Judgments of 2003

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of Bhagwan Singh and two co‑accused for murder and related offences under the IPC and the Madhya Pradesh Dacoity Vihavaran Kshetra Act. The conviction was based primarily on the testimony of a six‑year‑old child eye‑witness and a judicial confession recorded under Section 164 C…

The Ghaziabad Development Authority acquired about 6,200 sq. yards of land in 1964‑67. The original award fixed the market value at Rs 2 per sq. yard; claimants sought reference and claimed Rs 20 per sq. yard, later amended to Rs 100 per sq. yard under the CPC. The Reference Court awarded Rs 40 per sq. yard with 15% so…

Brij Mohan Gupta, a judge appointed directly from the Bar, was ordered to retire at age 58 by the Bombay High Court after an adverse committee report, despite his claim under Rule 10(3)(c) of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1982 that he could serve until completing ten years of qualifying service. The H…

Continental Construction Ltd. entered into a contract with the State of Uttar Pradesh for dam construction. A dispute arose over claims for extra earth and rock, which were referred to arbitration. The respondent failed to appoint an arbitrator, so the appellant's arbitrator acted as sole arbitrator, and later the matt…

The respondents, whose names were forwarded by employment exchanges for 150 Junior Assistant posts, filed writ petitions seeking a mandamus directing the State to complete recruitment and appoint them. The Orissa High Court ordered the State to hold interviews and fill the vacancies. On appeal, the Supreme Court held t…

The State of Punjab appealed the acquittal of Pohla Singh and Balkaur Singh, who had been convicted by the trial court for murder under s.302 r/w s.34 IPC. The Punjab and Haryana High Court set aside the conviction, citing an alleged delay in lodging the FIR and questioning why the murder was committed at 5.30 a.m. The…

The All India Railway Parcel & Goods Porters Union sought the regularisation of parcel porters employed on a contract basis, arguing that the work is permanent and perennial and that earlier Supreme Court directions required their absorption as permanent employees. The Railway Administration contended that the work is …

Kheraj Ram, suspecting his wife's infidelity, murdered his wife, two daughters and his brother‑in‑law on the night of 10‑10‑1992. The trial court convicted him under Section 302 IPC and imposed death, relying on a series of circumstantial facts – motive, prior quarrels, his presence with the victims, an extra‑judicial …

The case involved nine accused who conspired to kidnap foreign nationals in India to demand the release of jailed militants. The main conspirator, Umar Sheikh, escaped after an exchange of hijacked‑plane passengers, while six co‑accused were convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA…

The appellant, owner of a passenger‑carrying vehicle, insured the vehicle with New India Assurance Company. A khalasi (crew member) employed by the appellant died in an accident. The heirs claimed compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act against both the appellant and the insurer. The Workmen's Compensation Co…

The appellants, three members of the Rajasthan Higher Judicial Service, were compulsorily retired on 31 March 1999 under a notification that reduced the retirement age to 58 years, with an exception allowing extension to 60 years for officers deemed to have continued utility. They challenged the order, arguing that the…

The Andhra Pradesh State Irrigation Development Corporation (the appellant) introduced several phases of a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for its employees, fixing specific cut‑off dates for calculating VRS benefits. Employees whose applications were accepted continued in service beyond the cut‑off dates because the…

The Punjab Subordinate Selection Board conducted a written test for Assistant District Transport Officer posts and later lowered the qualifying standard, calling additional candidates for interview. The appellants, who were not selected, challenged the selection on grounds of arbitrariness, excessive interview marks, a…

The case concerned the regularisation of several Head Constables who had been temporarily promoted as Out of Seniority Sub‑Inspectors (OSSI) in 1983 without following the recruitment rules. The State Government, between 1996‑97, exercised its power under Rule 47 of the Andhra Pradesh State and Subordinate Service Rules…

The petitioners, originally appointed in the Rural Development Department of Kerala, later transferred to the Co-operative Department after applying through the Kerala Public Service Commission. When a promotion list was prepared for the Rural Development Department, a dispute arose whether the petitioners retained a l…

Punjab National Bank (PNB) sued Indian Bank and Indo‑Europe Foods Ltd for recovery of a US‑dollar bank guarantee amounting to USD 5,237,284.54. The plaint sought a decree in US dollars with rupee equivalents for court‑fee and jurisdiction purposes. PNB later applied to amend the pleading to delete the rupee equivalents…

Mis Steel Strips Ltd. manufactured cold rolled steel strips from hot rolled strips and claimed a refund of excise duty paid on the cold rolled strips. The revenue department rejected the claim, asserting that hot and cold rolled strips are distinct excisable commodities under separate tariff sub‑headings and that the a…

The petitioners, Virender Singh and others, challenged the compensation awarded for land acquired in 1959 under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, arguing that the market value should be higher than the Rs.10,000 per Bigha fixed by the Reference Court and affirmed by the Delhi High Court. The High Court had relied on sale…

In the 1999 Karur parliamentary election the returned candidate won by 2,847 votes. The defeated candidate filed an election petition alleging irregularities in the counting of about 15,000 rejected votes across five categories, but the petition disclosed only vague, general allegations without the required particulars…

The appellant, a member of a scheduled tribe, purchased a parcel of land in Sundergarh that had previously been transferred among tribal owners and later sold to a non‑tribal with statutory permission. The respondent encroached on the land and claimed title by adverse possession, arguing that more than twelve years of …

The Government acquired 11.33 acres of agricultural land in Kammarapally village, Nizamabad district for housing weaker sections, issuing a notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Land Acquisition Officer fixed compensation at Rs.12,325 per acre, which was enhanced by the Reference Court …

The case concerns N.I. Khan, a teacher at Nirmala Senior Secondary School, who was alleged to have assaulted the principal and later threatened to burn the school. The school suspended him without prior approval from the State Education Department, leading the State to revoke the suspension and order a separate enquiry…

Bihar State Mineral Development Corporation (appellant) awarded a contract to ENCON Builders (respondent) for excavation work. The respondent failed to perform, leading the corporation to re‑allocate the work and incur losses. Clause 60 of the contract stipulated that any dispute would be decided by the Managing Direct…

The case concerned the Karnataka Tax on Entry of Goods Act, 1979 and its amendment in 1993 which inserted the words "retrospectively or prospectively" in Section 3(1). The petitioners challenged the validity of the amendment for lack of the President's assent under Article 304(b) of the Constitution, and also questione…

