Constitution of India

The petitioners, who were employees of urban local bodies, filed a writ petition seeking equal pay on par with Medical Officers at a scale of Rs. 2200‑4000 and arrears dating back to 1986. The Anomaly Committee had recommended that such employees be placed on the said pay scale, effective from 7 November 1994, and the …

The Supreme Court examined whether an agreement dated 7 November 1966, entered into by the Executive Engineer (Canal Officer) of the Gujarat Irrigation Department with farmers, was binding on the State. The Court held that the agreement was a statutory compromise made under the Bombay Irrigation Act, 1879, and not a co…

Ex‑servicemen filed writ petitions under Article 32 seeking a "one rank, one pension" rule, equal death‑cum‑retirement gratuity and backward merger of dearness allowance, claiming that the Supreme Court’s decision in D.S. Nakara required the same pension for all retirees irrespective of retirement date. The petitioners…

Subodh Chandra Das, an operator with Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation, claimed that his date of birth recorded as 1‑June‑1931 was incorrect and sought its alteration to 20‑Oct‑1938 based on a medical certificate. The Patna High Court rejected the alteration but, citing his domestic problems, ordered that he be reappoin…

The State of Madhya Pradesh sought to appeal an acquittal under section 378(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, and filed an application for leave under section 378(3). By prevailing practice in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the leave application was listed before a Single Judge under Rule 1(q) of the High Court …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Life Insurance Corporation (Amendment) Act 1981, the accompanying Ordinance and the Bonus and Dearness Allowance Rules, which sought to retrospectively nullify the 1974 settlements granting cash bonuses to Class III and IV employees of the Life Insurance Cor…

The petitioners, including A.K. Roy, challenged the National Security Ordinance, 1980 and the subsequent National Security Act, 1980 on grounds that the President's ordinance‑making power under Article 123 is an executive power and not "law" within the meaning of Article 21, that the provisions of the Act are vague, un…

The case involved multiple writ petitions challenging the constitutional validity of a circular letter issued by the Law Minister on March 18, 1981, seeking consent from additional judges for appointment to other High Courts, short-term extensions of additional judges, and transfers of Chief Justices. The Court address…

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

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

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

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

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

The respondent, Surjit Singh, was convicted under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and acquitted under Section 13(2). The State of Haryana sought leave to appeal the acquittal under Section 378(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the application witho…

A large number of police constables were appointed in 1990 by posting vacancies on a notice board, contrary to Rule 663(d) of the Bihar Police Manual which mandates advertisement in newspapers and through the employment exchange. When the irregularity was discovered, the Director General ordered their dismissal, which …

The case concerned about 24.82 acres of government land that had been assigned to respondents on pattas, which the authorities later attempted to resume without paying the ex‑gratia stipulated in GO No.1307. The respondents filed writ petitions and, after a single High Court judge ordered them to make representations, …

The Bar Council of India (BCI) challenged two Allahabad High Court writ orders that upheld the appointment of a philosopher, respondent No. 5, as Principal of Dayanand College of Law despite his lack of legal qualifications. The High Court had held that the Uttar Pradesh State Universities Act, 1973, being a later stat…

The Madhya Pradesh Motor Vehicle Taxation Act, 1991 (as amended in 1999) inserted sections permitting confiscation of a vehicle for non‑payment of tax, linking the power to offences under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Section 66 read with Section 192‑A). Petitioners challenged these provisions as repugnant to the centr…

The Supreme Court examined whether the three‑month payment period prescribed in Section 67(1) of the Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme, 1997 could be extended. The Court held that the word "shall" makes the deadline mandatory and that Section 67(2) expressly deems a declaration invalid if payment is not made within…

The appellant, S.R. Kumar, sold agricultural lands situated within the municipal limits of Bina for the assessment years 1981-82 and 1983-84 and was assessed to capital gains tax. The Income Tax Officer levied tax, the Tribunal held that the profit was not capital gains, and the High Court dismissed the appellant's wri…

The case concerned admission to the MBBS programme at Rohtak Medical College, where 60 seats were divided into 49 open‑category and 11 backward‑class reserved seats. Sunil Yadav (S) ranked first in the backward‑class list but 62nd in the open list; he failed to obtain an open‑category seat in the first counselling and …

The Supreme Court issued a clarificatory order modifying its earlier judgment (1 May 1996) in Writ Petition (C) No. 1128 of 1986, which had provided for discharge or acquittal of accused whose criminal trials were pending for a prescribed period. The Court held that the relief does not apply where the pendency is cause…

The Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963 introduced optional alternate taxation provisions (Section 7(7), 7A, 7B, 11, 12) allowing contractors to pay a fixed percentage of the contract value instead of tax under Section 5(1)(iv). Several contractors who had not opted for this scheme challenged the validity of those sub‑s…

The Madhya Pradesh Government, unable to fill lecturer posts through the Public Service Commission, upgraded 21 casualty medical officer (CMO) posts to the lecturer grade and appointed doctors on an ad‑hoc basis in 1971. Their services were later regularised under the M.P. Regularisation of Ad‑hoc Appointment Rules, 19…

Ranjit Kumar Majumdar, a civilian employee holding a civil post in the defence services, was suspended under Rule 10(1) of the Central Civil Services (Classification Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 while a criminal prosecution was pending. He challenged the suspension before the Central Administrative Tribunal, arguing…

