Judgments of 1994

The victim, a 14‑year‑old illiterate agricultural labourer, was gang‑raped by three accused. The trial court convicted them under IPC sections 376 and 114, but the Karnataka High Court acquitted them, holding that the victim's testimony was unreliable as it lacked medical corroboration. On appeal, the Supreme Court exa…

Dr. Arundhati Pargaonkar was appointed on a purely temporary basis in 1978 to the permanent Class‑II post of Lecturer in Dentistry at B.J. Medical College, Pune. She served continuously for nine years and claimed that, under the State Government's 19 September 1975 Temporary Government Services Regularisation Resolutio…

The State of Maharashtra appealed against the Bombay High Court’s interim order directing the Education Officer to admit 112 girls to a Diploma in Education programme at a Christian minority institution, exceeding the sanctioned strength of 80. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court was justified in granting…

The appellant, a lecturer appointed in 1965, received a solitary adverse confidential report for the academic year 1987‑88, which he claimed was made in mala‑fide by the principal. He sought to have the remarks expunged, was promoted to Reader in 1991, but was compulsorily retired on 28 May 1991 under Rule 71(a) of the…

The appellants challenged the acquisition of land under the Rajasthan Land Acquisition Act, claiming that a subsequent order dated 4 November 1985 had regularised the conversion of agricultural land to non‑agricultural use and vested title in them. They relied on this order, which was produced for the first time before…

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) supplied electricity to Asian Art Printers Ltd. under a "Mixed Load (HT)" tariff. The tariff booklet contained clause (c) stating demand charges plus energy charges and clause (d) prescribing a minimum bill. The consumers argued that the payable amount should be whichever is hig…

The State of Kerala filed a suit to recover possession of 4,200 acres of land, claiming that the lands had escheated to the State under the Kerala Escheats and Forfeitures Act, 1964. The Collector had issued an order on 24‑12‑1968 declaring the lands escheated, and the appellants did not file an appeal under Section 7 …

The Uttar Pradesh master plan of 1986 earmarked certain lands of private colonisers Delhi Auto and Maha Maya for recreational use. Both applied to the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) for permission to develop their lands under Section 15 of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act. After a conditional…

The respondent, a Masjid, sued the appellants for eviction and arrears of rent, claiming the tenancy had been determined. The appellants argued that the lease termination was a forfeiture under Section 114-A of the Transfer of Property Act and that the premises were exempt from the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent a…

Subhash Desai, elected from Goregaon as a Shiv Sena candidate, was challenged by Sharad J. Rao of Janata Dal for alleged corrupt practices. The election petition alleged that Desai had appealed to voters on religious grounds, published a false newspaper report to vilify Rao, and incited communal hatred, violating Secti…

The respondent, a suspended employee of Mirzapur Electricity Supply Co., filed a writ petition seeking reinstatement after the company's licence was revoked on 1 September 1975 and the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board took over the undertaking. The Board had agreed not to take on any employee against whom discipli…

M. Venugopal was appointed as a Development Officer of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) on a one‑year probation, later extended to two years, with a condition that he achieve a minimum business target for confirmation. He failed to meet the target and his service was terminated during the extended probation period unde…

The Directorate of Enforcement arrested Deepak Mahajan under Section 35 of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) and produced him before a magistrate, who ordered his judicial remand under Section 167(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Mahajan challenged the magistrate's jurisdiction, relying on the earlier…

The appellant, Karsan Ambubhai Sindha, owned agricultural land exceeding the ceiling of 54 acres prescribed under the Gujarat Agricultural Land Ceiling Act, 1960. The Tribunal, after excluding the ceiling area, identified 18.23 acres as excess and ordered surrender. The appellant argued that his parents and other relat…

The respondents filed a suit for possession of land alleging that the appellant had surrendered his tenancy and was in illegal possession. The appellant contested, claiming he remained a tenant and sought permission under Section 72‑B of the Kerala Land Reforms Act to purchase the land. The civil court, invoking Sectio…

The appellant, L. V. Vasantha Kumar, occupied a hut on land that had been sold by Subramonian Pillai to Vaikuntam Pillai in 1955, and later claimed ownership based on an agreement to purchase. The respondent, Balammal, obtained a decree for specific performance of that agreement and subsequently sued for possession, al…

Munnia, the widow of Bigu, held a life estate in property and died in 1932 before the Hindu Women’s Right to Property Act, 1937 came into force. Upon her death, the property reverted to the reversioners – the first respondent (Bhulan) and the appellants – making them co‑owners. Bhulan claimed he had been adopted by Mun…

The appellants owned several parcels of agricultural land that were acquired for the Maneru Dam project. Each parcel contained irrigation wells, and the Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) initially awarded separate compensation for the land and the wells, valuing the wells based on construction cost estimates. The Civil Co…

The Supreme Court considered an appeal by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) against the Dy. Commissioner of Police (Licensing) and others concerning the construction of a cinema building. The issue arose after an amendment to the Delhi Cinematograph Rules, 1981, which replaced the MCD with the Delhi Development …

K.R. Srinivas, son of the then Vice‑Chancellor of Andhra University, obtained a higher mark after revaluation of his answer sheets, which had been destroyed as per university regulations. Dr. R.M. Premchand, a research scholar, filed a public‑interest writ petition under Article 226 challenging the result, alleging pro…

The appellants, police officers promoted from Assistant Sub‑Inspector to Sub‑Inspector, claimed that their promotion should be back‑dated to 1 October 1982. The respondents, the Commissioner of Police, denied the promotion on the ground that the officers had been charged under section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corrupti…

The Jabalpur Municipal Corporation introduced a Family Benefit Fund Scheme whereby employees made voluntary contributions and, in return, received lump‑sum payments on retirement or on death of the employee to his family. The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) contended that the scheme amounted to life insurance…

The Supreme Court examined the compensation awarded for the acquisition of 267.91 acres of land in Rohtak district for an industrial area. The original award in 1977 fixed two marginally different rates, which were later replaced by a uniform rate of Rs 7 per square yard by the District Judge. The High Court later revi…

The Government of Pondicherry challenged the inclusion of shares of two minor sons who attained majority between the appointed day (24‑Jan‑1971) and the notified date in the calculation of the family’s land‑holding ceiling under the Pondicherry Land Reforms Act, 1973. The Land Tribunal had allowed the respondent’s obje…

