Judgments of 2014

The appellant Dinesh Tiwari was charged under IPC sections 323, 504 and 506, but the charge-sheet did not include section 302. The Sessions Court, after committal, framed an additional charge under section 302 and the appellant sought quashing of this order under CrPC section 482. The High Court dismissed the petition …

The appellant, a clerk‑cum‑cashier of M.G.B. Gramin Bank, was dismissed for a ten‑month unauthorised absence, which he claimed was due to serious illness supported by medical certificates. The disciplinary inquiry refused to call five of his defence witnesses, found him guilty and dismissed him. The High Court Single J…

Balwinder Singh and Ram Swaroop, employees of National Fertilizers Ltd., obtained declarations from the trial courts confirming their appointments and salary entitlements. The employer appealed the decrees in second appeals before the High Court. The High Court admitted the appeals and reversed the lower courts' judgme…

Several complaints under Section 17(1) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 were filed against Shreenath Corp. and others, leading the Gujarat State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to order the appellants to pay amounts with interest. The appellants appealed these orders to the National Consumer Disputes Redress…

The case concerns the Mullaperiyar dam, a masonry dam built on the Periyar River in Kerala but owned and operated by Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu filed a suit under Article 131 of the Constitution seeking to enforce its rights under the 1886 lease agreement and to raise the dam’s full reservoir level (FRL) to 142 ft, as prev…

The case concerned seniority disputes in the Punjab Police Service DSP cadre between promotees and direct recruits. The Supreme Court examined whether the earlier judgment in Paramjit Singh, which held that the quota rule must apply both at recruitment and at confirmation, should be followed or displaced by the later C…

The Valtas Employees Cooperative House Building Society purchased a one‑acre plot in 1982 using funds contributed mainly by 11 founder members. In 1996 the society admitted 37 new members, a decision later contested by the founders who claimed exclusive rights to the land. Numerous writ petitions and appeals ensued, ra…

The Supreme Court examined whether the traditional events of Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and bull‑ock cart races in Maharashtra violate the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (PCA Act) and the Constitution’s fundamental duties. Relying on affidavits and reports from the Animal Welfare Board of India, the Court fou…

The appellants, whose children were admitted to private unaided schools in Delhi under a 18‑December‑2013 notification that awarded points for inter‑state transfer, had their admissions threatened when the Delhi Administration issued a 27‑February‑2014 notification deleting the inter‑state transfer points and re‑orient…

The Bihar State Government Sec. SCL. Teachers Association, representing BSES teachers, sought enforcement of a Supreme Court‑mandated merger of the Bihar Subordinate Education Service (BSES) with the Bihar Education Service (BES). Although the Court had restored the 2006 merger resolution and quashed a 2007 notificatio…

The Supreme Court examined land acquisition proceedings initiated under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 for a large tract of land in Delhi. Tenure‑holders had filed objections under Section 5‑A, which were heard by one Land Acquisition Collector but the report was prepared by his successor, prompting the Delhi High Cour…

The land in dispute was notified for acquisition under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 on 25‑11‑1980. The appellant, Vinod Kapur, purchased the land in 1985 and a declaration under Section 6 was issued on 7‑6‑1985, followed by an award in 1987‑88. The High Court of Delhi upheld the declaration as being with…

The appeals filed by the Union of India and other respondents challenged the validity of acquisition proceedings that had been initiated after tenure‑holders raised objections under Section 5‑A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The petitioners contended that the objections were maintainable and that the subsequent acq…

The Supreme Court considered the appeal of the Union of India challenging the quashing of land acquisition proceedings against land later purchased by Geeta Devi. The original tenure holder had lodged objections under Section 5A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, which the competent authority failed to consider. The ac…

Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTC), a state utility, awarded a sub‑station contract to Deepak Cables. During performance, Deepak Cables raised a claim and, after the engineer failed to decide within 30 days under clause 48 of the contract, filed an application under Sections 11(5) and 11(6) of the Arbitrat…

The appellant, GOPAKUMAR B. Nair, sought to have criminal proceedings quashed under Section 482 of the CrPC, arguing that a private settlement with the bank had extinguished the dispute. The High Court of Kerala declined to quash the case, where the appellant was charged with criminal conspiracy under the Prevention of…

The deceased driver of a tractor, employed by Jeeva Rathna Setty, died in an accident while the tractor was owned by Setty, although the original registration was in the name of Gangadhara. The claimants filed a workmen's compensation claim, and the Commissioner held that the insurance policy, though originally issued …

The appellants, purchasers, issued post‑dated cheques as advance payment for aircraft parts ordered from the respondent supplier. The supplier cancelled the orders and returned the cheques, but the cheques were later presented and dishonoured, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, …

Purnya Kala Devi, a widow, claimed compensation after her husband was killed in a road accident caused by a private bus owned by Md. Abdul Salam, which was under requisition by the State of Assam and uninsured at the time of the accident on 16 February 1993. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal held the registered owner …

The Haryana State Co‑op Supply and Marketing Federation supplied cotton bales to Jayam Textiles and the latter issued four cheques that later bounced for insufficient funds. The Federation filed complaints under Sections 138 and 140 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, read with Section 420 of the IPC, but the Magistrate…

The case arose from a contempt petition filed by 74 daily‑rated employees (respondents) who alleged that the State of Karnataka had failed to implement a High Court order dated 15 December 1999 directing their regularisation. While many similarly situated employees had been regularised under a scheme dated 29 December …

The appellants, landlords, leased a shop to the respondents under a notarized tenancy agreement that contained an arbitration clause. When the respondents failed to vacate after a termination notice, the landlords filed a suit for eviction, arrears of rent, municipal taxes, mesne profits and injunction before the Civil…

The Tamil Nadu Government created 1,880 Computer Instructor posts in higher secondary schools and initially regularized many ad‑hoc instructors without a B.Ed. degree through a special test. After legal challenges, the Supreme Court allowed a one‑time exception for those tests but held that lowering the minimum marks w…

The appellants were heirs of a grantee who received a 30‑year land grant under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Land Tenure) Regulation, 1926, which could be renewed once for a total of 60 years. After the 60‑year period expired in 1994, the administration sought possession. The appellants repeatedly sought a fresh gra…

