Constitution of India

The appellant, Bhaven Construction, entered into a contract to manufacture and supply bricks that contained an arbitration clause. It unilaterally appointed a sole arbitrator, who dismissed Respondent No.1's Section 16 challenge to his jurisdiction. Instead of using the statutory remedy under Section 34, Respondent No.…

The trial judge in two dowry‑death cases recorded the acquittal of the accused in the order sheet but did not pronounce a judgment in open court, nor was any typed judgment signed or dated. A complaint led the High Court to investigate and find that no judgment existed on record, resulting in the judge's suspension and…

Krishna Kant Pandey, employed by Pepsico India Holding Pvt. Ltd., was terminated after serving in various supervisory roles, most recently as Fleet Executive. He claimed that he was a "workman" under Section 2(z) of the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and that his termination violated Section 6 of the Act.…

The case concerned the administration of the Sri Sabhanayagar Temple at Chidambaram, claimed by the Podhu Dikshitars, a Smarthi Brahmin community, as their religious denomination. The High Court had earlier dismissed the State's order appointing an Executive Officer under the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endow…

The case arose from the murder of a young girl, Arushi, and a domestic help, Hemraj, where the CBI filed a closure report. The father of the deceased filed a protest petition, leading the Special Judicial Magistrate to take cognizance of offences under Sections 302/34 and 201/34 IPC against Dr. Rajesh Talwar and Dr. Nu…

The petitioners sought disclosure of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board's (AERB) safety report under the right to information, claiming that Section 18 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, which restricts disclosure of nuclear information, was ultra‑vires and lacked guidelines. The Union of India contended that the right to…

Pearlite Liners Pvt Ltd. transferred the respondent, a trainee accountant later promoted, from its head office to a sales office. The employee refused to comply, was absent, and a chargesheet was issued. She filed a suit seeking a declaration that the transfer order was void, that she remained in service, and an injunc…

The Veterinary Council of India (VCI) framed Regulation 5(8) under the Veterinary Council Act, 1984, authorising it to conduct an All India Common Entrance Examination to fill 15% of seats in veterinary colleges. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) also claimed the right to conduct the test and advertise…

The respondent, a holder of agricultural land under the Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms (Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings) Act, 1973, and his wife sold four parcels of land within a 15‑day period between 24‑Jan‑1971 and before the notified date. One sale was to the respondent’s father and three to others, with installment …

The Supreme Court examined whether Karnataka's Rule 41-A, limiting cinema owners to four daily shows, was within the rule‑making power granted by Section 19 of the Karnataka Cinemas (Regulations) Act, 1964, and whether it violated the right to carry on business under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. The Court held…

The Siliguri Municipality sought to levy a graduated consolidated rate on the annual value of its holdings under the Bengal Municipal (Amendment) Act, 1980. The Calcutta High Court, invoking its jurisdiction under Article 226, issued an interlocutory order staying the municipality's recovery of the tax. The municipalit…

The Supreme Court examined the Bihar Kendu Leaves (Control of Trade) Act, 1973, which created a state monopoly over the sale of Kendu leaves for bidi manufacturing. The petitioners, traders in Kendu leaves, challenged Clause 13 (a minimum royalty of 75% of the estimated yield) and Clause 4(bb) (purchasers could not obj…

The petitioner, K. K. Khushalani, was detained under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 on 20‑10‑1980. Although the grounds of detention were served, the documents and materials on which the order relied were supplied only on 05‑11‑1980, and the detenu's representation…

The appellant, a cooperative society registered under the Jharkhand Self‑Supporting Cooperative Societies Act, sought exemption from stamp duty on a land transfer to its members under Section 9A of the Stamp (Bihar Amendment) Act, 1988. The State, through a memorandum issued by the Principal Secretary, Department of Re…

The Supreme Court was asked to decide the validity of Rule 5 of the 1997 Central Excise Rules, which was challenged on the grounds of being ultra vires of Section 3A of the Central Excise Act and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. The Division Bench, however, diverted attention to a different issue concerning…

The respondent sued the appellants for specific performance of two agreements to sell a share of land, having paid earnest money but no deed was executed. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the first appellate court set aside that decree and ordered specific performance. The appellants appealed, arguing that the a…

The petitioners filed writ petitions under Article 32 seeking a judicial definition of the phrase “originally inhabitants of the State of Assam” in Clause 3(3) of the Schedule to the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issues of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, and directions on how such persons should be id…

The appellant applied for the post of District and Sessions Judge (Entry Level) under the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service Rules, 2007 and was placed on the select list, but was not appointed because he was under 35 years of age. He challenged the decision before the High Court, which held that the 35‑year minimum…

The State of Madhya Pradesh filed a Letters Patent Appeal against a Division Bench order that had dismissed a writ petition under Article 227 seeking to quash a Labour Court order passed under Section 10 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The High Court held the appeal non‑maintainable, relying on the petition’s nom…

The Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Share Holders Welfare Association (appellant) sought to restrain the election of directors at the bank's 83rd, 84th and 85th Annual General Meetings, alleging that the meetings violated a 26 July 2006 injunction that allowed only certain agenda items to be considered. After the High Court a…

The Directorate of Revenue received a fax alleging that a guest in a Mumbai hotel possessed Mandrex tablets and cash. Officers searched the guest's hotel room, seized cash and a fax copy of a consignment note, and recorded the accused's statement under Section 67 of the NDPS Act. The trial court convicted the accused u…

The appellant, a cooperative society, repeatedly filed several writ petitions and a public interest litigation challenging recovery proceedings and the constitutionality of Section 35A of the Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board Act, 1960. The High Court dismissed the latest writ petition on the ground that…

The appellants, who were directly recruited as Sub‑Inspectors on 25‑04‑1979, challenged a Government order dated 03‑12‑1985 that retrospectively promoted certain private respondents (promotees) who had been entered in Promotion List E in 1978. The order sought to give them seniority over the appellants, ignoring the st…

The Municipal Corporation of Jabalpur appointed a large number of daily‑wage workers without following the recruitment rules prescribed under the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act. Several labour disputes arose and the High Court, exercising contempt jurisdiction, directed the corporation to prepare a gradation …

The Government of Andhra Pradesh issued a Government Order granting remission of sentences to certain categories of prisoners, expressly excluding those convicted by courts of other States but serving their sentences in Andhra Pradesh. Two convicts, S. Appala Swamy (convicted in Madhya Pradesh) and Rajender (convicted …