The landlords filed an eviction petition under Section 11 of the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965, which the Rent Controller accepted, directing them to sue in civil court. The tenant first sought relief under Section 72B of the Kerala Land Reforms Act, claiming assignment of title as a cultivating t…

Harish Uppal, a former Indian Army officer, was court‑martialed and sentenced to dismissal and two years' rigorous imprisonment for irregularities during the 1971 Bangladesh operations. While incarcerated, his advocate filed a post‑confirmation petition under Section 164(2) of the Army Act, 1950, which was rejected by …

The Supreme Court heard a civil appeal (No. 2846 of 1979) arising from a 40‑year landlord‑tenant dispute between Soorajmull Nagarmull (tenant) and Dalhouise Properties Ltd. (landlord). While the appeal was pending, the parties reached a compromise covering rent, compensation for past occupation, tax liabilities, and ot…

The widow Jivani, after the death of her husband Bahadur Singh (the last male holder of tenancy rights), claimed to have created a joint tenancy with Jwala Singh under Section 59 of the U.P. Tenancy Act, 1939. The appellants, heirs of the original tenant, challenged the decree, alleging it was collusive and fraudulent …

Shivappa was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC solely on the basis of a confession recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The High Court upheld the conviction, holding that the confession, though later retracted, was voluntary and truthful. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the m…

The petitioners, private stage‑carriage operators, challenged the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles (Special Provisions) Act, 1992 which bars the grant of any new permit overlapping a notified route after 30 June 1990. They argued that the cut‑off date created an arbitrary classification violating Article 14 and that Section 1…

The plaintiffs filed a title suit seeking declaration of ownership and possession of certain plots. The trial court decreed in their favour, but the High Court dismissed the suit on the ground that the plaintiffs failed to prove possession within the 12‑year period prescribed by Article 142 of the Limitation Act, 1908,…

The case concerned acquisition of about 527 acres of land in Bhagualong and surrounding villages for a cantonment. The Land Acquisition Officer initially awarded Rs 22,000 per acre for nehrri and chahi land, which was later enhanced by the Additional District Judge to Rs 36,000 and by the High Court to Rs 37,000 per ac…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by landowners whose 881 acres were acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 for municipal development. After a series of assessments by the acquisition officer, district judge, single judge and a division bench, the claimants sought further enhancement of compensation, arguing th…

The respondent’s father died while serving as a Sub‑Inspector, and the respondent was appointed as a Lower Division Clerk on compassionate grounds. After accepting that appointment, he sought a promotion to Sub‑Inspector, which was denied, leading him to file a writ petition. The Rajasthan High Court Single Judge direc…

The appellants, originally members of the Junior Branch of the Bihar Finance Service, were merged into the Senior Branch by a government resolution dated 2 November 1975, purportedly with retrospective effect from 1 April 1974. The respondents, who were direct recruits to the Senior Branch on 12 May and 25 May 1974, ch…

Mis Moorco (India) Ltd., a manufacturer of volumetric displacement type flow meters, imported components and accessories for use in its meters. The Assistant Collector classified the accessories under tariff heading 90.26, a general heading, relying on clause (c) of Rule 3 of the General Rules for Interpretation of the…

Shri T. Sham Bhat, a Class‑I officer of Karnataka's non‑State Civil Service, was barred from selection to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after the IAS (Appointment by Selection) Second Amendment Regulations, 1989 increased the required continuous service from eight to twelve years and allowed Class‑II officers…

Shri M.A. Wahab joined the National Airport Authority in 1957 with his date of birth recorded as 1 January 1934. After passing his matriculation in 1962, a certificate indicated his birth as 1 March 1939, and in 1990 he applied to have his service record corrected. The Authority refused and the Central Administrative T…

The appellant, G. Ramachandra Reddy & Co., invoked clause 17 of its contract with the respondent, the Chief Engineer of the Military Engineering Service, to have a sole arbitrator appointed. After the respondent failed to appoint an arbitrator despite a notice, the appellant filed a suit under Section 20 of the Arbitra…

In 1954, Shri M.P. Shah donated Rs.15 lakh to the Government of Saurashtra for establishing a medical college, with the condition that he or his nominee could nominate 10% of the seats for admission. The Government of Gujarat later decided to discontinue the donor's 12-seat quota, invoking the Supreme Court's decision …

The case concerned the validity of the Employees' Family Pension Scheme introduced under Section 6‑A of the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, which automatically enrolled employees who joined the EPF after 1 March 1971 but gave earlier members an option to opt‑out. The petitioners argue…

The appellants filed an eviction suit against the first respondent, claiming they were landlords and the respondent was a tenant in arrears of rent, and valued the suit on the basis of twelve months' rent. The respondent denied any landlord‑tenant relationship and argued that the suit required adjudication of title, th…

The former Chief Minister of Sikkim challenged a 1987 notification that withdrew the State's consent, given under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, for CBI investigations into alleged corruption. The petition raised whether a State could revoke such consent, whether section 21 of the Genera…

The plaintiffs, Labh Singh and his brother, sued for specific performance of a sale agreement dated 30‑8‑1984 against the original vendor, Jasbir Singh. The petitioners, who had purchased the property later on 4‑1‑1985, were impleaded as necessary parties. All lower courts held that the petitioners were not bona‑fide p…

Mahabir Biswas and Shiba (Bijoy Krishna Dutta) were convicted of murder under IPC 302/34 for the killing of two rickshaw passengers. The prosecution's case rested on retracted judicial confessions of the accused and physical discoveries (a sword, a watch, and a ring) linked to the confessions. The Supreme Court held th…

The appellant owned premises leased in 1966 to Lall Behari Mullick for his natural life, with a covenant that his heirs must vacate within three months of his death and have no right to hold over. Mullick died within three years, but his heirs remained in possession. The appellant sought eviction, arguing that the leas…

The Principal of a university institution was charged with misappropriating funds and served with a charge‑sheet. He requested inspection of the documents referred to in the charge‑sheet, but the enquiry officer postponed inspection until the final hearing, which the Court held to be a procedural error. The enquiry pro…

The appellant, a Kuwaiti national, was caught at Quilon railway station with 780 grams of charas and was convicted under Section 20(b)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, receiving 11 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1 lakh. The High Court reduced the term to 10 years but uphe…

The Union of India appealed against the quashing of a detention order passed under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 against Ghamandiram Kewalji Gowani, who died during the pendency of the appeal. The appellant sought substitution of the deceased’s heirs, arguing that…