Bharat Petroleum advertised for retail outlet dealerships; the appellant was ranked first with 78.04 marks and respondent No.7 second with 77.75 marks. Respondent No.7 complained that the appellant's land was under a partition suit and that the appellant had not received a Letter of Intent, leading the High Court Singl…

Eight legal heirs sold a Delhi property to Kuldeep Singh in 1980, with the balance consideration to be paid after obtaining permission from the Land & Development Officer. A minor heir, Rajinder Kumar, challenged the agreement, and Kuldeep Singh filed a suit for specific performance which was decreed ex parte in 1984 a…

The petitioners, a consortium of newspaper management firms, challenged the constitutionality of the Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955 and its 1974 amendment, alleging violations of Articles 14, 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, as …

Lingaram Kodopi and Soni Sori, a nephew‑aunt duo, were arrested in Chhattisgarh on allegations of acting as conduits for financing Naxalite activities, charged under IPC sections 121, 124(1), 120B, the Chhattisgarh Jansuraksha Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Their bail applications were rejected by th…

The Vasavi Co‑op Housing Society sued several defendants for a declaration of title and possession of 6 acres 30 guntas of land, relying on sale deeds, a 1353 Fasli settlement register and a 1939 family settlement deed. The defendants counter‑claimed title based on entries in the General Land Register (GLR) of the Secu…

The State of Gujarat charged Kishanbhai with kidnapping, rape, murder and theft of a six‑year‑old girl, Gomi, alleging that he abducted her, amputated her legs to steal her anklets and killed her. The trial court convicted him and sentenced him to death, but the Gujarat High Court acquitted him, citing numerous gaps in…

The State of Madhya Pradesh filed a civil revision under Section 19 of the Madhya Pradesh Madhyastham Adhikaran Adhiniyam, 1983, challenging an arbitral award dated 18 June 2003, but the revision was filed 80 days after the statutory three‑month period. The State also sought condonation of the delay under Section 5 of …

The petition sought a declaration that Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which requires prior sanction before a public servant can be prosecuted, is unconstitutional and that all pending cases should proceed without such sanction. The Court examined whether the sanction requirement infringes the rig…

The accused A‑1 to A‑4 entered the residence of PW‑1 armed with knives and assaulted PW‑1, his family and a friend, resulting in the death of PW‑1’s wife Sayeeda. The trial court convicted them under Sections 302, 307, 149, 109, 324 and 449 of the Indian Penal Code and imposed life imprisonment and rigorous imprisonmen…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of clause (5) of Article 15 inserted by the Constitution (Ninety‑third Amendment) Act, 2005 and Article 21A inserted by the Constitution (Eighty‑sixth Amendment) Act, 2002. It held that neither amendment alters the basic structure of the Constitution nor abrogates …

The Supreme Court dismissed a writ petition filed by Subrata Roy Sahara challenging an order dated 4.3.2014 directing his arrest and detention for non-compliance of earlier orders to refund money collected through Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCDs). The Court held that the two Sahara companies flouted orde…

The dispute concerned a 0.90‑acre parcel of land in Pune Cantonment held under an 1827 government grant. The respondents had purchased the lease‑hold rights and the superstructure on the land, while the Union of India (Pune Cantonment Board) issued a resumption notice in 1971 claiming the land remained government prope…

The Supreme Court examined the Karnataka Government Order of 29‑April‑1994 that mandated mother‑tongue or Kannada as the medium of instruction in classes I‑IV of all government‑recognised schools. The Court clarified that ‘mother‑tongue’ in Art. 350A refers to the language of the linguistic minority group, to be determ…

The Court examined whether a composite contract for the manufacture, supply and installation of lifts constitutes a "sale of goods" or a "works contract" for tax purposes under Article 366(29A)(b) of the Constitution and related sales‑tax statutes. The petitioners argued that the installation component made the contrac…

Satya Pal Anand filed a writ petition challenging Section 3 of the Madhya Pradesh State Co‑operative Societies Act, 1960, which allows the State Government to appoint Registrars and other officers without a legal background, and also challenging the proviso to Section 77(3)(b) and Section 77(6) on the ground that they …

Sunita, a married woman, committed suicide within three years of her marriage by self‑immolation after a quarrel with her mother‑in‑law over a dowry demand for a gold chain. A dying declaration recorded by an Executive Magistrate, certified by a doctor, alleged that the mother‑in‑law repeatedly harassed her for the dow…

The Union of India appealed against Hindustan Zinc Ltd. challenging the company's claim of Modvat/Cenvat credit on inputs used to produce sulphuric acid and other chemicals that were cleared to fertilizer plants at nil duty. The issue was whether Rule 57CC of the Central Excise Rules, which mandates separate accounting…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 6‑A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (inserted by Section 26(c) of the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003), which required prior approval of the Central Government before the CBI could inquire into or investigate alleged offences u…

An FIR under the NDPS Act led to the arrest of a accused who escaped while being escorted by police constables. The constables were charged under IPC Section 222 and convicted, prompting them to file a criminal appeal. The Gujarat High Court, after dictating an acquitting order in open court but before signing it, reca…

The appellant, G.N. Verma, the Chief General Manager of Karkata Colliery, was charged under s.72‑B of the Mines Act, 1952 for contravening a prohibitory order that led to a fatal accident. The complaint alleged that he was a "deemed Agent" of the mine, but it contained no specific allegation that he acted on behalf of …

The case concerns the termination of several Indian Army officers in 1980 under Section 18 of the Army Act, invoking the constitutional doctrine of pleasure under Article 310. The officers challenged the termination as illegal, arbitrary, and violative of Articles 14, 16, 19 and 21, alleging lack of material evidence a…

The State of Kerala issued a policy guaranteeing new manufacturing units uninterrupted 100% electricity supply for five years, along with tariff and duty exemptions. The appellants set up steel re‑rolling and other units relying on this assurance, but experienced frequent power cuts; the State later extended the incent…