The appellants were charged with the murder of a 12‑year‑old girl, Gudia Kumari, and were convicted by the Sessions Court and sentenced to death on the basis of circumstantial evidence; the High Court confirmed the conviction but commuted the sentence to life imprisonment. On appeal to the Supreme Court under Article 1…

The Rajasthan Government’s Mandi Committee allotted two plots to Beharilal in 1953, issued a patta and delivered possession in 1954. After the patta was cancelled in 1956, the same plots were re‑allotted to Ram Gopal (husband of Bhuri Devi) and possession was handed over to him. Criminal proceedings under S. 145 Cr.P.C…

Khoday Distilleries Ltd. and others filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking reconsideration of a Supreme Court judgment that had become final after the dismissal of appeals and review petitions. They contended that the civil appeals were decided on merits without a proper hearing, violating n…

The petitioners were ex‑servicemen re‑employed in the Haryana civil service who had served in the Indian Army during the 1962‑68 national emergency. The State had adopted the Punjab Government National Emergency (Concessions) Rules, 1965, which granted benefits such as increments, seniority and pension to such ex‑servi…

The Bihar State Madarasa Education Board dissolved the managing committees of two minority‑run Madarasa institutions for failing to obey its salary directives, invoking Section 7(2)(n) of the Bihar State Madarasa Education Board Act, 1982. The institutions challenged the dissolution before the Patna High Court, allegin…

The appellants, Malak Singh and Jaswant Singh, challenged the inclusion of their names in a police surveillance register maintained under the Punjab Police Rules, alleging that the entry was made without any material basis and violated their fundamental right to privacy under Articles 21 and 19(1)(d) of the Constitutio…

The Supreme Court of India, in a nine-judge bench decision, addressed two major constitutional questions. First, it held that Article 31C, to the extent it was upheld in Kesavananda Bharati, remains in force after the 42nd Amendment was struck down in Minerva Mills, as the amendment was a substitution and its invalidat…

The Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004, which created a board to regulate standards, teacher qualifications and examinations in madrasas, was struck down by the Allahabad High Court on the ground that it violated secularism and Articles 14 and 21A of the Constitution. The petitioners challenged the High…

The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL) advertised for 2,211 Technician Grade‑II posts requiring a Certificate of 80‑hour Course on Computer Concepts (CCC) to be produced at the interview. Candidates who produced the CCC certificate at the interview were selected and issued appointment letters on 14 July 2015. A Hi…

The appellant, Shanti Devi, sought to revive a writ petition filed by her late husband, a retired Coal India employee, challenging the stoppage of his pension and a demand for repayment of over Rs 8 lakhs. The earlier petition for refund of a smaller amount had been dismissed by the Patna High Court on the ground of la…

The State of Kerala issued notifications prohibiting the sale of computerized and online lottery tickets while permitting paper lotteries, which the All Kerala Online Lottery Dealers Association and others challenged as discriminatory under Section 5 of the Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998. The petitioners argued that …

The appellant, brother of the deceased Anju Devi, challenged the High Court's order that acquitted three accused who lived separately and released the husband on the ground that he had already served his sentence. The Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of the three accused, finding that the evidence did not prove their…

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) sold canned computer software packages and was assessed sales tax by the Andhra Pradesh Commercial Tax Officer, who held that the software constituted "goods" under the Andhra Pradesh General Sales Tax Act, 1957. TCS appealed, arguing that software is intangible intellectual property and…

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) conducted three competitive examinations – the U.P. Civil Judge (Junior Division) Examination 2000, the Provincial Civil Services (Executive Branch) Main Examination 2001 and its Preliminary Examination 2002 – and applied a scaling formula to the marks awarded by four…

The widow of Pravinlal Madhvani sued the Madhvani brothers for partition of a tea estate, accounts of a family partnership and mesne profits, seeking 6% interest. While the appeal of the preliminary decree was pending, the High Court allowed an amendment to raise the interest rate to 13% and awarded interest at prevail…

The appellant Gurdev Singh challenged the detention of his son, Swarn Singh Sandhu, under Section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), alleging misuse of the Duty Entitlement Pass Book (DEPB) export incentive scheme and forging shipping bills. The det…

The landlord Joseph Mathai filed an eviction petition under the Kerala Building (Lease & Rent Control) Act, 1965 on grounds of arrears of rent and bona‑fide need for reconstruction. The Rent Control Court initially dismissed the arrears claim but later allowed eviction on reconstruction; the tenant appealed, and the la…

The Supreme Court heard appeals against a Patna High Court order that, in an application for extension of time, directed all CBI investigation reports in the Bihar "Fodder Scam" to be submitted directly to the High Court and barred the Director of the CBI from intervening in the investigation. The Court held that the D…

Advocate Ajay Kumar Pandey filed petitions and letters containing intemperate, insulting language against two Supreme Court judges, demanded apologies and compensation, and threatened to prosecute them, also filing a criminal complaint in a magistrate's court. The Supreme Court, after giving him opportunities to delete…

The plaintiffs, originally appointed as Lecturers in a private college that was later taken over by the Haryana Government, claimed they had been promoted to Senior Lecturers under the UGC scheme and that the Government’s regularisation of them as Lecturers amounted to a demotion. The Court examined the statutory order…

The State of Bihar terminated the services of 320 doctors, including Dr. Sandhya Das, after they failed to return from leave and did not respond to a general notice. Ms. Kamlesh Jain filed a public interest litigation seeking financial assistance and post‑retirement benefits for Dr. Das, and the Patna High Court ordere…

The Karnataka High Court advertised 40 vacancies for Second Division Clerks in 1978, but the Chief Justice appointed about 398 candidates, many of whom were later transferred to subordinate courts, bypassing the State Public Service Commission and the statutory recruitment rules. Seven of the original applicants filed …

The petitioners, Express Newspapers Pvt. Ltd. and others, challenged two notices: one issued by the Engineer Officer, Land & Development Office, for re-entry upon forfeiture of lease, and another by the Zonal Engineer (Building), Municipal Corporation of Delhi, for demolition of the Express Building. The petitioners al…

The Supreme Court examined disputes between promotee and direct‑recruit judicial officers in Punjab and Haryana over seniority, confirmation and probation. The petitioners argued that the High Court improperly applied a rotation system at confirmation, violating the quota rule and their constitutional rights. The Court…

The Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (KSEDC), a wholly‑owned public sector undertaking, allotted a 0.25‑acre plot to Kumaon Entertainment for IT‑related activities on a lease‑cum‑sale basis, with a tentative price of Rs 1 crore per acre and a provision that the final price would be fixed later. The a…