The Tamil Nadu Housing Board, a statutory body registered under the Factories Act, operated a concrete unit (licensed) and a wood‑working unit (unlicensed) whose products were used only in its own buildings. The Central Excise Department issued a show‑cause notice alleging duty evasion on the wood unit. The Excise Trib…

The Kerala State Housing Board entered into a Section 16(1) agreement with M/s. Ramapriya Hotels to accept compensation of Rs.1100 per cent for land to be acquired, after which a notification under Section 3(1) was issued and a later declaration under Section 6 was published. The High Court held the award void because …

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 whether a sales‑tax appellate authority could entertain a Form‑C declaration when it had not been filed before the first assessing authority under the Central Sales Tax Act, 1957. The revenue argued that Rule 12(7) limited the filing of Form‑C to the time of assessment by the first assessing …

The widowed wife of a deceased LIC employee and her son applied for employment on compassionate grounds after the employee's death. The corporation rejected the wife's claim due to her exceeding the age limit and rejected the son's claim citing a circular that barred compassionate appointments when any family member wa…

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 appellants, who were the first parties in a reference proceeding under Section 30 of the Land Acquisition Act concerning compensation for acquired land, sought to prove their pre‑existing title by producing revenue records and other public documents. Because the documents were not in their immediate possession, the…

The Supreme Court examined the acquisition of 300 acres of land in Belgaum for industrial purposes under the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Act, 1966. Owners of 240 acres had agreed to a compensation of Rs 4,000 per acre through an award by the Collector, while owners of the remaining 60 acres disputed the award…

The case concerned the promotion of Drug Inspectors to Assistant Drugs Controller posts. The Government, lacking statutory rules, adopted the principle of "merit‑cum‑suitability with due regard to seniority" and asked the Public Service Commission (PSC) to evaluate candidates using an objective grading system based on …

The State acquired 9.47 acres in 1983 and 14.10 acres in 1985 near Eluru for house sites for the poor. The Land Acquisition Officer fixed compensation at Rs 40,000 per acre, but the reference court and the Andhra Pradesh High Court enhanced the market value to Rs 150 per square yard based on the Basic Valuation Registe…

The respondent, an Electrical Engineering graduate, rose through the Chandigarh Administration's engineering service to Superintending Engineer and claimed eligibility for promotion to Chief Engineer when the post became vacant. The Chandigarh Administration sought to fill the vacancy by deputation from Punjab, arguing…

The appellants, licence holders for retail vending of Indian Made Foreign Spirits, were allowed to obtain bar licences under the Tamil Nadu Liquor (Retail Vending in Bar) Rules, 1992. After law‑and‑order problems, the State of Tamil Nadu rescinded those Bar Rules by a government order, effectively terminating the bar l…

The appellants, former army personnel who demobilised in 1968, joined the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service in 1975 and claimed that their five years of military service should be counted towards seniority under Rule 4(1) of the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Rules, 1974. The rule provides such credit only if th…

The Haryana Subordinate Services Selection Board conducted a recruitment for Assistant Sub‑Inspectors of Police, but destroyed the answer books before results were declared and failed to produce proper mark tabulations. Unsuccessful candidates alleged that the Board gave extra interview marks to favoured candidates and…

The respondent, Fenoplast (P) Ltd., manufactures rexine cloth by coating 100% cotton fabric with PVC resin, plasticizers and fillers. It argued that because cotton constituted only 8% of the finished product, the cloth could not be classified as a "cotton fabric" under Tariff Item 19(III) of the Central Excise and Salt…

The petitioners, a coalition of cooperative societies running fair‑price ration shops and occupants of residential premises, challenged a State Government notice to vacate premises that had been requisitioned under the Bombay Land Requisition Act, 1948 more than four decades earlier. They argued that requisition could …

The Central Bank of India (appellant) had two suits in the Subordinate Court of Rangareddy, Andhra Pradesh, to enforce an equitable mortgage and recover expenses against Elmot Engineering Company (a limited company) and its directors. While the winding‑up petition against the company was pending, the Bombay High Court,…

The appellants, Mangilal and others, were convicted under IPC sections 147 and 307 and appealed to the Madhya Pradesh High Court. While the appeal was listed, the counsel were absent because lawyers were on strike, leading the High Court to dismiss the appeal for want of prosecution and to comment on the reasons for th…

The State of Rajasthan acquired about 1800 acres of land for defence purposes under the Rajasthan Land Acquisition Act, 1953. The Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) could not determine the compensation because portions of the land were in excess of limits prescribed by the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 and the Rajasthan Impo…

The tenants, Kranti Swaroop Machine Tools Pvt. Ltd. and another, challenged eviction orders issued by the landladies, Smt. Kanta Bai Asawa and others, on the ground that they had not committed wilful default in rent or municipal taxes. The High Court had held that non‑payment of a small municipal tax amount constituted…

The deceased Ramesh was found dead in his house on the night of 14-15 December 1982 with injuries indicating asphyxia. Two accused, Eshwaraiah (a constable) and Mayamma (the deceased's mistress), entered the house after a cinema show and were later discovered hiding under a cot when the door was broken open. The prosec…

The case concerned direct recruits to the Indian Police Service (IPS) who appealed against a Central Administrative Tribunal order that allowed promotee officers from the State Police Service to count their continuous officiating service from the date they were included in the IPS select list for determining their year…

The Calcutta High Court, while hearing a contempt petition concerning alleged violations of a 15 September 1988 status‑quo order, allowed an oral application by Somani Builders—a party not impleaded—to remove a padlock and later directed that the builders be permitted to occupy the disputed church premises. The appella…

Mis. Graver and Weil (India) Ltd. manufactured sodium bichromate and transferred it to an adjoining Chromic Acid section where chromic‑acid flakes were produced using power. The flakes were removed without payment of excise duty and were seized. The Collector imposed a penalty and ordered confiscation; the Tribunal uph…

The appellant, the heir of Pt. Chet Ram Vashist, had obtained approval for a lay‑out plan of his private colony, which reserved certain plots for parks and schools. After municipal water supply became available, he applied to the Delhi Municipal Corporation for removal of building restrictions, and the Standing Committ…