The police seized a vehicle carrying 47 cartons of illicit liquor and filed an FIR under Sections 33(a) and 58 of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009. The Metropolitan Magistrate refused the owner’s application for release of the vehicle, but the Delhi High Court, invoking Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), o…

The husband, Nandlal Wasudeo Badwaik, challenged a maintenance order under Section 125 of the CrPC granted to his wife Lata Badwaik and their daughter, asserting that he was not the biological father of the child. He obtained two DNA test reports, both excluding him as the father. The trial courts had upheld maintenanc…

The State of Tamil Nadu challenged the discharge orders passed by a Special Judge and affirmed by the Madras High Court against former ministers and their relatives accused of possessing assets disproportionate to their known income under Section 109 IPC and Sections 13(1)(e) & 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act…

The dispute concerned the calculation of Hill Development Allowance (HDA) for workers of Kichha Sugar Company Limited, where the workmen claimed that overtime wages and leave encashment should be included in the basic wage base for the 15% HDA. The employer argued that HDA should be computed only on the basic wage, exc…

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

The petitioners sought compliance with the Supreme Court's order in Lafarge Umiam Mining Private Limited v. Union of India, which directed the Central Government to appoint a National Regulator under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for independent appraisal and monitoring of environmental clearan…

M.B. Suresh and his father were charged with murder, attempt to murder and offences under the Arms Act arising from a shooting incident over a land dispute. The trial court acquitted them, but the Karnataka High Court convicted Suresh under Section 302 IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment. On appeal, the Supreme …

The case involved the suicide of Hina, a daughter‑in‑law, who allegedly faced mental and physical harassment and dowry demands from her mother‑in‑law, Kanchanben. The trial court convicted Kanchanben under IPC sections 3048 (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) and under sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, senten…

M/S MSP Infrastructure Ltd. and M.P. Road Development Corp. entered into a road development contract that was later referred to arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The arbitral tribunal awarded Rs. 6.90 crores to the appellant, after which the respondent filed a petition under Section 34 to se…

The exporter, Ganesh PolytEx Ltd., alleged that Transport Corporation of India Ltd. failed to deliver four consignments of yarn fabric to Benapole Customs in Bangladesh, seeking compensation under the Consumer Protection Act. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered the transporter to pay the claimed…

The case concerned promotion of Project Engineer (Junior) staff in the Rajasthan Housing Board. Diploma‑holder engineers who later obtained the AMIE qualification (equivalent to a degree) claimed that their service as diploma‑holders should count towards the three‑year experience required for promotion under the 20% qu…

In 1999, two men withdrew Rs. 4 lakh from a bank, were ambushed, shot, and robbed of the money bag. One victim, Varun Kumar, died; another, Kamaljit Singh (PW‑2), was injured. After a seven‑year investigation, the accused were arrested and tried. The trial court, affirmed by the High Court, convicted them under IPC sec…

M/s Harsha Constructions entered into a contract with the Union of India for bridge construction, which contained Clause 39 governing extra work and Clause 63 listing "excepted matters" that were excluded from arbitration. A dispute arose over the rate payable for extra work, which the contractor claimed was not finall…

Apex Distributors and another issued a cheque on Vyasa Bank, Vellore, to Timex Group India Ltd., which was later dishonoured at Vellore. Timex sent statutory demand notices from Delhi and filed a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act in a Delhi court. The petitioners filed a transfer pe…

The State of Haryana acquired 90.07 acres of land in Shahabad, Kurukshetra under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 for urban development. The claimants challenged the compensation awarded by the Reference Court, arguing that the deduction for development charges should be limited because the land lay within already develo…

The petitioners borrowed Rs.15 lakh from the respondent company and issued a cheque for partial repayment, drawn on a Bangalore bank but presented for encashment in Gurgaon, where it was dishonoured. The respondent served statutory notices from Gurgaon and filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrumen…

The Supreme Court considered three appeals challenging orders of the Election Commission that disqualified elected candidates under Section 1OA of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 for allegedly failing to lodge true and correct accounts of election expenses. The Court examined the statutory scheme, the Conduc…

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

The case involved seven accused persons charged with offences under Sections 147, 148 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Korma Rao. Two of the accused, Nagesar and Khetro (Accused Nos. 6 and 7), appealed their convictions on the ground that they were not named in the FIR and that no eyewitness identifie…

The Commissioner of Income Tax appealed against the High Court’s order that Punjab Stainless Steel Industries should not include proceeds from the sale of steel scrap in its total turnover for calculating the deduction under Section 80‑HHC of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The assessee, a manufacturer and exporter of stainl…

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

The Central Bank of India, as landlord, obtained an eviction order against N.R.C. Ltd., a tenant occupying its premises. The Supreme Court, after dismissing the tenant's special leave petition, granted the landlord time until December 2014 to regain possession, conditioned on the tenant filing an undertaking and paying…

The State of Himachal Pradesh appealed the acquittal of Sunil Kumar, who was found in possession of 2.3 kg of charas during a routine traffic check on a bus. The police, acting on a positive suspicion that the passenger was carrying contraband, conducted a personal search after he disembarked, leading to the discovery …

The Madras High Court collegium recommended twelve candidates for appointment as judges of the Madras High Court, which the petitioner R. Gandhi challenged on grounds of unsuitability and lack of caste representation. The Madras High Court entertained the writ petition and issued interim orders maintaining the status q…

The appellants, members of the Santhal tribe, tied and beat the deceased Jhore Soren with lathis after a dispute over a stolen hen, resulting in his death. The trial court and High Court convicted all eleven accused under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the IPC for murder. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whe…

The Supreme Court examined two appeals concerning the jurisdiction of Special Judges appointed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PC Act). In the first appeal, a public servant died after the Special Judge had framed charges under the PC Act and IPC against him and several private persons. The Court held tha…

Genus Power Infrastructure Ltd., the insured, suffered fire damage and claimed under a fire policy issued by New India Assurance Ltd. The insurer assessed the loss and the parties executed a letter of subrogation on 11 March 2011, wherein the insured accepted Rs 5.96 crore as full and final settlement. Three weeks late…

