Judgments of 2015

The appellant, a Patwari, was accused of demanding bribes to effect a mutation of land records. The complainant testified that the Patwari first demanded Rs.1900, of which Rs.900 was paid by his mother, and later demanded an additional Rs.1000, which the complainant paid and was later recovered from the Patwari during …

Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College applied to the Central Government for an increase in MBBS seats for the 2015-16 academic session but failed to attach the mandatory essentiality certificate, resulting in the application’s rejection. The college sought condonation of the delay and a direction for its applicatio…

The assessees, Pennar Industries Ltd., imported hot‑rolled non‑alloy steel raw material duty‑free under Notification No. 30/1997 of the DEEC scheme, subject to an export obligation. They did not export the finished goods themselves but arranged third‑party exports after the DGFT amended the licence to permit such expor…

The appellant, a former Store Keeper Technical in the Indian Army, was reinstated after a commuted court‑martial punishment but was denied promotion to Naib Subedar and the associated pay and allowances for the period from 1 August 1997 to his actual promotion on 13 November 2000. The Departmental Promotion Committee i…

The assessee, M/s EMCO Ltd., manufactures transformers and pays central excise duty on the price at which it sells them to State Electricity Boards. The Revenue argued that the transaction value for duty purposes must include freight and transit‑insurance costs, contending that the place of removal was the buyer’s prem…

The appellant lent Rs.2,20,000 to the respondent, who issued a post‑dated cheque that later bounced, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The respondent filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash the criminal proceedings, alleging that the loan was actually ta…

The petitioners challenged a bail warrant issued by a Judicial Magistrate First Class, Srinagar, after the magistrate took cognizance of a complaint under Section 500 of the Ranbir Penal Code and issued process under Section 204 of the CrPC. The High Court rejected the petition to quash the proceedings, holding that th…

The Supreme Court examined whether Magnum Equity Services Ltd., a corporate entity formed by converting a stock‑broking partnership, was entitled to a fee‑continuity exemption under Paragraph 1(4) of Schedule III of the SEBI (Stock Brokers and Sub‑Brokers) Regulations, 1992, after three of its original partners resigne…

The appellants, Nihaal Ahamed and Gayathri, secured ranks 731 and 551 respectively in the merit list for MBBS admission at a private medical college and were instructed to appear for counseling on 26 September 2013. The college drafted call letters dated 24 September but posted them only on 29 September, causing the ap…

The Supreme Court examined whether Libra Buildtech Private Ltd. and other bidders, who had paid Rs.6.22 crore as stamp duty for sale deeds of properties of a liquidated company, could claim a refund after the sale was cancelled and the sale consideration was returned. The Court held that the cancellation of the contrac…

Jeles Education Society (appellant) ran a private school and advertised a vacancy for a Trained Graduate Teacher of English and Sanskrit, reserving the post for backward classes. R.T. Bhitale (respondent), an Other Backward Class candidate, was appointed on a purely temporary basis from 7 December 1987 to 30 April 1988…

The Kanachur Islamic Education Trust applied to the Government of India for permission to start a new MBBS college for 2015‑16. After obtaining state‑level clearances, the Medical Council of India (MCI) inspected the college and reported numerous deficiencies in faculty, infrastructure and clinical services. The Trust …

Ganga Bai was tried and convicted for the murder of her daughter‑in‑law and two children under IPC s.302 read with s.34 and for destroying evidence under s.201, along with co‑accused Udai Lal and Daulat Ram. The trial court and the Rajasthan High Court upheld her conviction while acquitting the co‑accused. She appealed…

Saraswati Medical College sought a Letter of Permission to start a new MBBS programme with 150 seats for the 2015‑16 academic year. The Medical Council of India (MCI) inspected the college, identified deficiencies, and after a second inspection raised further deficiencies, leading the Union of India to disapprove the a…

The appellant, a constable with fifteen years of service, was dismissed for repeated unauthorized absences, some due to treatment for chronic tuberculosis. The disciplinary and appellate authorities deemed him unfit for police service and imposed dismissal. The High Court set aside the dismissal, remanding the matter f…

The State of Karnataka acquired agricultural land for industrial development under the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Act, 1966, and transferred it to the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), which later allotted the land to Ultra Tech Cement Ltd on a lease basis. The landowners sought compensati…

The respondent, Saurabh Bakshi, was convicted under Section 304A of the IPC for causing the deaths of two persons by rash and negligent driving. The trial magistrate sentenced him to one year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine; the High Court reduced the sentence to the 24 days already served, relying on the fact that…

Oswal Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. purchased naphtha from BPCL/IOCL in September-October 1996 and paid excise duty because it did not possess a CT‑2 certificate. After obtaining the certificate through an appeal, it sought a refund of the duty paid for that period. The Assistant Commissioner rejected the refund claim o…

M/s. Holostick India Ltd. manufactures security holograms by embossing a flexible metallised plastic film, applying adhesive and release coatings, and cutting the product to size for use as security devices. The Commissioner of Central Excise classified the holograms under tariff entry 39.19 (self‑adhesive plastic shee…

The Cellular Operators Association of India and several private mobile service providers were directed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to discontinue differential tariffs that charged higher rates for calls terminating on the BSNL/MTNL network compared to calls terminating on other private networks.…

M.V. Jayarajan delivered a public speech in Kannur criticizing a Kerala High Court order that prohibited meetings on public roads, using language that the court deemed abusive, including calling judges "idiots" and employing the regional term "sumbhan". The High Court convicted him of criminal contempt under Section 12…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Entry 25 of Schedule VI of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957, which levies tax on the processing and supply of photographs, photo prints and photo negatives. The issue centered on whether the State could tax the goods component of a works contract after the 46th…

The appellant and respondent No.1 both applied for the post of Anganwadi Worker in Odisha. The selection committee initially appointed the appellant, but the Sub‑Collector remanded the case on 26‑12‑2009, leading to a reconsideration where the appellant again emerged as the most eligible candidate. Respondent No.1 file…