The respondents obtained an eight‑storey building sanction on 27 April 1985 under the Bengal Municipal Act, 1932, but failed to commence construction within two years, causing the sanction to lapse. They later applied for a revised eight‑storey plan and a twelve‑storey plan in 1987, claiming a deemed sanction under Sec…

Mis Punjab Footwear Ltd. (appellant) manufactured footwear partly in its own factory and partly through Mis Stepwell Industries Ltd. under a licence agreement that allowed Stepwell's workers to operate machines and use electricity within the appellant's premises. The appellant claimed exemption from excise duty under N…

The respondent, acting as Secretary (Preventive Detention), issued a detention order under section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 against the appellant for alleged gold smuggling. The appellant challenged the order at the pre‑execution stage, arguing that i…

The Department of Telecommunications invited tenders for cellular licences in four Indian cities, leading to a two‑stage evaluation and the selection of eight operators. Several rejected bidders challenged the final list before the Delhi High Court, alleging bias (due to a member’s son working for a bidder), arbitrarin…

Hindustan Lever Ltd. sought to impose a ceiling on dearness allowance for workers earning above Rs 500 per month, arguing that the existing slab system caused over‑neutralisation of the cost‑of‑living index and distorted wage differentials, especially vis‑à‑vis junior executives. The Industrial Tribunal placed such a c…

The appellant, Iqbal Singh, contested the 1992 Faridkot Assembly election and filed an election petition under Section 80 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, alleging that the returned candidate and a party president conspired to induce another candidate to withdraw in exchange for his appointment as General…

The employees of the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute were allotted official quarters but refused to occupy them, after which the Institute denied them House Rent Allowance (HRA). The employees challenged the denial before the High Court, which transferred the matter to the Central Administrative Tribunal (C…

Carmel Book Stall, a charitable trust, sold books whose profits were claimed to be exempt from Kerala sales tax under Section 10 of the Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963, provided the profits were solely used for charitable purposes. The Sales Tax Officer taxed the profits for the assessment years 1981-82 and 1982-83,…

The Supreme Court considered two writ petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises attempted suicide. The petitioners argued that the provision violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. After reviewing earlier High Court decisions, comparative law,…

Sardar Singh claimed a half‑share in a house purchased by his brother Kartar Lal, which was later sold by Kartar Lal to Joginder Nath (respondent). A private arbitration award declared that both brothers were co‑owners, each holding an equal share, but the award was not registered. The respondent sued for specific perf…

Modern Proteins Ltd., a dealer under the Andhra Pradesh General Sales Tax Act, dealt in groundnut products including deoiled cake and groundnut protein flour. For the 1977-78 assessment year, the Central Tax Officer taxed the flour at 4% under the Central Sales Tax Act, but the Assistant Commissioner re‑classified it a…

The State of Kerala acquired 52.88 acres of cardamom plantation for the Periyar Tiger Reserve under a notification issued under s.3(1) of the Kerala Land Acquisition Act, 1962. The Land Acquisition Officer initially valued the land at Rs.14.75 lakh, which was enhanced by the Subordinate Judge to Rs.197.77 lakh; the Hig…

The State of Haryana relaxed the minimum qualification for ex‑military personnel, appointing diploma‑holding engineers as Assistant Engineers under Rule 3(iii) of the Punjab Government National Emergency (Concession) Rules, 1965, and counted their military service for seniority. The respondents, after promotion to Exec…

The Supreme Court examined writ petitions challenging the West Bengal Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 1989, which imposed a cess on tea estates calculated per kilogram of green tea leaves produced. The petitioners argued that the levy was a tax on tea production, falling under Union competence (Entry 84/List I) a…

The Supreme Court examined the nomination procedure for nine vacancies in the Punjab Civil Services (Executive Branch) under the 1976 Rules, where the Chief Secretary assigned marks for ACRs, experience, and an ability test, and excluded candidates scoring 33% or less in the ability test. The appellants argued that thi…

The appellants, dealers registered under the Madhya Pradesh Sales Tax Act, imported sugar and other goods listed in Schedule II of the Madhya Pradesh Entry Tax Act into the state for consumption, use or sale. They challenged the entry tax levied under Section 3(1)(a) of the Act, contending that because sugar attracts a…

The petitioners, contractors and dealers of motor vehicles, purchased vehicles outside Maharashtra and brought them into the state, where they were levied an entry tax under the Maharashtra Tax on Entry of Motor Vehicles into Local Areas Act, 1987. They challenged the tax as unconstitutional, arguing that it exceeded t…

The Supreme Court examined the controversy surrounding the establishment of a mechanised slaughter house (Alkabeer Abattoir) at Rudraram, Medak district, Andhra Pradesh. The petitioner organisations challenged the various permissions granted to the company, arguing that the slaughter house would deplete cattle wealth a…

N.K. Singh, an IPS officer, was transferred from the post of Joint Director, CBI to an equivalent post of IG in the BSF while handling a sensitive investigation. He challenged the transfer before the Central Administrative Tribunal alleging malafides by the Prime Minister, prejudice to public interest, and violation of…

The petitioner, Joginder Kumar, a 28‑year‑old advocate, was taken into police custody in Ghaziabad on the pretext of assisting with investigations and was not produced before a magistrate for five days. His brother’s inquiries revealed that the petitioner was being held in an undisclosed location, prompting a writ peti…

R.C. Tripathi, appointed as Overseer (later Junior Engineer) in the Local Self‑Government Engineering Department in 1964, was confirmed in 1975 despite a High Court injunction prohibiting such confirmations. The confirmation was later rectified by a de‑confirmation order in 1978 without giving Tripathi a hearing. In 19…

Krishanlal, a clerk in the Jammu & Kashmir Home Guards, was investigated by the Anti‑Corruption Commission under the J&K (Government Servants) Prevention of Corruption Act, 1962. The Commission recommended his dismissal, but the authorities failed to furnish him a copy of the inquiry proceedings as required by Section …

The Supreme Court examined whether the Uttar Pradesh rules granting special seniority to demobilised officers commissioned during national emergencies (Nov 1962‑Jan 1968 and after Dec 1971) while excluding those commissioned between Jan 1968 and Dec 1971 violated Article 14. The respondent, a former short‑service army …

The landlord, Bhola Nath Varshney, served a notice under Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 and filed an eviction suit in 1981 against his tenant, Mulk Raj Madan, for a building constructed in 1974. The issue was whether the Uttar Pradesh Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972 wou…