The deceased K. Satyanarayna died intestate, and his brother Karedla Parthasaradhi claimed inheritance of the suit house. Defendant Gangula Ramanamma (defendant No.1) asserted that she was the deceased's legally married wife, having lived with him for over three decades, and thus claimed ownership as a Class‑I heir. Th…

The dispute arose from an arbitration under Clause 70 of a contract, where the arbitrator issued an award without recording any reasons, merely noting "sustained", "partly sustained" or "not sustained" in the column titled "findings". The Delhi High Court set aside the award, holding that the term "findings" required a…

The Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) awarded a contract to Western Geco for modernising a seismic vessel, which was to be returned by 9 July 2001. The vessel was delayed until 6 May 2002 due to licensing issues for US‑origin hydrophones and subsequent substitution with Canadian ones, leading ONGC to deduct amounts …

The appellant U.P. Hindi Sahitya Sammelan challenged the constitutionality of the Uttar Pradesh Official Language (Amendment) Act, 1989, which added Section 3 to the 1951 Act and a notification declaring Urdu as a second official language for seven specified purposes. The issue was whether, after adopting Hindi as the …

The appellant Hindustan Coca Cola Beverage Ltd. had claimed CENVAT credit and refunds under notifications issued in 1999‑2002. After the Finance Act, 2003 amended those notifications retrospectively under Section 153, the Assistant Commissioner ordered recovery of Rs 2,20,18,124, demanding payment within 30 days. The a…

A vacancy for promotion of 22 Forest Rangers arose on 1 January 1989, but the promotion process was stalled by an interim order of the Calcutta High Court restraining the authorities from promoting the private respondents. The stay was vacated on 11 December 1990, after which the selection process commenced and the Wes…

The appellant, Tanua Rabidas, was convicted of murder under section 302 IPC for allegedly pouring kerosene on his wife and setting her ablaze, leading to her death. The prosecution relied on two dying declarations: one recorded orally by a doctor and a nurse at the hospital, and another made in the presence of relative…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) bars prosecution under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for theft of sand and gravels from riverbeds. The Court held that offences under Section 21 of the MMDR Act (contravention of mining lease conditions) are distin…

The Supreme Court examined complaints filed under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act in Delhi Metropolitan Magistrates, where cognizance was taken solely because statutory notices were issued from Delhi. The Delhi High Court had directed the return of such complaints, holding that the place of notice issuanc…

The case concerned complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act filed by the respondent companies against the appellants for dishonour of cheques. The issue was whether the presentation of a cheque for collection at a bank in Bombay or the issuance of a default notice from the complainant's location c…

The complainant presented a cheque, issued by the accused on a Karnataka bank, for collection at a Kerala bank and filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The question before the Supreme Court was whether the mere presentation of the cheque in Kerala, or the issuance of a notice demanding…

The appellants filed complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 in Delhi after cheques drawn on banks outside Delhi were presented for collection in Delhi and subsequently dishonoured. The notice of dishonour was also issued from Delhi. The Metropolitan Magistrate returned the complaints and t…

The Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC), a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in 1919 with a religious purpose, sought exemption from the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975. The State Government granted limited exemptions, leading to multiple writ petitions and appeals contestin…

The husband and wife divorced in 2009, and the wife sought permanent alimony. The Family Court initially awarded Rs.24,00,000, which the High Court increased to Rs.40,00,000, reasoning that the wife needed Rs.40,000 per month and would have to invest Rs.40,00,000 to generate that income. The wife appealed, contending t…

The complainant insured a Mahindra Pick‑up vehicle whose temporary registration expired on 11‑January‑2006, yet the vehicle was involved in an accident on 2‑February‑2006 while being driven without any valid registration. The insurer denied the claim, leading to proceedings before the District Consumer Forum, State Com…

The contractors Y. Sleebachen and others obtained three arbitration awards against the Government of Tamil Nadu for contracts. The government challenged the awards under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, but while the petitions were pending the parties negotiated a settlement in which the contra…

The husband and wife lived together in Delhi for a month before the wife returned to her parents in Ambikapur. Two years later her father filed an FIR under Section 498A IPC alleging cruelty. The High Court held that the cruelty continued and that the Ambikapur court had jurisdiction. On appeal, the Supreme Court exami…

Gorkha Security Services, a contractor, was awarded a security services contract by the Delhi Government but allegedly failed to comply with statutory wage and benefit obligations. The Department issued a show‑cause notice on 6 February 2013 detailing various defaults but did not expressly state that blacklisting was a…

The appellants filed a suit seeking declaration, mandatory and permanent injunctions, and rendition of accounts concerning immovable properties, companies and partnership firms, alleging a family settlement dated 20‑12‑2007. The trial court granted a temporary injunction restraining the parties from selling or charging…

The State (through CBI) appealed against a High Court order that released three accused—Sanjiv Bhalla, Major Purshotam Singh and R.P. Chopra—on probation of good conduct under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, after they were convicted of conspiracy to cheat under IPC sections 120‑B and 420. Only the fourth accused…

The appellant Richhpal Singh Meena sought to have the High Court's alteration of a murder conviction (Sec. 302 IPC) to a lesser offence of voluntarily causing grievous hurt (Sec. 325 IPC) set aside. The deceased Sunderlal Meena died after receiving two blows from the accused, which fractured ribs and pierced lungs. Med…

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) found that Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd. and its affiliates had illegally raised public deposits through Optional Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCDs) and ordered them to refund the amount with interest. The companies failed to comply with the Court's and SE…

In Civil Appeal No. 3867 of 2014, the Supreme Court observed that a clerical error had omitted the phrase confirming the trial court's findings on Issue III in paragraph 22 of its earlier judgment dated 14 March 2014. The Court directed that the omitted line be restored, thereby amending the judgment to read that the t…

The appellant, a power distribution company, entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the respondent, a power generator, and disputed accounting details and rebate claims arising from monthly invoices. The dispute was taken before the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (State Commission) which adjud…

