Constitution of India

The respondents, originally employed by the Rehabilitation and Reclamation Organisation, were declared surplus and redeployed to All India Radio under the Central Civil Services (Redeployment of Surplus Staff) Rules, 1990. Their past service and experience in the parent organisation were not taken into account for seni…

The respondents were primary school teachers employed under the Dandakaranya Development Project (DDP) of the Ministry of Home Affairs until the schools were handed over to the states on 1 April 1986, after which they were placed on the Central Surplus Staff Cell and later redeployed in non‑teaching posts. They claimed…

Ms. Kamini Jaiswal filed a public interest writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking the closure of high‑pressure gas pipelines operated by GAIL and ONGC until an independent expert inquiry certified their safety. The petitioner alleged that the pipelines, particularly the DESU‑Maruti spurline, were la…

The case concerned the constitutionality of the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Haryana Amendment Acts of 1974 and 1981, which sought to retrospectively bar civil courts from adjudicating disputes over village common lands (shamilat deh) and to empower Assistant Collectors to disregard earlier civil‑court decr…

The State of Andhra Pradesh sought recovery of the excise‑duty component of the issue price for arrack that excise contractors failed to lift against their minimum guaranteed quantity. The contractors argued that excise duty, being a component of the issue price, could be severed and should not be payable on unlifted l…

The Supreme Court examined the status and remuneration of part‑time contractual instructors appointed under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme in Uttar Pradesh. The teachers had been hired in 2013 on a fixed honorarium of Rs 7,000 per month for an eleven‑month contract, but the contract was repeatedly renewed for over ten year…

The parties, Ankhim Holdings and Zaveri Construction, formed a partnership to develop an SRA project and later fell into dispute. The Bombay High Court appointed an arbitrator under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to resolve the dispute. While arbitration was pending, the respondent was admitted to corporate…

The Surat Parsi Panchayat Board filed a petition under Article 226 seeking directions to allow the performance of Dokhmenashini, the traditional Zoroastrian funeral rites, asserting that the Union Government's COVID‑19 dead‑body disposal protocols violated their religious freedom under Article 25. The Gujarat High Cour…

The petitioners, convicted under IPC 498‑A and the Dowry Prohibition Act, had their appeal dismissed and filed a revision petition under CrPC ss. 397 and 401 before the Jharkhand High Court. The High Court refused to register the revision because the petitioners had not surrendered to custody as mandated by Rule 159 of…

The appellants, traders holding trade licences, challenged a circular issued by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai that imposed trade refuse charges (TRC) and mandated an automatic 10% annual increase from 2009. They argued that they did not generate trade refuse, that the levy was ultra vires, and that the in…

The appeal concerned the constitutional validity of Section 6 of the Kerala Cashew Factories Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 1995, which declared that ten cashew factories acquired earlier would stand transferred to the State notwithstanding any court judgment. The petitioners argued that the provision directly nullified …

The petitioners, two advocates, sought a writ of quo warranto to quash the appointment of a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on the ground that a criminal case was pending against him and that the consultative process had failed to consider this. The Court examined the distinction between eligibility (objective) …

Narinder Kaur, a Civil Judge, applied within two years of her entry into government service to correct her date of birth from 26‑01‑1971 to 09‑01‑1972, citing the Punjab Financial Volume I (Haryana First Amendment) Rules, 2001 which allow correction upon a special inquiry. The High Court rejected her application, alleg…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against the High Court’s order that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) was not liable to Uttar Pradesh Trade Tax on rentals collected from telephone subscribers. The Supreme Court examined whether the DoT qualifies as a "dealer" under Section 2(c) of the Uttar Pradesh Trade T…

Rati Pal Saroj, an Under Secretary of the UPSC, was offered an IAS appointment which he accepted but could not join as a probationer because he was not relieved from his previous post. A CBI FIR later alleged his involvement in a conspiracy to tamper with his examination answer sheets. The Government withdrew the appoi…

The Supreme Court dealt with a public‑interest litigation concerning the allocation of hawker and squatter sites within the New Delhi Municipal Committee (NDMC) area. The Court examined the objections raised by NDMC to the inclusion of 33 sites in the Thareja Committee’s report and whether the Committee’s recommendatio…

The appellant, appointed as Tailoring Instructor in 1983, was promoted to Superintendent in 1991 on the basis of seniority. Respondents 3 and 4, who were graduates, challenged the promotion invoking the unnotified Haryana Social Welfare and Relief Organisation Service Group ‘C’ Rules, 1983, and the High Court ordered t…

The Rajasthan State Electricity Board Accountants Association challenged Entry 19 of the 1974 Regulations, which reserved 25% of promotion vacancies for accountants holding ICWA/DCWA qualifications and required a longer seven‑year service period for those without such qualifications. The association argued that the pro…

The Government of Uttar Pradesh issued notifications exempting sales tax on exercise books made from paper purchased within the state while levying a 5% tax on all other exercise books, including those manufactured outside the state and brought in for sale. A dealer challenged the notifications before the Allahabad Hig…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of Rule 39 of the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, which permits the State Government to grant or renew quarry leases in special cases for mineral development and public interest. The petitioners argued that the rule conferred unguided, uncanalised discretion viol…

Veeramani was detained on 16 February 1993 under Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1982, on the ground that he was a "goonda" and likely to commit acts prejudicial to public order if released on bail. He challenged the detention before the High Court, which dismissed his habeas corpus …

N.K. Chandla, a Sub‑Station Assistant in the Haryana State Electricity Board, lost his right arm due to cancer and could no longer perform technical duties. The Board reassigned him as a Carrier Attendant with a lower pay scale, which he contested. The Supreme Court ordered a medical board to assess his capability; the…

The petitioners, former rulers of Indian princely states, challenged the Constitution (Twenty‑sixth Amendment) Act, 1971 which repealed Articles 291 and 362 and amended Article 366(22), thereby abolishing privy purses and royal privileges. They argued that the amendment violated the basic structure doctrine, exceeded P…

The respondents filed writ petitions challenging the extension of the Wealth Tax Act, 1957 to the State of Jammu & Kashmir, arguing that the Act falls under Union List Entry 86, which does not apply to the State under Article 370, and that it should be placed under Entry 97, rendering the extension ultra vires. The Hig…

The Supreme Court held that the right to education is a fundamental right flowing from Article 21, but it is limited to free education up to the age of fourteen and thereafter subject to the State’s economic capacity. The Court rejected the notion of a fundamental right to establish or obtain recognition for educationa…