The Burdwan Development Authority acquired land for a satellite township under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and entered into an unregistered MoA with Bengal Shrachi for public‑private partnership development. The Reference Court enhanced compensation payable to landowners from Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 35 lakh per acre, prom…

The widowed petitioner Premlata applied for a compassionate appointment under Rule 5 of the Dying‑in‑Harness Rules, 1974, after her husband, a Class‑IV messenger in the Uttar Pradesh Police Radio Department, died. Her first application for an Assistant Operator post was rejected for lack of eligibility, and a subsequen…

The petitioner, a former employee of Kuruppampady Service Co‑operative Bank, challenged his compulsory retirement through a series of proceedings, including a writ petition, writ appeal and a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in 2015, all of which were dismissed. He later filed a review petition in the Kerala High Court aga…

The case concerned attachment of properties under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 1944 in a large‑scale fraud involving the father of the appellants, who died before trial, and his son Ravi Sinha, who was convicted in one case and faced trial in another. The State sought to make the interim attachment orders ab…

The State of Maharashtra appealed a decision that allowed a co‑accused to cross‑examine an approver whose pardon, granted under Section 307 of the CrPC, was later forfeited by a certificate under Section 308. The Supreme Court examined the statutory scheme of Sections 306, 307 and 308, holding that forfeiture of the pa…

The U.P. Roller Flour Mills Association filed a writ petition under Article 32 alleging that subsidised wheat stocks meant for the Public Distribution System (PDS) were being diverted by the states of West Bengal, Assam and other North‑East states to rolling flour mills, causing loss to the exchequer and depriving inte…

Carona Ltd., a public limited company with paid‑up share capital exceeding Rs. 1 crore, was let a premises by a partnership landlord. After defaulting on rent, the landlord gave notice terminating the tenancy on 31 March 2001 and filed an eviction suit. While the suit was pending, the tenant passed a resolution to redu…

Prabir Banerjee, a Group‑B Superintendent in the Central Excise Department, was transferred from the Bhopal zone to the Nagpur Commissionerate under an office order. He challenged the transfer, arguing that circulars dated 19 Feb 2004 and 9 Mar 2004 prohibited inter‑zonal transfers, making the order void. The Central A…

The President of India, under Article 317(1) of the Constitution, referred the matter of alleged misbehaviour by Smt. Sayalee Sanjeev Joshi, a member of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission, to the Supreme Court for inquiry. The allegations stemmed from a 1999 examination scam, leading to her arrest by the Anti‑Co…

The State of Haryana appealed against several High Court orders directing daily‑wage and contract workers (ledger clerks, pump operators, fitters, etc.) to receive the minimum pay of regular Class IV employees from the date of filing their writ petitions. While the appeals were pending, the respondents were regularised…

Ram Sukhi Devi, the widow of a part‑time tubewell operator, applied for a compassionate appointment under the Uttar Pradesh Recruitment of Dependents of Government Servants Dying‑in‑Harness Rules, 1974. A Government Order dated 26 Oct 1998 excluded dependents of part‑time employees from such benefits. The Allahabad Hig…

Respondent No.1 filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking promotion to Principal of a Government Degree College on the basis of seniority under Rule 16 of the U.P. Higher Education (Group A) Service Rules, 1985. The High Court allowed the petition, directing his promotion. The State of Uttar Pradesh app…

The landlord, a serving member of the armed forces, filed a tenancy case under Section 43‑IB of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948 seeking resumption of land from the tenants. The High Court, after remand, held that the partition of the joint family lands in 1944 was conclusive and that land owned by t…

The appellants were temporarily appointed as Assistant Executive Engineers under Rule 10(a)(i)(1) of the Andhra Pradesh Service Rules in 1980 and later regularised in 1984. The PSC candidates, selected through direct recruitment in 1981, were appointed to the same service in May 1984. The dispute centered on whether th…

The petitioners challenged the Rajasthan Excise Amendment Act, 1985, which added Section 17A and the class "Mollasses" to Section 41(2)(d) of the Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950, alleging that it conflicted with the central Mollasses Control Order, 1961 made under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951. The S…

The appellants, who run private educational institutions, challenged the Tamil Nadu Private Educational Institutions (Regulation) Act, 1966 on the ground that several of its provisions gave unfettered discretionary power to the State, violating Article 14 of the Constitution. The High Court had struck down only section…

Jamunadas C. Tuliani, the landlord, sued five tenants and Arjun Khiamal Makhijani (defendant No.6) for eviction under the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947, alleging six months' rent arrears and illegal sub‑letting of a garage. The trial court decreed eviction on the grounds of rent default …

Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd. was disqualified from two tenders issued by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) on the ground that its concession agreement with the Visakhapatnam Port Authority had been terminated. The termination, however, is the subject of an ongoing arbitration. The company sought re…

The appellant, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, was charged with alleged irregularities in a foreign investment clearance and money‑laundering offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Prevention of Money‑Laundering Act (PMLA). The Enforcement Directorate (ED) produced a sealed cover containing doc…

Dr. Ashwani Kumar, a former Law Minister, filed a miscellaneous application seeking a Supreme Court direction to Parliament to enact a comprehensive law against custodial torture, invoking the UN Convention against Torture and arguing that such torture violates Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court noted that the m…

Larsen & Toubro Ltd., a contractor, executed works contracts and assigned portions of the work to registered sub‑contractors who paid sales tax on their own turnover. The issue was whether the payments made to these sub‑contractors should be included in L&T's total turnover for computing turnover tax under Section 6‑B …

The Union of India challenged the quashing of charge sheets issued to senior income‑tax officers under Rule 14(3) of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1965, arguing that the Finance Minister's approval for initiating disciplinary proceedings under Rule 14(2) also sufficed for the char…

The respondent, a former Munsif in the Bihar State Judicial Service, was dismissed, reinstated, and later suspended, after which he was posted as an Additional Munsif. He repeatedly sought promotion to higher judicial posts on the basis that his juniors had been promoted between 1971 and 1978, filing numerous writ peti…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed the Allahabad High Court's acquittal of three accused who had been convicted for murder under Sections 302, 34 and 201 of the IPC. The prosecution's case relied on the identification of a decomposed body recovered a month after the incident, based solely on the clothes worn, and on t…

The respondent, a branch manager of M.P. State Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd, was found to have caused a loss of Rs 16,903.41 by failing to recover rent on machinery he had let out. The Managing Director, acting as disciplinary authority, imposed a composite penalty of recovering the loss from the respond…

The petitioner, a practising advocate, filed a public‑interest writ under Article 32 seeking to restrain the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, the Bombay Bar Association and the Advocates' Association of Western India from pressuring the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice A.M. Bhattacharjee, to resign an…