The respondent, Shakeel Ahmed, was detained on July 31, 1989 under Section 3(1)(iii) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974. He challenged the detention, and the Allahabad High Court set aside the order on two grounds: a one‑month delay in disposing his representation a…

The respondent, an Assistant Godown Manager, misappropriated Rs. 2,61,859.30 in 1976. A departmental enquiry began in 1979 and prosecution was initially filed in 1985 without the mandatory sanction under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, leading to his discharge. After obtaining the sanction in 1991,…

The petitioners, owners of plots in Bandra, Bombay, were ordered by the Municipal Corporation and the State to demolish buildings constructed without permission and the lands were later declared "vacant" under the Maharashtra Vacant Lands (Prohibition of Unauthorised Occupation and Summary Eviction) Act, 1975. They cha…

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

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

Amarjit Singh Sahni, a cashier‑clerk of Punjab and Sind Bank, applied for voluntary retirement under the bank's scheme (effective 1‑31 Dec 2000) but withdrew his application on 22 Dec 2000 before the bank had accepted it. The bank later treated him as relieved from service on 28 Jan 2001 and denied his reinstatement, d…

The President referred three questions to the Supreme Court concerning the interplay of Article 174(1) (which mandates that six months shall not intervene between the last sitting of a state legislature and its next session) and Article 324 (which vests the Election Commission with the superintendence, direction and co…

The appellants, joint owners of thirteen houses, were assessed a property tax by the Raigarh Municipal Council under the Madhya Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1961, which aggregated the annual letting values of all their properties and taxed the aggregate despite each property’s individual letting value being below Rs.1,8…

The case concerned a Joint Civil Judge (Junior Division) who was accused of ordering a wrongful arrest. A departmental inquiry was ordered, and the Inquiry Officer exonerated him, but the High Court’s Disciplinary Committee rejected the report and recommended compulsory retirement, which was approved by the Governor. T…

The President referred nine questions to the Supreme Court concerning the constitutional process for appointing and transferring judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. The Court clarified that "consultation with the Chief Justice of India" under Articles 217(1) and 222(1) requires a plurality of judges – the four…

The petitioner was appointed on probation on 15 January 1990 with a clause allowing termination without assigning any reason during the probation period. He was terminated on 16 January 1991 on the ground that his work performance was unsatisfactory and he was regularly absent. The petitioner challenged the termination…

The petitioners challenged the validity of the Central Government's notification dated 24 February 1983 declaring seeds of food‑crops, fruits and vegetables as essential commodities under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and the consequent Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 which required licences for dealing in such seed…

B.K. Mohapatra, an assistant teacher appointed in a 'B' type High School in 1953, challenged a 1964 rationalisation scheme that counted his seniority only from the date the schools were converted into government schools (June 1, 1964) and dealt with the contributory provident fund. The State of Orissa argued that the 1…

The petitioner, a railway commuter, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a mandamus directing the Union of India to implement the recommendations of the Kunzru, Wanchoo and Sikri Committee reports, appoint a fact‑finding commission and improve railway safety, invoking Articles 19 and 21. The Union, through a …

The petitioners, Upper Division Clerks (UDCs) transferred from the Posts & Telegraphs Audit Offices to the Savings Bank Control‑Internal Check Organisation (SBCO‑ICO), challenged the Director‑General’s circulars that limited promotion of UDCs from the Audit Offices to 10 % of Selection‑Grade posts and 20 % of Head‑Cler…

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

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

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

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

The case concerned members of the AG Office Employees Co‑op House Construction Society who challenged irregularities in the society’s management and amendments allowing outsiders to obtain land. An enquiry by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies under the Bihar Cooperative Societies Act led to the suspension of the m…

The Supreme Court was asked to clarify whether seniority and promotion granted to certain Telegraph Engineering Service officers, based on earlier judgments of the Allahabad High Court and the Central Administrative Tribunal that had attained finality, could be altered by later Supreme Court judgments interpreting the …

Swadeshi Polytax Ltd., a dealer of polyester staples fiber, collected sales tax in excess of the prescribed rate and deposited the amount with the Government Treasury. The dealer sought a refund of the excess amount, but the Trade Tax Tribunal ordered a refund contrary to Section 29-A of the U.P. Trade Tax Act, which m…

The appellant, Gangadhar Janardan Mhatre, filed a writ petition under Article 226 seeking transfer of the investigation of a FIR in which his brother was allegedly killed. The High Court dismissed the petition, holding that the case was already before the Sessions Court and that the writ was not the appropriate remedy.…

The petitioners, a group of Muslim women, challenged the constitutional validity of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, arguing that it discriminated against them by excluding Muslim divorced women from the protection of Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Court examined whether…

The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) offered a Salary Savings Scheme under which Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking (DESU) deducted insurance premiums from its employees' salaries and remitted them to LIC. DESU failed to remit premiums for two months, after which an employee died and his widow claimed the policy benefit…

Dr. H. Mukherjee and others challenged the decision of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) to reject the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) recommendation for S.K. Bhargava as Chief Controller of Explosives. The ACC had relied on an adverse remark in Bhargava’s 1987 Confidential Report and on a CBI in…