The case concerned employees of the Accounts Wing of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department who claimed that the benefit under the Office Memo dated 12 June 1987, which upgraded pay scales, should be applied retrospectively from 1 January 1986, the date the Fourth Central Pay Commission had recommended higher scales …

The dispute concerned the inheritance of immovable and movable property of a deceased father and was referred to arbitration. The arbitrator's award directed payment of sums and stipulated residence rights, but did not actually create or extinguish any right in the immovable property. The first respondent objected that…

The appellants, judgment‑debtors, had decrees for payment of money against the Bank of Cochin and their properties were attached with a receiver appointed. The execution court issued a warrant for their arrest and detention in civil prison under Section 51 of the Code of Civil Procedure and Order 21 Rule 37, without in…

The appellant challenged the validity of a preventive detention order issued under Section 3 of the COFEPOSA Act against the detenue, alleging that the authorities failed to serve the grounds of detention and did not inform him of his right to make a representation as mandated by Article 22(5) of the Constitution. The …

The All India Judges Association filed a writ petition challenging the allowances recommended by the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) for judicial officers and retired judges. The Union and several State governments objected, arguing that the recommendations would impose a financial burden, should be gov…

The appellants, elected as Sarpanch and member of a village panchayat in Dhule, were alleged to have failed to lodge election expense accounts and were therefore subject to disqualification proceedings under Section 14B(1) of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959. The Collector, acting as delegate of the State E…

The case concerned the rehabilitation of about 800 slum dwellers in Mumbai who owned the land through a cooperative society. Susme Builders (the appellant) and J.G. Developers (respondent No.4) each claimed to have the consent of at least 70% of the eligible slum dwellers required under the Development Control Regulati…

The appellants, Sulekhan Singh & Co. and others, were granted mining leases in Uttar Pradesh after the State issued a Government Order (G.O.) on 31 May 2012 requiring all minor‑mineral leases to be awarded by e‑tendering under Chapter IV of the U.P. Minor Minerals (Concession) Rules, 1963. The High Court quashed the le…

The appellant's husband, Yumman Somendro, was arrested in January 2011 for murder and, while in police custody, was served with a detention order under the National Security Act (NSA) dated 31 January 2011, which was later confirmed by the Governor for twelve months. The order was based solely on the subjective satisfa…

The father of a deceased woman appealed against the High Court's acquittal of her husband, who was charged with murder under Section 302 IPC. The trial court had convicted the husband based on circumstantial evidence, a threatening letter (Exhibit 7) establishing motive, the recovery of a revolver with smoke, and the f…

The State of Maharashtra appealed to the Supreme Court seeking expunction of adverse remarks made by the Bombay High Court against the then Chief Minister and the Managing Director of CIDCO, who were not parties to the proceedings. The High Court had interpreted the Chief Minister's notation "please put up" on land‑all…

The Associated Cement Companies Ltd. challenged the Andhra Pradesh General Sales Tax Act’s amendment that introduced two different tax rates for cement depending on whether the price included packing material (16%) or excluded it (20%). The appellants argued that this differential treatment violated Article 14 of the C…

The petitioners were Border Security Force (BSF) personnel who, relying on a 1995 government circular, resigned under Rule 19 of the BSF Rules in the hope of receiving pension benefits, although they had not completed the qualifying service required under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972. After the mist…

The appellant, appointed on a contractual basis as an Extra Departmental Delivery Agent/Extra Departmental Mail Carrier in the Post Office, faced a criminal charge of kidnapping, for which he was initially denied bail but later released and allowed to join service. An unsuccessful candidate petitioned the Central Admin…

The state-owned Singareni Collieries Ltd., which supplies coal to both core (priority) and non‑core industries, issued Notification No. 3/96‑97 imposing a 20% surcharge on non‑core customers. The appellants, small‑scale coal‑using manufacturers, challenged the surcharge as arbitrary discrimination violating Article 14 …

Dudh Nath Prasad, an IAS officer, was appointed in 1968 to a reserved Scheduled Caste (SC) vacancy based on a caste certificate issued by the Sub‑Divisional Officer, Howrah, West Bengal. Although he was born, educated and held property in Bihar, his parents had been residing in Howrah for over 30 years before the 1966 …

The appellant, a Syrian Catholic (a forward caste) married a Latin Catholic fisherman (a backward class) and was appointed as a lecturer to a post reserved for Latin Catholics under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution. The appointment was challenged on the ground that she was not entitled to reservation benefi…

The Textile Processors' Association filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court challenging a Gujarat High Court order that directed its member industries to pay 1% of their gross turnover towards pollution control, despite many of the industries not yet being operational and incurring losses. The petition …

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ under Article 32 filed by Common Cause seeking remedial measures for the serious deficiencies in India’s blood‑banking system. A 1990 consultancy report highlighted widespread unlicensed banks, reliance on professional donors, inadequate testing, poor equipment and h…

Mission Accessibility, a disability‑rights organization, filed a writ petition seeking modification of the scribe‑registration timeline for the Civil Services Examination and the introduction of laptops with screen‑reader software and accessible digital question papers for visually‑impaired candidates. The petition arg…

The appellant, Abhishek Gupta, was allotted a fair‑price shop licence after the licence of respondent No.1 was revoked for breach of conditions. The revocation and its affirmation were challenged by respondent No.1 in a writ petition under Art.226, where the appellant was not impleaded. The Single Judge set aside the r…

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) issued a tender for the sale of gas. Pooja Ceratech Private Limited submitted a price bid but later claimed a mistake and sought to modify the bid. ONGC opened the price bids without the petitioner, disqualified it and invoked the bank guarantees furnished as security deposit, inv…

Skill Lotto Solutions Pvt. Ltd., an authorised agent for Punjab lotteries, filed a writ petition under Art.32 challenging the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (CGST Act) on the grounds that the definition of ‘goods’ in s.2(52) – which includes actionable claims – is unconstitutional and that taxing lottery, bet…

The dispute concerned possession of a flat in Kozhikode between private individuals Roshina T (appellant) and Abdul Azeez K.T. (respondent No.1). While a civil suit for injunction was pending, the respondent filed a writ petition under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution seeking a mandamus directing the appellant to r…

The case concerned two probationary officers of State Bank of India who were terminated after being alleged to have used unfair means in a confirmation test. The bank, relying on a report from the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) and seating‑arrangement evidence, extended their probation and then dismiss…

