2(9) of the …

The State of Punjab advertised 47 (later 54) posts of Excise and Taxation Inspectors, requiring a written test (300 marks) and a viva voce interview (100 marks, 25% of total). Over 1,200 candidates were called for interview for the 54 vacancies, and the unsuccessful candidates challenged the procedure, alleging arbitra…

The petitioner, a Group ‘A’ scientist in the non‑medical wing of the Directorate General of Health Services, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking parity in pay scales, allowances, and a promotional avenue with his counterparts in the medical wing. The Court examined whether the denial of promotion and differe…

The petitioner challenged the election of the respondent, who was the Accountant‑in‑charge of Agartala Municipality, on the ground that he held an office of profit under the Government of Tripura within the meaning of Article 102(1)(a) of the Constitution. The High Court held that the municipal post did not constitute …

The appellant, a candidate with a 44%/45% speech and language disability, qualified the NEET‑UG 2024 and applied for MBBS admission under the PwD quota. The Designated Disability Certification Centre declared him ineligible based on Appendix H‑1 of the 2019 MCI/NMC regulations, which barred persons with 40% or more dis…

The appellants, small farmers, mortgaged their agricultural land to a cooperative bank and, after defaulting, the bank obtained an ex‑parte arbitral award ordering sale of the mortgaged property. The land was auctioned in 1981 and the sale was confirmed in 1985, even though the appellants had repaid the principal amoun…

The petitioners, directly recruited Additional District and Sessions Judges, challenged the Delhi High Court's seniority list for Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS) officers that was based on the 3 July 1986 Office Memorandum (OM). They argued that seniority should be determined under Rule 8(2) read with Rule 7 of th…

A complaint was lodged under Section 8 of the NDPS Act, 1985 alleging an offence punishable under Section 20(b)(i). While the case was pending, the NDPS (Amendment) Act, 2001 altered the punishment provisions in Section 20, introducing a new sub‑clause (ii)(c) with higher penalties. The trial court framed charges under…

The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Kalyan‑Dombivli Municipal Corporation filed a writ petition seeking a mandamus directing the Commissioner to produce tender documents and related records before the Committee, arguing that the Committee could not decide on a contract without them and that the proviso to Sec…

The appeal concerned the promotion of Dr. Subhash Garg, a lecturer in the Madhya Pradesh College of Dentistry, to the post of Reader. The MP Medical Education (Gazetted) Service Recruitment Rules, 1987 provided five Reader posts but specified promotion criteria for only four, leaving the fifth post undefined. The State…

The State of Gujarat moved the Supreme Court alleging that the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and its leaders, as well as author Arundhati Roy, were violating interim injunctions and attempting to prejudice pending proceedings on the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam by issuing press releases, interviews, and publishing a…

The Associate Banks Officers Association, representing officers of the State Bank of India’s subsidiary banks, filed a writ petition seeking parity in terminal benefits, medical benefits and extra increments with employees of the State Bank of India (SBI). SBI contended that, under Section 50(2) of the State Bank of In…

The case concerned a senior IAS officer, Badrinath, who delivered a speech criticizing the Red Fort time‑capsule and later sought to sue the Chief Secretary for defamation. He applied for permission under Rule 17 of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, which bars civil servants from suing for vindication of an…

R.K. Misra, a temporary employee of the Uttar Pradesh State Handloom Corporation, was suspended in 1982 on allegations of misconduct and later had his services terminated by notice with one month's salary in lieu, as permitted by Rule 63 of the Corporation's service rules. He challenged the termination, claiming it was…

The appellant, a signalman in the Indian Army, was serving a 28‑day rigorous imprisonment when he was charged under Section 41(2) of the Army Act for refusing to eat food on a superior's order. A Summary Court‑Martial, presided over by the commanding officer who had previously punished him, sentenced him to one year of…

Four Sub‑Judges were recommended by the Jammu & Kashmir High Court for promotion to District Judges. The State Government, relying on a Cabinet sub‑Committee, appointed four other officers, ignoring the High Court’s recommendations and without communicating any counter‑proposals. The petitioners filed writ petitions ch…