Doordarshan invited proposals for TV serials on themes such as national integration and set detailed guidelines for submission. Fasih Chaudhary (petitioner) submitted a complete proposal on Mirza Ghalib, while Gulzar (respondent No.2) initially sent only a theme letter but later completed his proposal. Doordarshan sele…

The appellants, teachers (Masters/Mistresses) employed in Punjab state schools, held postgraduate qualifications but were paid under the Rs 220‑500 scale. They claimed entitlement to higher pay grades (Rs 300‑450/600 or Rs 250‑400/550) prescribed in paragraph 2 of the State Government Circular Letter dated 29 July 1967…

The petitioners were candidates selected by the Subordinate Service Selection Board for the post of Assistant Sub‑Inspector of Police. The Board recommended 144 names, but only 57 vacancies existed and the anticipated 170 vacancies never materialised because the Government rejected the proposal to disband the Punjab Ar…

S.M. Yunus, a former civil servant of the erstwhile State of Hyderabad who retired in 1956, claimed a pension of Rs 1,000 per month in Indian currency, arguing that his right had vested at retirement. The Andhra Pradesh Government had, by a 1971 notification, retrospectively reduced the maximum pension to Rs 857.15 per…

The petitioner was detained under Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980 and the State Government confirmed the detention after an Advisory Board reported sufficient grounds. The petitioner submitted a representation against the detention, but the State Government waited for the Board's opinion before consider…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Petitioner V. Ravi Chandran filed a writ of habeas corpus under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking custody of his minor son, alleging that the child's mother had taken the child to India in violation of a New York Supreme Court custody order that granted joint custody and later sole legal custody to the petitioner.…

The Supreme Court examined whether Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) could be compelled to grant permanent status, wages and benefits to bus‑cleaners who had been employed as casuals, and whether complaints filed by an unrecognised union under item 6 of Schedule IV of the Maharashtra Recognition of T…

The case concerned a 19‑20‑year‑old woman with mild to moderate mental retardation, an orphan residing in a government welfare home, who became pregnant around the 19th week of gestation after an alleged rape. The Chandigarh Administration sought the High Court’s approval to terminate the pregnancy, invoking the Medica…

B. Srinivasa Reddy, a retired Chief Engineer, was re‑appointed as Managing Director of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board on a contractual basis "until further orders". The Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board Employees' Association, an unregistered trade union, challenged the appointment by fil…

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued a tender for toll collection requiring a bid security of Rs 50 lakh in the form of an on‑demand bank guarantee, which could be forfeited if the bidder withdrew his bid within the 120‑day validity period. Ganga Enterprises submitted the bid, became the highest bidde…

The Supreme Court examined two civil appeals filed by Aligarh Muslim University challenging High Court judgments that had quashed termination orders against laboratory assistants who had taken extraordinary leave for foreign employment. The employees had been granted two years of leave, sought extensions, were warned t…

The respondents, engineers deputed from the Central Public Works Department to the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) for projects in Iraq, were paid a foreign allowance of 125% of their basic salary. After the Fourth Pay Commission revised their basic pay, they sought a direction that the foreign allowa…

Dayaram Dayal was appointed Civil Judge, Class II in Madhya Pradesh in 1985 with a two‑year probation that could be extended for a further two years, making a maximum probation of four years under Rule 24 of the M.P. Judicial Services Rules, 1955. After several adverse performance reports, suspensions and a full‑court …

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ under Article 32 filed by the Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum alleging that tanneries in five districts of Tamil Nadu were discharging untreated effluents, contaminating surface and groundwater, rendering 35,000 hectares of agricultural land unfit for cultivation and …

The Supreme Court examined a petition filed by H.S. Chowdhary, claiming to be a public‑interest litigant, seeking to quash a FIR and stop a letter rogatory to Switzerland in the Bofors scandal. The Court held that Chowdhary had no locus standi and that the petition did not fall within the definition of public‑interest …

The petitioner’s daughter died in August 1986 and the petitioner filed a criminal complaint under Section 498-A IPC. After the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1986 inserted Section 304‑B IPC (dowry death) with effect from 19 November 1986, the petitioner sought to have the case transferred to a Court of Session for …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of Air India Employees Service Regulations 46 and 47, which mandated retirement of air hostesses (AHs) at age 35, on marriage within four years of service, or on first pregnancy, and allowed the Managing Director to extend service up to age 45. The Court held that the pr…

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

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

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

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

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

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

The respondent, a Physical Training Instructor in a Government Ayurvedic College, claimed that his pay should be fixed at the UGC scale granted to teachers in the School Education Department. The High Court had ordered his pay to be fixed in that scale, relying on the doctrine of equal pay for equal work. On appeal, th…

The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) had introduced a Salary Savings Scheme under which employers were required to deduct insurance premiums from employees' salaries and remit them to LIC. When an employer failed to make the deductions, the employee’s policy lapsed and the claimant sought the assured sum after the empl…

Talcher Municipality constructed a market under the Orissa Municipal Act. The Talcher Regulated Market Committee, invoking Section 4(4) of the Orissa Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1956, requisitioned the transfer of the market to itself. The municipality failed to comply, leading to a writ petition in the Orissa Hi…