The case concerns the murder of Vivekanandan in Coimbatore, allegedly orchestrated by Venkatraman (A‑1) out of a love rivalry and carried out by hired assassins Kumar (A‑9), Pavunraj (A‑10) and Prince Kumar (A‑11). The trial court convicted all accused under sections 302, 34, 109 and 120B IPC; the High Court affirmed m…

The petitioners challenged the construction of a large memorial park in Noida, alleging that the 33.43‑hectare site was forest land and that the project proceeded without the required prior environmental clearance under the 2006 EIA Notification, thereby threatening the nearby Okhla Bird Sanctuary. The Court examined r…

The West Bengal Bar Association challenged the West Bengal Land Reforms and Tenancy Tribunal Act, 1997, alleging that its provisions were ultra vires the Constitution because they ousted the High Court's jurisdiction under Articles 226 and 227. The Calcutta High Court struck down sections 6, 7 and 8 of the Act, holding…

The respondent filed an application under Section 340 of the Criminal Procedure Code before a Designated Court, alleging that the appellant, the Chief Public Prosecutor, had made contradictory submissions in the Bombay blast case, potentially amounting to fabrication of evidence. The Designated Judge held that the resp…

The case concerned appointments of junior assistants in the office of the Director General/Inspector General of Police in Orissa made between 1981 and 1985 under the Orissa Police Manual, 1940. After the Orissa Ministerial Service Rules of 1975 and the statutory rules of 1988 came into force, the State Government grant…

The Supreme Court dismissed appeals by Sharma Transport and other tourist bus operators challenging the Andhra Pradesh Government's cancellation of a tax concession for tourist vehicles. The operators argued that the concession, granted based on a 1993 letter from the Union Government, could not be withdrawn and that t…

The State of Bihar enacted the Bihar Excise (Amendment and Validating) Act, 1995 to give statutory basis to the price fixation of country liquor and the deduction of a 0.70‑paise warehouse‑maintenance charge that had been ordered by the Excise Commissioner. Distilleries challenged the Act, arguing it was beyond the Sta…

U.D. Dwivedi, a scientist in the Defence Research and Development Organisation, challenged his promotion assessment on the ground that the Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC) was chaired by Prof. S. Sampath, a former member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Central Administrative Tribunal held the …

The petitioners, members of the Thandan community in the erstwhile Malabar (Palghat) district of Kerala, challenged the State Government's 1987 order that sought to exclude them from Scheduled Caste (SC) status despite their inclusion in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order. The State argued that Thandans in the M…

Jarnail Singh, a retired Under Secretary, was found guilty of serious irregularities and the President ordered permanent withholding of his full pension and death‑cum‑retirement gratuity. Singh challenged the order, arguing that Rule 9 of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 did not empower the President to…

The Supreme Court entertained several criminal miscellaneous petitions filed under Article 32 seeking clarification of the procedural safeguards it had earlier laid down for the adoption of Indian children by foreign and Indian parents. It directed that reasonable remuneration, ranging from Rs. 450 to Rs. 500 (and up t…

The sisters Poonam, et al., filed a civil suit for declaration of title and injunction against their brother, which was dismissed by the trial court. They appealed the decree but filed the appeal 63 days late, seeking condonation of delay, citing illness of one sister and negligence of counsel. The District Judge and s…

The Union of India and others filed a writ petition challenging the seizure of goods belonging to M/s Kundan Rice Mills Ltd., and the High Court, while hearing the interim application, passed a categorical finding that the goods were not liable to confiscation. The High Court also imposed conditions of furnishing an in…

The appellant, Deelp Singh, was convicted under Section 376 IPC for raping a girl, based on the prosecution's claim that she was under 16 and that the sexual intercourse was against her will or without consent, allegedly induced by a false promise to marry. The Supreme Court examined the age of the victim, finding the …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of several reservation provisions in the Assam Medical Colleges (Regulation of Admission to Post‑Graduate Courses) Rules, 1997, specifically the NEC quota, teachers quota, and State Health Service quota, as well as the exemption of certain categories from the common entr…

Hope Plantations Ltd., which owned a large tea estate, claimed exemption from the ceiling area under the Kerala Land Reforms Act for land classified as fuel area, rested tea area, roads and buildings, and other agricultural land interspersed. The Taluk Land Board initially disallowed the fuel and rested tea claims, but…

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) invited tenders for the sale of damaged food grains. The respondent submitted the highest bid, but FCI deemed the price inadequate and invited all tenderers to negotiate for higher offers. The respondent refused to revise its bid, and a higher offer was obtained during negotiations, …

The Supreme Court examined a writ petition filed under Article 32 by the Shia community of Mohalla Doshipura, Varanasi, seeking enforcement of their customary rights to perform religious rites on nine specific plots and structures, rights previously affirmed by civil courts and Wakf registrations. The petition challeng…

The appellant, M/s Safari Retreats, constructed a shopping mall and accumulated input tax credit (ITC) on the inputs used for construction, but was denied ITC on the GST payable on rental income because Section 17(5)(d) of the CGST Act blocks credit for construction of immovable property on the taxpayer's own account. …

The appellants, Pankaj Bansal and Basant Bansal, were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Section 19(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) after being summoned in connection with two Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs). They had earlier obtained anticipatory bail for the firs…

The Calcutta Club, a Section 25 company operating as a members' club, was served with a notice for non‑payment of sales tax on food and drinks supplied to its permanent members. The Club argued that, under the doctrine of mutuality, no sale occurred because the supplier and the buyer were the same persons, a view uphel…

The Telangana Judges Association challenged the draft and modified guidelines for allocating subordinate judicial officers between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, arguing that the guidelines favored Andhra officers and violated their rights. The Supreme Court examined the constitutional scheme, the Andhra Pradesh Reorgan…

The appellants Vikas Yadav, Vishal Yadav and Sukhdev Yadav were convicted of murder, kidnapping and related offences (IPC ss.302, 364, 34, 201) and sentenced to life imprisonment with additional fixed‑term sentences. The State appealed for enhancement of the life sentence to death; the High Court instead imposed a fixe…

Vinod Kapoor challenged the construction of a bungalow on C‑land in Goa, alleging violations of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1974 and the Coastal Regulation Zone notification under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Bombay High Court dismissed his writ petition on the basis of a technical report and late…

The appellant Rukmini Narvekar filed a criminal complaint alleging that advocate Ranjit Satardekar fraudulently obtained her signature on a Power of Attorney and used it to sell her property to his wife Vijaya Satardekar. The High Court quashed the criminal proceedings against both accused, relying on evidence from a r…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by several accused convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for murder and related offences. Their convictions were based primarily on confessional statements recorded by a Superintendent of Police under Section 15 of TADA, but the officer failed…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Karnataka (Mysore) Land Acquisition (Extension and Amendment) Act, 1961 was repugnant to the central Land Acquisition Act, 1894 as amended in 1984, and whether a Special Deputy Commissioner could issue a acquisition notification without prior approval of the State Government as re…