The Supreme Court, hearing a public‑interest writ petition (Writ Petition (Civil) No. 406 of 2013) on the inhuman conditions in 1,382 Indian prisons, examined the high incidence of unnatural deaths, especially suicides, in custodial settings. Relying on the International Committee of the Red Cross guidelines, the Court…

The case arose from a murder trial where the charge sheet under IPC sections 302, 201, 342 and 120B was filed against two accused. Twenty‑eight witnesses, including PW4 (Sawarmal) and PW5 (Chandri), had given statements that supported the prosecution. After about fourteen months, PW4 and PW5 filed applications under Se…

The Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (NMRCL) invited bids for a viaduct and disqualified the joint venture GYT‑TPL on the ground that its experience on an inter‑city high‑speed railway in China did not satisfy the tender’s requirement of experience in "metro civil construction work" with a minimum contract value of I…

The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) held an examination for state services, after which certain candidates were selected. Allegations of irregularities in marking answer books led to a petition in the Madras High Court challenging the appointments. The High Court dismissed the petition, but on appeal order…

The case concerned a block assessment of undisclosed income for the period 01‑04‑1989 to 10‑02‑2000, where the Assessing Officer failed to levy surcharge under Section 113 of the Income‑Tax Act. The Commissioner of Income Tax sought to levy surcharge retrospectively, relying on a proviso inserted in Section 113 by the …

The appellants were convicted of murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC based primarily on the testimony of the deceased's wife, corroborated by the investigating officer and a post‑mortem report. They challenged the conviction on several grounds, including that the FIR was lodged after the inquest report and ther…

The land of the appellants was acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, with a notification dated 5 March 1983 and an award on 1 March 1984. The owners filed a reference under Section 18 for enhanced compensation, and while the reference was pending, the 1984 Amendment Act introduced Section 23(1A) and a transiti…

The respondents, originally appointed as Lower Division Clerks (LDCs), voluntarily transferred on compassionate grounds to another collectorate in 1992 and were placed at the bottom of the seniority list as per the Government of India's May 20, 1980 policy. Because of this low seniority they were not considered for pro…

The Collector, Land Acquisition & Anr. appealed a High Court order that dismissed a revision petition challenging an executing court's award of interest on solatium to land owners. The petitioners argued that the reference court had categorically held that no interest was payable on solatium, so the executing court cou…

The appellants, employees of Tata Iron & Steel Co., challenged the amendment to Rule 3 of the Income Tax Rules, 1962 which altered the method of valuing perquisites for rent‑free accommodation. They argued that the amendment was arbitrary, violated Article 14 of the Constitution and was inconsistent with Section 17(2)(…

The Central Government Industrial Tribunal awarded a customary bonus to State Bank of India employees, which the bank’s management challenged. While the award was pending, Parliament enacted the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 1984, inserting provisions in the State Bank Act and related statutes that prohibited any bonus…

Gurcharan Singh, a former employee of a cooperative society in Himachal Pradesh, filed a writ petition challenging his termination, alleging that the society was a "State" within the meaning of Article 12 and thus subject to judicial review under Article 226. The Himachal Pradesh High Court dismissed the petition, hold…

Thampanoor Ravi was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly and his election was challenged on two grounds: (i) that he was an "undischarged insolvent" within the meaning of Article 191(1)(c) of the Constitution, and (ii) that he had indulged in corrupt practices under Section 123 of the Representation of the People…

The widow of Pratap Chandra Das filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking compensation from GRIDCO, alleging that the corporation’s negligence caused a snapped transmission line that electrocuted her husband. GRIDCO contended that the wire snapped due to a thunderbolt, an act of God, and that …

The respondent, a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army, was court‑martialled under Sections 40(a) and 48 of the Army Act, 1950, found guilty and dismissed from service. He filed a writ petition seeking pensionary benefits, and the Delhi High Court, relying on Major G.S. Sodhi’s case, held that he was entitled…

The Faridabad CT Scan Centre, a private diagnostic centre not attached to any hospital, sought exemption from customs duty on imported hospital equipment under Notification No. 64188 dated 1‑3‑1988. It argued that similar centres had been granted the exemption and that denial violated Article 14 of the Constitution. Th…