The petitioners, a company dealing in the purchase and resale of life‑insurance policies, challenged LIC's circulars of 2003 and 2005 that refused to register assignments of policies to firms engaged in trading such policies. They argued that Section 38 of the Insurance Act, 1938 makes policies transferable and assigna…

The Kerala Bar Hotels Association and other hotel operators challenged the Kerala government's 2014‑15 policy that restricted foreign liquor (FL‑3) licences to only five‑star hotels, alleging violations of Articles 14, 19 and 47 of the Constitution. The State argued that the policy is a reasonable classification aimed …

The Central Bank of India sued Virudhunar Steel Rolling Mills Ltd. and its directors (respondents 2‑4) for recovery of credit facilities totalling about Rs 12 lakh. The directors had executed personal guarantee deeds on 30 August 1974, but the company already owed approximately Rs 7.68 lakh before that date. The bank c…

The Supreme Court examined whether a Company Court or an Official Liquidator can control the sale of secured assets by a secured creditor under the SARFAESI Act when the borrower is a company under winding up. Pegasus Assets Reconstruction Ltd, the secured creditor, sought to enforce its security over the land of Harya…

The appellant, a senior lecturer in a private polytechnic, claimed that the vacant post of Principal must be filled by promotion under Rule 3(3) of the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1981. The Director of Technical Education rejected this claim, applying the Government Polytechn…

The appellant, M/s. S.K.L. Co., challenged a notification by the Railways that leased Front Second Class Luggage Rakes (FSLR) and Ventilated Parcel Vans (VP) to private lessees through an auction, alleging that the lease violated Sections 70 and 71 of the Railways Act, 1989 by giving undue preference and that the Railw…

The appellant, a visually‑handicapped allottee of a fair‑price shop, challenged an appellate order that restored the original allottee's licence and cancelled her own allotment. The High Court dismissed her writ petition on the ground that she was not a necessary party. The Supreme Court examined whether a subsequent a…

The appellant Neeru Yadav challenged the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to respondent No.2, a repeat offender accused of multiple heinous offences including murder and armed assault. The High Court had relied primarily on the doctrine of parity, noting that other co‑accused had been released on bail, and ha…

Essar Teleholdings Ltd. and other petitioners challenged a Delhi High Court order and a Delhi government notification that appointed a Special Judge to try all offences, including those under the Indian Penal Code, arising from the 2G spectrum scam. They sought a joint trial of the main case and a second supplementary …

The State of Maharashtra prosecuted 34 accused for mob assault that resulted in the death of Tanaji Rathod. All prosecution witnesses except the deceased's wife (PW‑12) turned hostile; the trial court relied on PW‑12’s detailed testimony, corroborated by medical reports, spot‑panchnama and recovered weapons, convicting…

The case concerned the murder of a village Sarpanch on 27 June 1997, for which six accused were convicted under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment. The appellants challenged the conviction on grounds that the FIR was ante‑dated, the injured eye‑witness (PW‑3) fabricated his injuries…

The deceased respondent Gurappa filed a suit in 1984 (O.S. No. 255) for declaration of title which was dismissed for lack of proper parties and proof of possession. He later filed another suit in 1993 (O.S. No. 39) seeking declaration of title, possession, injunction and correction of revenue records. The Municipal Cou…

The case concerned a century‑old building in Lucknow covered by the Uttar Pradesh Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972. The landlord, Anil Kalra, obtained a release order under s.16(1)(b) for demolition, but several occupants, allegedly placed by the respondents through a cooperative soc…

The appellants, landowners in five villages of Raipur district, challenged the Kamal Vihar Township Development Scheme (KVTDS) prepared by the Raipur Development Authority (RDA) under the Madhya Pradesh Nagar Thatha Gram Nivesh Adhiniyam, 1973. They alleged that the scheme was formulated without the required zonal plan…

The petitioner, convicted under the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts and sentenced to death by a TADA court, sought a writ under Article 32 to stay the execution of the death warrant dated 30 April 2015, alleging procedural irregularities and that his curative petition had not been decided by a bench constituted as per Supreme …

The case concerned a show‑cause notice issued under the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944 for alleged short levy of excise duty by a sole proprietor who died in 1989. The legal heirs challenged the notice, arguing that the Act contains no provision to continue assessment against a dead person’s estate. The Supreme Cou…

The appellant, Rajeshwar Baburao Bone, claimed membership in the Kali Mahadev scheduled tribe to obtain a post reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the Zilla Parishad, Beed, and was issued a tribe validity certificate after a Scrutiny Committee verification in 2010. After it emerged that his brother's tribe certificate had…

The Union of India challenged the validity of Notification Nos.102/87‑CE and 103/87‑CE which granted exemption from excise duty on iron and steel scrap from ship‑breaking only to importers who had paid customs duty at Rs.1,400 per Light Displacement Tonnage (LDT). The respondent, N.S. Rathnam & Sons, had paid a lower c…

Dharm Chand, a hawker who had been allotted a Tehbazari kiosk opposite the Supreme Court, was ordered by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to relocate his stall to a site near Baroda House on security grounds following a bomb blast near the Delhi High Court in 2011. He challenged the order, invoking his constituti…

The case involved the murder of Nand Karan, for which three appellants were convicted of conspiracy and murder based largely on confessional statements recorded while they were in police custody and the recovery of a scooter allegedly used in the crime. The appellants challenged the admissibility of those confessions u…

The Himalayan Co‑operative Group Housing Society expelled several members, including Balwan Singh, for defaulting on deposit payments. The expulsion was approved by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies and upheld by the Revisional Authority. The respondents approached the High Court under Articles 226/227 seeking to …

The appellant, a partner in a firm assessed under the Bombay Sales Tax Act, 1959, claimed that a settlement with the State Minister for Finance had discharged his individual liability for the firm’s tax dues, and that the Commissioner had acted on this settlement. The Revenue contested the existence and effect of such …