The Government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi ordered the repatriation of several Joint Account Officers and Assistant Account Officers who were on deputation from the Ministry of Urban Development and posted in the Delhi PWD. The officers, represented by the All India Central Civil Accounts Associati…

The appellants were convicted under IPC sections 302 and 201 for the murder of Deosharan, a notorious villager, based primarily on the testimony of four eye‑witnesses who claimed to have heard a disturbance and seen the assault. During cross‑examination the witnesses admitted they did not actually see the assault, and …

The State of Punjab ordered the repatriation of constables who had been deputed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for many years, directing them to return to their parent police departments as constables or head constables. The respondents challenged the order, arguing that they should retain the higher ra…

The Supreme Court examined the court‑assisted settlement of the Bhopal gas‑leak disaster claims, where Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) agreed to pay $470 million and all civil and criminal proceedings were to be terminated. The Court held that under Article 142 of the Constitution it had jurisdiction to withdraw the ma…

The dispute concerned the succession to the suit‑schedule property of the deceased parents, C.R. Pius and Philomina Pius, who had executed a joint will bequeathing the property to the appellant C.P. Francis. The respondents, other children of the deceased, challenged the will on the grounds of lack of testamentary capa…

The respondents filed a suit for specific performance of a 2005 sale agreement, which was eventually decreed by the appellate court directing the appellants to execute the sale deed upon payment of the balance consideration. While the execution application was pending, the appellants sought rescission of the contract u…

The case arose from a violent incident on 03‑03‑2001 at the Barnala Court Complex where seven accused, including Manjit Singh and Sukhwinder Singh, attacked members of a complainant party, causing grievous injuries and the death of Dalip Singh. The prosecution relied primarily on the testimony of two injured eye‑witnes…

Raghuvir Singh, a conductor with Haryana Roadways, was arrested in 1994 on a criminal charge of ticket‑money misappropriation and was terminated from service without a proper enquiry or show‑cause notice. After being acquitted in 2002, he sought reinstatement; the dispute was referred by the State Government to the Lab…

The Supreme Court examined whether its own orders dated 11 April 2011 and 9 November 2012, issued under Articles 136 and 142 while monitoring the 2G spectrum scam investigation, could be recalled. The petitioners argued that the orders infringed their right to approach the High Courts under Articles 226, 227 and Sectio…

The Supreme Court reviewed its own September 2012 judgment that upheld Sections 12(5), 12(6), 15(5) and 15(6) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, on the ground that the earlier decision contained a manifest error of law. The Court held that the provisions merely require persons of eminence with wide knowledge and ex…

The appellants, bus operators holding All‑India Tourist permits, challenged the constitutional validity of the Madhya Pradesh Motor Vehicles Tax Act, 1991, alleging that it lacked a mechanism to assess tax liability and grant refunds for vehicles not used in the state. The High Court had dismissed the writ petitions, h…

Dr. Prachi Almeida, who earned her MBBS at Goa Medical College under the 15% all‑India quota, applied for a postgraduate medical seat in Goa but was denied because she had not resided in Goa for ten years as required by Rule III(iii) of the Goa University admission rules. She contended that the residence requirement sh…

The Zippers Karamchari Union filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking to quash the Central Government's permission to YKK for setting up an integrated plant for zip fasteners and to set aside Notification No. S.O. 309(E) dated 30 May 1986, alleging that the de‑reservation of zip‑fastener manufacturing from the sm…

The State of Orissa awarded exclusive liquor licences to Narain Prasad and others, who contracted to lift a monthly minimum guaranteed quantity (MGQ) of liquor and remit excise duty in two instalments as per Orissa Excise (Exclusive Privilege) Rules, 1970. The licensees failed to lift the MGQ and to pay the duty, promp…

The appellant's 60 bighas of land, requisitioned in 1959 under the Assam Land (Requisition and Acquisition) Act, 1948 for settlement of Bangladesh refugees, was compensated at Rs. 300 per bigha under Section 7(1A). The appellant argued that the land, originally granted in 1872 for "special cultivation," should attract …

Shyam Kishore and others appealed to the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court's dismissal of their appeal for non‑deposit of the disputed tax under Section 170(b) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. The issue was whether the pre‑deposit requirement, which makes an appeal "heard or determined" only after…

Birendra Kumar Rai was arrested under the Arms Act and Motor Vehicles Act and was in jail when a complaint under the NDPS Act was filed. While he remained in custody, a detention order under Section 3(1) of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 (PITNDPS) was issued, c…

The appellants, senior police inspectors, challenged the out‑of‑turn promotion of two junior officers to Deputy Superintendent of Police, alleging that the promotion order lacked any reasons. They filed a writ petition in the High Court, which dismissed the petition by a non‑speaking order that gave no reasons for dism…

O.P. Gupta, an Assistant Engineer in the Central Public Works Department, was suspended in 1959 pending a departmental enquiry that lingered for over a decade. He was reinstated in 1970 but the enquiry continued, leading to his compulsory retirement in 1972. The Delhi High Court quashed the retirement, held the suspens…

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) appealed against a Delhi High Court decision that held it could not levy restitutionary or compensatory damages under s.33A of the Water Act and s.31A of the Air Act, on the ground that such powers amounted to penalties. The Supreme Court examined the statutory scheme, the p…

The State of Haryana challenged a High Court order directing the State to draft a fresh remission policy under Article 161 and to apply the 2008 policy for premature release of Raj Kumar, who had served 12 years and 25 days of a life sentence. The Supreme Court examined the interplay between the constitutional power of…

The appellant, Parhlad, and his uncle were convicted for kidnapping and raping a girl who was about 14 years old. The trial court, and subsequently the High Court, relied on the victim's testimony, her father's statements, and a school leaving certificate to establish that she was below sixteen, rejecting the ossificat…

The Bar Council of India challenged the constitutional validity of Sections 22‑A to 22‑E of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 (as inserted by the 2002 Amendment), arguing that they were arbitrary, violated Articles 14 and 21, denied a right of appeal and encroached on the jurisdiction of special statutes. The Su…