The appellants, who were Village Assistants without SSLC qualifications, challenged the pay scale disparity with Talatis who possessed SSLC qualifications, arguing that the distinction violated Articles 14 and 39(d) of the Constitution. They sought parity in the Rs. 90‑200 pay scale, contending that a High Court direct…

Bihari Lal, an Assistant Commissioner in the Uttar Pradesh Sales Tax Department, was compulsorily retired under Rule 56(j) of the Fundamental Rules on the ground of persistent adverse remarks and being classified as an officer of a bad category. He challenged the order in the Allahabad High Court, which quashed the ret…

The State of Andhra Pradesh sought to fill 51 Assistant Engineer vacancies that had arisen in 1978‑79 by direct recruitment under the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Engineering Service (Special) Rules, 1963. An amendment to the Rules on 28 April 1980 changed the recruitment formula to 37½% of substantive vacancies "arisi…

The case concerned a certificated landlord who, after obtaining an exemption certificate under s.88-C of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948, sought possession of land from excluded tenants under s.33-B, claiming he needed it for personal cultivation. The tenants challenged the landlord's claim, arguing…

The Bihar State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation entered into contracts with rice millers for paddy procurement and included an arbitration clause. Allegations of massive fraud and misappropriation of public funds led to criminal FIRs, charges under the Penal Code, and recovery proceedings under the Bihar & Orissa P…

The Odisha State Financial Corporation (OSFC) financed a bleaching powder unit that defaulted, leading to its possession of the unit and subsequent litigation. Respondent Vigyan Chemical Industries sued the defaulting borrower and later impleaded OSFC, claiming repayment with interest calculated under the repealed Inte…

The Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi challenged the Lieutenant Governor’s notifications nominating ten experts to the Delhi Municipal Corporation, arguing that the power must be exercised on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers under Article 239AA(4). The Court examined the constitutional…

Quick Heal Technologies Ltd. sold antivirus software on CDs together with a license key and free updates to end‑customers. The Revenue argued that the transaction comprised two components – sale of the CD (goods) and provision of updates (service) – and that service tax should be levied on the entire consideration desp…

The Central Government appealed against a High Court order that directed it to pay interest on solatium to Raj Devi from the date she was deprived of possession (16‑06‑1990). The Government argued that, per Gurpreet Singh v. Union of India, interest on solatium could only be awarded from the date of the Supreme Court’s…

The Cochin Port Trust sought to recover ground rent and demurrage for containers that remained unclaimed by consignees after customs clearance, arguing that the steamer agents should not be liable beyond the 75‑day limit set by the Tariff Authority. The Supreme Court examined whether the passage of title, endorsement o…

The appellant, EXL Careers, filed a suit for recovery in a Gurgaon civil court despite an exclusive jurisdiction clause in a franchise agreement that designated Delhi courts as the sole forum. The Gurgaon court returned the plaint under Order VII Rule 10 of the CPC, and the High Court ordered its transfer to Delhi, dir…

The petitioners challenged the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019, which inserted clauses 15(6) and 16(6) permitting a 10% reservation for economically weaker sections in educational institutions and public employment. They argued that the amendment violated the basic structure of the Constitution…

Abu Salem, an accused in the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts, was extradited from Portugal to India in 2005 on the assurance that he would not face the death penalty or imprisonment beyond 25 years. After his return, the Designated Court framed additional charges beyond those covered by the extradition, which Abu Salem argued …

The Supreme Court was asked to consider a reference under Article 317(1) of the Constitution, seeking an inquiry into alleged misbehaviour by Dr. H.B. Mirdha, Chairman of the Orissa Public Service Commission. The respondent raised a preliminary objection questioning the maintainability of the reference, specifically wh…

Prem Raj was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.500, and an additional three years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.1,000, to run concurrently. He appealed to the Delhi High Court seeking a reduction in the term of impri…

The petitioners, importers, had obtained a Letter of Credit from the respondent bank for a consignment that later sank at sea. The bank, after rejecting the petitioners' documents as discrepant, sued them for recovery of the amount, and the suit was transferred to a Debt Recovery Tribunal under the Recovery of Debts Du…

The appellants, owners of properties in Delhi, challenged notices issued under Section 126 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 that revised the rateable value of their properties on the basis of actual rent received. The Court examined how to determine rateable value when the rent is not subject to the Delhi R…

The Supreme Court examined appeals against the Central Administrative Tribunal’s orders that granted accelerated promotion to three ICAR employees on the basis of their educational qualifications. The employees had not been initially fit into Grade T‑1‑3 Category I when the Technical Service Rules of the Indian Council…

The case arose from a fatal roof collapse in the South Govindpur Colliery on 30 June 1989, which killed five miners and injured two. The senior mining engineer, Babular, and the manager, Maheshwari Sharma, were alleged to have been absent and to have failed to take safety precautions, leading a fact‑finding committee t…

Approximately 800 railway employees were dismissed under Rule 14(2) of the Railway Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules for taking part in a Loco Staff strike in January 1981. The disciplinary authority claimed that holding a departmental inquiry was not reasonably practicable, but no material was placed before it to …

The Commissioner of Sales Tax, Uttar Pradesh challenged the tax treatment of purchases made by a dealer acting as a commission agent for out‑of‑state principals. The dealer bought agricultural produce and other goods in Uttar Pradesh and dispatched them to the principals in other states. The State argued that the purch…

The appellant, an Additional District and Sessions Judge, was ordered to retire prematurely by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh based on the opinion of an Administrative Judge, without a prior recommendation from the High Court or its Administrative Committee as required by Article 235 of the Constitution. The appellant c…

Vasudeo Vishwanath Saraf, a former principal of a school run by New Education Institute, challenged multiple departmental enquiries and termination orders that were passed without hearing or reasons. The High Court repeatedly dismissed his writ petitions with laconic orders such as "rejected" and "dismissed" without re…

The Azad Rickshaw Pullers Union and other petitioners challenged the Punjab Cycle Rickshaws (Regulation of Rickshaws) Act, 1976, alleging it violated their fundamental rights under Articles 32 and 38 of the Constitution. The Act prohibited owners of cycle rickshaws from obtaining licences unless they themselves were th…

The Supreme Court examined the Delhi Municipal Corporation's Cycle Rickshaw Bye‑Law (1960, amended 1976) which required that only owners of a cycle rickshaw could obtain a licence to ply for hire. Petitioners challenged this provision, arguing that the criteria for granting licences were arbitrary and that a ceiling on…