The State of Maharashtra acquired about 108 acres of agricultural land within a municipal corporation for an agricultural produce market and made an award under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. Several claimants, dissatisfied with the award, invoked Section 18 of the Act and obtained an enhanced compensation of Rs.0.80 …

The Union of India appealed against a Bombay High Court decision that a strip of surgical dressing (trade‑name Handyplast) medicated with 0.125% nitrofurozone was not a "patent or proprietary medicine" under Tariff Item 14‑E of the Central Excise and Salt Act. The product consisted of a sterile elastic adhesive pad to …

The Uttar Pradesh State Government appointed law officers and brief holders on contracts that allowed termination at any time without cause. The government later abolished the brief‑holder system and removed 26 law officers, prompting the officers to file a writ alleging violation of Article 14 and natural justice. The…

The appellant owned 18 guntas of land in Adilabad municipality that were acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. Compensation was initially based on letting value and later enhanced to Rs. 75 per square yard by the reference court. The appellant claimed a market value of Rs. 300 per square yard, relying on the B…

The State of West Bengal appealed against the Calcutta High Court’s order quashing the sanction and the taking of cognizance in a TADA case involving a 1993 bomb explosion that killed 69 people. The High Court had held that the sanction order was invalid, that the Designated Court’s cognizance was not reasoned, and tha…

The appellant, Sanjay Ahlawat, challenged clause 3(i) of the prospectus of Maharishi Dayanand University, which awarded a ten‑mark weightage to graduates of the sole medical college in Haryana for postgraduate medical admissions. He argued that the rule was arbitrary, discriminatory and violated Article 14 of the Const…

Ishvarbhai Fuljibhai Patni was convicted under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed to the Gujarat High Court, which dismissed his appeal in a brief, cryptic judgment that merely affirmed the conviction without discussing the evidence or the arguments raised. The Supreme Court held that a Hig…

The case arose from FIR No. 735 (8 November 1993) alleging dowry death of Sunita, wife of Anil Kumar. The Additional Sessions Judge, Rohtak, granted anticipatory bail under Section 438 CrPC to the parents and brother of the husband, noting that they lived separately from the deceased as evidenced by the FIR and ration …

The petitioner’s father was the second defendant in a suit for recovery of money under a mortgage. A preliminary decree was passed, after which the second defendant (surety) died. The plaintiff sought a final decree and asked that the petitioner be brought in as the legal representative of the deceased defendant. The d…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Haryana Government could lease municipal land, earmarked as open space for sanitation and recreation, to the Punjab Samaj Sabha for a Dharamshala. The land had been vested in the municipality under the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973 and was reserved under a town planning scheme for p…

The petitioners challenged the appointment of candidates to posts reserved for Backward Class (BC‑A) in Andhra Pradesh, arguing that when no local BC‑A candidates were available, the government should have allowed BC‑A candidates from other zones to be considered as non‑local and appointed on merit. The respondents con…

The Supreme Court examined whether a rule prescribing a 1:1 ratio for promotion of Excise Guards to Excise Preventive Officer, based on possession of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), violated Article 16 of the Constitution. The Court reiterated that higher educational qualifications can be a permissible…

A. Rajapandian, a Sub‑Inspector of Police, was dismissed after a departmental inquiry found three charges of misconduct proved against him. He challenged the dismissal before the Madras High Court, which transferred the matter to the Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal. The Tribunal set aside the dismissal by re‑appreci…

The respondents sold 220.25 acres of agricultural land in December 1971 through fourteen sale deeds. The State of Andhra Pradesh contended that the transfers were made to evade the ceiling provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms (Ceiling) on Agricultural Holdings Act, 1973, and should be disregarded for ceiling c…

The Supreme Court considered the sanction of a scheme of amalgamation between Tata Oil Mills Company Ltd. (TOMCO) and Hindustan Lever Ltd. (HLL), a subsidiary of the foreign multinational Unilever. The petitioners – nominal TOMCO shareholders, employee unions and consumer groups – challenged the scheme on six grounds, …

The Supreme Court entertained contempt proceedings against the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Kalyan Singh, and the State Government for wilfully disobeying its orders that prohibited any construction on a 2.77‑acre land in Ayodhya acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Court found that massive permanent …

The Commissioner of Sales Tax, Jammu & Kashmir filed review petitions challenging the Supreme Court's earlier decision in Pine Chemicals Ltd. that allowed dealers to claim the benefit of sub‑section (2A) of Section 8 of the Central Sales Tax Act based on exemption granted under Government Order No. 159. The core issue …

Daulat Singh filed a suit for specific performance of a land sale; he died and his son continued as legal representative. The plaintiff sought to amend the plaint to implead Shivnath Mishra, alleging Mishra had become a co‑owner of the land by a decree under the U.P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act and therefo…

The case concerned lands occupied by respondents Nos.5‑15 since 1931. The Punjab Occupancy Tenants’ Vesting of Property Rights Act, 1952 became effective on 15 June 1951, vesting ownership in occupancy tenants. Although the tenants’ names were not entered in revenue records and they continued to pay rent until 1974, th…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act, 1993 and the Presidential reference under Article 143(1) concerning whether a Hindu temple existed before the Babri Masjid was built. The Court held that the Act was within Parliament’s legislative competence (Entry 42, …

The respondents bought 132 bighas of land in Theog, Shimla, surrounded by forest, to establish an apple orchard, which required felling of trees. They applied for demarcation; an Assistant Collector Grade II demarcated the land on 7 December 1987 and submitted a report stating that verification by a Senior Land Revenue…

The plaintiff (borrower) sued the suppliers, lenders and guarantor over a power‑plant project, invoking credit agreements that contained arbitration clauses. The lenders, particularly Svenska Handelsbanken (defendant No. 4), instructed their counsel not to appear or take any step in the main suit, limiting a power of a…

The case concerned whether the 1984 Patankar Award of the Industrial Tribunal, which made permanent those workers who had completed 240 days of continuous service, applied to seasonal employees of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Cotton Growers' Marketing Federation. The Union of seasonal employees claimed that the aw…

The State of Karnataka appealed a High Court judgment that reduced the charge against Vedanayagam from murder to culpable homicide. The accused had stabbed the deceased, Sugumaran, on the left side of the chest with a dagger, causing instant death. The trial court convicted him under Section 302 IPC, but the High Court…