The Supreme Court examined whether the transmission assembly, an intermediate component produced during the manufacture of tractors by M/s. Escorts Ltd., attracted excise duty under the Central Excise and Salt Act. The Court held that transmission assemblies are distinct, commercially known products and therefore quali…

The Supreme Court examined the appointment of Khub Ram as Chief Inspector in Haryana Roadways, finding that his experience certificates were fraudulent and did not satisfy the statutory requirement of two years in a Government or semi‑government undertaking. Consequently, his appointment was declared invalid and the di…

The appellant, Ariane Orgachem Pvt. Ltd., took over the Wyeth Ltd. pharmaceutical factory and its workers under s.25FF of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. It later introduced a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) which 45 of the 143 workers accepted. The Wyeth Employees Union later demanded reinstatement of those worke…

The Commissioner of Customs appealed against the CESTAT order that had allowed M/s Aryan Electronics to overturn the valuation of imported VCD lens parts. The importer had declared a transaction value of Rs.36 per piece, which the Commissioner rejected and, applying Rule 6 of the Customs Valuation Rules, 1988, fixed th…

The Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) leased industrial plots to several companies under licence agreements and lease deeds that contained clauses prohibiting any transfer, assignment or alteration of the lessee's interest without the lessor's written consent. The lessees later changed the…

Manoj Deswal, a trainee Store Hand Technical in the Army Supply Corps, was absent without sanctioned leave for 108 days between April and July 2005 and was declared a deserter after a summary enquiry. He was discharged on 27 August 2005 by the Commanding Officer under Rule 13(3) of the Army Rules, 1954, as a non‑attest…

The landlord, Samar Pal Singh, sued his tenant, Chitranjan Singh, for eviction and arrears of rent under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972. The tenant deposited the full arrears with interest and costs, invoking protection under Section 20(4) of the Act. The High Cou…

The plaintiff, Chintaman Patil, filed a suit seeking declaration of ownership and an injunction over a parcel of land. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the first appellate court reversed that decision and decreed in the plaintiff's favour. The respondents appealed to the High Court, which admitted two substantia…

K.P. Singh was convicted under Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for accepting a bribe of about Rs 700 and was sentenced by the trial court to two years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. The High Court reduced the imprisonment term to one year (with a two‑month default sentence) but uphel…

The CBI alleged that Maninder Singh, together with a co‑accused, obtained credit facilities from New Bank of India by submitting forged documents and colluding with a bank manager, thereby cheating the bank of over Rs 10.62 lakh. After a lengthy investigation, a charge‑sheet was filed under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 …

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) bought 17% NPCL bonds from Andhra Bank Financial Services Ltd (ABFSL) and later discovered that the bonds had been misappropriated by broker Hiten P. Dalal and Canara Bank Mutual Fund (CMF). SCB filed a suit for conversion and amended it to implead Dalal and CMF, but the Special Court held…

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

The Supreme Court examined the death of Archana Mishra, who died of poisoning within six weeks of marriage, and determined that she had been subjected to cruelty and harassment by her husband and in‑laws in connection with dowry demands. The prosecution established the essential ingredients of Section 3048 IPC and the …

The appellant, Commissioner of Central Excise, challenged the classification of the product "Close‑Up Whitening" by the respondent, Global Health Care Products, which the respondent had placed under sub‑heading 3306.90 of the Central Excise Tariff as a dental cleaner. The Revenue argued that the product was a toothpast…

The Central Bank of India had mortgaged a residential property to recover a loan taken by the borrowers and obtained a settlement award from a Lok Adalat, which was signed by the borrowers and one of the guarantor's sons but not by the guarantor herself, C.L. Vimla. Vimla filed multiple writ petitions challenging the a…

The appellant Upendra Pradhan was convicted for murder under IPC sections 302 and 34, based on the High Court's reversal of an acquittal granted by the Additional Sessions Judge. The appellant contended that he was a juvenile at the time of the offence and that the benefit of doubt should apply, also challenging the re…

Hari Shanker and three others were convicted for the murder of Shiv Shanker under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The prosecution's case rested on the eye‑witness PW2 who said Hari fired the first shot, striking the victim's wrist, while other accused fired the fatal abdominal shot. The High Court acquitte…

The complainant, owner of a theatre, alleged that the defendant, a film distributor, borrowed Rs.5 lakh in May 2006 and later issued a cheque on 16 January 2007 which was dishonoured. The trial court convicted the defendant under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, a decision upheld by the Fast Track Court, …

The appellants were acquitted by the trial court for a murder under IPC s.302 read with s.149, but the High Court convicted them on the basis of testimonies of two related witnesses, PW‑4 and PW‑5, who were brothers of the deceased. The Supreme Court examined two issues: the scope of an appellate court's power in an ap…

The case involved an altercation in 1994 where the complainant Jagdish and his sons were cutting reeds on land also claimed by the accused Jage Ram and his sons. During the fight, the second accused Rajbir (Raju) delivered a pharsi blow to the head of the son Sukhbir, causing grievous injuries that required emergency s…

The Supreme Court considered two criminal appeals: A.C. Narayanan, who challenged the taking of cognizance of a complaint filed by a power‑of‑attorney (POA) holder on behalf of six complainants under Sections 138 and 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, and G. Kamalakar, who contested a conviction for a dishonoured c…

The appellant, a Municipal Corporation of Delhi employee, was accused of demanding a bribe of Rs.1,500 for issuing a licence. The CBI organised a trap involving the complainant, a shadow witness and a middle‑man who handed over the money, after which it was recovered. The trial court and the Delhi High Court convicted …

In a suit concerning land, the Subordinate District Council Court of the United Khasi‑Jaintia Hills Autonomous District granted an ex‑parte ad‑interim injunction on 30 September 2009. The aggrieved party appealed to the District Council Court within 30 days, which stayed and later set aside the injunction. The High Cou…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the amendment to Section 2(1)(o) of the SARFAESI Act, which altered the definition of a non‑performing asset (NPA) to allow different regulators to prescribe classification guidelines for their respective creditors. The petitioners argued that this amounted to c…