The appellants, Preventive Officers (POs) appointed in Central Services Group C, challenged the Department of Revenue (Customs Appraisers Recruitment) Rules, 1988 which fixed a 20% quota for POs and a 75% quota for Examining Officers (EOs) for promotion to the post of Appraiser (Group B), alleging arbitrariness and vio…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of Madhya Pradesh's scheme reserving 20% of postgraduate medical seats for doctors employed by the State and the procedures for their admission. It held that the quota constitutes a separate channel of entry, not a communal reservation, and therefore satisfies Article 14. The Cou…

Lt. General Rajendra Singh Kadyan, the senior-most Lt. General, challenged the appointment of Lt. General H.R.S. Kalkat as Army Commander, arguing that the post is filled on seniority and that he satisfied the fitness and experience criteria, including a six‑month waiver. The Union of India appealed the High Court's or…

The Supreme Court examined the admission process for medical courses in Uttar Pradesh where Lucknow University had applied a 15% horizontal reservation for five special categories (dependents of freedom fighters, children of soldiers, physically handicapped, hill area and Uttarakhand area) alongside vertical reservatio…

Graphic Industries Co. supplied stores worth about Rs. 50 lakh to Eastern Railways, but payment was delayed. The company filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking a mandamus for payment, relying on correspondence between the Railway Minister and officials. The Calcutta High Court Division Benc…

The Supreme Court examined writ petitions filed under Art.226 challenging the location of Revenue Mandal Headquarters in Andhra Pradesh, which had been notified under sub‑section (5) of Section 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Districts (Formation) Act, 1974. The High Court had, in some cases, quashed the final notifications an…

The appellant was detained under Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980 and filed two representations – one to the Chief Minister and another to the Advisory Board – seeking release. While the Advisory Board considered the second representation promptly, the Chief Minister’s office delayed consideration of the…

The State of Maharashtra filed a Special Leave Petition under Article 136 challenging a Bombay High Court order that the Governor should exercise his own discretion, not the advice of the Council of Ministers, when deciding whether to grant sanction under Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for the prosecutio…

The husband of petitioner Kavita was detained under Section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA) to prevent alleged smuggling. He made representations against his detention, which were rejected, and the Advisory Board later reported sufficient cause to…

The appellant, Amanulla Khan, a member of a notorious gang, was detained under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act, 1985 as a "dangerous person" after allegedly extorting money by threatening death and assaulting victims on three separate occasions. He challenged the detention, arguing that a single cr…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The petitioners raised a writ under Article 21 of the Constitution, contending that the chronic shortage of water for drinking and irrigation violated the fundamental right to life. The Court examined precedents that recognized water as an essential component of the right to life, including Delhi Water Supply & Sewage …

The Union of India filed a civil appeal against M/s Green Alloys Ltd. challenging a Punjab & Haryana High Court order that allowed the release of raw material seized under the Central Excise authorities on the sole condition of an undertaking to pay duty, without requiring cash security or a bank guarantee. The dispute…

The appellant, Suneet Gupta, entered into a partnership with M/s K.M. Agencies, which later faced a dispute when the other partner joined M/s Mangla Agencies and allegedly misrepresented the firm's status to the principal, Johnson & Johnson, resulting in payment to the latter firm. Gupta filed a criminal complaint unde…

The husband filed a petition for divorce under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 on the grounds of desertion and cruelty. The Family Court examined the evidence in detail and granted the decree of divorce. The wife appealed, and the High Court set aside the Family Court's decree, holding that there were no spe…

The Supreme Court examined whether the sale of lottery tickets falls within the definition of "goods" for the purpose of State sales tax statutes. The Court held that a lottery ticket is merely a token evidencing a chance to win a prize, which constitutes an actionable claim under the Transfer of Property Act, not a mo…

The petitioners, comprising judges of Small Causes Courts of Bombay and Gujarat, chief judges, metropolitan magistrates and assistant judges, challenged the placement of their posts in the newly created Category 2 of the three‑tier judicial cadre, alleging demotion and violation of the Shetty Commission’s recommendatio…

Mis. Kusum Ingots and Alloys Ltd., a Mumbai‑registered company, obtained a loan from the Bhopal branch of State Bank of India and was served a repayment notice under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002. The company challenged the constitutional validi…

The dispute concerned the integration of teachers in Tamil Nadu's A‑Wing (regular government schools) and B‑Wing (former District Board schools) and the date from which seniority should be calculated. The State had issued several Government Orders (GOs 1583, 1584, 37, 603) attempting to alter the integration date from …

The Supreme Court examined whether officers of public sector undertakings and government companies, which may be deemed "State" under Article 12 because of deep governmental control, fall within the definition of "public servant" for the purposes of Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The petitioners arg…

The case concerned Project Casual Labour employees of the Southern Railway who were later absorbed into regular posts and sought to have their service rendered before 1 January 1981 counted as qualifying service for pension and other retiral benefits. The Railway Board’s 1980 order allowed half of the service after att…

J. Rangaswamy, holding a diploma in Radiological Physics from BARC, was serving in a special ad‑hoc post with pay higher than that of a professor and sought to be recognized as Professor of Radiological Physics, arguing that his diploma was an adequate qualification in lieu of a Ph.D. He filed a writ petition, a civil …