The Government of Andhra Pradesh issued a 1967 Government Order (G.O.) that prescribed an ad‑hoc rule for retrenching temporary employees, giving preference to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) candidates over general‑category probationers and approved probationers. The High Court struck down the G.O. as viol…

The case arose from a dispute over the management of a society‑run school where Ram Autar Shukla (petitioner) claimed to be the duly elected manager and Arvind Shukla (respondent) contested the same. After a series of orders by the Assistant Registrar and the High Court, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court's judgme…

The State of Maharashtra appealed against The Britannia Biscuits Co. Ltd., which sold biscuits in tins and collected a refundable deposit for the tins, refunding it only if the tins were returned within three months. The Assessing Authority treated the amount written off from unreturned tin deposits (Rs 84,013) as part…

The Rajasthan Financial Corporation (RFC) gave a loan to Durga Prasad Sharma for a stone‑crusher; Sharma defaulted on the last instalment. RFC took possession of the crusher and auctioned it, where Rubinder Singh became the highest bidder. Sharma filed a suit challenging the validity of the auction sale and sought an a…

The appellant, a contractor, entered into a contract to construct a food‑grains godown for the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The engineer withheld part of the payment alleging that the work was not executed as per the contract. The dispute was referred to an arbitrator who awarded the contractor the withheld sum togeth…

The respondent, a Selection Grade Superintendent of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, had his superannuation extended by two years (re‑employment). During this period he was charged with embezzlement, suspended and a charge‑sheet was issued. After the re‑employment period he was allowed to retire, but a disciplinary e…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) allotted a flat to the respondent after a draw of lots on 12 October 1990, but the allotment‑cum‑demand letter was sent only on 9‑13 January 1991. In the interim, DDA revised land rates by a circular dated 6 December 1990, and the respondent was asked to pay the higher price. The r…

The appellant, a cooperative society engaged in sugar manufacturing, obtained sugarcane from its farmer members, gave them advances, and processed the cane into sugar. The Sales Tax Officer assessed purchase tax under Section 14B of the Bombay Sales Tax Act, 1959, holding the supply to be a purchase, a view affirmed by…

Indian Tool Manufacturers produced carbide "throw‑away" inserts that were initially classified under Tariff Item 68, later under Item 51A(iii) after an amendment, and subsequently re‑classified by the Assistant Collector of Central Excise as Item 62 (Tool Tips). The manufacturer appealed the re‑classification, arguing …

H.M.M. Ltd. claimed that the metal screw caps used to seal bottles of Horlicks are component parts of the finished product and therefore eligible for a duty exemption under Notification No. 201/79‑CE. The Collector (Appeals) allowed the claim, but the Customs, Excise & Gold (Control) Appellate Tribunal reversed the dec…

The Indian Express Newspapers and other newspaper establishments challenged two 1989 government orders that gave effect to the Bachawat Wage Board's recommendations fixing wage scales, grades, house rent and city compensatory allowances under the Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service)…

The Kerala Government issued two notifications under Section 4 of the Kerala Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980, restricting bottom‑trawling by mechanised boats during the monsoon period and prescribing technical specifications for vessels allowed to fish beyond territorial waters. Mechanised boat owners challenged th…

Dr. Rash Lal Yadav, appointed Chairman of the Bihar School Service Board for a three‑year term, was removed by the State Government under Section 10(7) of the Bihar Non‑Government Secondary Schools (Taking over of Management and Control) Act, 1981 on grounds of alleged mismanagement and detrimental conduct. He challeng…

Engineers India Limited, acting as consultant for the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), advertised a tender for a Kerosene Recovery Processing Unit in newspapers across India, including West Bengal. NICCO, a company with its registered office in Calcutta, learned of the tender, submitted its bid and subsequent rev…

The appellant, K.C.D. Pvt. Ltd., bought whole black pepper and whole turmeric in West Bengal, ground them into powder, and sold the powder. It argued that under the West Bengal Sales Tax Act, 1954, the powdered forms are the same goods as the whole forms, already taxed at the first point of sale, and therefore not liab…

The case involved displaced persons from the Bhakra Nangal Dam who were rehabilitated in the Rajasthan Canal Colony and allotted land under the Rajasthan Colonisation Act, 1954 and the 1967 Rules, with payment required as per Rule 23, which they duly made. In 1984 the government issued notices under the 1975 Rules, spe…

Mac Laboratories, a manufacturer of Kemicetine Vaginal Suppositories containing chloramphenicol, claimed exemption from excise duty under Notification No. 116/69‑CE (as amended) which exempts "chloramphenicol and its esters for oral and parenteral use". The department issued notices denying exemption, arguing that the …

The appellants, coffee growers, filed writ petitions seeking to restrain the Coffee Board from using the Pool Fund, created under Section 30 of the Coffee Act, 1942, to pay the purchase tax imposed by the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957. The High Court held that the growers were not liable to pay the tax and that the Boa…

MIS K. TROLLING MILLS Pvt. Ltd. failed to deposit Employees' Provident Fund contributions for the period July 1968 to October 1977. The Regional Provident Fund Commissioner initiated proceedings in 1985 and, under Section 14‑B of the EPF Act, levied damages of Rs. 52,034.80. The Bombay High Court set aside the order, h…

The dispute concerned recruitment to the statutory posts of Welfare Officers under Rule 72 of the Mines Rules. Coal India Ltd. adopted a policy that one‑third of the posts be filled by internal candidates and the remaining two‑thirds by external candidates, with a common written test for all applicants. The company fir…

The Uttar Pradesh State Financial Corporation (SFC) had sanctioned a Rs 30 lakh term loan to Naini Oxygen and Acetylene Gas Ltd. (the Company). The Company repeatedly defaulted, leading to a recovery certificate under the U.P. Public Moneys (Recovery of Dues) Act and a notice under Section 29 of the U.P. State Financia…

The State of Tamil Nadu enacted the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Harijan Welfare Schemes Act, 1978 to acquire land for Harijan welfare projects. The Act was challenged as unconstitutional, alleging violations of Articles 14, 19 and 300A of the Constitution and lack of protection under Articles 31A and 31C. The Ma…

The petitioners challenged the Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1960's provision allowing the Market Committee to levy a market fee on buffaloes, bullocks and cows sold in a notified market, arguing that cattle are not agricultural produce. The High Court held that Section 2(1)(a) of the Act, together with Item …