Maharashtra State and others appealed a Bombay High Court order that directed the issuance of a D.S.V. licence and release of an alcohol quota to Pooja Brew‑Chem Industries Ltd. The company had applied for a licence under Rule 26 of the Bombay Denatured Spirit Rules, 1959, to manufacture certain chemicals and was assur…

The petitioner, Inder Singh, filed a habeas corpus petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking the release of seven of his relatives who were allegedly abducted by a senior police officer, Baldev Singh, D.S.P., and six other policemen in October 1991. The victims remain untraced; a FIR was lodged only in Marc…

The employees of the State Bank of India challenged the management's authority to fix work hours and recess periods in a writ petition before the High Court. A Single Judge of the High Court allowed the petition and, relying on a prior Division Bench order, issued a certificate of fitness under Article 134A for appeal …

The appellant, PNB Housing Finance Ltd., took symbolic and later physical possession of a premises that had been offered as security for a loan to the borrower (2nd Respondent) after the borrower defaulted. The 1st Respondent claimed to be a tenant of the premises since 1987 under an unregistered lease and sought resto…

The mother filed review petitions after the Supreme Court dismissed appeals that had granted permanent custody of their 11‑year‑old son to the father. New psychological reports showed the child suffering anxiety and separation‑disorder anxiety due to the impending custody change. The Court examined whether such fresh e…

The appellant-husband filed a petition for divorce under Section 13(1)(a) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging cruelty, but the Family Court dismissed it and the High Court upheld that dismissal. The parties had been living separately since October 2009, amounting to over sixteen years of estrangement, and the appellant…

The appellant, a building owner, conspired with officials of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation and an architect to obtain a spurious renovation permit and then demolish an existing structure to erect a four‑storeyed commercial building in a zone where such construction is prohibited. A vigilance enquiry esta…

L. Muruganantham, a person with Becker Muscular Dystrophy and autism, was arrested on a false complaint and detained in Central Prison, Coimbatore. He alleged that the prison failed to provide adequate medical care, nutrition, and disability‑friendly facilities, leading to a deterioration of his health. The State Human…

The appellant was convicted and sentenced to death for murder, rape and robbery based on circumstantial evidence, a last‑seen theory, confessions, recovered items and DNA evidence. The Supreme Court examined whether these evidentiary pillars were proved beyond reasonable doubt and whether the investigation complied wit…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition under Article 32 filed by the promoters of the Sai Prasad Group seeking the liquidation of the companies' immovable assets to refund investors. The petitioners alleged that SEBI's efforts to auction the properties were inadequate and that the investors had been waiting for …

The State of Bihar issued a resolution on 1 July 2015, based on the State Backward Commission’s recommendation, to delete the "Tanti‑Tantwa" caste from the Extremely Backward Classes list and merge it with the "Pan/Sawasi" entry in the Scheduled Castes list, thereby extending Scheduled Caste benefits to its members. Th…

The appellant-wife filed criminal and civil proceedings alleging cruelty, hurt and dowry demands by her husband, leading to multiple interim maintenance orders. After nine years of separation, failed reconciliations and pending litigations, the parties mutually agreed that the marriage was irretrievably broken. The Sup…

The Allahabad High Court entertained a writ petition seeking removal of an LCD from a specific area and, in addition, issued a direction that no permission for a DJ should be granted because the noise was deemed unpleasant and beyond permissible limits under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. The…

Dr. Rohit Kumar, a government doctor in Delhi, cleared the INICET‑2020 exam and was allotted an MD seat at PGI Chandigarh. He applied for study leave, but a policy dated 20 Oct 2020, issued in view of the COVID‑19 pandemic, barred further study leaves for government doctors, leading to the rejection of his application …

The case concerned the validity of a 1997 Office Memorandum that withdrew an earlier 1970 order which had relaxed qualifying marks for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates in departmental promotion examinations. The appellants argued that the withdrawal violated the constitutional provisions allowing reservat…