The Supreme Court examined whether a liberty granted to approach the High Court for review, after an earlier Special Leave Petition (SLP) was dismissed, automatically places the matter in the escalation matrix and permits filing a fresh SLP. The Court held that Order XLVII Rule 7 of the CPC bars an SLP against an order…

The dispute arose from a representation agreement between D.M.C. Management Consultants Ltd. and Integrated Sales Service Ltd., which contained an arbitration clause. After the arbitrator awarded US $6.9 million against DMC, the award was sought to be enforced against non‑signatory parties, including Arun Dev Upadhyaya…

The Supreme Court considered appeals against the Gujarat High Court's judgment that acquitted several accused of murder and terrorism charges in the killing of former Home Minister Haren Pandya and the attempted murder of Jagdish Tiwari. The CBI had investigated and found both incidents were part of a larger conspiracy…

The case concerned contract labour employed in SAIL's captive limestone mines under a tripartite agreement with contractors. After a prohibition notification under Section 10(1) of the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970 was issued in 1993, the contract labour continued to work until their services were …

The case concerned 2,040 contract labourers employed in SAIL's captive limestone mine who, after a 1993 prohibition on contract labour under the CLRA Act, continued to work and claimed parity of wages with regular SAIL employees under the NJCS memorandum. The respondents sought relief under Section 20(1) of the Minimum…

Advocate Mahipal Singh Rana threatened a civil judge in Etah on two occasions, leading the Allahabad High Court to convict him of criminal contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 and impose two months' imprisonment, a fine, and a ban on appearing in Etah courts until he purged the contempt. The High Court also …

The suit sought partition of three parcels of land that were part of the joint family of the deceased Narayana. The defendant claimed that the first two parcels had been relinquished by the plaintiffs through a village panchayat resolution and receipts, while the third parcel was his self‑acquired property. The trial c…

The petition arose from a tragic incident on 1 February 2011 when over two lakh candidates gathered for an ITBP recruitment drive in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, and, after the drive was postponed, many climbed onto the roof of the Himgiri Express. The train, travelling at 75 kmph, struck a low foot‑over‑bridge whose clear…

The appellant challenged the Tamil Nadu government's distribution of free colour television sets, laptops, mixers, and other welfare items promised in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) election manifesto, alleging that the expenditure was unauthorized, violated Article 14 and amounted to a corrupt practice under Sect…

The State of Karnataka appealed against the High Court's partial upholding of its 1994 Government Orders mandating mother‑tongue or Kannada as the medium of instruction in primary schools, which had been challenged by unaided English‑medium schools. The Supreme Court examined whether the State could compel the mother t…

The case involved a claim for compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act after the death of Nanag Ram, a 36‑year‑old machine operator, in a road accident. The claimants sought Rs.24 lakh, while the insurer challenged the award on several grounds. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court should ha…

The Gujarat Public Service Commission (GPSC) recruited Assistant Public Prosecutors under the 2008 Recruitment Rules, which required minimum qualifying marks for both written and viva‑voce tests. The advertisement omitted the viva‑voce cut‑off, and the Commission fixed a 10‑out‑of‑30 minimum mark shortly before the int…

The case concerned three former Short Service Commissioned Officers who had joined the Indian Army after the period of emergency and were later appointed to the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Police Service. They claimed back‑service seniority and other benefits under the Uttar Pradesh Non‑technical (Class‑II) Services (Rese…

Indu Bhushan Dwivedi, a Sub‑Divisional Judicial Magistrate, was dismissed from service after a departmental inquiry found two of three charges proved: leaving headquarters without permission and using derogatory language. The High Court’s dismissal recommendation relied on adverse remarks in his Annual Confidential Rep…

The appellants, private bus operators, claimed that a 1999 notification under s.102(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which purported to modify the 1993 scheme and allow them to operate on the Saharanpur‑Delhi inter‑state route, was validly approved by a Hearing Authority and could not be rescinded. The State of Utta…

Crawford Bayley & Co., a firm of advocates, challenged the termination of its tenancy in a bank‑owned building and the subsequent show‑cause notice issued by an Estate Officer under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971. The firm argued that Section 3 of the Act and its second proviso, whic…

The appellant, a partnership firm, paid Rs. 781.33 lacs for the purchase of land and buildings of a cooperative cotton mill that had been partially resumed by the State. The liquidator executed a sale agreement, but the State later cancelled it, claiming the price was far below market value and that the sale lacked pro…

The Supreme Court examined the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) of Earth Infrastructures Limited (EIL) and whether the lease‑hold lands held by its subsidiaries could be treated as assets of the corporate debtor. The Court found that the subsidiaries were merely fronts for EIL, which was the real develope…

The appellant, Rajendra Anant Varik, was convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for a dishonoured cheque and was ordered to pay compensation. He appealed, and the First Appellate Court acquitted him, holding that the complainant was an unlicensed money‑lender under the Goa Money‑Lenders Act, whic…

The State of Maharashtra enacted the Maharashtra State Reservation (of Seats for Admission in Educational Institutions in the State and for appointments in the public services and posts under the State) for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018, granting 12% and 13% reservation to the Maratha com…

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest writ petition alleging systematic sexual abuse of children in orphanages in Tamil Nadu and the broader failure of the State to protect children in need of care and protection. The Court examined the scope of the term "child in need of care and protection" under Section 2(14) of…

The case concerns a criminal appeal filed by the injured party, Sumer Singh, under Article 136 of the Constitution seeking enhancement of the sentence imposed on Surajbhan Singh and others for grievous hurt (IPC s.326) and related offences arising from a land dispute. The High Court had reduced the sentence to the seve…

The Union of India issued a Request for Proposal for 20 fast patrol vessels, stipulating that bids must be at a firm and fixed price for the contract duration. Larsen & Toubro (Petitioner No.1) submitted the lowest commercial bid but included a foreign‑exchange rate variation clause without specifying the currency, vio…

The dispute concerned about 90 acres of land in Andhra Pradesh that had been declared evacuee property under the Administration of Evacuee Property Act, 1950 by a notification dated 11‑12‑1952 and later acquired by the Central Government under Section 12 of the Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act, 1…

The Supreme Court examined the legality of land acquisitions undertaken by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for the Arkavathi layout, focusing on whether the BDA Act required President's assent, was repugnant to the Land Acquisition Act, and complied with constitutional provisions under Parts IX and IX‑A. The …

Vijay Singh Sengar filed a public interest writ petition alleging that power cuts in Madhya Pradesh were endangering patients in government hospitals and disrupting street lighting. The Madhya Pradesh High Court issued interim orders directing the State Electricity Board to provide round‑the‑clock electricity to hospit…