The Supreme Court examined whether the construction of multi‑storeyed residential buildings on two adjacent plots allotted to Sadananda Gowda and D.N. Jeevaraj violated condition No. 4 of their lease‑cum‑sale agreements with the Bangalore Development Authority (BOA). The petitioners alleged that the plots had been amal…

M/s GMR Energy Ltd. imported hot‑section turbine parts under a Long‑Term Assured Parts Supply Agreement (LTAPSA) with GE USA, re‑exporting the used parts and paying customs duty on the invoice value. The Customs Commissioner, relying on Rules 4 and 9 of the Customs Valuation Rules, added one‑third of the invoice value,…

The case involved a fake currency racket in Rajasthan where accused Mehboob Ali and Firoz, while in police custody, gave statements that led to the identification and arrest of co‑accused Anju Ali, Majhar, Liyakat Ali and others, and to the recovery of forged notes. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether such s…

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated a bus owned by a private individual under a lease agreement. An accident caused by the bus led claimants to seek compensation. The dispute centered on whether liability for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 rested on the registered owner, the…

The appellant sought registration of the word "RAMAYAN" with a crown device for incense sticks, which the respondent opposed on the ground that the term is the title of a Hindu holy book. The Assistant Registrar dismissed the opposition, but the Intellectual Property Appellate Board set aside that order, prompting the …

The dependants of Rishi Parkash filed a claim petition under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 against the driver, owner and insurer of a Maruti car and the driver of a tempo, seeking compensation for his death in a collision. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal held both drivers negligent and awarded Rs.5,81,000 with inter…

The appellants, both small‑scale industrial units, manufactured their own branded medicines and also performed job‑work for third parties, producing goods bearing the third parties' brand names. While they paid excise duty on the third‑party branded goods, they also claimed MODVAT/CENVAT credit on the inputs used. The …

Cargill India Pvt Ltd exported soyabean meal and filed free shipping bills without claiming duty drawback. It later applied to convert those bills into drawback shipping bills under Rule 12(1)(a) of the Customs, Central Excise Duties and Service Tax Drawback Rules, 1995, invoking Circular No 04/2004 which the Commissio…

The respondents filed a suit for perpetual injunction which was dismissed by the trial court; the first appeal to the District Judge also dismissed the suit. The respondents then filed a second appeal before the Bombay High Court. The High Court reversed both the trial court and the first appellate court judgments with…

The petitioners challenged the domicile‑based reservation for admission to super‑specialty medical courses in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, arguing that it violated Articles 14 and 16 and was contrary to national interest. The States relied on the 1974 Presidential Order issued under Article 371‑D and the 1…

M/s. Meridian Industries Ltd., a 100% Export Oriented Undertaking, manufactured cotton yarn using indigenous cotton and imported wax for coating. It claimed concessional excise duty under Notification No.8/97‑CE, which is available only to products made wholly from indigenous raw material. The central issue was whether…

The case concerned the validity of several amendments to the Export-Import (EXIM) Policy 2002-2007 made by Notification No. 28 (Jan 28, 2004) and subsequent public notices and notifications (Jan 28 2004 Public Notice, Apr 21 & 23 2004 Notifications). Exporters alleged that these changes were retrospective, ultra vires,…

The petitioners, graduate Assistant Engineers of the general category, challenged the seniority of reserved‑category Junior Engineers who had been promoted to Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADE) under Rule 12 of the Tamil Nadu Highways Engineering Service Rules. The issue was whether Article 16(4A) of the Constitution …

The petitioners Shabnam and Salim, convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death, challenged the issuance of death warrants by the Sessions Judge merely six days after the Supreme Court dismissed their appeals. The Court held that the warrants were issued in haste without allowing the convicts to exhaust their s…

The appellant, a police officer, was summoned in a private complaint alleging assault, kidnapping and other offences while investigating a death. He moved the High Court under CrPC s.482 to quash the proceedings, contending that the magistrate could not take cognizance without prior sanction from the State Government u…

The case arose from the transfer of a corruption trial involving J. Jayalalithaa from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka. Karnataka appointed Bhavani Singh as Special Public Prosecutor for the trial, but Tamil Nadu later attempted to authorize him to appear before the Karnataka High Court for the appeal. The Supreme Court held th…

Hari Krishan Verma, an Additional Assistant Engineer with Punjab State Electricity Board, faced disciplinary actions and was deemed inefficient. Upon attaining the age of 55, a High Empowered Integrity Committee examined his entire service record, including past misconduct, and recommended his premature retirement unde…

Workmen employed as safai kamdars by Umralagram Gram Panchayat were classified as daily‑wage workers despite having served for periods ranging from five to eighteen years and performing the same duties and hours as permanent employees. They raised an industrial dispute seeking permanency and associated benefits. The La…

The plaintiff‑buyer entered into a sale agreement and obtained a decree for specific performance, which required him to deposit the balance consideration of Rs.33,60,000 within one month of the decree and in the form of a demand draft. The trial court extended the time by two months, making the final deadline 26‑May‑20…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by the complainant, Ranbeer Singh, against the Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of three co‑accused (Balbir Singh, Karua and Vinod) who had been convicted for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The trial court had found all four accused – including the main sh…

The appellant, a small‑scale rubber products manufacturer, produced goods under its own "VIR" brand and also manufactured parts for automobile companies, marking those parts with the buyers' brand identifiers (e.g., "HM", "PAL"). It claimed exemption from excise duty under Notification No. 1/93, which requires that the…

The Supreme Court examined the operation of Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. It held that an acquisition proceeding is deemed to have lapsed when an award under Section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 was passed at leas…

Shyam Lal, the appellant, claimed continuous possession of agricultural land in Faridabad for about 27 years under a lease that expired in May 2005, asserting that he became a statutory tenant protected by the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953. The respondent, Deepa Dass Chela Ram Chela Garib Dass, argued that …