The appellants, appointed as Senior and Junior Research Assistants at Dr. P.D. Krishi Vidyapeeth, challenged the cancellation of their appointments by the Chancellor, who had ordered an inquiry under the Maharashtra Agriculture Universities Act. The Chancellor appointed a single‑member Justice Dhabe Committee to invest…

Vinod Kumar, already married, entered into a relationship with a 20‑year‑old college student (PW2) and they signed a "marriage agreement" on 19 April 2000, which was not a legal marriage. The prosecution alleged that Kumar deceived PW2 about his marital status and thereby committed rape under Section 376 IPC. The trial…

The appellant, the State of Rajasthan, appealed against a High Court judgment that held a civil servant (Respondent No.1) was entitled to continue in service until the age of 58, the retirement age under the Central Civil Service Regulations, rather than the age of 55 prescribed by the Rajasthan Service Rules, 1951. Re…

The parties had a partnership agreement providing for arbitration of disputes. An application under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 was filed to appoint an arbitrator, and the presiding arbitrator later terminated the arbitration on 29 October 2007, stating that the claimant showed no interest …

The Superintendent of a district jail was prosecuted under Section 16(1)(a) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 after a food inspector found rice and turmeric stored for prisoners to be adulterated. The prosecution alleged that the jail official had "stored" adulterated food, which under the Act is punisha…

Panchraj Tiwari, a graduate junior engineer appointed in 1986 to the Rural Electricity Cooperative Society (RECS) Rewa, was approved for promotion to Assistant Engineer in 1994. The RECS was dissolved and merged with the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board (MPSEB) effective 15 March 2002, and Tiwari was absorbed as …

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought to add charges of murder and other offences against Karimullah Osan Khan, an accused in the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts, under Section 216 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The Designated Court under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) rej…

In 1997 a group of 30‑35 extremists set fire to houses in Jarulbachai village, Tripura, killing 15 people and injuring several others. Ashok (Achak) Debbarma was charged under IPC sections 326, 436 and 302 read with section 34 and under section 27(3) of the Arms Act; the latter charge was later set aside as unconstitut…

The appellant Chetram was convicted along with Ganga Ram for the murder of Udairaj under IPC sections 302 and 34. The sole eye‑witness, the victim's brother (PW‑1), initially reported in the FIR and to the investigating officer that only Ganga Ram stabbed the victim, attributing no role to Chetram. At trial, PW‑1 alter…

The 2009 Legislative Council election for Nizamabad saw a narrow result, leading the defeated candidate to file an election petition alleging wrongful rejection of three votes and wrongful acceptance of one vote. The appellant, who had been declared elected, filed a recrimination petition under Section 97 of the Repres…

The respondents, contract Radio Operators of ONGC, were ordered by the Madras High Court in 2006 to be absorbed as Marine Assistant Radio Operators or, if no posts were available, to receive pay parity. The corporation complied with the pay‑parity direction but did not create supernumerary Marine Assistant Radio Operat…

The Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd, a government-owned public sector undertaking, faced severe financial losses and, under a government‑approved restructuring plan, announced a wage revision effective from 1 April 2003 and to be implemented from 1 April 2006. Employees who had voluntarily retired before 1 April 20…

The appellant, Hasmukhrai Mehta, owned land in Village Sheel, Raigad, which was originally included in a 1977 residential development plan. In 1999 the land was re‑designated for an Agricultural Produce Market Yard and a truck terminal, and the appellant served a purchase notice under Section 49 of the Maharashtra Regi…

The case concerned goods that arrived at the Port of Bombay, were warehoused by the Port Trust, and remained unclaimed by the consignee who neither cleared the bill of lading nor responded to notices. The Port Trust auctioned the goods after four years, but the proceeds were insufficient to cover demurrage and other po…

The Promoters and Builders Association of Pune and the Nuclear Power Corporation excavated ordinary earth – the former for building foundations and the latter for widening a sea‑water intake channel – and were penalised under Section 48(7) of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 for allegedly extracting a minor mine…

The appellants owned land that had been reserved for a public garden under a development plan notified in 1966 and continued under a revised plan in 1987. They served a notice under Section 127 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act in 1989, seeking acquisition, but the notice was issued only two years after…

The Supreme Court examined whether a policy decision of the Uttar Pradesh Government dated 14‑June‑2006, which provided a flat‑rate electricity subsidy for power‑loom bunkers, could be extended by the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission to industries using HV‑2 connections. The Court held that the State Gov…

The appellants (A‑1 to A‑3) were convicted under IPC sections 143, 147, 148, 448, 302 and 149 for participating in an unlawful assembly that allegedly murdered Lingaraju. The trial court found that the key eye‑witnesses, including the star witness PW‑11 and several others, were unreliable and unbelievable, leading to t…

The respondent, a daily‑wage conductor, was employed by Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation from 3 October 1987 to 31 March 1989 and was terminated without payment of retrenchment compensation. The Labour Court held the termination illegal, ordering reinstatement with 65% back wages; the Gujarat High Court set aside the ba…

The appellant Prempal was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly grappling his sister‑in‑law Anita, pouring kerosene on her and setting her ablaze. The conviction rested primarily on Anita's dying declaration recorded by a Tehsildar after a medical officer certified her fitness to testify, despite her …

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

Santosh Kumar Singh, a 26‑year‑old tutor, entered the home of his employers, assaulted the mother, son and daughters with an iron hammer, and looted jewellery and cash, resulting in the deaths of the mother and son. He was convicted under IPC sections 302, 307, 394, 397 and 450 and sentenced to death, with additional l…

In 1992 a bomb attack resulted in the death of Rupchand Sk, whose statement at the scene was recorded by the investigating officer (PW15) but not entered into evidence. The prosecution later sought, under Section 311 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, to recall PW15 to record this statement; the trial court rejected th…

The plaintiff, Satti Paradesi Samadhi & Pillayar Temple, filed a suit in 1997 seeking a declaration that three settlement deeds dated 27 March 1978, executed by a former trustee in favour of his daughters and granddaughter, were void, and also sought possession of the trust land. The defendant contended that the suit w…