Dr. Mehmoood Nayar Azam, an Ayurvedic doctor and social activist, was arrested and taken into police custody where he was forced to hold a placard with self‑condemning words and photographed; the photograph was later circulated, causing humiliation and mental trauma. The High Court found that he had been subjected to c…

The case concerned the selection and appointment of pharmacy diploma holders as pharmacists in Uttar Pradesh. The 1980 Rules required that vacancies be filled by appointing candidates who obtained their diplomas earlier, irrespective of merit, while the 2002 and 2003 Rules introduced a merit‑based selection. The State …

The Supreme Court reviewed a petition challenging its earlier orders that directed the Minister of State for Petroleum, Capt. Satish Sharma, to pay Rs.50 lakh as exemplary damages to the Government and to undergo CBI investigation for alleged criminal breach of trust. The Court held that the earlier directions were err…

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (the Nigam) and the Union of India claimed exclusive rights to publish the list of telephone subscribers under Rule 458 of the Indian Telegraph Rules, 1951, and sought to restrain Tata Press Ltd. from publishing its "Tata Press Yellow Pages" – a buyers' guide comprising paid advertisement…

The appellant, a general‑category candidate, and Dr. Nitya Anand, a backward‑class candidate, were appointed as lecturers under the Haryana Medical Education Service Rules, 1965. The appellant argued that the order of merit prepared by the Selection Committee, which placed him higher than Dr. Anand, should determine in…

The appellant, the estate of the late Sri Kaptan Singh, filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court seeking a mandamus directing the Commissioner of Police to transfer his criminal complaint to an independent police agency, alleging that while in police custody his property was being alienated by a person claiming po…

Approximately 1,200 individuals claiming to be long‑time contract helpers with the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board filed writ petitions under Article 32 seeking regularisation and a direction to the Khalid Commission, or an independent body, to determine their identity. The Board had earlier appointed Justice Khalid as a …

The President of India referred a complaint under Article 317(1) to the Supreme Court alleging that a member of the Punjab Public Service Commission, G.K. Saini, slapped the Chairman, Santosh Chowdhary, without provocation. After extensive evidence, including affidavits of the Chairman, three other members, and the res…

Abhay Singh Surana, the landlord of a godown, sued Jayshree Textiles (later amalgamated with Indian Rayon) for eviction and faced a title suit for injunction. He applied under Clause 13 of the 1865 Letters Patent of the Calcutta High Court to have both suits transferred to the High Court, citing the respondent's dilato…

The case arises from the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her security guards Beant Singh and Satwant Singh. The trial was held in Tihar Jail pursuant to a High Court notification. The Supreme Court considered whether the trial in jail violated the right to open public trial, whethe…

The Krishna District Co‑operative Marketing Society (the petitioner) retrenched nine clerks, invoking the Andhra Pradesh Shops and Establishments Act, 1966. The employees (respondents) challenged the terminations, arguing that the retrenchment provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (particularly s.25F) applied…

The Supreme Court was asked to consider objections raised by several states to the implementation of a Court‑approved scheme that reserved 15% of MBBS/BDS seats for an All‑India Entrance Examination. The states sought a further deferment of the scheme, arguing lack of uniform syllabus, language barriers, and law‑and‑or…

Javed Gulam Nabi Shaikh was arrested in February 2020 with a large consignment of counterfeit currency and charged under Sections 489B, 489C, 120B read with 34 of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The investigation was taken over by the NIA and, after four years of custody, the trial court had…

Amit Kumar Roy, an Air Force airman, applied for a bank probationary officer post without completing the mandatory seven years of service or obtaining prior permission under Air Force Order (AFO) 14/2008. He obtained a provisional No Objection Certificate (NOC) and discharge from the Armed Forces Tribunal, joined the b…

The case concerned the applicability of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 to the newly created State of Jharkhand after the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000. The petitioners challenged a Jharkhand Government notification that sought fresh registration of pharmacists under Section 31 of the Act, arguing that the First Register prepa…

The Supreme Court dismissed appeals concerning the administration of Parish Churches within the Malankara Church, which has been divided between the Patriarch faction and the Catholicos faction. The core dispute was whether the 1934 Constitution of the Malankara Church or individual Udampady agreements (such as those f…

The Maharshi Mahesh Yogi Vedic Vishwavidyalaya, a university created under the 1995 Act to impart Vedic and other education, challenged the Amendment Act 5 of 2000 which altered Section 4(1) to restrict instruction to Vedic learning only, deleted the phrase “dissemination of knowledge”, and added a proviso requiring St…

The case concerned whether Supervisors in the Andhra Pradesh Engineering Service could be granted retrospective seniority when they were appointed as Junior Engineers under G.O.Ms No. 54 dated 15‑02‑1983. The Supreme Court held that while statutory rules may have retrospective effect, such retroactivity must satisfy Ar…

The Supreme Court examined several petitions for compassionate appointments of dependents of government employees who died in service, filed under the Kerala Education Rules and a 1999 Government Order. It held that applications must be made within two years of death, or within three years after a minor attains majorit…

The Union of India appealed the acquittal of Mohanlal and another by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which had held that the prosecution failed to prove the destruction of 3.36 kg of opium seized under Sections 8/18(b) read with 29 of the NDPS Act. The Supreme Court examined whether the lack of proof of destruction inva…

The petitioners, former Assistant Engineers of Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, claimed that the corporation violated court orders by re‑engaging them without continuity of service and back wages, and later by terminating them without a prior hearing. The Supreme Court examined two sets of contempt petitions: one concerning th…

Dr. Rini Johar, a doctor, and a senior advocate were arrested in November 2012 on a FIR alleging fraud under IPC sections 420 and 34 and the Information Technology Act. The arrest was carried out without complying with Sections 41 and 41‑A of the CrPC, nor the D.K. Basu guidelines, and the petitioners were taken to Bho…

The Uttaranchal Public Service Commission advertised 35 posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division) with both vertical (SC/ST/OBC) and horizontal (women, physically handicapped) reservations. Ms. Mamta Bisht, a resident woman of Uttaranchal, applied for the horizontal women’s reservation but was not selected. She filed a wr…

Fuljit Kaur applied for a residential plot in Punjab Urban Estates and was asked to pay a provisional price. After the tentative price was later determined, the authorities issued a demand for an additional price, which she challenged as arbitrary. The High Court upheld the demand, relying on the Supreme Court’s decisi…

The Karnataka State Financial Corporation (KSFC) had extended loans to a rubber manufacturing company (Respondent No.1) which defaulted, leading KSFC to take over the unit under Section 29 of the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951 and initiate its sale. After several advertisements, offers were received: the highes…