The appellant, State of Himachal Pradesh, appealed against the High Court's order that substituted the imprisonment of the accused, Ram Pal, with a fine of Rs 40,000 for causing the death of a 20‑year‑old girl by rash and negligent driving. The Supreme Court examined whether the fine was adequate and whether compensati…

The appellants were convicted under Sections 498A and 3048 of the IPC for the death of the appellant's wife, who died from severe burns allegedly after a dowry demand. The prosecution proved, on a pre‑ponderance of probability, that the death occurred within seven years of marriage, was unnatural, and was linked to rec…

The appellant purchased an evacuee property and filed a suit in 1980 seeking specific performance of the sale, possession and the appointment of a court receiver. The trial court denied the receiver, but the High Court on appeal appointed one to take possession, collect rent and account for profits. The suit was finall…

Surya and Mayura Vadanan, both British citizens, married in India and had two daughters in the UK. In August 2012 Mayura brought the children to India and filed for divorce. Surya obtained an interim order from the High Court of Justice in England making the children wards of that court and directing the mother to retu…

The plaintiff, Mohd. Farooq, filed a suit for a permanent prohibitory injunction to restrain the defendants, Zarif Ahmad and another, from interfering with his possession of plot No. 358, describing the land by its boundaries and municipal number. The trial court decreed in favour of the plaintiff, but the first appell…

Vindu Kishore Sharma, appointed as a Reader at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, was promoted to Professor under the Personal Promotion Scheme of 25‑02‑1984. The University later revoked the promotion on 05‑06‑2008, holding that Sharma had not exercised the required written option to remain governed by the 1984 scheme…

The case concerned the interpretation of the Himachal Pradesh Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972, specifically the calculation of permissible area for a family consisting of a husband, wife, an adult son and three minor children. The predecessor-in-interest, Dev Raj, held 2400 kanals of land and was served with a notic…

The employee, Shree Lal Meena, sent a resignation letter on 14 July 1990, which was accepted on 11 January 1991. After the Life Insurance Corporation (Employees) Pension Rules, 1995 were introduced with retrospective effect from 1 November 1993, he claimed pension on the ground that Rule 3 made the Rules applicable to …

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued a summons on 23 July 2002 to Roofit Industries Ltd. demanding documents and information. The company failed to comply despite several extensions and a reminder dated 5 September 2002, leading the Adjudicating Officer to impose a penalty of Rs 1 crore under Sectio…

The appellant, a promoter, acquired more than 15% of a listed target company and made a public offer to buy remaining shares at Rs 8.75 per share. He had earlier bought back shares held by a state financial institution (HSIDC) at Rs 23.75 per share using post‑dated cheques, but failed to disclose this transaction in th…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court that had set aside its termination of several District Government Counsels and ordered a reconsideration of their renewal. The core issue was whether the State, under Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Uttar Prade…

The appeal filed by Ram Charan Singh Prajapati against the State of U.P. and others concerned the validity of a judgment rendered under Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the applicability of the Uttar Pradesh Government Legal Remembrance's Manual. The appellant challenged the impugned judgment, se…

The State of Uttar Pradesh leased a Nazul (government) property at 19 Clive Road, Allahabad to a private company, which later mortgaged its leasehold interest to United Bank of India without obtaining prior State sanction. The Bank obtained a mortgage decree and later sought conversion of the leasehold into freehold, i…

The respondent, an Indian Army soldier, suffered a fall and multiple injuries while on authorized annual leave at his sister's house. A Medical Board assessed his disability at 60% and noted it was aggravated by stress and strain of military service, but the competent authority rejected his claim for disability pension…

L.C. Hanumanthappa filed a suit for permanent injunction against H.B. Shivakumar on 9 March 1990. The defendant’s written statement dated 16 May 1990 denied the plaintiff’s title to the suit property, thereby putting the plaintiff on notice that a right to sue for declaration of title had arisen. On 1 April 2002 the pl…

The case concerned the inter‑se seniority of Sub‑Inspectors of Police recruited by the Andhra Pradesh Recruitment Board under a single notification dated 22‑Jan‑1991. Candidates were deputed for training in two batches, one commencing on 15‑Jul‑1991 and another on 14‑Jun‑1992, and the later batch was excluded from the …

The Customs and Central Excise Department created a separate Data Entry Operator cadre to implement computerisation, later merging it back with the original ministerial cadre under the TA Rules, 2003 and STA Rules, 2003. This merger altered the inter‑se seniority of officers, disadvantaging those who remained in the mi…

The complainant, a promoter‑director of a biomass power company, filed a private complaint alleging conspiracy, false declarations and cheating under Section 628 of the Companies Act, 1956 and Sections 1208 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code. The Special Judge for Economic Offences took cognizance, but the Andhra Pradesh…

Charan Singh, a tube‑well operator in the Uttar Pradesh Fisheries Department, was terminated in August 1975 on the ground that he was a temporary employee and was given one month's wages in lieu of notice. He contended that he was a permanent workman and that the termination violated the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Disput…

The respondents sought to import a stuffed leopard trophy, a species listed in Appendix I of CITES and Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. They obtained a conditional licence from the DGFT and clearance from the Chief Wildlife Warden, both of which were expressly subject to CITES approval. CITES issued a…

The case concerned the dismissal of Deputy Superintendent Ved Mitter Gill and four other jail officials after four under‑trial terrorists escaped from Model Jail, Burail, Chandigarh through a 94‑foot tunnel. The authorities invoked clause (b) of the second proviso to Article 311(2) of the Constitution to dispense with …

The case concerns the murder of two brothers on 11 November 1999, for which ten persons were charge-sheeted. The trial court convicted all, but the Rajasthan High Court acquitted six accused on the ground that they were not named by the star witness, while convicting Badru Ram, Sita Ram, Ramavtar and Lakshman under Sec…

The Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) acquired land in villages Bhuri and Rajpardi for a lignite project under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Special Land Acquisition Officer initially fixed compensation at low rates, which were later increased by the Reference Court. The High Court, noting that the a…