Gwalior Dugdha Sangh Sahakarj Ltd, a society registered under the Madhya Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, entered into milk supply agreements with the Government Milk Scheme, Nagpur, which were executed in Maharashtra. The agreements contained an arbitration clause designating the Dairy Development Commissioner, Bom…

The plaintiffs, Motilal and others, owned land recorded in revenue records but the State of Madhya Pradesh had taken the land under Nigrani (supervision) to recover a loan and handed it to a cultivator, who in turn gave possession to the respondent Niyazuddin. After the loan was repaid, the State restored possession to…

Gardeners were engaged through an agency to maintain lawns within the premises of Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd (the appellant). Their services were terminated and they raised an industrial dispute, claiming reinstatement and compensation under Section 6‑N of the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The Labour Co…

The appellant Chittar Lal was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for killing Lattor Lal. The sole surviving eyewitness, PW3, was not named in the FIR, and two other eyewitnesses turned hostile during trial. The appellant argued that conviction could not rest on a single witness whose name was omitted from the FI…

The petitioners, two Christians, challenged Section 118 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 which barred Christians from bequeathing property for religious or charitable purposes unless a will was executed at least twelve months before death and deposited as prescribed. They argued that the provision discriminated again…

R.S. More was appointed as a police constable on probation for two years and six months starting 26 June 1992. His probation expired on 2 December 1994, but he continued in service and his probation was later extended by one year and three months on 14 March 1996. He was discharged on 12 November 1997 under Rule 6 of t…

The appellants Rizan and Duda were convicted for assaulting Jhanguram (PW‑2) and his wife (PW‑4) under IPC sections 326 and 323. They appealed, claiming the acts were in private defence, that related witnesses should be disbelieved, that the conviction was unsafe because four co‑accused were acquitted, and that the sen…

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) issued an advertisement inviting applications from Chartered Accountant firms for empanelment to audit government companies, restricting eligibility to partnership firms except in certain states where proprietary firms could apply. K.V. Mehta, a sole proprietor, was rejected an…

Modi Entertainment Network and another filed a suit in the Bombay High Court for damages arising from a contract granting exclusive telecast rights for the ICC Knockout Tournament. The contract contained a clause that disputes would be governed by English law and submitted to the non‑exclusive jurisdiction of the Engli…

The former managing director of Goaplast (P) Ltd issued ten post‑dated cheques to the company to repay misappropriated funds, but the first cheque was returned unpaid after the drawer instructed the bank to stop payment. The company gave statutory notice and filed a complaint under Section 142 of the Negotiable Instrum…

The Supreme Court considered an Admiralty suit filed by a UK Protection & Indemnity (P&I) club seeking arrears of insurance premiums from the owners of the vessel M.V. Sea Success I, alleging the premiums were "necessaries" under the Admiralty Courts Act, 1861. The vessel moved to reject the plaint under Order 7 Rule 1…

The appellant, a Junior Engineer in the Bihar Subordinate Engineering Service, claimed promotion to Assistant Engineer under a 1979 Government resolution that granted special promotion to those who obtained a degree and had five years of service, with inter‑se seniority to be decided by the Personnel Department. The Pe…

The State of Punjab and the State of Kerala imposed import fees on liquor imported into their territories. Licensees challenged these fees, arguing they were unconstitutional taxes that violated Articles 301, 303 and 304 of the Constitution and that liquor trade is "res extra commercium". The Court held that the fees a…

The appellant and respondent owned adjoining properties in Chennai, where the appellant opened windows and a ventilator that overlooked the respondent's land. The respondent's mother sued in 1976 for an injunction to close the openings, but the trial court dismissed the injunction claim without deciding any easement ri…

The State of Jammu and Kashmir issued a tender for construction work which was accepted by Ghulam Mohammad Dar, and the parties entered into a contract containing an arbitration clause. After completing the work, the contractor sought a 42% escalation payment, which the Chief Engineer indicated should apply to all item…

In 1989, Excise officials seized a lorry and 45 barrels of spirit allegedly belonging to the respondent. After the driver and cleaner compounded the offence, the Joint Commissioner released the vehicle upon a bank guarantee. The respondent's appeal under Section 678 of the Kerala Abkari Act was dismissed, and a subsequ…

The Orissa Public Service Commission selected 39 candidates for temporary Munsif posts and sent its merit list to the State Government, which prepared a different list omitting several selectees. Writ petitions were filed challenging the State list; the Orissa High Court prepared its own list and directed appointments …

The State of U.P. alleged that the accused entered the house of Raghubir (PW3) at midnight, assaulted him with the butt of a pistol and, when his wife intervened, also struck her, leading to her death the next day. The trial court convicted the accused under Sections 302 r/w 34, 307 r/w 34 and 452 IPC. The Allahabad Hi…

Daewoo Motors India Ltd imported plant and equipment under the Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) Scheme, which required it to meet export obligations equal to six times the CIF value of the imports. The company furnished bank guarantees for licences exceeding Rs 100 crore. Although the export‑obligation period was …

Retired judges of the High Court, including Justice S.N. Saxena, sought payment of the balance of their leave‑encashment amount or permission to deposit it in the Treasury after retirement. The Union of India refused, relying on the "one‑time settlement" concept in Rule 208 of the All India Services (Leave) Rules, 1955…

The respondent, a temporary Assistant Central Intelligence Officer-II in the Intelligence Bureau, was terminated on grounds of negligence and dereliction of duty. He challenged the termination before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which set aside the order and declared him to be in continued service. On app…

Justice S.K. Ray, a former Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, was appointed Lokpal under the Orissa Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 1970 for a five‑year term. The Act was repealed by the Orissa Lokpal and Lokayukta (Repeal) Ordinance, 1992 (later replaced by the 1995 Act), causing him to cease office before the term exp…

The petitioner, an under‑trial prisoner for theft and robbery, was detained under Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1982 on the ground that he had pelted stones at the public while committing a robbery, allegedly creating alarm and threatening public order. He challenged the detention …

The appellants, senior officials of Tata Construction & Projects Ltd, were sued criminally by Singh Construction Co. for allegedly misappropriating payment received from Bokaro Steel Plant for contract work. The complaint invoked IPC sections 403, 406, 420 and 1208, alleging dishonest conversion of money. The Chief Jud…

The appellants, Ganga Retreat and Towers Ltd., bought a prime property at a public auction on the basis that it was free‑hold, ceiling‑free and had a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 2.0. After paying the full consideration, they obtained possession and applied for building‑plan approval, but the municipal bye‑laws were amend…