The Travancore Tea Co. Ltd., a tea plantation owning 17 motor vehicles, claimed that the vehicles were used only on private estate roads for agricultural purposes and therefore exempt from tax under the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1963. The State levied tax, seized a lorry and the company paid the amount under …

Balwant Singh was convicted and sentenced to death for his role in the 1995 bomb blast that killed Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. A mercy petition on his behalf was filed by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee in 2012, but the petitioner himself never lodged any petition. The petitioner claimed an inordina…

The Supreme Court examined challenges by private unaided schools in Rajasthan to the Rajasthan Schools (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2016 and its 2017 Rules, alleging violations of Articles 19(1)(g) and 13(2) of the Constitution. It also considered the State's order dated 28 October 2020, issued by the Director of Secondary…

The Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) challenged the constitutional validity of sections 23(1) and 23(2) of the Pre‑conception and Pre‑natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, arguing that the provisions presumed guilt and violated Articles 14, 19(1)(g) a…

The appellant, Bhaikon @ Bakul Borah, was convicted of rape (IPC s.376) and murder (IPC s.302) of Rupamoni Dutta based on the testimony of an eye‑witness (PW‑1) corroborated by the victim's father (PW‑2) and the post‑mortem doctor (PW‑9). The trial court sentenced him to death for murder and life imprisonment for rape;…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of two Goa Government notifications (15‑May‑1996 and 1‑Aug‑1996) granting a 25% electricity tariff rebate to industrial consumers. The appellants argued that the notifications were lawful government decisions, while the State contended they were issued by the Power Minister witho…

The appellant and respondent were parties to commercial transactions in which five cheques issued by the appellant were dishonoured, leading to criminal proceedings under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. After protracted litigation up to the Supreme Court, the parties reached a settlement and sought…

The petitioner sought anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which the Calcutta High Court rejected. He filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court challenging that order. The Court examined the record and found no justification to grant anticipatory bail. However, it clarified …

The State of Goa enacted the Goa (Prohibition of Further Payment and Recovery of Rebate Benefits) Act, 2002 to stop further electricity rebate payments under two 1996 notifications and to recover amounts already paid, alleging the notifications were unauthorized. Industrial units (Goa Glass Fibre Ltd. and others) chall…

Dayal Singh was convicted under Sections 498A and 302 IPC for cruelty and murder of his wife, Tejinder Kaur, based primarily on her dying declaration recorded by a police head constable in the presence of a doctor. The appellant challenged the admissibility of the declaration, arguing it was not recorded by a magistrat…

The appellants filed writ petitions seeking a declaration that they were deemed to have been granted licences for operating video‑game businesses under Clause 4(8) of the Licensing and Controlling of Place of Public Amusement (Bangalore City) Order, 1989. Respondent No. I filed a separate public‑interest petition that …

The Adityapur Industrial Area Development Authority (the Authority) challenged a notice issued by the Income Tax Department requiring the bank to deduct TDS on interest earned on its fixed deposits, arguing that its income was exempt under Article 289 of the Constitution and Section 10(20) of the Income Tax Act as a lo…

The Supreme Court examined the termination of over 150 civil and judicial officers appointed by the Punjab Public Service Commission during the tenure of its chairman, who was alleged to have taken bribes and corrupted the selection process. The appellants argued that their services were dismissed without due process, …

Constable Surjit Singh of the Border Security Force was reported missing during the 1971 Indo‑Pak war and was declared dead, with a family pension granted to his wife, Angrej Kaur. In 2004 the petitioner learned, through newspaper reports and identification by former Pakistani detainees, that her husband might be alive…

The State of Maharashtra introduced a CPED course, but a private institution, Lokmata Indira Gandhi College of Sports, admitted students without permission for the 1994-95 session. After several writ petitions were dismissed, a forged Supreme Court order dated 28 August 1998 was allegedly sent to the State, directing i…

The Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) issued a notification for recruitment of Junior Health Inspectors in 14 districts, stipulating that a candidate could apply to only one district and that any application violating this or containing a false declaration would be summarily rejected. A large number of candidates…

Essar Constructions appealed a Supreme Court order dismissing its appeal against a High Court decision that had condoned delay in filing an application under Section 30 of the Arbitration Act, 1940. The dispute arose from three arbitrators where two awards favored Essar and one favored the respondent, who sought to set…

The Supreme Court was approached by officers of public sector enterprises seeking implementation of the High Power Pay Committee's recommendations on pay scales, dearness allowance and other benefits for Class I and II officers. The Court had earlier ordered interim reliefs and the constitution of the Committee, whose …

The case concerned the implementation of the 1974 and 1982 India‑Bangladesh agreements concerning the lease of a small tract of land (Teen Bigha) to enable Bangladesh’s access to its enclaves Dahagram and Angarpota. The petitioners argued that the agreements amounted to a cession of Indian territory and a surrender of …

The Supreme Court examined appeals filed by the State of Jammu & Kashmir and the candidates who had been selected to the MBBS/BDS courses against a Jammu & Kashmir High Court judgment that had set aside those selections. The High Court had directed the State to create a statutory independent body for admissions, based …

The petitioner, Salim Rajmohmad Muslim, was detained under section 3(2) of the Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act, 1985 on 11 June 1987. He filed a representation on 15 July 1987 to both the detaining authority (Police Commissioner, Surat) and the State Government, alleging that neither had considered it …

Gauram Singh, a retiring Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, claimed the cash equivalent of his unutilised earned leave salary. The Government rejected the claim, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered payment under Rule 20‑B of the All India Services (Leave) Rules, 1955, read with Rule 2 of the High Cou…

The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) conducted a 2016 recruitment for assistant teachers and non‑teaching staff that was later found to involve massive irregularities, including rank‑jumping, out‑of‑panel appointments, manipulation of OMR scores, destruction of original answer sheets and illegal subcontrac…

Two candidates who had cleared the written examination for the Delhi Higher Judicial Service filed writ petitions under Article 32, alleging that the High Court of Delhi illegally introduced minimum qualifying marks for the viva‑voce after the selection process had begun, thereby excluding them from the merit list. The…

Star India Pvt. Ltd., a broadcaster, entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Moon Network Pvt. Ltd., a multi‑system operator (MSO), for the Agra territory. Sea TV Network Ltd., another MSO, sought direct signals from Star India but was directed to obtain them from Moon Network, its competitor. Sea TV file…