The wife filed a petition for judicial separation and custody under Section 10 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The husband contested the petition’s maintainability, arguing that both parties, being Swedish citizens domiciled in Australia, were outside the Act’s territorial scope. The Supreme Court examined the extent …

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal contributed a message to a literary association's souvenir expressing concerns about the legal fraternity and criticizing certain judicial practices. The message was not released to the press and was circulated only among members, but excerpts were later published in the Times of India, lead…

DLF Universal Ltd sold a flat to Ekta Seth & others under an Apartment Buyer’s Agreement that allowed the seller to increase the price and stipulated forfeiture of earnest money for default. The buyers paid installments for five years but stopped after the seller demanded a cost‑escalation sum and failed to deliver pos…

A single judge of the Allahabad High Court, while disposing of a contempt petition, directed that the respondent, Ved Prakash Joshi, was entitled to arrears of salary despite the absence of an explicit direction in the original order. The appellant, Director of Education, Uttarakhand, challenged this, contending that a…

The appellants, owners of lands in village Chhalera Banger, challenged the Uttar Pradesh government's notifications under Sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, which invoked Section 17(4) to dispense with the mandatory Section 5‑A inquiry on the ground of urgency for planned industrial development by NOID…

The Andhra Pradesh State Financial Corporation (AP SFC) had sanctioned a term loan to Vajra Chemicals Ltd., which defaulted despite several notices and a recall‑cum‑sale notice under Section 29 of the State Financial Corporations Act. After the borrower failed to honour post‑dated cheques, the corporation seized the un…

Rani Devi and Anguri Devi, widows of Apprentice Canal Patwaris who died while in service, filed writ petitions seeking appointment to class‑IV posts on compassionate grounds. The Punjab & Haryana High Court directed the State of Haryana to appoint them, but the State appealed. The Supreme Court held that the term "empl…

The petitioners alleged that test firing exercises at a range near Itarsi in Madhya Pradesh were endangering the lives of tribal people who entered the area to collect firewood, resulting in injuries and deaths, thereby violating their right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court, recalling its…

The petition challenged a land acquisition made in 1953 for the establishment of an Indian Institute of Technology, where 60.8 acres were later transferred to the National Institute of Technology (NITIE) by a government resolution. The petitioner, a sub‑lessee, claimed that he was not given notice under Section 5‑A of …

Vasant Gangaram Sa Chandan was appointed as Peon‑cum‑Watchman in the Hyderabad Agricultural Committee on 1 April 1957 and, after the reorganisation of states, transferred to the Krishi Utpadan Bazar Samiti, retiring on 1 April 1991 after about 35 years of service. The pension scheme of the Market Committee stipulated t…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of Sections 192(1)(c) of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 and 203(1)(c) of the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973, which allowed municipal committees to transfer land for town‑planning schemes without payment of compensation or with discretionary compensation. Petitioners whose land had b…

The State of Karnataka sought to recover motor vehicle tax arrears for a 12‑ton lorry that had been sold by the first respondent to the second respondent without reporting the transfer. Both respondents argued they were not liable: the first because he had sold the vehicle, the second because the lorry was in a worksho…

The Union of India sued Rajeswari & Co. for a declaration that the sale of movable and immovable assets of Krishna Oil Mills and Industries Ltd. to Rajeswari & Co. was void under section 53 of the Transfer of Property Act, alleging that the transfer was intended to defeat the Union's tax claim. The company, which was l…

The Special Police Establishment (SPE) of Madhya Pradesh, constituted under the 1947 Act to investigate corruption‑related offences, was directed by the High Court to disclose information sought by a Town Inspector under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI). The appellant argued that a 2011 State Government notific…

In February 2012 two Indian fishermen were killed when Italian marines aboard the vessel M.V. Enrica Lexie opened fire. An FIR was lodged in Kerala and the marines were arrested, leading to criminal proceedings under sections 302, 307, 427 and 34 of the IPC and the 2002 Suppression of Unlawful Acts Act. The parties inv…

Several lawyers were appointed as Assistant District Government Counsel (Criminal) under Section 24 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Legal Remembrancer Manual. As their terms were about to expire, the District Judge prepared a List ‘A’ recommending their extension, but the District Magistrate rejected the recomme…