R.R. Samanta was appointed as a Badli Subordinate Staff/Sepoy in the Bank of India and worked for about 492 days before being asked to stop. He filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking direction for his absorption as a regular employee. The High Court Single Judge allowed the petition, but th…

The case concerns the murder of Jaba Dhibar on 16 September 1985, for which five accused were convicted by the trial court under Sections 148 and 304 Part I read with Section 149 of the IPC. The Calcutta High Court acquitted the accused, disbelieving the testimony of two eye‑witnesses (PW‑3 and PW‑5) and labeling them …

Videocon Properties Ltd. entered into a sale agreement with Dr. Bhalchandra Laboratories, paying Rs 38 lakhs as "deposit or earnest money". The sellers failed to fulfil their obligations, prompting Videocon to terminate the contract and demand a refund with 21% interest as per Clause 2.3. The sellers returned only the …

The Ganges Rope Co. applied to the Howrah Municipal Corporation for sanction to construct a seven‑storey building. The corporation failed to decide within the statutory 60‑day period, prompting the High Court to order a sanction up to the fourth floor and to allow the company to seek further sanction. After the corpora…

The appellant, M/s. Teri Oat Estates, purchased a lease‑hold site in Chandigarh and constructed a six‑storey building but failed to pay the instalments and ground rent on time, leading the Estate Officer to invoke Section 8‑A of the Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952 and cancel the lease with forf…

The State of Manipur appealed a High Court judgment that had directed monetary benefits for R.K. Manikanta Singh, a retired Additional Chief Engineer, based on a 1999 order relaxing eligibility criteria for promotion. Singh had been granted a relaxation under Rule 5 of the 1993 Recruitment Rules, enabling his considera…

Mahadevi, the donor, executed a gift deed in 1947 transferring ancestral property to her nephew (the appellant) and stipulating that any male children later born to his parents would become joint holders. At the time of execution the appellant was a minor and the respondent (the younger brother) was not yet born. The r…

A student discovered that his date of birth was incorrectly recorded on the Board of Secondary Education, Assam certificate and applied for correction eight years after the certificate was issued. The Board, relying on Regulation 8, rejected the application because it was filed beyond the three‑year period prescribed f…

ITW Signode India Ltd., a manufacturer of box‑strappings from duty‑paid cold‑rolled steel strips, claimed that the product fell under tariff item 26AA(iii) and no further excise duty was payable. The Revenue argued that the product should be re‑classified under tariff item 68/7308.90 and that a short‑levy of duty could…

Shyam Singh filed a suit for specific performance of a 1971 agreement of repurchase of land against Daryao Singh (deceased) and other respondents. The trial court and appellate courts dismissed the suit, holding that the right of repurchase was a personal right of the original sellers (defendants 2‑4) and could not be …

Harina​gar Sugar Mills Ltd, a sugar manufacturer licensed under the Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1960, was levied a market fee on its purchase of sugarcane and sale of sugar and molasses. The mill challenged the fee in a suit, obtained a decree in its favour, but later faced assessments and penalties for the…

The case arose from a politically motivated attack in which two persons were killed after the accused threw stones at them; each accused allegedly threw only one stone. The trial court convicted the principal accused under Section 302 read with Section 109 IPC and the others under Sections 302 and 147, a decision affir…

The decree holder obtained an ex‑parte decree for specific performance of a sale agreement concerning vacant land and executed the decree, taking possession through a court nazar. The objectors, who had earlier purchased the same land and had municipal mutation, filed an application under Order XXI Rule 99 CPC alleging…

The Union of India entered into a contract for the supply and construction of a stone ballast machine, which contained an arbitration clause requiring the appointment of Gazetted officers as arbitrators for disputes exceeding Rs.5 lakh. When the Department failed to appoint an arbitrator, the contractor invoked the cla…

J.V.V. Bhaskar was adopted by J.K. Rao after being fostered by him since 1957. Before the adoption, the parties executed an ante‑adoption agreement in which Bhaskar, a major, agreed not to claim certain properties that had already been settled in his favour. Bhaskar later sued, contending that the agreement violated Se…

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of four accused convicted under the NDPS Act for a large heroin seizure. The appellants contended that their confessional statements recorded under Section 67 were involuntary, obtained through torture, and inadmissible because they were made to Revenue Intelligence officers rather…

M. Narayandas, the owner of a plot of land, filed a suit for permanent injunction after his sister's family attempted to transfer the land based on documents he alleged were forged. He lodged a criminal complaint alleging forgery, leading to an FIR under IPC sections 468, 470, 471 and 120B. The Karnataka High Court, in…

The case concerned validation certificates issued by Tahsildars for transfers of agricultural land that were later cancelled by the Joint Collector exercising suo‑motu power under Section 50‑B(4) of the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) Tenancy and Agricultural Land Act. The appellants argued that the Collector could act…

The police received a secret telephonic tip that charas was being transported in a car, recorded the information and promptly transmitted it to the Superintendent of Police as required under Section 42 of the NDPS Act. A raiding party intercepted the vehicle, seized a bag containing charas, and sent sealed samples for …

The State of Madhya Pradesh challenged the closure orders issued by a Sub‑Divisional Magistrate under Section 133 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C.) against Kedia Leather and Liquor Ltd. for alleged water and air pollution. The High Court held that the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and …

Several former army sepoys who joined the State Bank of India (SBI) as security guards sought admission to the SBI Employees' Pension Fund. Their applications were rejected on the grounds that they were over 35 years of age on the cut‑off date of 1 January 1965 (later raised to 38) and, for some, that their total servi…

The petitioner challenged the election of Dinesh Chaudhary to a Bihar Assembly seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, alleging that Chaudhary was a Kurmi (OBC) and not a Pasi (SC). The Returning Officer, despite lodging an FIR and having grave doubts about Chaudhary's caste certificate, accepted his nomination paper. The …

The Ludhiana Central Co‑operative Bank invited applications for junior clerk/typist posts and, after conducting tests, prepared a merit list. The Registrar of Co‑operative Societies ordered a freeze on all appointments due to state elections, and the new government later banned all recruitments. Despite these directive…

Standard Chartered Bank sued Canbank Mutual Fund (CMF) for a refund of securities transactions. CMF's written statement, verified by its employee S.R. RamaraJ, claimed the transactions were squared off, a position later contested by the Special Court which held RamaraJ in contempt for allegedly making a false defence a…