The respondent, a bus conductor for APSRTC, was caught on 23 May 2000 issuing tickets of 0.50 paise instead of the correct fare of Rs 4 to sixteen illiterate female passengers, thereby pocketing an extra Rs 52. The management dismissed him, and the Labour Court upheld the dismissal as justified misconduct. The responde…

The State of Maharashtra issued tender notices for the sale of forest bamboo units, requiring a 10% earnest money deposit. A.P. Paper Mills submitted its tender on the deadline of 15 July 1987 and deposited the earnest money. The tender notice stipulated that an offer remains valid for 45 days and cannot be withdrawn d…

The Union of India (Revenue) issued a show‑cause notice under Section 11‑A of the Central Excise Act alleging clandestine removal of goods and incorrect valuation of Indalco Industries’ aluminium products. The High Court dismissed the part of the notice dealing with clandestine removal but quashed the valuation portion…

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi assessed a Delhi building owned by Kamla Devi for property tax, which she appealed before the District Judge. While the appeal was pending, she filed a suit in the Ghaziabad Civil Court seeking a declaration that the assessment order was illegal and an injunction against any attachmen…

The S.G. Chemicals and Dyes Trading Employees' Union challenged the closure of the company’s Churchgate marketing and sales division, arguing that the closure violated section 25‑0 of the Industrial Disputes Act and amounted to an unfair labour practice under Item 9 of Schedule IV of the Maharashtra Recognition of Trad…

The petitioners, invoking Article 32, sought a court order to stop private hospitals from forcing patients to purchase medicines and consumables exclusively from the hospitals' own pharmacies at inflated prices, alleging exploitation and violation of the right to life under Article 21. They highlighted personal experie…

The petitioners, heirs of municipal employees who died in service, sought compassionate appointments under a scheme intended to provide immediate financial relief to dependents. Their applications were filed in 2005‑2006, but the authorities took years to act, and the petitioners approached the High Court only in 2015.…

The Supreme Court heard a challenge by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs against the High Court’s order striking down Rule 3(2)(b), Rule 4(2)(c) and Rule 6(9) of the Consumer Protection (Qualification for appointment, method of recruitment, procedure of appointment, term of office, resignation and removal of President a…

The petitioner challenged the appointment of respondent No.4 as Vice‑Chancellor of Sardar Patel University, alleging that the appointment violated the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2010/2018 which require ten years of professorial experience and a search committee constituted as per those regulations.…

The Supreme Court examined the recruitment of Junior Engineers in Uttaranchal, where the 2001 emergency recruitment rules did not grant any preference to trained apprentices, but the 2003 amendment rules introduced a 10‑mark bonus for apprentices. The Court held that the 2003 rules could not be given retrospective effe…

The Supreme Court examined the legality of Shri P.J. Thomas's appointment as Central Vigilance Commissioner under Section 4(1) of the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003, which was based on a recommendation by the High Powered Committee (HPC). The Court found that the HPC failed to consider material indicating pendi…

Mahesh Chaudhary, a partner of a carpet exporting firm, was alleged to have withheld commission payable to another firm under a 10% commission agreement, leading to a complaint of criminal breach of trust, cheating and forgery. A magistrate ordered an FIR and later took cognizance of offences under IPC sections 420, 46…

The appellants sought registration and mutation of a will dated 3 May 1998, which was contested by the testatrix's heir in both civil and criminal proceedings alleging forgery. While the criminal case (IPC 420, 468, 444, 34) was instituted before the probate suit under the Indian Succession Act, the appellants applied …

Man Singh had been employed intermittently as a peon on short‑term contracts from 1989 to 1996. In 1995 his name was placed on the wait‑list for a regular post after being called from the Employment Exchange, but was later removed and replaced by another candidate who had higher marks. His services were terminated in A…

The appellants, who were public servants in the Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Department, were accused of conspiring to withdraw government scholarship funds using fictitious student names, thereby cheating and misappropriating public money. They were charged under IPC sections 120‑B, 420, 468, 477‑A and Section 34 (co…

The appeal concerned the validity of Rule 5(ii) of the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department Group‑B Civil Engineering Service Rules, 2004, which allowed promotion of Junior Engineers—both degree and diploma holders—to Assistant Engineer after seven years of service without any additional qualification or qualifying ex…

The appellant, Reshma Bano, sister of an accused in a kidnapping case, filed a writ petition under Section 482 of the CrPC and Article 226 of the Constitution seeking to quash criminal proceedings initiated against her on the basis of FIR No. 316 of 2007. The FIR merely noted that questioning the sister might be advant…

Bhaurao Punjabrao Gawande, a petroleum transporter, was alleged to have repeatedly engaged in black‑marketing of kerosene and faced several prosecutions under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The Commissioner of Police, acting under the Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodit…

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission advertised 544 Junior Engineer posts for the Hill Cadre of the undivided state and published a select list in 2000. After the creation of the new State of Uttaranchal, the Uttar Pradesh Government forwarded the list to Uttaranchal, which refused to appoint the candidates, cit…

The petitioners, residents of Santiniketan, filed a public interest litigation seeking to restrain the construction of residential and commercial complexes, especially on the ecologically sensitive 'Khoai' area, alleging violation of the Visva‑Bharati Act, 1951 and directions of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board.…

The plaintiffs claimed exclusive title and possession over a bund (thedaya varamba) and alleged that the first defendant had trespassed upon it. The trial court held the bund was a common bund but did not expressly decide whether the disputed portion formed part of it; the High Court, in a proactive step, divided the b…

The Madhya Pradesh Town Improvement Trust acquired 152 acres of land, including 12.62 acres owned by Suresh Kumar, under Section 68 of the Town Improvement Trust Act. The Trust offered compensation that the appellant challenged, leading the Compensation Tribunal to award modest sums and the High Court to raise the land…

The appellant, P. Suresh, filed a suit for permanent injunction over disputed land before the District Munsif Court, Tambaram. The defendants contested the title and alleged the plaintiff's documents were forged, seeking to have the plaint struck off. The High Court of Madras, invoking its supervisory jurisdiction unde…

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) filed a miscellaneous application seeking clarification on whether the Supreme Court's 2019 judgment in Union of India v. Tarsem Singh, which mandated payment of solatium and interest to landowners whose land was acquired under the NHAI Act, should operate only prospectiv…

The petitioners, who are Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card‑holders, had been allowed since 2005 to appear for the All India Pre‑Medical Test (NEET) and compete for medical seats on parity with Non‑Resident Indians (NRIs) and Indian citizens. In March 2021 the Union of India issued a notification under Section 7B(1)…