The appellants, who were tenants of premises mortgaged to banks, challenged the seizure of those premises by the secured creditors under the SARFAESI Act. The Supreme Court examined whether a lease made by the mortgagor, either before or after the mortgage, remains valid and binding on the secured creditor, and whether…

The A.P.N.G.O.'S Association sought to purchase 18 acres of land owned by a Hindu temple to build houses for its members. Under s.80 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, the government published a Gazette notice inviting objections and subsequently issued G.O.Ms. N…

The case involved a love affair between Sukumar Ray and Bandana Panchal, which was disapproved by Bandana's family. On the night of July 10, 1990, Sukumar entered Bandana's house and was violently beaten and dragged down a staircase by the accused, resulting in fatal head injuries. The trial court convicted the four ac…

The appellant, Babubhai Bhimabhai Bokhiria, was summoned as an accused under Section 319 of the CrPC after the trial court relied on a letter written by the deceased a year earlier, in which the deceased alleged the appellant intended to kill him. The Supreme Court examined whether the letter qualified as a dying decla…

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

The Union of India (Railway administration) entered into contracts with M/s Concrete Products & Construction Co. for supplying concrete sleepers. Overpayments were identified and the railway sought recovery, leading to arbitration where the arbitrator ordered the railway to refund the amounts with interest at 18% per a…

The appellant, a Kanungo, was accused of demanding and accepting a bribe under Sections 7 and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 after a trap was laid by the complainant. Although the trial court acquitted him, the High Court convicted him, sentencing him to one year imprisonment and a fine. On appeal, the…

Ram Niwas Bansal, a bank officer, was charged with financial irregularities and dismissed on 23 April 1985. The High Court set aside the dismissal, directing reinstatement only to enable a fresh enquiry because the enquiry report had not been furnished, and ordered back‑wages until the earlier of superannuation or fina…

The appellants, editors and publishers of Sports World magazine and Anandabazar Patrika, reproduced a semi‑nude photograph of tennis player Boris Becker and his fiancée Barbara, originally published in the German magazine STERN, which was intended to protest apartheid and promote interracial love. A lawyer filed a comp…

The complainant filed a criminal complaint under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 448 of the IPC and Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Sessions Judge held that a prima facie case was made out against the accused. The High Court, however, granted anticipatory ba…

Shivshankar Gurgar, a landlord, filed a suit under Section 12(1)(a) of the Madhya Pradesh Accommodation Control Act, 1961 for eviction of his tenant Dilip for arrears of rent. The parties entered into a compromise decree whereby the tenant would pay the arrears within six months, failing which the landlord could take p…

The mother of a deceased driver filed a claim under the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923, and the Commissioner awarded Rs.4,48,000 as compensation. The insurer appealed, and the Karnataka High Court set aside the award, holding that the relationship between the deceased and his brother, the vehicle owner, was not satis…

The plaintiff, Praful Manohar Rele, sued the heirs of Narayan Keshav Ghosalkar for possession of a house, alleging that they occupied it as gratuitous licensees whose licence had been validly terminated. The defendants counter‑claimed that they were tenants and sought eviction under the Bombay Rent Act. The trial court…

Ishwar Chandra Jayaswal, a 75‑year‑old railway employee with 23 years of service, was charged with demanding and accepting small sums (Rs 26, Rs 34 and Rs 18) for issuing Fit Certificates to fellow railway staff. A departmental inquiry proved two of the three charges and the disciplinary authority removed him from serv…

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

Hem Raj was convicted by the trial court and the High Court for raping a 19‑year‑old neighbour under Sections 376 and 450 of the IPC. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the credibility of the prosecutrix, who was declared hostile after retracting her statements and denying that she had signed the police statement. T…

Vinayak Narayan Deosthali, an assistant manager of UCO Bank, was convicted for diverting Rs 7.75 crore of public funds belonging to the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) to the private account of broker Harshad S. Mehta. The Special Court found that he issued bank receipts for securities that did not exist, f…

The case concerned General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) appointed on an ad‑hoc basis in two phases (Phase‑I: 1982‑86; Phase‑II: 1986‑89) by a specially constituted selection committee, contrary to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Health Service Recruitment Regulations, 1982 which required UPSC selection. Phase‑I GDMOs …

The petitioners, convicted of murder and sentenced to death, challenged the constitutionality of Order XL Rule 3 of the Supreme Court Rules, 1966, which mandates that review petitions be disposed of by circulation without oral argument. The Supreme Court examined whether Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees…

The Supreme Court examined whether teachers of primary sections (Classes I‑V) in schools that were originally recognised as Senior Basic Schools (Classes VI‑VIII) and later added a primary section are entitled to salaries under the Uttar Pradesh Junior High Schools (Payment of Salaries of Teachers and Other Employees) …

The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) advertised a peon post with a maximum qualification of Class IX, excluding candidates with higher education. Triveni Sharan Mishra, a graduate pursuing an M.A., applied claiming only higher secondary qualification and was appointed. After two years, LIC discovered his highe…

The appellants were selected as police constables in Bihar on the basis that their recorded height exceeded that of the last candidate selected in each category. After four years of service they were dismissed following a departmental enquiry that found they had manipulated their height records, and a re‑measurement sh…

The appellant, a non‑resident Indian (NRI), let a shop to the respondent tenant and later returned to India, seeking eviction under Section 13‑B of the East Punjab Urban Land Restriction Act, 1949, on the ground of personal use. The Rent Controller and the High Court dismissed the petition, holding that the landlord ha…

The appellant, Kusha Laxman Waghmare, was accused of killing his wife Anusuya by beating her with a wooden stick. No eye‑witness was present, but the appellant made extra‑judicial confessions to two persons (PW‑1 and PW‑2) and no defence was offered under Section 313 of the CrPC. The post‑mortem report corroborated the…

The appellant, Pundappa Yankappa Pujari, was charged with murder after allegedly assaulting Mahantappa with an axe during a boundary stone dispute, resulting in Mahantappa's death. The trial court acquitted the accused, but the Karnataka High Court set aside the acquittal and convicted him under Section 302 IPC, imposi…