The case involved a trade‑union rivalry that culminated in the murder of Prathab Chandran, a union vice‑president, on 15 June 1972. Six accused, including A‑2 (Nadodi Jayaraman) and A‑3 (Dilli Bai), assaulted the victim with iron rods and pipes, causing multiple injuries; the head injury was fatal. The trial court conv…

In 1985 the Gujarat Government permitted the Chief Minister and other ministers to appoint persons on a purely contractual basis, co‑terminus with the ministers' tenure and without any right of absorption. Twelve such appointees were terminated in December 1989 when a new government came to power. They filed writ petit…

The petitioners, owners of stage‑carriage motor vehicles in Punjab, challenged a 1981 amendment that raised the motor‑vehicle tax to Rs 500 per seat (maximum Rs 35,000) alleging it was expropriatory, violated Articles 14, 19(1)(g), 301 and 304(b) of the Constitution and was beyond the State’s legislative competence. Th…

The case concerned a dispute under the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948 concerning land deemed purchased by a tenant on the tillers' day (1 April 1957). The respondent, who had failed to appear before the Agricultural Lands Tribunal under s.320 and whose sale was declared ineffective, later applied under…

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

The appellant, a Rajya Sabha member, posted a video of a mass‑marriage on the social‑media platform X, in which a poem was recited in the background. The poem was alleged to promote communal enmity, leading the police to register an FIR under Sections 196, 197(1), 299, 302, 57 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. T…

Vishal Ashwin Patel and others challenged the reopening of their income‑tax assessment under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 by filing writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution. The Bombay High Court dismissed the writ petitions in a terse order stating it was not inclined to entertain them, without …

The petitioners, Asian Resurfacing of Road Agency and others, challenged the order of charge framed by a Special Judge under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, alleging that it was an interlocutory order barred by Section 19(3)(c) of the Act and by Section 397(2) of the CrPC. The Supreme Court examined whether suc…

Krishanakan​t Tamrakar, convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, had been in custody for over ten years while his appeal against the conviction was pending before the Madhya Pradesh High Court. He applied for bail, arguing that the prolonged delay rendered the appeal meaningless. The Supreme Court, while…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, examined a gang rape of a 20‑year‑old woman in West Bengal ordered by a community panchayat as punishment for an inter‑community relationship. The Court directed a district judge and chief magistrate to investigate, and later required the State to furnish the FIR, investigation repor…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (as amended) after a 23‑year‑old woman was murdered and one of the accused, Raju, was a minor. Petitioners sought to have the Act read down so that juveniles who commit serious offences could be tr…

The President of the Southern India Undivided Church (SIUC) challenged Kerala State notifications that treated Hindu Nadars and Christian Nadars as a single Other Backward Class for reservation purposes under Article 16(4) of the Constitution. The Kerala High Court had held those notifications illegal, directing that t…

The Rajasthan Government dissolved Avas Vikas Sansthan (AVS) after it incurred heavy losses and offered its 604 employees alternative employment in various local bodies, conditional on affidavits that they would not claim continuity of service or pay protection. The employees accepted the scheme, but the Rajasthan High…

The husband filed for divorce under Sections 12(1)(b) and 13(1)(iii) of the Hindu Marriage Act, seeking a court order that his wife undergo a medical examination to determine unsoundness of mind. The District Judge ordered the examination, the High Court dismissed the revision, and the wife appealed to the Supreme Cour…

The dispute concerned the status of Shri Madan Mohan Mandir and adjoining shops in Harda, Madhya Pradesh. Two applications were filed under the Madhya Pradesh Public Trusts Act, 1951: one by Pandit Kamta Prasad (case No. 73) seeking registration as a public trust, which he later withdrew, and another by Seth Champalal …

Vashisht Narain Karwaria was detained under Section 3(3) of the National Security Act, 1980 after a police report described him as a hardened criminal with a gang and alleged many pending cases, although only one case was on record. The detaining authority relied on these extraneous statements, which were not part of t…

Kothandran Spg. Mills Pvt. Ltd. was taken over by the National Textile Corporation under the Sick Textile Undertakings (Taking Over of Management) Act, 1972, and later the Sick Textile Undertakings (Nationalisation) Act, 1974 came into force. The petitioners filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the consti…

The petitioners, appointed as Supervisors Grade ‘A’ in Indian Ordnance Factories between 1962 and 1966, claimed that a 1962 circular promised automatic promotion to Chargeman II after two years of satisfactory service, and that they were discriminated against when not promoted. The respondents argued that promotions we…

The respondents, owners of Jaora Sugar Mills, were required under the Madhya Bharat Essential Supplies (Temporary Powers) Act, 1948 to deposit the difference between the supply price and ex‑factory price of sugar into a government Sugar Fund. They deposited Rs 50,000 under protest and sued the State for a refund of the…

The Supreme Court examined the termination of two women judicial officers, Sarita Choudhary and Aditi Kumar Sharma, who were dismissed during their probation on the basis of low case disposal rates, adverse Annual Confidential Report (ACR) remarks, and pending complaints. The petitioners argued that the adverse remarks…

The appellants filed a suit in the District Court of Dimapur, Nagaland and later applied under Section 24 of the CPC for its transfer to the District Court of Guwahati, Assam, invoking the jurisdiction of the Gauhati High Court, which is a common High Court for Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. The Gauhat…