The appellants, steel re‑rolling mills, had a low‑tension electricity supply contract for a 150 HP load. The Board installed a Maximum Demand Indicator (MDI) meter to record the highest 30‑minute demand and, based on its readings, raised additional charges for excess load at double the normal tariff. The appellants cha…

The landlord sought eviction of the tenant under Section 13(2)(i) of the Haryana Urban (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1973 for non‑payment of rent. The High Court ordered eviction, but the Supreme Court, on special leave, set aside that order and remitted the matter to the Rent Controller to apply the law laid dow…

The Balaji Mandir Trust, a religious institution registered under the Madhya Pradesh Public Trust Act, filed an eviction suit against tenants Ramgopal and others, relying on a notification issued under Section 3(2) of the Madhya Pradesh Accommodation Control Act, 1961 that exempted trust properties from the Act. The te…

Mathew P. Thomas, a probationary Junior Manager (Quality Control) with Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation, was terminated after multiple show‑cause notices alleging negligence and misconduct in accepting inferior stock. The corporation argued the termination was based on unsatisfactory performance during probation…

The appellant, a 20‑year‑old man, was convicted of rape under Section 376 IPC for having sexual intercourse with a 19‑year‑old college student who alleged that she consented only because he promised to marry her. The trial court and the Karnataka High Court held that the promise constituted fraud that vitiated consent,…

A suit filed in 1960 for declaration of church properties was dismissed, and plaintiffs 1, 3 and 5 appealed while plaintiff 4 did not join. During the pendency of the appeal all appellants died. The legal heirs of appellant 4 applied to be impleaded as representatives and to set aside the abatement, but the High Court …

M/s P & B Pharmaceuticals (P) Ltd., a small‑scale manufacturer of patent and proprietary medicines, used the logo "P/B" assigned by M/s P & B Laboratories Ltd. The Central Excise authorities issued several show‑cause notices alleging that its distributor was a related person and that the logo was also used by the assig…

The landlord of a shop in Neemuch sued the heirs of the original tenant for eviction after they defaulted on rent. The original tenant, Badri Lal, had previously avoided eviction by invoking the proviso to sub‑section (3) of section 12 of the Madhya Pradesh Accommodation Control Act, 1961, and paying arrears. After Bad…

The Haryana State Cooperative Land Development Bank (the Apex Bank) conducts its business through several Primary Cooperative Banks, whose staff (except class IV) are drawn from the Apex Bank. A union representing the Primary Bank employees filed a writ petition seeking bonus at the same rate as Apex Bank employees. Th…

The State of Andhra Pradesh prosecuted K. Srinivasulu Reddy and others for the murder of Gangi Reddy, alleging a conspiracy driven by property disputes. The trial court convicted A-1 and A-2 under Section 302 IPC, finding a common intention to kill, while acquitting A-3 and A-4 and dismissing a charge under Section 120…

The case arose from communal disturbances in Sandhwa, Madhya Pradesh on 21 October 1990, where the deceased Rajunath was killed and Narish Chandra (PW‑1) was seriously injured. The accused, Shamsuddin and others, were charged under Sections 302 and 307 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The trial court acquitted them, fi…

The plaintiff Krishan Dutt sued for a one‑third share and partition of land that his father had allegedly inherited from his brother‑in‑law after the widow Gangi remarried the brother Bala Ram, invoking a custom of "illaqua" whereby a widow’s property passes to the brother she marries. The defendants (appellants) prove…

The Union of India appealed against a Madras High Court order directing payment of a reward to informant C. Krishna Reddy for information that led to customs duty evasion proceedings. The respondent claimed a reward of Rs.1,71,43,272, while the department had sanctioned only Rs.10 lakh. The Supreme Court examined wheth…

The mother executed a registered gift deed in 1945 transferring an 1/8 share of her property to her minor son and daughter, while reserving possession and enjoyment for herself during her lifetime. After the son attained majority, the mother cancelled the gift deed in 1970 and executed a will bequeathing the same prope…

The appellant purchased a two‑acre parcel of land granted to Smt. Gangamma in 1961 and invested in improvements. The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978, which came into force in 1979, declares any transfer of such granted land in contravention of the gra…

The appellant, a railway employee, challenged the Railway Administration's use of the 40‑point roster for promotions on the basis of vacancies rather than cadre strength. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) held that reservation must operate on cadre strength and seniority, directing the Railways to work out reli…

The appellant, Gora Lal, entered into a work contract with the Union of India that contained an arbitration clause requiring the arbitrator to "indicate his findings, along with the sum awarded, separately on each individual item of the dispute." A dispute arose over the final payment, and an arbitrator was appointed w…

The State of West Bengal acquired a compact block of land for a film studio and paid an advance of Rs.11,00,000. The claimants sought compensation based on the valuation of adjoining land, arguing for the application of the belting method and various percentage adjustments for frontage, largeness, potentiality, and pro…

The petitioners, led by K. Anbazhagan, sought transfer of two corruption cases against J. Jayalalitha and others from the Special Court in Chennai to a court in Karnataka, alleging that the trial was being subverted by the recall of witnesses, the dispensing of personal appearance of the accused, and the public prosecu…

The respondent filed a suit for eviction in the Small Causes Court and submitted an affidavit as his examination‑in‑chief under Order 18 Rule 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC). The appellant objected, contending that because the decree was appealable, Order 18 Rule 5 should apply and the evidence should be taken o…

The landlord (appellant) obtained a decree for eviction against the tenants (respondents) who simultaneously filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement. The Supreme Court dismissed the respondents' Special Leave Petition on the condition that the appellant would not execute the eviction decree until the …

The Supreme Court heard a civil appeal filed by the Government of West Bengal against Tarun K. Roy and others, who were operators‑cum‑mechanics in the State Irrigation Department seeking the same pay scale as Sub‑Assistant Engineers on the ground of "equal pay for equal work". The petitioners argued that the two posts …

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that quashed a criminal investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Awadh Kishore Gupta, an executive engineer, on the ground that he had acquired assets beyond his known sources of income. The High Court had relied on annexed docum…

Hindustan Lever Ltd. challenged the levy of stamp duty by the State of Maharashtra on the High Court order sanctioning its amalgamation with Tata Oil Mills Ltd. The appellants argued that the order was a judicial decree, not an "instrument" under the Bombay Stamp Act, and that the State lacked constitutional competence…