The appellant, a bank branch manager, was charged with multiple IPC offences for allegedly conspiring with co‑accused to cheat a complainant after a lost cheque book was reported. The complainant had written to the bank on 17 May 2004 requesting that the lost cheques not be honoured, and the bank indeed refused to clea…

The case concerned the murder of Channegowda, who was attacked with choppers by three accused. The trial court convicted accused No.2 (Seena @ Srinivasa) under Section 302 IPC and accused No.3 under the same section. The High Court modified the conviction of accused No.2 to Section 326 IPC and acquitted accused No.3, p…

Arjun Jadav was convicted of murder in 1991 and sentenced to life imprisonment simplicitor. He served more than 20 years, including remission, and his wife’s two mercy petitions were rejected; the Superintendent of Alipore Central Jail later recommended his release. Jadav filed a writ petition under Article 32, arguing…

The respondents filed a suit seeking a declaration of title and a permanent injunction against the Gwalior Municipal Corporation, claiming ancestral ownership of a one‑bigha parcel of land. The trial court dismissed the suit, holding that the land belonged to the municipality and that the suit was not maintainable with…

Arnesh Kumar, husband of Sweta Kiran, was charged under IPC s.498-A and the Dowry Prohibition Act s.4. He sought anticipatory bail, which was denied by the trial court and the High Court, prompting a petition before the Supreme Court. The Court examined the statutory framework governing police arrests without a warrant…

The case concerned a residential property in Kolkata owned by three co‑owners, one of whom (K) held a one‑fourth share that was not divisible by metes and bounds. The High Court had permitted K to sell her share to Javed Akhtar and Parvez Akhtar (or their nominee) and later directed her to execute a sale deed in favour…

The dispute concerned the respondent's traditional easementary right of access, which the appellant allegedly blocked by constructing walls. The respondent initially approached the Mamlatdar under Section 4 of the Mamlatdar's Court Act, but the application was dismissed; the Additional Collector later ordered the Mamla…

The appellant Suryakant Bitale was acquitted by the Sessions Court of offences under Sections 302 and 498A IPC relating to the death of his wife, Archana, who suffered severe burns. The complainant, her father Dilip Kale, sought revision of the acquittal under Section 397 of the CrPC, alleging misappreciation of two dy…

The case concerned a tea estate (Mathura Tea Estate) that defaulted on EPF contributions. After the estate was taken over by Eveready Industries (later McLeod Russel India Ltd.), the new management argued it was not the "employer" liable for damages under Section 148 of the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous …

The State of Punjab filed a prosecution under Section 3048 of the Indian Penal Code for dowry death, summoning Gurmit Singh as an accused. Singh contended that he could not be tried under this provision because he was not a "relative of the husband" of the deceased woman. The Punjab & Haryana High Court agreed and quas…

The appellant, Pradeep Kumar, was convicted under Sections 304‑B (dowry death) and 498‑A (cruelty) of the IPC for the death of his wife Manju, who died from burns nine months after marriage. The prosecution relied on her dying declaration, which contained an initial statement of accident that was later found to be tuto…

The appellant, Davinder Singh, was married to Amarjit Kaur who died within seven months of marriage from severe burns. Prior to her death, she had telephonically complained of harassment and dowry demands by her husband and in‑laws, a fact corroborated by her brother and maternal uncle who witnessed the incident. The p…

Dr. Aloys Wobben, holder of several wind‑turbine patents, sued Yogesh Mehra and others for patent infringement in the Delhi High Court. The respondents filed revocation petitions before the Intellectual Property Appellate Board under s.64(1) of the Patents Act and also raised counter‑claims in the infringement suits se…

The Supreme Court examined a criminal appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation against Indra Bhushan Singh and others, arising from a complaint lodged by the Deputy Registrar of the Allahabad High Court under Section 195(1)(b) of the CrPC. The Court found that the Deputy Registrar had filed the complaint on …

The appellants were appointed to eight Group D posts after a written test and a subsequently introduced interview, each weighted at 50% despite the recruitment rules only providing for a written test. Unsuccessful candidates challenged the appointments, arguing that the employer altered the selection criteria mid‑proce…

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of respondents under Section 3 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. The trial court had sentenced them to three months' imprisonment, far below the statutory minimum of five years, without recording any special reasons. The High Court further reduced the sentence to four days on…

The wife and relatives of a truck driver who died in a road accident filed a claim under the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923 for compensation and 12% interest from the date of the accident. The Workmen's Compensation Commissioner awarded the compensation with interest from the accident date, but the Gujarat High Court…

A complaint of bribery was lodged against T. Nathamuni, an Income Tax Inspector, leading to a CBI case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The investigating officer, initially an Inspector of Police, was replaced by Sub‑Inspector G.A. Suriya Kumar after a petition under Section 17 of the Act obtained permissi…

HDFC Bank had financed a motor vehicle that was hypothecated to a borrower. The vehicle, uninsured at the time, was involved in a road accident causing injury to a third‑party claimant who obtained a compensation award. The issue was whether the financier, as the registered owner, could be held liable as the "owner" un…

The appellant State of Madhya Pradesh challenged a Division Bench order that had set aside the Superintendent of Police’s refusal to grant a compassionate appointment to the respondent, Parvez Khan, who sought recruitment to the police service after his father’s death in service. The respondent had two criminal cases p…

The petitioner challenged the appointment of U.K. Sinha as Chairman of SEBI on grounds that he failed to satisfy the statutory requirement of "high integrity" under Section 4(5) of the SEBI Act, alleging mis‑representation, irregular deputation, false declarations, and a conspiracy to secure his selection. The Court ex…

The Kerala State Toddy Shop Contractors Association filed a public interest litigation challenging the Kerala High Court's order that, on the basis of Rule 28A of the Foreign Liquor (Compounding, Blending and Bottling) Rules, 1975, the State could not permit sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor on the first day of any En…

The respondents, who were Laboratory Attendants in Himachal Pradesh, filed petitions seeking to be placed in the higher pay scale of Laboratory Assistants, arguing that the nature of their work was similar and relying on the earlier Madan Gopal decision. The High Court entertained the petitions and directed the State t…