Ratan Singh, a Bhoomidar, died leaving 41.49 acres of agricultural land. Under the Madhya Pradesh Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings Act, 1960, the Sub‑Divisional Officer limited the widow's share to 10.38 acres and declared the remainder surplus. The major daughters (appellants) filed a civil suit claiming inheritance u…

The assessee, a Hindu Undivided Family, challenged the valuation of its residential properties for the assessment years 1977-78 and 1978-79, contending that Rule 1BB of the Wealth Tax Rules, 1957 (effective 1 April 1979) should be applied even though the assessments were made after the rule’s introduction. The Revenue …

The appellant, a holder of a village office (Walikarki) under the Karnataka Village Offices Abolition Act, 1961, claimed exclusive ownership of land regranted to him after the abolition of the office. Upon partition, he received only one‑fifth of the property while the respondents, other members of the Hindu joint fami…

Raghbir Singh, convicted under IPC sections 326 and 149 and sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment, was released in November 1988 and subsequently contested the Punjab Vidhan Sabha election in February 1992. The respondent filed an election petition alleging that Singh was disqualified under sub‑section 3 of S…

The petitioners claimed to be successors in title to land that had been acquired by the government for the railways under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and sought a declaration and an injunction to protect their possession. The trial court found them in possession, but the High Court held that the land was in the pos…

Four members of the General Reserve Engineers Force (GREF) were tried by a Court‑Martial convened under a warrant of the Chief of the Army Staff authorising the Chief Engineer and were convicted of offences under Sections 63, 39(a) and 41 of the Army Act. They challenged the jurisdiction of the Court‑Martial, the effec…

Organon (India) Ltd., later known as Infer (India) Ltd., obtained a wholesale licence for poppy husks in Madhya Pradesh and entered into a contract to export 1,000 tonnes to the Netherlands. The company sought a permit from the Collector of Excise, Mandsaur, to move the husks to Bombay for export, claiming that no exci…

The case concerned the promotion of diploma holders and science graduates employed in Indian Ordnance Factories. The Central Administrative Tribunal had treated all initial appointments as if they were to the post of Supervisor Grade‑A and directed that, on two years of service as Supervisor‑A, the employees be promote…

The appellant, a government servant, was allotted a government residential accommodation and was a tenant of a residential building owned by the respondent landlord. The landlord invoked Section 14(3)(a)(iv) of the Himachal Pradesh Urban Rent Control Act, 1987 to obtain possession, arguing that the tenant was liable fo…

Dr. Shiv Jatan Thakur, a member of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), claimed that, as a member, he was entitled to the same facilities and amenities as the Chairman, invoking the Constitution and the BPSC (Conditions of Service) Regulations. He also sought punitive action against the Chairman for allegedly re…

HICO Products Ltd., a manufacturer of medicinal silicone products such as dimethicone and simethicone, claimed that these goods should be classified under the residuary Tariff Item 68 and therefore be exempt from excise duty under government notifications of 1982. The Central Excise authorities directed classification …

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of five accused (Al, A2, A3, A4, A5) for the murders of Savitri Devi and her grandson Sunil and related robbery. The Sessions Court had sentenced them to life imprisonment, but the Karnataka High Court enhanced the sentences of Al, A2 and A3 to death. The Court held that the H…

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay resolved in 1975 to reserve promotion posts for backward classes, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and denotified and nomadic tribes. Although a seniority‑wise list of eligible backward‑class employees was prepared, the corporation denied promotions to several ap…

Ten persons, including eight appellants, were tried for murder (Sec. 302 read with Sec. 149 IPC) and other offences arising from an assault on the deceased Halke. The High Court convicted them of murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment, along with convictions under Sec. 323 and Sec. 325 IPC for causing hurt. On …

The respondents' agricultural lands were acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 for the Upper Krishna Project. The District Judge, based on evidence that two dry‑season crops yielded Rs 720 per acre, applied a 15‑year multiplier to compute a market value of Rs 800 per acre, which the Karnataka High Court upheld.…

The Supreme Court examined disputes arising from the Kerala Abkari Shops (Disposal in Auction) Rules, 1974, where licensees of arrack shops claimed the State was contractually obliged to supply additional quantities of liquor beyond the statutorily mandated monthly quota. The Court held that the monthly quota is obliga…

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of Laxman Naik, who was convicted of raping and murdering his 7‑year‑old niece. The prosecution case was built entirely on circumstantial evidence, including eyewitnesses who saw the accused and victim together, the accused’s false statements about the victim’s whereabouts, medical…

Twenty-six packages of utensils were seized by a Uttar Pradesh sales tax officer because they were being transported without the required documents. The railway argued that the goods were moving from a railway godown to a city booking agency, which it claimed was part of the "Railway" under the Railways Act and therefo…

R.C. Sood, then Registrar of the Rajasthan High Court, was suspended by the High Court under Rule 13 of the Rajasthan Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1958, on the allegation that he altered a draft recruitment advertisement, changing the age eligibility date from 1 January 1994 to 1 January 1…

The respondent was initially appointed as a Junior Engineer on an adhoc basis in May 1969 and later selected for regular appointment by the Panchayat Services Selection Board, with regularisation intended to be effective from July 15, 1972. After a provisional promotion in 1978, a common seniority list placed him at a …

The respondent, G.P. Verma, was appointed as a clerk in a private aided school during a leave vacancy and the Managing Committee resolved to retain him even after the vacancy ended. The school sought reimbursement of his salary from the Government under the U.P. High Schools and Intermediate Colleges (Payment of Salari…

The Supreme Court entertained a Special Leave Petition filed by P. Av. Education Trust, a private law college, challenging the admission procedures imposed by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The petition raised the question whether the scheme laid down in Unnikrishnan v. State of Andhra Pradesh (1993) applied to the coll…

The appellant filed successive partition suits over property where a court‑appointed receiver (1933‑1941) had inducted the respondents as occupants. After the receiver’s discharge, the respondents claimed tenancy rights by adverse possession. The trial court and the appellate court found that the respondents were not i…

The respondent was granted a mining lease in 1966 to extract limestone from a forest area, which expired in 1986. After the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 came into force, any grant or renewal of such a lease required prior approval of the Central Government under Section 2. The State Government issued an order renewing…

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation conducted a 1972 selection for Assistant Stores/Purchase Officers, appointing four candidates in order of merit. Under the Government Instructions dated 6 September 1969, the first vacancy was reserved for a Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidate, followed by Scheduled Caste (SC),…