The Punjab government, through its Council of Ministers, recommended that the Governor summon the Vidhan Sabha for its Budget Session on 3 March 2023. The Governor sought extensive information from the Chief Minister under Article 167 and, after receiving a tweet and a letter that he deemed derogatory, said he would se…

The Municipal Council of Gondia issued a work order to Divi Works & Suppliers for school furniture, but suspended and later cancelled it due to the COVID‑19 pandemic and a government circular restricting non‑priority expenditure. The original petitioner claimed it had already manufactured the customized goods and sough…

The appellant, Chhanga (Manoj), was part of a four‑person group that hurled two bombs at a shop where an informant was present, causing only minor injuries because the bombs exploded at a distance. The appellant shouted "kill him" and was charged under Section 307 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code for attem…

The appellant, Gandi Doddabasappa, was convicted by the Karnataka High Court for killing his daughter Shilpa, allegedly because she married a man of a lower caste. The trial court had acquitted him, dismissing the sole eyewitness testimony of PW‑18, but the High Court relied on that testimony, corroborated by forensic …

The State of Andhra Pradesh filed a suit under Article 131 of the Constitution seeking to restrain Maharashtra from constructing the Babhali barrage within the water spread area of Andhra's Pochampad dam and from drawing water from it. The dispute centered on the interpretation of the 6 October 1975 water‑sharing agree…

Neelam was appointed on an ad‑hoc basis as a typist with Haryana State Cooperative Land Development Bank from January 1985 until May 1986, after which she joined the Haryana Urban Development Authority. Following a successful industrial dispute by similarly situated employees, she filed a writ petition in the Punjab & …

The Tamil Nadu Service Recruitment Board reserved 10% of police constable posts for the children/wards of serving, retired, deceased or medically invalidated police personnel and ministerial staff. M. Senthil Kumar applied for a post but was rejected on the grounds of unsatisfactory performance, and the Central Adminis…

The petitioners challenged the election of the respondent to the Assam Legislative Assembly, alleging that the election petition was invalidly presented to the Stamp Reporter of the Gauhati High Court. The respondents argued that the presentation complied with Chapter VIII‑A of the Gauhati High Court Rules and was ther…

The State of Maharashtra appealed against a Bombay High Court decision that held the chairman and managing committee members of a cooperative society were not "public servants" for purposes of Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). The respondents had been prosecuted for o…

Ghaseta Ram, a life‑imprisoned prisoner, participated in an unlawful assembly to escape from jail and assaulted a jail warden. He was tried and convicted by the Sessions Court and sentenced to several terms under the IPC. Earlier, the Superintendent of the District Jail, invoking para 633‑A of the Punjab Jail Manual an…

The respondent, a cashier‑cum‑clerk of Rae Bareli Kshetriya Gramin Bank, was charged with forging signatures and fraudulently withdrawing Rs 28,500. An ex‑parte inquiry found him guilty, a show‑cause notice was issued, and the disciplinary authority dismissed him; the dismissal was affirmed by the Board. The respondent…

The State of Tamil Nadu punished Thiru K.S. Murugesan with stoppage of three increments for misconduct in 1982, a penalty that was reaffirmed after a fresh enquiry in 1984. When his promotion to Deputy Director of Statistics for the 1983‑84 year was considered under Rule 8 of the Tamil Nadu Statistics Service Rules, hi…

The State of Uttar Pradesh issued a Government Order in 1980 offering two pension schemes to teachers of aided degree colleges, one of which provided pension without gratuity for those retiring at 60. Most teachers chose this scheme, but the Association challenged the computation of pension on the basis of the last pay…

The case concerned 464 labourers at the Food Corporation of India's Siliguri depot who were originally employed through a contractor. In 1973 the corporation abolished the contractor and introduced a direct payment system, paying wages directly to the workers via Sardar/Mondal agents. The corporation later, in 1975, re…

Gasket Radiators Pvt. Ltd., incorporated in 1964, was initially exempted from paying the special contribution imposed by Chapter V‑A of the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948, until the scheme was extended to its area. The exemption was withdrawn on 31 May 1969 and the company challenged the liability, arguing that t…

The appellant, Ivan Rathinam, was alleged by the respondent and his mother to be the biological father of the respondent, who was born during the respondent's mother's marriage to Mr. Raju Kurian. The parties litigated in a Munsiff Court, a Sub‑Judge Court and a Family Court over a declaration of paternity, a DNA test,…

The Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman, a registered public trust in Mhow, applied to the Registrar of Public Trusts for prior sanction under Section 14 of the Madhya Pradesh Public Trusts Act, 1951, to sell five immovable properties in order to augment its income. The Registrar rejected the application, citing potential prejud…

The petitioners, twelve BJP MLAs, were suspended for one year by a resolution of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly after a heated monsoon session. They challenged the resolution under Articles 14, 21 and 190(4) of the Constitution, arguing that the suspension exceeded the period allowed by Rule 53 of the Assembly Ru…

The Supreme Court examined the legal framework governing reservation in promotions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under Articles 16(4‑A) and 16(4‑B) of the Constitution. It clarified that the State must collect quantifiable, cadre‑wise data to demonstrate backwardness and inadequate representation, but no fi…