The High Court Employees Welfare Association and others filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the Governor of West Bengal's refusal to approve the draft Calcutta High Court Service Rules, 1998 under Article 229(2) of the Constitution. The draft rules, prepared by a five‑judge committee after earlier consul…

The petitioner filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking conversion of a death sentence to life imprisonment on the ground that the execution had been delayed for a long time, alleging mental torture of the condemned. He claimed the case was a public interest litigation, relying on the ratio in Smt. Triveniben v. …

Mis. Sathyanarayana Brothers (P) Ltd. entered into a contract with the Tamil Nadu Water Supply & Drainage Board for the manufacture and supply of prestressed concrete pipes for the Veeranam water project, subject to foreign collaboration clearance and foreign‑exchange assistance. Delays in obtaining foreign exchange an…

Sudhakar Vithal Kumbhare, a resident of Madhya Pradesh belonging to the Halba tribe, was promoted to Assistant Engineer in the Maharashtra State Electricity Board under a reserved post. The Board later reverted him to Junior Engineer, arguing that he was not entitled to reservation benefits in Maharashtra. The Supreme …

The Supreme Court examined a murder case where the initial information about the offence came via a cryptic telephone call, followed by a written report by a child witness (PW‑15). It held that such telephonic information does not constitute a First Information Report and therefore the written report is not barred by S…

The appellants Jitendra and Sheela were arrested after police searched a scooter and a house, seizing charas and ganja. The prosecution relied on police testimony and a panchanama, but the seized drugs were never produced in court, the investigating officer was not examined, and key witnesses turned hostile. The High C…

The Supreme Court, hearing a writ petition under Article 32 filed by environmental activist M.C. Mehta on behalf of a Monitoring Committee, examined the Taj Heritage Corridor project undertaken near the Taj Mahal. The Court found that construction and river‑bed reclamation work had commenced without the mandatory clear…

The appellant, a contractor, entered into a construction contract with the State of Goa that provided for arbitration of disputes. An arbitrator rendered an award in 1994, but the civil court remitted the award on two specific points for reconsideration. The arbitrator resigned before completing the reconsideration, an…

The appellant, the legal heirs of the late Nawab of Rampur, claimed that 1,073 acres of agricultural land listed as his private property in the 1949 Merger Agreement and subsequent letters were exempt from the Uttar Pradesh Imposition of Ceiling on Land Holdings Act. The State's Prescribed Authority issued a notice tha…

Respondent No. I, a Science Master in the Himachal Education Department since 1970, was deputed to the Special Services Bureau as Circle Organizer in 1977 and later absorbed in that post in 1984. The Department’s seniority list gave him seniority from the date of absorption, but he claimed seniority from the date he he…

The appellants, professional tourist guides, held identity cards issued by the Department of Tourism that permitted them to charge visitors for guiding services. Clause 17 of the governing instructions stipulated that the identity card would not be renewed once a guide turned 60 years old, leading to the denial of rene…

The petitioners, D.R. Yadav and others, challenged a seniority list issued by the Uttar Pradesh Government after they and the respondent were absorbed into the U.P. Development Authorities Centralised Service. The dispute centered on whether seniority should be fixed under the general Uttar Pradesh Government Servants …

The respondent, a government servant, was arrested and detained for more than 48 hours, leading to a deemed suspension under Rule 10(2) of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965. The authorities later issued an order continuing his suspension, which the respondent challenged before …

The landlord filed an eviction suit against the tenant under the Madhya Pradesh Accommodation Control Act, 1961, alleging non‑payment of rent and nuisance. The tenant failed to pay the arrears and did not apply for an extension of time to deposit the rent. The trial court decreed eviction, which was affirmed by the fir…

Lalit Popli, a clerk of Canara Bank, was dismissed after an internal enquiry found him guilty of forgery and unauthorized withdrawal of Rs.1.07 lakh, relying heavily on a handwriting expert’s report. The employee challenged the dismissal, arguing that the expert’s evidence was inadmissible, that adverse remarks about t…

Dr. (Mrs.) Chanchal Goyal was appointed as a Lady Doctor in the Municipal Council of Ganganagar, Rajasthan, on a temporary basis for six months or until a regular incumbent selected by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (PSC) joined. Her service was repeatedly extended for about fourteen years without obtaining th…

Maan Singh, a constable of the Delhi Police, was dismissed for habitual unauthorized absence from duty. He challenged the dismissal on the ground that the period of absence had been later treated as leave without pay and that the dismissal order was not passed by a competent authority. The Supreme Court examined the co…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control, Bombay Land Requisition and Bombay Government Premises (Eviction) (Amendment) Act, 1996, which converted occupants of requisitioned premises into statutory tenants and ended the requisition. The petitioner…

The Chief Conservator of Forests of Andhra Pradesh filed a writ petition challenging an order of the Commissioner of Survey, Settlement and Land Record concerning title to certain lands, without joining the State as a party. The same issue was pursued in a civil appeal after a suit by the pattedars (private landholders…

The Supreme Court examined whether a licence could be granted to Nisar Khan for dealing in captive birds listed in Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 when hunting—including trapping—of those species is prohibited under Section 9. The High Court had directed the licensing authority to grant such a licenc…

The Supreme Court examined the Bihar Sugar Undertakings (Acquisition) Act, 1985, which sought to acquire certain sugar mills and associated distilleries. Petitioners challenged the Act on the ground that it was beyond the State's legislative competence, overlapped with the central Sugar Undertaking (Taking over of Mana…

The Union of India acquired land in Madhya Pradesh for a project, and the landowners had houses on the land. The Land Acquisition Officer deducted a 5% depreciation from the valuation of the houses, which the landowners contested. The reference court held that no depreciation should be deducted and awarded full valuati…

An auction was held by the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (then Gujarat) in 1951 for a 99‑year lease of a vacant plot. The highest bidder, Shri Vajubha (predecessor of the appellant), paid only part of the premium and was given a three‑month extension to pay the balance, with a condition that failure would can…

The workmen of Bajaj Auto Ltd. alleged that the company employed a rotation system of temporary workers to avoid granting permanency after 240 days of uninterrupted service, invoking Rule 4C of the Model Standing Orders. The Industrial Court found unfair labour practices under Item 6 of Schedule IV of the Maharashtra R…

The police received information that two persons at a railway platform were carrying large quantities of ganja in their suitcases. Acting on this information, they searched the suitcases and seized 40 kilograms of ganja, which was sent for forensic analysis and kept in sealed custody. The accused were convicted under S…