The appellant Rajinder Singh was convicted under IPC s.3048 for the death of his wife Salwinder Kaur, who died by poisoning within four years of marriage after repeated demands for dowry money and alleged ill‑treatment by the husband and his relatives. The trial court and the High Court upheld the conviction, finding t…

Ravindra was convicted under Section 376(1) IPC for raping Narmadabai in 1994 and sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment. The appellant challenged the conviction on grounds of lack of physical injury, insufficient semen evidence, contradictions in the victim's testimony, and the absence of corroboration. The Sup…

The deceased, Truptiben, married in 1996 and allegedly faced repeated dowry demands and mental harassment by her husband and his relatives, leading her to commit suicide by hanging in 2000, within seven years of marriage. A criminal complaint was filed under Sections 498A, 304B, 306 and 114 of the IPC; the trial court …

Dileep Kumar Singh, a CRPF Assistant Commandant, suffered a permanent spinal injury while on duty and was medically declared 100% incapacitated. He was subsequently relieved from service in July 2011 and challenged the relief under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Partic…

The appellant, Dhirendra Kumar, was convicted of murdering Surat Singh by striking him on the head with a stone. The prosecution presented eye‑witnesses, the widow of the deceased, and corroborative testimony establishing prior enmity and a motive. The accused claimed he was falsely implicated and that the incident was…

The appellant, Tejram Patil, was convicted of murdering his wife Savita by pouring kerosene and setting her on fire; Savita’s mother Prabhabai and the landlady Vimal also sustained burn injuries and died. The trial court admitted Prabhabai’s dying declaration (OD) to prove the cause of Prabhabai’s death but rejected Sa…

The appellant challenged a writ order of the Allahabad High Court that had vacated an interim injunction granted by a civil court, arguing that a writ of certiorari under Article 226 could not be issued against orders of a civil court. The Supreme Court was asked to reconsider the view expressed in *Surya Dev Rai* that…

The Supreme Court examined whether acquisitions made under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 could be declared lapsed under Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. It held that a declaration of lapse requires a clear factual finding t…

The appellant, K.P. Manu, born to Christian parents, reconverted to Hinduism at age 24 and obtained a Hindu Pulaya caste certificate. The Scrutiny Committee and the Kerala High Court cancelled the certificate, holding that his Christian birth precluded Scheduled Caste status. The Supreme Court examined whether a person…

H.L. Gulati, a former Senior Accounts Officer, was found to have authorized 36 fraudulent claims amounting to about Rs.42.24 lakh during 1992-94. While criminal courts acquitted him, a departmental enquiry concluded that he was negligent but not guilty of grave misconduct. The punishing authority invoked Rule 9 of the …

The State of Punjab ordered a re‑auction of two properties of the Punjab State Leather Development Corporation after the highest bids, which were only marginally above the reserve price, were submitted by the respondents. The respondents had paid the earnest money and 25% of the bid amount, but the Director of Industri…

The State of Rajasthan appealed against a Special Judge's order granting Rs.1,50,000 compensation to two accused persons, Jainudeen and Shabbir, who were acquitted under the NDNDPS Act after a forensic report, delayed by two years, showed no contraband. The trial judge had based the compensation on alleged malice and t…

The Board of Trustees of the Port of Mumbai (Petitioner) obtained an eviction decree against Nikhil N. Gupta and his company (Respondents) who had continued to occupy premises after a lease expired in 1952. The Supreme Court, dismissing a special leave petition, granted the Respondents one year to vacate, subject to an…

Indoramasynthetics (I) Ltd manufactured polyester fibre and sold it to two classes of domestic buyers: those holding advance licences (who surrendered them) and ordinary buyers. By surrendering their licences, the buyers enabled the assessee to obtain an advance licence for intermediate supply, allowing duty‑free impor…

Balbir Singh sued Banwari Lal and Swaraj for ownership of a parcel of land. During the pendency of the first appeal, Banwari Lal died, and during the second appeal, Swaraj died, but no steps were taken to bring their legal representatives on record as required by Order XXII of the CPC. The Delhi High Court dismissed th…

Satya Pal Anand, a septuagenarian, claimed that a plot of land allotted to his mother by a cooperative society was unlawfully cancelled by the society through a Deed of Extinguishment dated 9‑8‑2001, and that subsequent sale deeds to third parties were also void. The Sub‑Registrar refused to cancel the extinguishment d…

The Vaish Aggarwal Panchayat, a society, filed a declaration suit in 2001 seeking to declare a 1998 decree and subsequent sale deed as void on grounds of fraud and collusion, after having earlier objected to the execution of that decree. The respondents, who were parties to the original 1993 suit, moved an application …

M/s Purolator India Ltd, a manufacturer of excisable filter elements, claimed deductions for cash discount, volume discount and sales tax while filing excise returns. The Commissioner of Central Excise rejected the cash‑discount deduction and affirmed duty on other items, leading to an appeal. The Supreme Court examine…

The Agricultural Income Tax Officer appealed against a Calcutta High Court order that granted a refund of rural employment cess and education cess paid by tea estate owners, together with 12% interest, for periods before the West Bengal Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 1989. The Supreme Court examined whether the …

The appellants challenged two land acquisition notifications issued under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 for the construction of a road (Missing Link‑II) and a residential urban estate in Ludhiana. They argued that a large portion of the land was intended for commercial development, a purpose not disclosed in the notif…

Mackinnon Mackenzie & Co. Ltd. retrenched about 98 workmen by serving a notice on 27 July 1992, claiming closure of its clearing and forwarding department due to severe financial losses. The workmen’s union challenged the retrenchment, alleging non‑compliance with the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947: no one‑month notice …

Sundararaja Naidu's 1949 will bequeathed certain properties and directed his brother's son to manage them and perform specific charitable rites. Five members of the testator's community applied under Section 64 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 to have a scheme framed for those chari…

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) appealed against the Securities Appellate Tribunal’s (SAT) order that limited a stock broker’s "annual turnover" to the brokerage earned, thereby reducing the registration fee payable by ICAP India Pvt Ltd, a broker in the wholesale debt market. The Supreme Court examin…