The MGR Industries Association, whose members operate in an area declared as an industrial development area under the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Area Development Act, 1976, challenged a tax demand by the Zila Panchayat under the Uttar Pradesh Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1961, claiming exemption under …

The petitioner filed a public‑interest writ under Article 32 seeking directions for adequate security and investigation of thefts of historic artefacts from several Indian museums, including the Viswabharati University museum, Asiatic Society, Nandan Art Gallery and Victoria Memorial. The Union of India and various mus…

M/s Hotel Ashoka, a dealer under the Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003 and the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, sold goods at its duty‑free shop in Bengaluru International Airport before the goods crossed the customs frontiers of India. The Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes assessed Rs. 4,20,70,900 as sales tax,…

Arup Bhuyan was convicted under Section 3(5) of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for alleged membership in the banned outfit ULFA, based solely on a confession he allegedly gave to the Superintendent of Police. The Supreme Court examined whether such a confession, inadmissible under Secti…

The petitioner, Dalbir Singh, filed a writ petition alleging that his 17‑year‑old son, Somvir Singh (Sonu), died as a result of custodial torture by Noida police and that the police attempted to portray the death as a suicide. The State of Uttar Pradesh responded that an FIR had been lodged, police officials were charg…

Jitendra Panchal was arrested in Austria, extradited to the United States and convicted under the US Controlled Substances Act for conspiracy to possess and distribute hashish, serving a 54‑month sentence. After deportation to India, he was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau and charged under the NDPS Act for imp…

Swapan Kumar Mitra, a bus driver of South Bengal State Transport Corporation, was removed from service after a departmental inquiry that relied on the District Magistrate's report and the inquiry officer's findings, despite being acquitted in a criminal trial for the same accident. He challenged the removal via a writ …

The writ petition filed by Respondent No. 1 under Article 226 challenged the Cochin Devaswom Board’s permission to an appellant society to use the Oottupura of the Sri Poornathrayisha Temple, alleging excessive charges and secret receipt‑sharing. The Kerala High Court entertained the petition and issued directions that…

The appellants, Sheo Nano and others, claimed Sirdari rights over several plots by adverse possession, while the Deputy Director of Consolidation, acting under the U.P. Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953, found the recorded tenure‑holder Jethu to be a civil death with no heirs and ordered the land to vest in the Gaon …

The Himachal Pradesh University regularised a group of long‑serving Research Associates and Evaluators as Lecturers by Executive Council resolutions, invoking equity, justice and fair play, without following the statutory procedure of direct recruitment prescribed in Ordinance 35.11. Respondent Dr. S.R. Mehrotra filed …

Two homoeopathic colleges, Bhartiya Homoeopathy College, Bharatpur and Yuvraj Pratap Senior Memorial Homoeopathy Medical College, Alwar, were affiliated to the Rajasthan Board of Homoeopathic Medicine and conducted B.H.M.S. examinations through the Board until 1994. The State Government, following a Supreme Court decis…

The State of Uttar Pradesh alleged that a large mob of villagers attacked a scheduled‑caste marriage party, killing 14 and injuring 7. The key issue was whether the mob constituted an unlawful assembly with the common object of killing the Doms, and whether the accused could be held liable under Section 149 IPC based o…

The appellant was found with 200 gold biscuits concealed in his house and gave a written confession to Customs officers under Section 108 of the Customs Act, which he later retracted. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether such a statement, recorded before the appellant became an accused, was admissible under S…

The State of Bihar filed a Special Leave Petition challenging a Patna High Court order that imposed personal costs on a government officer, Subhash Singh, for failing to comply with the High Court's directions within two months. The officer delayed compliance for one year and five months and offered no explanation to t…

The petitioner sought to set aside the execution of a sale of two properties that had been ordered by the High Court after his mother’s earlier application under Order XXI, Rule 64 of the CPC was dismissed and became final. After his mother’s death, the petitioner filed an application under Section 47 of the CPC allegi…

The complainant, Archna Guha, filed a private complaint in 1977 alleging torture by five police officers in 1974. Two of the accused, Santosh De and Ranjit Guha Niyogi, sought discharge under Section 245(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, arguing that the prosecution had failed to produce all evidence within four years…

The respondents, Agragamies of the West Bengal Civil Emergency Force, filed writ petitions seeking the same pay scale as firemen and leaders of the West Bengal Fire Service, arguing that they were similarly situated in terms of recruitment, qualifications and duties. The State Government contended that the two categori…

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission advertised 60 vacancies for Deputy Executive Engineers and, following Rule 4 of the Andhra Pradesh Engineering Service Rules, gave preference to candidates with post‑graduate qualifications. Graduates who scored higher marks were excluded, leading to challenges in the Admini…

The Allahabad High Court, hearing a writ petition filed by the Association of Retired Supreme Court and High Court Judges, directed the Uttar Pradesh Government to notify rules framed by the Chief Justice concerning domestic help and other post‑retirement benefits for former judges, and later held a recall application …

Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 113 of 2016 and Special Leave Petition (Diary) No. 34629 of 2017 were referred to a Constitution Bench to answer five questions concerning the scope of freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) and the enforceability of fundamental rights against non-State actors. The petitions arose from st…

The Kerala State Beverages Manufacturing & Marketing Corporation Ltd (KSBC), a state‑owned liquor undertaking, challenged the disallowance of various levies under Section 40(a)(iib) of the Income‑Tax Act, 1961. The issues were whether the gallonage fee, licence fee and shop‑rental (kist) for FL‑9 and FL‑1 licences are …

The Supreme Court examined a public interest writ petition challenging the effectiveness of the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 and its 2016 amendment, which aim to ensure speedy recovery of bank and financial institution dues through Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) and Appellate Trib…

Kanpur Jal Sansthan appealed against a High Court order that, after rejecting its Section 34 objection to an arbitral award, directed it to deposit the entire award amount while allowing the claimant to withdraw half without security. The Supreme Court held that once a Section 34 objection is rejected, the award become…

The claimant, Saju P. Paul, a heavy‑vehicle driver employed by another company, was travelling as a "spare driver" in the cabin of a goods vehicle that met with an accident in 1993. The vehicle owner had taken a motor‑vehicle insurance policy covering only the driver and cleaner, not a spare driver. The Motor Accident …

The Delhi government sought to acquire 80 bighas 15 biswas of land, including 21 bighas 3 biswas belonging to the appellants, for a 400/220 KV electric sub‑station. It invoked Sections 17(1) and 17(4) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, dispensing with the hearing provisions of Section 5A(2) on the ground of urgency lin…