The State of Punjab appealed the acquittal of Ramdev Singh, who was convicted by a trial court for raping a minor girl. The FIR was lodged 17-18 days after the incident because the victim's father was seriously ill, and the medical report noted that the girl was habituated to sexual intercourse. The Punjab and Haryana …

The deceased Chandran was brutally assaulted by six accused who were armed with deadly weapons and later died of his injuries. The prosecution relied on the nephew’s eye‑witness testimony, dying declarations made before three police officers, and medical evidence, leading to convictions under Sections 302, 143, 148 and…

The Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) prepared a main rank list of 177 candidates and a supplementary list of 62 reserved‑category candidates for Sub‑Engineer posts in the State Electricity Board. After 20 candidates (including open‑category and reserved‑category) failed to join, the KPSC refused to advise appoin…

The Andhra Pradesh Prohibition & Excise Superintendent raided toddy shops of the Toddy Tappers Cooperative Society and found adulterated toddy containing alprazolam. Licences were suspended after samples were sent to independent laboratories under an amended Rule 24 of the A.P. Excise (Arrack and Toddy Licenses General…

The appellant Bhupinder Sharma was convicted of gang rape under Section 376 read with Section 34 of the IPC and of kidnapping under Section 342. The trial court sentenced him to four years' rigorous imprisonment for the rape, citing that he had not actually completed the act before the victim escaped, thereby imposing …

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) held the assets of a defaulting member, C.S. Shah, in its Defaulters' Committee, which is merely an association of persons and not a juristic entity. Ms. Indu Malhotra obtained an arbitration award against Shah, which was made a rule of court and a decree, and sought attachment of the fu…

The respondent was appointed Junior Engineer in 1980, later declared surplus and redeployed to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) in 1988 under the Government's 1966 Office Memorandum (OM) which treated redeployed staff as fresh entrants for seniority purposes. The CPWD's 1991 OM provided a higher pay scale aft…

BSES Ltd., a distribution licensee, and Tata Power Co. Ltd. (TPC), a bulk licensee, disputed the amount BSES should pay for a 275 MVA standby power facility provided by TPC, which itself paid charges to the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) for a 550 MVA standby capacity. The State Government had earlier direc…

The State of Uttar Pradesh imposed a licence fee of 15 paise per litre on specially denatured spirit (SDS) under Rule 3(a) of the 1978 Rules, which the respondents challenged as an illegal tax. The Supreme Court examined whether the fee was a genuine regulatory fee supported by a quid pro quo relationship with the cost…

The landlord appealed against lower courts that had refused to include the portion of land on which the tenant, with the landlord's permission, had erected a building for the purpose of fixing fair rent under the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease & Rent Control) Act, 1960. The issue was whether such land should be treated as…

The appellant, a property clerk in the court of a Judicial Magistrate, was charged under Section 409 of the IPC for criminal breach of trust, alleged to have misappropriated court property and sold it to four persons. The trial court acquitted him on the ground that the prosecution failed to prove entrustment and misap…

The appellants, licensee‑contractors of toddy shops in Kerala, argued that the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948 (ESI Act) did not apply to their establishments because toddy shops were not listed in the 1974 notification and were exempt under the proviso to Section 1(4) as they were owned or controlled by the State…

The State of Maharashtra contracted Mis. S.D. Shinde & Co. to construct a project, but disputes led to arbitration under the Arbitration Act, 1940. An arbitrator issued an award and later filed an interim award before a Civil Judge seeking to have it made a rule of court, resulting in an interim order directing the gov…

Charanjit Singh, a police constable, was suspended pending a disciplinary inquiry for misconduct. While under suspension he left the police lines without permission on three occasions. The disciplinary authority dismissed him, treating the period of absence as leave without pay. Singh filed a suit claiming the dismissa…

Ramanuj Prasad, a Draftsman appointed by Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd) in 1975, was promoted to Executive cadre as Public Relations Officer (E‑2) in 1987 and later assumed charge of the Public Relations Manager post (E‑5) in 1990 without a formal promotion order. A 1993 circular stipulated tha…

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) entered into contracts with rice millers that contained a standard arbitration clause referring disputes to the Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA). The ICA refused to proceed with arbitration unless the parties executed a fresh arbitration agreement, prompting FCI to approach the De…

The Kerala Forest Department auctioned the right to collect residual tree growth and fire wood. The appellant bid Rs 3,00,100, but before the bid was confirmed a fire destroyed a substantial part of the subject matter. The appellant requested a reduction in the bid amount, yet the Managing Director confirmed the bid an…

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) entered into a 1993 agreement with Rose Advertising containing an arbitration clause. A dispute arose and the contractor sought appointment of an arbitrator in early 1996; the arbitrator was appointed on 4 July 1996, after the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 had come into fo…

The complainant, Narendra Nath Khaware, filed a Special Leave Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution challenging the High Court's dismissal of the State's appeal against the acquittal of seven accused in the murder of his son, Diwakar Khaware. The Supreme Court held that a private person may invoke Article 136 …

ONGC entered into a contract with Saw Pipes Ltd for supply of casing pipes, making timely delivery essential and providing for liquidated damages of 1% per week (up to 10%) for delay. Saw Pipes failed to deliver on time due to a strike, sought an extension, and ONGC granted it on the condition that liquidated damages w…

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission invited applications for Group‑HA services and selected candidates on the basis of written examination and interview. Three respondents, who possessed an additional law degree but did not disclose it in their applications, were not appointed and claimed that the service rule…

The respondent, Manoj K. Mohanty, was appointed as a typist on a temporary, consolidated salary but performed the duties of a Junior Assistant for over five years without regularisation. He filed a writ petition seeking regularisation and equal pay with regularly appointed Junior Assistants, invoking Article 14's "equa…

Shiv Shakti Coop. Housing Society filed revision petitions under Section 115 of the CPC against interim orders of a subordinate court. The High Courts dismissed the petitions, holding that the 1999 amendment to Section 115 made such interim orders non‑maintainable for revision. The Society appealed, arguing that the am…

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (the Corporation) absorbed employees of the State Transport Department whose pension rights were protected under Section 34 of the Road Transport Corporation Act, 1950 and were to be governed by Part III of the Kerala Service Rules, 1959 (KSR). The State Government, by a lett…