The appellant, Deepak Dongre, was ordered to leave District Jalna for two years under Section 56(1)(a)(b) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, based on five offences (three dated 2013‑2018 and two from 2020) and confidential witness statements. He challenged the externment order through a statutory appeal and a writ pe…

Rajendra Khare, who lodged FIR No.39/2016, was not made a party to a transfer petition filed by the accused seeking to move the trial of Criminal Case No.3483 of 2017 from Delhi to Allahabad. The Supreme Court transferred the case on 18 May 2018 without issuing notice under Order XXXIX Rule 2, and the petitioner’s subs…

The appellant Satya Raj Singh was convicted for murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, based on eyewitness testimony that he stabbed the deceased on the neck with a knife. He challenged the conviction on the grounds that the trial courts erred in accepting the eye‑witnesses' statements and that the …

The petition filed by advocate R. Muthukrishnan challenged the validity of the Madras High Court's amended Rules 14A‑14D, which purported to empower the High Court to debar advocates for various forms of professional misconduct. The core issue was whether Section 34 of the Advocates Act, 1961 authorises a High Court to…

The plaintiffs filed a suit for specific performance of a 1979 agreement to purchase a property from defendant Amar Nath, alleging they had paid earnest money and were ready to perform, but Amar Nath sold the property to other defendants at a higher price. The trial court dismissed the suit on the ground that Amar Nath…

Prabull Goradia, a Hindu, filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the constitutional validity of the Haj Committee Act, 2002, alleging that taxes he pays are used to fund the Muslim Haj pilgrimage, thereby violating Articles 27, 14 and 15 of the Constitution. The Court examined the scope of Article 27, holdi…

The appellant, a director of M/s Everest Realtors Private Ltd., deposited money for land allotted by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (the Corporation) but the Corporation later sent a letter refusing to consider the allotment and returned the pay orders without giving any reason. The appellant filed …

The Supreme Court upheld the Andhra Pradesh High Court's decision that Sobha Hyma Vathi Devi, elected from a Scheduled Tribe (ST) reserved assembly constituency, was ineligible because she belonged to the forward Patnaik Sistu Karnam caste, not the Bhagatha ST community. The Court affirmed that the marriage of a non‑tr…

Mehsana District Central Cooperative Bank Ltd., a cooperative bank registered under the Gujarat Co‑operative Societies Act, 1961, invested in a mutual fund without obtaining the State Government's permission required under Section 71 of that Act. The State of Gujarat sought a writ of mandamus directing authorities to i…

The Supreme Court examined the Central Government's revised quota system for higher‑education and public‑employment seats in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which reduced the 10‑year‑education locals' reservation from 35% to 20% and restored a 50% reservation for pre‑ and post‑1942 settlers. The petitioners argued tha…

The respondent, a clerk of Nedungadi Bank Ltd., was dismissed in 1972 for misappropriation of funds following a disciplinary inquiry. After about seven years he sought reinstatement, alleging discrimination because two other dismissed employees had been reinstated, and applied to the Central Government under Section 10…

A Bangladeshi woman, Hanuffa Khatoon, was gang‑raped by several Railway employees at the Yatri Niwas, Howrah Station. Advocate Chandrima Das filed a writ petition under Article 226 seeking compensation of Rs 10 lakh and other reliefs. The Calcutta High Court awarded the compensation, holding that the offence violated t…

The Bihar State Housing Board cancelled a residential plot allotted to S.N. Prasad in Sri Krishna Nagar because he already possessed another plot in Sri Krishna Puri, contrary to the Rules for Settlement of Land Acquired and Developed by the State Government at Patna. Prasad had sworn affidavits stating he and his fami…

The appellants, who had risen from clerks to assistant managers in the New Bank of India, were placed in the Junior Management Grade Scale I along with accountants after the bank was taken over by the Union of India under the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980. They challenged Regula…

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) purchased food grains from the State of Uttar Pradesh under levy orders issued pursuant to Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and also distributed fertilizers under the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1957. The State sought to levy purchase tax and a 5% surcharge on the FC…

The Supreme Court examined the merger of Telex Operators into the Assistant Grade‑II (AG‑II) cadre of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) and the consequent seniority and promotion issues. The Telex Operators were redesignated as AG‑II employees on 25 April 1980 and placed en bloc below regular AG‑II staff, with …

Sh. Bileshwarkhan Udyog Khedut Sahakari Mandali Ltd. challenged a levy imposed by the Gujarat Government under Section 58A of the Bombay Prohibition Act, which required licensees to pay the cost of excise staff for supervising the manufacture of industrial alcohol. The High Court upheld the levy as a fee within the Sta…

The appellants, dealers in agricultural produce operating in notified market areas of Haryana, challenged the Haryana Rural Development Fund Act, 1983 which imposed a 1% cess on the sale proceeds of agricultural produce and credited the amount to a state‑vested fund for rural development. They contended that the levy w…

The petitioners, a minor represented by her guardian and father, sought admission to an MBBS course in Kerala, arguing that because she belonged to the backward Calicut district she should be treated as a Calicut University student and benefit from that university's quota. The State of Kerala allocated seats on a unive…

The University of Delhi reserved 70% of its 250 post‑graduate medical seats for its own graduates, denying admission to a Madras University graduate who had qualified in the entrance test. The petitioner challenged the rule under Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution, arguing it was discriminatory. The Supreme Cou…