East India Hotels Ltd operates three restaurants in its Oberoi Grand hotel in Calcutta, each equipped with dancing floors, music and occasional cabaret shows. The Calcutta Municipal Corporation levied a licence fee under Section 443 of the Calcutta Municipal Act, 1951, treating the restaurants as places of public amuse…

The case concerned an IAS officer, Rajiv Yadav, who was allocated to the Manipur‑Tripura cadre despite his preference for the Union Territories cadre, his home state. He challenged the allocation before the Central Administrative Tribunal, arguing that the reservation of SC/ST candidates for their home states in the ca…

Anand Swaroop Vohra, a retired Central Government employee, applied under Section 25‑B(1) read with Section 14‑C of the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 for eviction of his tenant on the ground that the premises were needed for his own residence because the accommodation he occupied was insufficient. The Rent Controller re…

The case concerned the murder of Laxman Singh on 3 November 1977, for which Kalu, Meharaj Singh and others were charged under Section 302 IPC. The trial court acquitted all accused, finding the First Information Report (FIR) to be ante‑timed and the eyewitness testimony unreliable, especially in view of contradictory m…

The widow of a turner who was dismissed from service challenged the disciplinary enquiry that led to his dismissal. The employee had alleged bias against the appointed enquiry officer and requested a change of officer, which the authorities ignored and proceeded with an ex parte enquiry. After the enquiry officer exami…

The respondent was appointed as a temporary Assistant Project Officer under the National Adult Education Scheme, with her appointment stating that service could be terminated at any time by giving one month's notice or pay. In June 1982 she was terminated under the Uttar Pradesh Temporary Government Servants (Terminati…

The petitioners, members of a Delhi cooperative housing society, were expelled by a resolution of the society's general body on 22 February 1990, which was later approved by the Registrar. They filed several writ petitions in the Delhi High Court challenging the expulsion and other matters, but did not contest the expu…

In 1993 a series of bomb blasts in Bombay led to the arrest of Abdul Hamid Haji Mohammed, during which six Chinese AK‑56 rifles and twelve magazines were recovered. The Designated Court under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) refused his bail, holding that the allegations attracted TADA pr…

The respondent, a manager in the Orissa State Guest House, was found to have committed serious financial irregularities and was later discovered to possess disproportionate assets. The appointing authority suspended him pending disciplinary proceedings and a criminal investigation under Rule 12 of the Orissa Civil Serv…

The appellant, a milk vendor, had a sample of his milk taken by a food inspector on 19 March 1983, which was sent for analysis and reported as adulterated. He was convicted under Section 7 read with Section 16 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, sentenced to six months imprisonment and a fine, later reduc…

The petitioner, a widow of a Major in the Indian Army, sought Special Family Pension, Children Allowance and monetary compensation after her husband died in mysterious circumstances involving extensive burns. The authorities denied her claim, stating the death was not attributable to military service and refused to dis…

The returned candidate Quamarul Islam contested the 1989 Karnataka Assembly election and was challenged by his rival S.K. Kanta on alleged corrupt practices under Sections 123(2), (3), (3A) and (4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, including religious appeals and false statements. The High Court set aside …

The petitioners, members of the legal profession, sought suo motu initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against respondents, who were also lawyers and members of a Sub‑Committee on Judicial Accountability, alleging that they made statements disparaging judges and the judicial system. The petition relied on Sectio…

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

The case concerned 173 items of jewellery belonging to the Nizam of Hyderabad, held in two trusts, which the Union of India sought to purchase under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act. The parties entered a compromise agreement to resolve all disputes by arbitration, and the umpire fixed a just price of Rs 225,37,33…

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (appellant) challenged awards granted by the Labour Court to daily‑rated/casual workers (respondents) who claimed equal pay with regular employees under the principle of equal pay for equal work. The workers sought computation of arrears of wages at the regular workers' rate, invoking…

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

The Sub‑Committee on Judicial Accountability filed a suo motu criminal contempt petition against Justice V. Ramaswamy, alleging that a letter he wrote to the Enquiry Committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 contained sweeping allegations against judges and the judiciary. The petition invoked Section 15 of the Con…

The Uttar Pradesh Awas Evam Vikas Parishad (the Board), a statutory body acquiring land for a housing scheme, was not impleaded in the compensation proceedings before the tribunal and the High Court. The land owners challenged the compensation awarded, leading to enhanced awards by the High Court, which did not include…

Ramti Devi filed a suit on 30 July 1966 seeking a declaration that she was the absolute owner of a house and that the sale deed dated 29 January 1947, by which the defendant had allegedly alienated the property, should be avoided or cancelled. The trial court dismissed the suit and the Delhi High Court affirmed the dis…

The case concerned a land acquisition where the Collector’s award was made on 30 December 1980 and possession taken in early 1981. The civil court, on reference, enhanced the compensation on 28 February 1985 and the enhanced amount was deposited in 1986. The High Court confirmed the enhanced compensation but denied int…

The appellant, Indian Cable Co., produced PVC compound (granules) from duty‑paid PVC resin and was assessed excise duty on the compound. The Tribunal held that the conversion constituted "manufacture" under Sec. 2(t) of the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944 and that the compound was dutiable. The appellant contended t…

The Supreme Court examined the Andhra Pradesh Government's grant of permission to twenty societies to establish unaided private medical and dental colleges. The Court found that the State had framed the 1992 Rules and invited applications before constituting the "competent authority" mandated by the Andhra Pradesh Educ…

The Supreme Court heard two writ petitions on 20 September 1994. In Kanta Devi v. Union of India, a widow of an ex‑serviceman was denied family pension because the Army Instructions No. 51 of 1980 excluded marriages contracted after retirement; the Court held the exclusion to be harsh, heartless and unconstitutional, s…

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

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

The petitioners, instructors under Haryana's Adult and Non‑formal Education Scheme, sought contempt proceedings against the State of Haryana and the Union of India for allegedly failing to pay arrears as directed by the Supreme Court on 2 June 1988, which required them to receive pay on par with squad teachers. The Cou…

The respondent, a railway employee, gave three months' notice on 22 July 1985 to retire voluntarily under Article 1802(b) of the Indian Railway Establishment Code, with the notice period ending on 21 October 1985. While the notice period was pending, he was suspended in a disciplinary proceeding and an order of removal…

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

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