The case concerned about 2,000 primary teachers appointed in Bihar between 1981-83 whose appointments were later declared illegal and terminated. The High Court ordered a fresh selection, directing the State to relax the age limit for those who became over‑aged during the intervening period. After the fresh selection, …

The appellant's son was detained under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974. He filed a first representation on 12 April 2002 challenging the detention, which was rejected by the Central Government after the Advisory Board’s opinion. A second representation was filed on …

The DLF Qutab Enclave Complex Educational Charitable Trust (the appellant) challenged State of Haryana's circulars that barred the transfer of community sites earmarked for schools and other amenities to third or fourth parties. The High Court had held such transfers illegal, but the Supreme Court examined whether Sect…

The respondent Ram Phal sued for specific performance of a land sale agreement, while the appellants Banarsi et al. sued to cancel the agreement claiming it was a loan. The trial court denied specific performance, granting only a money decree and a conditional order for specific performance if the appellants failed to …

The appellant, Commissioner of Sales Tax, sought reassessment of sales tax for the years 1981‑82, 1982‑83 and 1983‑84 against M/s Subhash & Co., whose registration was cancelled in 1987. Notices for reassessment were issued to the address on the registration certificate and, when the assessee was not found, were served…

Pamuru Vishnu Vinodh Reddy (the plaintiff) retired from the partnership firm Vijay Mahal Theatre on 5 April 1971 by selling his 25% share, but the other partners failed to pay the agreed consideration. After his death, his son filed a suit for dissolution and accounting of the partnership assets. The trial court appoin…

The case arose from a land dispute in which the deceased and his relatives clashed with Gapoo Yadav and his sons over a tree. During a sudden quarrel the accused assaulted the deceased, causing several injuries, one of which was grievous and led to his death. The trial court convicted the accused under Sections 148 and…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, particularly the Parliament's power to create a three‑tier consumer dispute redressal system parallel to the regular courts. The petitioners argued that Parliament lacked competence to establish such tribunals and that the Act …

Maliyakkal Abdul Azeez was convicted under Section 135(1) of the Customs Act for smuggling gold and sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment, later reduced to two years. He had earlier been detained for two years under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), a …

The Supreme Court examined a batch of writ petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Prevention of Terrorist Act, 2002 (POTA). The petitioners argued that Parliament lacked legislative competence and that several provisions violated fundamental rights, including the right to privacy, freedom of speech, a…

The case arose from a bandh in which activists forcibly entered the flour mill of James Martin and his father, demanding its closure. When the activists assaulted the mill employee and threatened further violence, the accused retrieved a firearm and fired, killing two activists and injuring others. The trial court conv…

The plaintiff filed a suit for declaration of title and possession of a property measuring 1,817 sq. ft. after purchasing it. The defendant denied the plaintiff's title and pleaded adverse possession, but did not raise a defence of res judicata in the trial court or first appeal. The High Court, on a second appeal, hel…

The appellant, S. Dev Asahayam, was appointed as Head Master of a recognized aided school in Tamil Nadu, but the appointment was set aside by the Appellate Authority on the ground that he did not belong to the feeder category prescribed for the post. The appellant challenged the order through a writ petition and subseq…

The appellants were appointed as Assistants in the Bihar government through a test conducted by the Office of the Advocate General, while other Assistants were recruited via a general competitive examination. When the two cadres were merged, the government decided that those recruited through the competitive exam would…

Vithal Y. Gaitonde was appointed as a temporary operator in the Goa Post & Telegraph Services on 11 June 1962 under the Goa, Daman & Diu (Repeal of Posts and Telegraphs Law) Regulation, 1962, after Goa's liberation from Portuguese rule. He retired on 31 January 1994 and claimed that, because his appointment was governe…

The appellant, Kamaljit Singh, was charged with the murder of Gurcharan Singh and Sucha Singh and with causing grievous hurt to Udain Gosha. The trial court acquitted him, citing a delay in filing the FIR, a minor discrepancy between medical and ocular evidence, and the alleged bias of the key eyewitness, PW‑5. The Pun…

The appellant challenged the election of the respondent to the Bihar Legislative Assembly on the ground that the respondent was under 25 years of age at the time of filing his nomination, violating Article 173(b) of the Constitution and Section 36(2) of the Representation of the People Act. The High Court dismissed the…

The State of Uttar Pradesh ordered the closure of liquor shops licensed to Jagjeet Singh and others under Section 59 of the U.P. Excise Act during curfew periods caused by communal disturbances. The licensees sought remission of licence fees for the closure period, but the State refused. The High Court directed the Sta…

The parties, members of a joint Hindu family, referred a dispute over partition of family property to an arbitral tribunal, which delivered an award on 31 May 1998 (corrected on 10 June 1998). The respondents filed petitions under Section 34(1) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 seeking to set aside the awar…

V.N. Bhat, a Lower Division Clerk in the Ministry of Defence since 1962, transferred to the Postal Department in 1982 and was placed at the bottom of the seniority list. The Post and Telegraph Department introduced a One Time Bound Promotion Scheme and a B.C.R. Scheme for employees with 16 or 26 years of service as Pos…

The case concerned the promotion of a diploma‑holding Superintending Engineer to the post of Additional Chief Engineer in Nagaland. The High Court set aside the promotion on the ground that only degree‑holders were eligible, but the Letters Patent Bench reversed that decision and directed the State to consider meritori…

On 11 July 1996, a group of about ten to twelve men attacked Mann Singh and Surinder Singh in Ballabhgarh, Haryana, and later assaulted Megh Shyam, who was shot by Surinder Singh and later died. The trial court convicted seven accused under section 302 read with section 149 IPC for murder, and the High Court upheld the…

The case involved a police convoy ambushed by Veerappan's gang, resulting in seven deaths. Seven accused were convicted by a Special Designated Court under the TADA Act, IPC and Arms Act, largely on the testimony of two eyewitnesses and several confessional statements. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that the eyewitn…

The State of Punjab appealed against a Punjab & Haryana High Court order that granted Art‑cum‑Lattering Experts, Production Artists and related cadres a pay‑scale of Rs 1800‑3200, the same as that given to Assistants in Class A and B offices. The High Court had relied on the then‑precedent Haryana State Biologists Asso…

The Government of India, following the Fifth Central Pay Commission, issued an Office Memorandum (OM) on 13 May 1998 to raise the retirement age of Central Government employees from 58 to 60 years, stipulating that it would take effect only after amendment of the relevant rules. The Ministry of Industry issued a second…