The case concerned a Canadian citizen, Jasmine Kaur, who sought admission to the MBBS course under the NRI quota of the Government Medical College, Chandigarh. The prospectus required candidates in the first NRI category to prove ancestral residence and property ownership in Chandigarh, which Kaur did not satisfy. Alth…

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) engaged Tata Projects Ltd. as a sub‑contractor to erect, test and commission two 120 MW boilers. Disputes arose and an arbitral tribunal awarded Rs.69.22 lakh on various heads and Rs.25.39 lakh as interest. BHEL challenged the award under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliati…

U.C. Raman challenged the election of P.T.A. Rahim, who was Chairperson of the Kerala State Haj Committee, on the ground that the post constituted an "office of profit" under Article 191(1)(a) and thus disqualified him from contesting the Kerala Legislative Assembly election. The High Court held that the position was n…

The Supreme Court examined the proper territorial jurisdiction for criminal complaints filed under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. It held that the offence is completed when a cheque is dishonoured by the drawee bank, and therefore the court having jurisdiction over the place where the cheque is dishonou…

The appellant was accused of raping an eight‑year‑old girl who later died of neurogenic shock. Although the initial FIR did not name him, the investigation recovered the child's shawl and recorded a voluntary confessional statement. The trial court convicted him under IPC sections 376, 302 and 201 and sentenced him to …

Ram Daan filed a suit seeking a permanent injunction to prevent Urban Development Trust from dispossessing him of a 4,914‑sq‑yard plot, claiming uninterrupted possession since 1942. The respondent asserted that the land belonged to the State of Rajasthan and that the appellant had been evicted in 1965 under Section 91 …

Amar Singh Yadav, a police constable, was convicted for murdering his wife and three of his children by locking them in a van and setting it ablaze. The trial court relied on the dying declarations of the wife and two daughters, which were corroborated by injured eyewitnesses, to uphold convictions under Sections 302, …

The appellant, an unpaid candidate working as a revenue clerk since July 1985, had her service terminated on 20 April 1998. She challenged the termination before the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal, which on 24 November 2011 set aside the termination and directed regularisation of her service in accordance with the…

The appellant, Manohar Lal, was convicted under Section 3048 of the IPC for the alleged dowry death of his wife, who died from burn injuries within seven years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the deceased was subjected to cruelty and harassment for dowry, culminating in her death, and charged the appellant un…

The Kaikara Construction Company entered into a work contract with the State of Kerala and later claimed that it had completed a major portion of the work, while the State contended only 41% was done and withheld payment. The contractor invoked Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 seeking appoint…

The appellants sought compensation for 36 acres of land acquired in Mussoorie for the extension of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy. The High Court had applied the "belting area" principle, presuming the entire tract to be sloppy and hilly, and rejected the claim for 12% enhanced compensation under Section 23(1…

P. Krishna Murthy, a Superintendent in the Sericulture Department, was permitted to retire voluntarily effective 1‑May‑2004 while disciplinary proceedings were pending. He later applied to revoke his retirement, which was rejected, and a disciplinary order imposed a 25% pension cut. He appealed the pension cut, and the…

The appellant and four others were accused of attacking the father of the complainant with weapons, causing fatal injuries that led to his death. The trial court convicted them under Sections 302, 149 and 148 of the IPC, while the High Court altered the murder conviction to Section 302/34 and acquitted them of the Sect…

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of Umakant and his in‑laws for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC, which was based solely on the victim's dying declaration. The Court held that the dying declaration was unreliable, showing signs of tutoring and contradictions with other evidence, and therefore …

The appellants entered into an agreement to sell their residential house on 27 December 2002 and purchased another house on 30 April 2003. A court order later restrained them from dealing with the property, preventing execution of the sale deed until the order was vacated in May 2004; the deed was finally registered on…

The case involved the abduction and murder of Mani alias Parai Mani, a quarry leaseholder, by accused Paramasivam and two others. The prosecution proved motive, the victim's last sighting with the accused, DNA identification of the exhumed body, and recovered incriminating items obtained through confessional statements…

The appellant Duryodhan Rout was convicted of rape, murder and concealment of evidence of a ten‑year‑old girl based solely on circumstantial evidence and his own confession recorded under Section 27 of the Evidence Act. The trial court sentenced him to death for murder, rigorous imprisonment for the rape and concealmen…

The case concerned the murder of Manikandan, who was allegedly abducted, beaten, and strangulated by accused persons 1 to 3, with the body later recovered from a borewell. The trial court convicted accused 1, 2 and 3 under IPC sections 364, 302 and 201 read with section 34, relying mainly on circumstantial evidence, th…

The Supreme Court examined whether the doctrine of prospective overruling applied in Kailash Chand Sharma's case— which struck down bonus marks based on domicile for primary school teacher appointments— could be extended to a large group of appointees who were not parties before the High Court. The appellants, whose se…

Mahesh Chand Sharma appealed against the State of Rajasthan and others challenging a service law appointment/selection decision. The High Court had earlier dismissed the appeal, prompting a civil appeal. The Supreme Court condoned the delay in filing the appeal and granted leave to proceed. It held that the issues rais…

Bharatkumar Shantilal Thakkar, a subordinate judicial officer in Gujarat, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking the implementation of the 1st National Judicial Pay Commission's recommendation of three advance increments for judges with higher law qualifications. The Gujarat Government, by a resolution dated 14…

The appellants, legal heirs of a deceased road‑accident victim, were awarded Rs.98.40 million with 12% interest by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal. The insurer appealed, reduced the principal to Rs.56.40 million but retained the interest rate, and made several partial payments. The Executing Court adjusted those pay…

The landlord filed an eviction suit which was dismissed by the trial court; the appellate court reversed that decision, finding that the landlord had a bona‑fide need for the premises under Section 7(5) of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act and ordered the tenants to vacate. The tenants obtained a writ of certiorari from…

The appellants, who held B.L.S. degrees obtained through distance education from Alagappa University, applied for appointment as school librarians under the Bihar Municipality Secondary and Higher Secondary Teachers (Appointment and Service Condition) Rules, 2006 (amended 2008). The High Court dismissed their writ peti…