The deceased headmaster of a government school died intestate, leaving his brother and nephew as natural heirs. The nephew, Dhirjo Kumar Sengar, applied for a compassionate appointment claiming to be the deceased's adopted son, supported by an unregistered deed of adoption and a succession certificate. The Joint Direct…

The City Co-operative Bank filed a complaint alleging several offences and the Judicial Magistrate ordered an investigation under Section 156(3) CrPC. The complainant later applied to withdraw the inquiry on the ground of a compromise, and the Magistrate recalled his earlier order. Depositors in the bank challenged the…

Hari Ram was arrested in 1998 for offences under the IPC and the trial court initially held him to be a juvenile (under 16) and sent the case to the Juvenile Justice Board. The Rajasthan High Court later held he was over 16 and applied the 1986 Juvenile Act, rejecting the claim of juvenility. On appeal, the Supreme Cou…

The case concerned whether the sale, promotion and marketing of state‑run lottery tickets by M/s Martin Lottery Agencies Ltd. attracted service tax under Section 65(19) of the Finance Act, 1994. The High Court had held that lottery tickets are not "goods" and that the distributor’s activities were merely promotion, not…

The tenant's rent was fixed at Rs.150 per month under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972. The landlords sought eviction on the ground of bonafide requirement, but the eviction petition was dismissed by the prescribed and appellate authorities. The landlords then filed…

The Supreme Court considered whether the involuntary administration of narcoanalysis, polygraph, and Brain Electrical Activation Profile (BEAP) tests for investigative purposes violates fundamental rights. The Court held that compulsory administration of these techniques violates Article 20(3) of the Constitution, whic…

The Municipal Council, Sujanpur terminated Surinder Kumar, a daily‑waged worker appointed in violation of its recruitment rules and allegedly as a supervisor. The Labour Court held that Kumar was a workman who had completed the requisite 240 days of work and ordered his reinstatement with full back wages. The High Cour…

MIS Geo Miller & Co. Pvt. Ltd. and others, registered dealers under the Madhya Pradesh General Sales Tax Act, were assessed entry tax under the Madhya Pradesh Entry Tax Act, 1976 for goods brought into the state for execution of works contracts. They contended that the tax violated Article 301 (and 304(b)) of the Const…

The petitioners, dependents of a deceased SAIL employee, applied for a compassionate appointment after the employee's death, but SAIL declined, citing a Family Benefit Scheme introduced under the 1989 NJSC Tripartite Agreement that required the family to deposit provident fund and gratuity amounts in exchange for a mon…

The Supreme Court dismissed a review petition and several writ petitions filed by Lily Thomas and others seeking to set aside the earlier judgment in Sarla Mudgal’s case, which held that a Hindu husband who converts to Islam without dissolving his first marriage commits bigamy under Section 494 IPC. The Court held that…

The appellant, a member of a Scheduled Tribe, claimed title to land that had been surrendered by his predecessor Nanda Oraon in 1942 to a landlord. He alleged that he was the adopted son of Sukhi Oraon and therefore succeeded to the land, filing a complaint that led the Special Officer under the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Ac…

The Supreme Court examined the applicability of the Haj Committee Act, 1959 after pilgrim travel shifted from sea to air in 1993, rendering the ex‑officio members listed in Section 4(1)(a)‑(f) practically redundant. The petitioners sought direction to replace these members, arguing the Act had become obsolete, while th…

Electronics Corporation of India Ltd., a company wholly owned by the Union of India, challenged a demand for non‑agricultural land assessment levied by the Andhra Pradesh Revenue Department on land it leased from the Central Government. The company argued that Article 285 of the Constitution barred the State from taxin…

Kesho Ram was appointed as a temporary Assistant Block Superintendent at G.B. Pant Agricultural & Technology University in 1972 with a contract allowing termination on one month's notice. He was dismissed in 1976 for irregular attendance without a prior inquiry, and he sued for a declaration that the termination was il…

The Commissioner of Food and Civil Supplies terminated the services of Prakash Chandra Saxena, a temporary government servant of nearly 20 years, by a non‑speaking order without conducting any enquiry. The Service Tribunal held that such termination amounted to punishment and violated Article 311(2) of the Constitution…

The employee of J&P Coats was struck by his employer's lorry while riding his bicycle on a public road 1 km from the factory, fifteen minutes before his shift began. He claimed disability benefits under the Employees' State Insurance Act, arguing that the injury occurred in the course of his employment. The corporation…

Non‑graduate Excise Preventive Officers challenged an amendment to Special Rule 2 of the Kerala Excise & Prohibition Subordinate Service Rules that introduced a 1:3 ratio favouring graduates for promotion to Second Grade Excise Inspector. The Kerala High Court and a Division Bench held the amendment violated Articles 1…

The appellant, a former civil engineer of the erstwhile State of Junagadh, was compulsorily retired in 1961 and later deemed to have served until 1964 following a Supreme Court order. After his retirement, the Gujarat Government reduced his pension and gratuity by 50% under a show‑cause notice, invoking Rules 188 and 1…

Fertilizers & Chemicals Travancore Ltd entered into a 1948 agreement with the princely State of Travancore for electricity at a fixed rate, later succeeded by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). In 1968 KSEB raised the tariff for the appellant to Rs.200 per kW per year under Regulation 11 of the 1966 General Tar…

The Supreme Court examined writ petitions filed by Tata Tea Ltd. and other tea companies challenging amendments made by the West Bengal and Kerala legislatures that sought to tax the entire income from the sale of tea grown and manufactured by the assessees. The petitioners argued that only 60% of such income could be …

The petitioners, Grade I stenographers attached to heads of the Customs and Central Excise Departments, claimed that they were paid less (Rs.550‑900) than their counterparts attached to Joint Secretaries and higher officers in the Central Secretariat (Rs.650‑1040) and alleged discrimination under Articles 14 and 16(1) …

The petitioners, officers of the Central Bank of India appointed after the 1969 nationalisation, challenged their forced retirement at age 58 under Rule 3 of the Bank's Rules for Age of Retirement, arguing that having two different retirement ages (60 for pre‑July 19, 1969 officers and 58 for post‑July 19, 1969 officer…

The case concerned the constitutional validity of Regulation 19(2) of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (Staff) Regulations, 1960, as amended in 1977, which required employees appointed on or after 1 September 1956 and belonging to Class I or II to retire at age 58, with a provision for retirement at 50 in the co…