The suit filed by the heirs of Rajgopal sought declaration of title and possession of joint family property, contending that the adoption of Goverdhan Das was in the 'Dwyamushyayana' form, which would preserve his inheritance rights in his natural father's estate. The trial court dismissed the suit on limitation and he…

The Centre for Public Interest Litigation challenged the Government of India's decision to sell majority shares of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) to private parties without amending the ESSO (Acquisition of Undertaking in India) Act, 1974, the Burma Shell Act, 197…

The Commissioner of Income Tax sanctioned prosecution of Mis. Velliappa Textiles Ltd., a company, and its managing director under Sections 276C, 277 and 278B of the Income Tax Act for alleged false claims of depreciation. The company challenged the sanction on the ground that no opportunity of hearing was given, violat…

The case concerned a dispute over whether the institution known as Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib at Jhandawala, Bhatinda, could be declared a Sikh Gurdwara under the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925. Petitioners, represented by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, claimed the place satisfied the statutory criteria, while …

The plaintiffs, three co‑plaintiffs, filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement. One plaintiff died, and his legal representatives applied for condonation of delay, setting aside the abatement of the suit and to be brought on record. The Single Judge of the High Court allowed the application, finding suf…

In-service doctors employed by the State of Rajasthan challenged the first proviso of Regulation 9 of the Post‑Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, which fixed a minimum qualifying mark of 50% for general candidates and 40% for reserved categories for admission to postgraduate medical courses. The Rajasthan Hi…

The State of Bihar constituted a Commission of Inquiry under Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 to investigate the 1989 Bhagalpur communal riots. The two‑member report of the Commission contained remarks that impugned the reputation of Lal Krishna Advani, who claimed he was not given notice under Section …

The Punjab Public Service Commission (PSC) advertised 500 medical officer posts with reservations for Scheduled Castes and Balmikis/Majhbi Sikhs. The State Government’s policy was that candidates from reserved categories possessing the minimum qualifications should not be subjected to any test. Contrary to this, the PS…

The Supreme Court considered an appeal by S.P. Badrinath, a former Junior Assistant in the Chief Electrical Inspectorate of Andhra Pradesh, who had been promoted to Senior Assistant on the condition of passing the Accounts Test for Subordinate Officers Part I within two years. He passed the examination after the prescr…

The State Bank of India (SBI) had absorbed several ex‑servicemen and, following government policy, was required to protect the pay they earned in the armed forces when fixing their salaries. After the Fourth Bipartite Settlement became retrospectively operative, SBI issued circulars that reduced the employees' total em…

The Central Bank of India, a tenant, faced eviction proceedings initiated by the landlords under the Bombay Rents Act, which were initially dismissed in its favour. After the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999 came into force, the landlords invoked Section 3(1)(b) to terminate the tenancy, leading to a suit in the Smal…

The Allahabad Development Authority acquired about 2.5 bighas of government land in 1987 and fixed compensation of Rs. 9,80,565.06. Both the Government and the lessees claimed the compensation, so the Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) referred the dispute to the civil court under Section 30 of the Land Acquisitio…

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

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

The wife filed a petition for dissolution of marriage under Section 13(1)(i‑a) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging cruelty by the husband. In his written statement the husband accused the wife of unchastity and an extramarital relationship, but later withdrew those allegations. The trial court granted divorce and rejec…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed a decision of the Allahabad High Court that ordered Trade Tax Officers (formerly Sales Tax Officers Grade II) to be placed in the revised pay scale of Rs 690‑1420, the same as District Level Officers who previously drew the Rs 400‑750 scale. The State argued that the Pay Commission’s…

The case concerned lands vested in the State under the West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act, 1953 after the death of an intermediary (big raiyat) Ganga Das Pal. The heirs of the intermediary filed a writ petition challenging a 1971 order that vested the lands in the State, arguing they retained the right to choose lands…

The respondents' lands were requisitioned in 1971 under the Defence of India Act, 1971 for a military cantonment and later compulsorily acquired. Dissatisfied with the compensation, they sought reference to an arbitrator under Section 31, which was not done, and filed a writ petition challenging the Act’s validity for …

The beneficiaries of the H.E.H. Nizam Jewellery Trust valued their interest in the trust's jewellery based on a valuer's report. The Commissioner of Wealth Tax challenged this valuation, arguing that the estate duty payable on the deemed death of the life tenant had been incorrectly deducted, among other objections. Th…

The respondent, a Manager (Grade‑I) of State Bank of India, was dismissed after disciplinary proceedings where the enquiry officer found some charges proved, some partly proved and some not proved. The disciplinary authority accepted the proved and not‑proved findings but treated the partly‑proved charges as fully prov…

The case involved 39 accused persons alleged to have assaulted and caused the deaths of two villagers in Patharlapalle. The trial court convicted some and acquitted others, while the Andhra Pradesh High Court acquitted all, finding the prosecution’s case riddled with inconsistencies, delayed FIR filing, doubtful witnes…

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

The plaintiff, Rame Gowda, was in peaceful possession of a piece of land and began construction, which the defendant, M.V. Naidoo, contested claiming ownership. The plaintiff filed a suit for declaration of title and possession; although he could not prove title, the trial court found he had settled possession and gran…

The appellants, Parasa Raju Manikyala Rao and another, were convicted by the Andhra Pradesh High Court under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Parasa Satyanarayana. They appealed to the Supreme Court, contending that no common intention to commit murder could be proved and that…

The deceased Jai Kishan was attacked and killed by Dharamvir and Sunil Kumar after a dispute involving a local eunuch. Rajesh, the brother of the deceased, witnessed the assault and later identified the accused, becoming the sole eye‑witness (PW5) whose testimony formed the basis of the prosecution case. The trial cour…

The appellants purchased land from the wife and son of Bhola Singh and claimed ownership, asserting that the property was not dedicated to a Sikh Gurdwara because no notification under Section 10(3) of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925 had been produced. SGPC contended that the land was listed in a notification under Section…

The police, while on patrol, apprehended Megh Singh sitting on gunny bags that contained poppy husk, a contraband article under the NDPS Act. The trial court convicted him under Section 15 of the NDPS Act, sentencing him to ten years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine, while acquitting the other two accused. On appeal, …

Punjab Singh was granted a Freedom Fighters Pension under the 1972 scheme, but the pension was suspended when his income exceeded the Rs.5,000 ceiling. The Government later introduced the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme in 1980, removing the income ceiling and granting him a fresh pension effective 1 August 19…