The appellant, a news‑channel editor, was arrested in November 2020 in connection with an FIR under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC alleging his role in the suicide of a contractor who claimed unpaid dues. He filed a petition under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution and Section 482 of the CrPC seeking quashing of the …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Tribunal, Appellate Tribunal and other Authorities (Qualification, Experience and other Conditions of Service of Members) Rules, 2020 (the 2020 Rules) and the mechanisms for appointment, tenure, and service conditions of members of 19 tribunals. It held that the R…

The appellant filed a suit for injunction to prevent the defendant from obstructing possession of agricultural land, and six months later filed a suit for specific performance of the same agreement to sell. The trial court dismissed the specific performance suit, holding that the appellant had omitted to claim that rel…

The State of Assam claimed that surplus land, declared under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976, had been vested in the government after possession was taken in December 1991, and that the later repeal of the 1976 Act by the 1999 Repeal Act did not affect that vesting. The heirs of the original owner cha…

The wife filed an application under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code seeking maintenance, claiming she was unemployed and unable to maintain herself. The husband contended that she earned income from house rent and the sale of agricultural land and could therefore maintain herself. The trial court, after eval…

The Supreme Court examined whether an aided minority college could be bound by Section 57(3) of the Kerala University Act, which requires the principal to be appointed on a seniority‑cum‑fitness basis. The college, a minority institution, had appointed Rev. Daniel as principal, a decision challenged by senior lecturers…

Phoolan Devi surrendered in Madhya Pradesh in 1983 and was released on parole after serving eleven years of custody. She filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking her release and the quashing of about 55 criminal prosecutions pending in Uttar Pradesh, alleging violation of her Article 21 right to a speedy trial an…

The petitioners, non‑provincialised employees of municipal committees, challenged a government pension scheme that was introduced on 1 April 1990 for All India Gazetted and Punjab Civil Services officers and later extended to non‑provincialised staff on 28 July 1994. They argued that the cut‑off date excluded retirees …

Jaswant Singh, a police constable, was dismissed by the Assistant Inspector‑General of Police under Punjab Police Rules on the ground that he threatened to obstruct any departmental enquiry and to harm witnesses. The authority invoked clause (b) of the second proviso to Article 311(2) of the Constitution, claiming it w…

The landlord filed seven eviction suits under the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960, claiming a bona‑fide personal requirement for the premises. The trial court decreed eviction against all tenants; the appellate authority upheld the decrees for the four ground‑floor shop tenants and one first‑flo…

The petitioners, members of the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Service, applied for direct recruitment to the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service, claiming they had completed seven years of practice at the bar before joining the service and thus were eligible under Article 233(2) of the Constitution. The Allahabad High Court…

The Supreme Court examined the State of Haryana's practice of granting licences for group housing colonies on a "First Come First Serve" (FCFS) basis under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975. The Court found that neither the public notice nor the Final Development Plan or the 2012 policy in…

The Supreme Court heard a batch of writ petitions and intervention applications filed under Article 32 seeking a fair investigation into the gang‑rape and murder of a 19‑year‑old girl in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, and alleging illegal cremation of the victim. The State Government had already ordered the Central Bureau of …

The petitioner, who runs a colour photographic film developing and printing business, challenged a Ministry of Finance letter that clarified the Service Tax provisions of the Finance Act, 1994 (as amended by Act 14 of 2001). The letter stated that the taxable value of photography services is the gross amount charged, e…

The petitioner, elected to the Bihar Legislative Council on an Indian National Congress ticket, contested a Lok Sabha election as an independent (and in a second petition as a Samajwadi Party candidate). The Chairman of the Council disqualified him under paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule, holding that he had volu…

M.S. Ahlawat, a police officer, filed forged affidavits and made false statements before the Supreme Court, which subsequently convicted him under Section 193 of the Indian Penal Code (perjury) and Article 129 of the Constitution (contempt) by way of a show‑cause notice. Ahlawat challenged the perjury conviction, conte…

The respondent was detained under the Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980 and the matter was referred to an Advisory Board. The Board heard senior police officials representing the State but denied the detainee any assistance of a lawyer or a ‘friend’, despite th…

The State Government of Rajasthan, under section 104 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 1959, issued notifications revising octroi rates for cloth in the Abu Road municipality (1964) and later for all cloth in Sujangarh municipality (1976). Both were challenged on the ground of discrimination and violation of Article…

The petitioners were daily‑rated casual labourers in the Posts and Telegraphs Department who were classified into unskilled, semi‑skilled and skilled categories and further divided by length of service, receiving wages far below the minimum pay of regular employees. They sought equal pay, regularisation and a scheme fo…

The appellants, who had joined the Gujarat Subordinate Secretariat Service as clerks‑cum‑typists before the 1960 bifurcation of Bombay State, challenged the Gujarat Subordinate Secretariat Service (Seniority of Assistants) Rules, 1977. The Rules, framed with retrospective effect from May 1, 1960, fixed seniority among …

Ravinder Kumar Sharma, a line‑man employed by the Punjab State Electricity Board, was senior to several colleagues who were promoted to the post of line‑superintendent in 1977. The Board had fixed a quota reserving a percentage of promotions for diploma‑holding line‑men, thereby bypassing Sharma, who, although a non‑di…