Nestle India Ltd, a 100% export‑oriented undertaking (EOU), manufactured instant tea wholly from indigenous raw materials and cleared it to two sister units under Notification 8/97‑CE and Notification 23/2003‑CE. The Commissioner issued a show‑cause notice asserting that, because the tea was captively consumed and not …

Shamsher Singh Verma was charged under IPC 354 and the POCSO Act for allegedly molesting his nine‑year‑old niece. The accused filed an application under Section 294 of the CrPC to have a compact disc containing a recorded conversation between the victim's father, the accused's son and his wife played in court and sent …

The Supreme Court examined a batch of appeals filed by M/s Shree Bhagwati Steel Rolling Mills and other assessees against the Commissioner of Central Excise. The core issues were whether Rules 96ZO, 96ZP and 96ZQ of the Central Excise Rules could levy interest and a mandatory penalty equal to the duty amount when Secti…

The Commercial Taxes Officer appealed against A Infrastructure Ltd's claim of Input Tax Credit (ITC) on raw material used to manufacture asbestos cement sheets. The assessing authority had disallowed the ITC, contending that the final product was exempted under Notification S.O. 377/2007, and therefore the goods were "…

Bridgestone India Pvt. Ltd. presented a cheque drawn by Inderpal Singh on Union Bank of India, Chandigarh, at IDBI Bank, Indore, which was later dishonoured. The company served a legal notice and filed a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act in the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Indor…

The plaintiffs, M. Venkatesh and others, claimed ownership of land acquired by the Bangalore Development Authority (BOA) under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, asserting settled possession and adverse possession of the vacant parcels after demolition of structures. BOA contended that the land vested in it following the …

The State of Bihar (later Jharkhand) granted Tata Steel 350 acres of land in 1969 (Grant‑I) for a 99‑year lease, requiring use of the land for a specified industrial purpose within one year. Tata Steel utilized about 200 acres for its alloy and steel plants. In 1973 the State transferred 1,266 acres to the Bihar Indust…

The appellants, contractors engaged in government construction projects in Madhya Pradesh, challenged the demand of a 1% welfare cess under the Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Cess Act, 1996, arguing that the levy was retrospective because their contracts were executed before the State Welfare Board wa…

Shri Talukdar Singh, a 59‑year‑old ex‑serviceman employed as a Turner by Tata Engineering & Locomotive Co., was dismissed in 1990 after a charge‑sheet for slapping a colleague. The Labour Court found the enquiry fair and the misconduct proved but held that dismissal was shockingly disproportionate, awarding retrenchmen…

The appellant, a Hindu Undivided Family co‑owner of a 30,663 sq. m. plot in Bangalore, entered into a development agreement for constructing residential flats and claimed that the land remained exempt from wealth tax while the building was under construction. The Revenue argued that under Explanation 1(b) to Section 2(…

The appellant, Bhanushali Housing Cooperative Society Ltd., sought specific performance of a sale agreement for land against the respondents, Mangilal and others. The question before the Supreme Court was whether the dispute fell within the ambit of Section 64 of the Madhya Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1960. The…

The Supreme Court examined petitions seeking directions to set up State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs) in several states that had failed to do so under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The Court held that the word "may" in Section 21 of the Act does not make the power to constitute SHRCs discretionary; it is…

The case concerned officers of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) of the rank of Lt General (or equivalent) and the Director General AFMS, who were appointed for a fixed two‑year tenure subject to age limits. The Armed Forces Tribunal held that the tenure clause was ultra vires and ordered retirement at the age o…

Nanjappa, a bill collector in a Karnataka gram panchayat, was accused of demanding a Rs 500 bribe for a resolution copy. The trial court acquitted him, holding that the prosecution failed to prove the charge and that the sanction for prosecution under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was invalid. Th…

The appellant, Eshwarappa, was married to Latha, who complained about his illicit relationship with another woman and his demand for additional dowry. On 6 November 2005, Latha went to a field to collect money from her husband for her child's medical treatment and was later found dead with ligature marks around her nec…

The Controller of Examinations of North Bengal University was suspended by the Vice‑Chancellor under Section 10(6) of the North Bengal University Act, 1981, on grounds of alleged financial irregularities uncovered by multiple audit reports. The Controller challenged the suspension in a writ petition; a Single Judge of …

The Supreme Court examined appeals by the State of Maharashtra challenging the High Court’s setting aside of convictions under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The High Court had held that merely filing numerous charge‑sheets and taking cognizance of past offences did not satisfy the statutory re…

The appellant was convicted under Sections 324 and 326 of the IPC for assaulting his cousin with a bat made of coconut leaf stem and a stone, causing grievous injuries. The High Court reduced his sentence, but the parties later reached a settlement and sought to compound the offences. The Supreme Court held that the qu…

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Patrangi Ramanaiah, who was stabbed by a group of accused during an unlawful assembly. The trial court and High Court had convicted most of the accused under Sections 302, 148 and 324 IPC, relying on eyewitness testimony, a dying declaration, and forensic evidence, while acquitt…

Ultra Tech Cement Ltd filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act against Rakesh Kumar Singh and another before the Metropolitan Magistrate, 11th Court, Calcutta. The issue was whether that magistrate retained jurisdiction after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dashrath Rupsingh Rathod v. State…

Vinod Kumar Subbiah filed for divorce under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging mental cruelty by his wife, Saraswathi Palaniappan, who later sought restitution of conjugal rights under Section 9 and maintenance. The trial court, after examining extensive evidence, found the wife’s abusive conduct—ins…

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) entered into a FIDIC‑based contract with M/s ITD Cementation for highway widening, which contained price‑adjustment clauses (70.1‑70.8) and a provision that all duties, taxes and levies existing 28 days before bid submission were to be included in the bid price. After the…