The estate of the late Raja Nilkanth Narayan Singh was vested in the State of Bihar under the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950. While some mines were being worked under leases and royalties were paid, the successors-in-interest filed a writ petition seeking compensation for coal-bearing areas that had not been exploited at…

Ashok Kumar challenged his preventive detention under the National Security Act, 1980, arguing that the two‑day delay in furnishing the grounds of detention violated Article 22(5) of the Constitution and that the detaining authority failed to specify the period of detention and to link the grounds to "public order". Th…

Bishwanath Tea Co. Ltd., a corporate lessee of a tea plantation lease, sought to cut timber from the leased grant for constructing staff houses in other tea estates and challenged the Divisional Forest Officer's demand for royalty, filing a writ petition under Art. 226 for refund and a mandamus to waive royalty. The Hi…

Dr. Narendra Gupta filed a public interest litigation alleging that women, especially from marginalized communities, were subjected to unnecessary hysterectomies under government health schemes in several states, violating their right to health under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court examined affidavits…

The respondent, a CRPF employee, was removed from service for concealing a pending criminal case while filling a verification roll. The disciplinary and appellate authorities upheld the removal, but the High Court Division Bench later directed the employer to impose a lesser punishment, deeming removal too harsh. The S…

The petitioners sought a writ of mandamus challenging the approval and administration of the HPV vaccine, relying heavily on a report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee. The Union of India contended that such a report could not be used as evidence to establish facts, invoking parliamentary privilege and the doctri…

The respondent, Mis Distillers Co. Ltd., a licensed arrack bottler under the Karnataka Excise Act, paid additional amounts to the Excise Department for bottling unmatured arrack and for non‑affixation of labels after failing to comply with a circular prescribing a 15‑day maturation period. It claimed these payments as …

The Union of India appealed a High Court order that had granted relief to several OBC candidates, including the petitioner, who were denied appointments despite being recommended by the UPSC for the 174 OBC‑reserved vacancies. The respondents argued that OBC candidates selected on merit (i.e., without resorting to the …

The appellant, an inspector with United India Insurance, was dismissed after a departmental inquiry found him guilty of antedating an insurance cover note following a fire. He appealed, but the appellate authority upheld the dismissal. Simultaneously, a civil suit by the consignor concluded that the cover note was not …

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) challenged a High Court order that directed the State Transport Authority to issue 38 stage‑carriage permits to private operators for the Muzaffarnagar‑Chajlet route. The permits covered the Bijnor‑Noorpur segment, which had been notified as a state‑run road‑t…

Associated Cement Companies Ltd. manufactures cement at Kymore and was levied a terminal export tax of 0.50% on cement by the Kymore Municipal Council under a 1991 notification. The State Government later issued a circular on 15 December 1995 prescribing a uniform rate of 0.20% for cement across Madhya Pradesh. The com…

The petitioners had advance contracts with two Bombay textile mills for cloth, but after the mills were taken over by the Central Government under the Textile Undertakings (Taking over of Management) Act, 1983, the custodian claimed the contracts were cancelled and it bore no liability for pre‑takeover obligations. The…

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPC) sought renewal of a lease originally granted to Burmah Shell in 1967, which contained a renewal clause. The Burmah Shell (Acquisition of Undertakings) Act, 1976 transferred Burmah Shell's rights to the Central Government and subsequently to BPC, creating a legal fiction that BPC …

The Chhattisgarh Rural Agriculture Extension Officers Association, originally appointed as matriculate Village Level Workers, were transferred to the Agriculture Department and redesignated as Rural Agriculture Extension Officers. The State of Madhya Pradesh, invoking a policy that only graduates could fill the post, c…

The Supreme Court examined the Union of India's repeated attempts to extend the deadline for phasing out diesel buses in Delhi and to modify the Court's earlier orders directing a complete conversion to CNG. It held that the directions of the Bhure Lal Committee and the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Au…

Respondent Era Educational Trust applied to the Central Government for consent to establish a medical college, which was rejected after two inspections by the Medical Council of India. The Trust filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution, and the Allahabad High Court, without allowing a counter‑affidav…

The appellants, having passed the 12th examination with 63‑65% marks, applied for admission to a B.Ed. course that was filled through a common entrance test. Seats were allocated on a district‑wise basis among Parbhani, Nanded, Beed and Latur, and the appellants challenged this allocation as violative of Article 14 of …

Manoj was arrested in a Rajasthan NDNDPS case and bail was granted, but he remained in custody because he was subsequently arrested in a separate Madhya Pradesh NDNDPS case. The Madhya Pradesh authorities failed to produce him before a magistrate within the constitutionally mandated 24‑hour period and did not file a ch…

The Central Government sought land in Madhya Pradesh for the Bhilai Steel Plant and, under the 1925 Rules, agreed to pay the State a one‑time capitalised amount equal to 25 times the assessed land revenue, thereby obtaining exemption from further land revenue. The land was transferred to Hindustan Steel Ltd, whose succ…

The case concerned the inter‑se seniority of officers promoted from the Class II Engineers Service (the promotees) and a directly recruited Assistant Executive Engineer, R.R. Sheoran, under the Haryana Service of Engineers (Class I) Rules, 1966. The promotees were elevated to Executive Engineer on an officiating basis …

The appellants, Class II engineers promoted on an officiating basis, challenged the promotion, confirmation and subsequent promotion of direct recruits B.D. Sardana and F.L. Kansai in the Haryana Service of Engineers, arguing that they should be deemed members of the service from the date of their initial officiating p…

The petitioners, staff artists of All India Radio and Doordarshan, challenged a 1982 government circular that bifurcated them into "artists" and "government servants" and required them to exercise an option to choose their status. They sought parity with regular civil servants, pension rights, and a declaration that al…

The Union of India entered into four construction contracts with L.K. Ahuja & Co., which were completed and final bills were accepted. Later the respondent claimed a balance of Rs 1,91,137 and sought arbitration, but the government replied that no dispute existed. The respondent filed an application under Section 20 of…

The wife of a man detained under the COFEPOSA Act challenged his preventive detention, arguing that the detaining authority had not applied its mind and had ignored the stringent bail conditions imposed by the magistrate. The Supreme Court examined the factual matrix, which showed the detainee’s involvement in a large‑…

The appellant Vijay Bahadur contested the election of Gram Pradhan in Chaka village, alleging a discrepancy of 19 votes between the Presiding Officer’s oral statement (1194 votes) and Form 46 (1213 votes) and claiming irregularities such as missing poll‑booth diaries and police interference. He filed an election petiti…

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) challenged a Central Administrative Tribunal order that directed the reconsideration of the promotion of Bibhu Prasad Sarangi to the Indian Administrative Service, citing a disciplinary penalty imposed on him. The matter was taken to the Orissa High Court under Article 226 of …

The Supreme Court examined a batch of petitions challenging the approval of increased intake and second‑shift courses in pharmacy colleges approved by AICTE but rejected by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI). The core issue was whether the Pharmacy Act, 1948 (a special statute) or the All India Council for Technical E…

The case involved six accused who were convicted of murder, robbery and rape of a woman in a hut robbery in 2003, based primarily on the identification of two eye‑witnesses (PW1 and PW8) in a test identification parade (TIP) and in court. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved guilt beyond reason…

The Supreme Court examined two amendments to Kerala's Abkari Policy that altered Rule 13 of the Foreign Liquor Rules: (i) the removal of "three‑star" hotels from eligibility for FL‑3 liquor licences, and (ii) the introduction of a distance rule (Rule 3E) prohibiting new licences within 3 km in panchayat areas and 1 km …

The Uphaar Cinema tragedy in Delhi on 13 June 1997 resulted in 59 deaths and over 100 injuries due to asphyxiation from smoke. The Ansal brothers, as occupiers and licensees of the cinema, were convicted under Sections 304A, 337, 338 read with Section 36 IPC and Section 14 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The High Court…

The Supreme Court examined a long‑running partition suit involving three immovable properties. The parties had agreed to an inter‑party auction without a formal valuation, but the Commissioner of Partition and the Calcutta High Court failed to comply with mandatory provisions of the Partition Act, 1893, notably Section…

The dispute concerned the interpretation of the H.E.H. Nizam's Jewellery Trust deed, incorporated by the Nizam's Trust Deeds (Validation) Act, 1950, particularly clauses dealing with the "Remaining Sons' Fund" and "Remaining Daughters' Fund". Original petitions under Sections 56 and 61 of the Indian Trusts Act were fil…

The State of Uttaranchal advertised for Physical Education Teachers, specifying B.P.E. or a graduate with a diploma in Physical Education as the required qualification. Unsuccessful candidates challenged the selection criteria, alleging inconsistency with the U.P. Subordinate Educational (Trained Graduates Grade) Servi…

The Bihar Finance Service H.C. Cooperative Society Ltd. sought land acquisition for housing its members, leading to a declaration and award under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The High Court quashed the declaration and remitted the matter for further inquiry, but the Supreme Court later directed the High Court to rel…

The State, G.M. Haryana Roadways, terminated a casual driver, Jai Bhagwan, whose reinstatement was ordered by the Labour Court. The State reinstated him on 10 May 2002 and later regularized his service on 21 June 2004, but failed to disclose these material facts in a writ petition before the High Court and again in a S…

The State of West Bengal challenged the constitutional validity of several provisions of the West Bengal Sales Tax Act, 1994 and its 1995 Rules, including Section 2(6), the explanation to Section 11, and Section 14(4), as well as Rules 172, 173, 174, 188 and 189. The respondents argued that these provisions created a s…

The landlady, Ms. Rena Drego, sought eviction of her tenant under Section 13(1)(g) of the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, claiming a bona‑fide and reasonable need for additional accommodation for her large family. The trial court dismissed her suit, but the appellate Small Causes Court granted …

Shri Doodh Nath, an MLA, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He filed a remission petition before the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, which was granted despite the Governor not being informed of material facts such as five other serious criminal cases pending against him, the earlier dismissal of his…

The Animal and Environment Legal Defence Fund challenged the Madhya Pradesh government's order granting 305 fishing permits to tribals residing in the Pench National Park area, arguing that such permits would damage the park's biodiversity and contravene the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Indian Forest Act. T…

The respondent, V. Sreekanta, was appointed as an Excise Inspector (Junior) on a purely temporary, ad‑hoc basis on 17 January 1968 as a "local candidate" through the Employment Exchange. In October 1971, he was regularised under the Karnataka State Civil Services (Direct Recruitment to Class III posts) (Special) Rules,…

The Punjab Government issued a brochure promising a refund of sales tax as an incentive for setting up large‑scale industries in focal points. Amrit Banaspati Co. relied on assurances from the Director and Secretary of Industries, purchased land and machinery, and later sought a refund of sales tax paid. The High Court…

Ganga Singh executed a will on 2 October 1968 bequeathing his one‑third share in land to Atma Singh and died eight days later. The Assistant Collector rejected the will as suspicious and allowed mutation in favour of Smt. Guro, Ganga's sister's daughter, prompting her to sue Atma Singh for declaration of her inheritanc…

The petitioners, holders of quarry and mining leases for minor minerals in Gujarat, challenged a series of state notifications and a circular that altered rates of royalty and dead rent and classified building stones. The core issue was whether Section 15(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1…

A.C. Jose, a losing candidate in a Kerala Legislative Assembly election, challenged the election of Sivan Pillai on the ground that votes cast by electronic voting machines in 50 of 85 polling stations were illegal. The Election Commission had issued a notification permitting the use of machines, but the Representation…

The case concerned a challenge by 25 Group I officers of the Reserve Bank of India to an Administrative Circular (No. 8, 7 January 1978) and an Office Order (No. 679, 27 April 1978) that introduced a combined seniority list and inter‑group mobility for officers across Groups I, II and III, with retrospective effect fro…

Wing Commander J. Kumar, an Air Force officer permanently seconded to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1971, challenged Rule 16 (promulgated in 1979 under Article 309) which fixed seniority of permanently seconded officers based on the date they attained the substantive rank of Major/equivale…

The case concerned the validity of a Gujarat Government Resolution dated 28 December 1966 that discontinued public auctions for bhatha lands and instead allocated lease‑hold rights preferentially to bona‑fide agriculturists, Harijans, Adivasis, backward classes and cooperative societies. Petitioners claimed they were u…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Act, 2003, which repealed the Karnataka Contract Carriages (Acquisition) Act, 1976, and whether the State Transport Authority (STA) could delegate the power to grant contract carriage, speci…

The Maharashtra Government, without consulting the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), issued a Government Resolution on 22 April 2019 to appoint an additional 636 candidates as Police Sub‑Inspectors, effectively doubling the vacancies advertised for the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) 201…

The appellants, originally recruited as Data Entry Operators (DEOs) Grade B, challenged a notice that limited promotion to the post of Inspector to pre‑restructured categories, arguing that the 2001 cabinet‑approved cadre restructuring merged DEOs into the Senior Tax Assistant (STA) cadre and that their prior service s…