The plaintiffs entered into a written agreement of sale on 2 July 1973 for a property, with performance fixed for 2 December 1973. The defendants sought extensions, the last of which expired on 1 February 1977. The plaintiffs filed a suit for specific performance on 29 April 1994, and the defendants moved to dismiss it…

The case concerned the constitutional validity of the retrospective amendment to Section 143(1A) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, which imposes a 20% additional tax when adjustments increase declared income or reduce loss. The appellant‑Commissioner had levied additional tax on M/s. Sati Oil Udyog Ltd. for assessment years…

The appellant Manmeet Singh (alias Goldie) was convicted under Section 396 of the Indian Penal Code for dacoity with murder, based on an alleged robbery of a large sum of money and the killing of Mohinder Singh. The prosecution alleged that five or more persons participated in the dacoity, but only the appellant was id…

The appellants filed a consumer complaint in 2000 before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) alleging medical negligence. While respondents 1 and 2 filed replies and the appellants filed rejoinders, respondents 3 and 4 were served only in late 2009 and filed their reply in January 2010; the Comm…

The State of Madhya Pradesh claimed ownership of 45 bighas of land acquired in 1946 for an industrial area, which had been leased to the plaintiff Nomi Singh for one year in 1951. The plaintiffs asserted title as Bhumiswamis based on an alleged oral patta from the former Zamindar and later pleaded adverse possession af…

Punra Devi, appointed as an Anganwadi Helper (AWH) at the Chori centre in Himachal Pradesh, applied for promotion to Anganwadi Worker (AWW) at the Hardeeppur centre, invoking a 2012 communication from the Director of Social Justice and Empowerment that gave priority to AWHs for vacant AWW posts in the same centre. The …

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) appealed against a Delhi High Court order that directed conversion of a leasehold plot to freehold in favour of Gaurav Kukreja. The plot was originally held under a perpetual sub‑lease and was subject to an agreement to sell and a General Power of Attorney executed in favour of the…

Fortis Hospital Ltd., the successor of Wockhardt Hospital & Heart Institute, imported medical equipment under a duty exemption notification but later breached the post‑import conditions. The Customs Department issued a show‑cause notice under Section 124 of the Customs Act, confiscated the equipment and offered redempt…

The petitioners challenged the constitutional validity of Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, alleging that it infringes the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) and is not saved by the reasonable restrictions of Article 19(2). They also contested the validity of Section 69A…

The husband, an engineer, filed a suit for divorce under Sections 13(1)(i‑a) and 13(1)(i‑b) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging mental cruelty and desertion by his wife, a draftsman. The wife counter‑claimed that she faced dowry harassment, alleged an extra‑marital affair by the husband, and had withdrawn a criminal co…

The appellant, a poultry labourer, was injured in a motor vehicle collision on 18 November 2009, sustaining multiple rib fractures and a 25% permanent disability. He claimed Rs 5,00,000 compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, but the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded only Rs 25,300 with 7.5% interest, a d…

The respondent, a former Indian Air Force employee, claimed disability pension for a 60% composite disability arising from coronary artery disease and diabetes. The Air Force Medical Board held the disabilities were not attributable to or aggravated by service, and the Pension Sanctioning Authority rejected the claim. …

The appellant, Nanjappan, entered into a 1987 sale agreement to sell his sole property for Rs 45,000, receiving an advance of Rs 25,000, with the balance to be paid within 2½ years. The time for execution was extended repeatedly, ultimately spanning eight years, and the respondents paid a total advance of Rs 42,500. Th…

The appellants, lessees of a 20‑year lease, erected a pucca factory building on the premises and later claimed status as Thika tenants under the Calcutta Thika Tenancy Act, 1949 and its subsequent amendments. The respondents, who had purchased the land, challenged the Controller's declaration that the appellants were T…

The Supreme Court examined whether Section 32(c) of the Andhra Pradesh Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control (Amendment) Act, 2005 operates prospectively or retrospectively and how it affects eviction suits pending when the amendment came into force. It also considered the effect of the 1983 Government Order (G.…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over the transfer of shares of Jai Mahal Hotels Pvt. Ltd. after the death of Late Maharaja Jagat Singh, who had bequeathed his shares to his mother Gayatri Devi (GD). GD and the grandchildren (the DR Group) obtained a succession certificate and GD executed a transfer deed and a will…

The appellant, Ranjit Sarkar, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for delivering a single blow with a wooden file to the head of the deceased, Anil Das, who later died from head injuries. The prosecution alleged multiple injuries, while the defence argued that only one blow caused the death, making it culpabl…

The Supreme Court examined whether a final anti‑dumping duty could be levied for the period between the expiry of a provisional duty and the issuance of a final duty notification. The Court held that Rule 20(2)(a) of the Anti‑Dumping Rules must be read in harmony with Rules 13 and 21 and with WTO Agreement Article 10.2…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute arising from a sale agreement where the buyer paid Rs.60,000 as earnest money and agreed to pay the balance upon execution of a sale deed. The buyer sought specific performance, possession and injunction, but the sellers refused to execute the deed, questioning the measurement of th…

Sharadamma filed a suit in 1998 for declaration of title and restoration of possession of a property. The suit was dismissed in 1990 and she appealed. During the pendency of the appeal, she assigned her interest to her daughter Padmavathi, who subsequently sold the property to G.R. Ramesh. The Karnataka High Court dism…

The case concerned a single clerk post in a U.P. Intermediate College governed by the U.P. Intermediate Education Act, 1921. The college's regulations required that 50% of sanctioned posts be filled by promotion, with a note that a single post would be deemed as one when calculating the 50% quota. The petitioner argued…

The DM Wayanad Institute of Medical Sciences and another institute filed writ petitions under Article 32 challenging the Medical Council of India's (MCI) refusal to recommend renewal of permission for MBBS admissions for the 2015‑16 session and the Union Government's consequent denial of that permission. The petitioner…

M/S K.R.C.D. (I) Pvt. Ltd. manufactured duplicate CDs on a job‑work basis using master tapes supplied by a distributor who owned the copyright. The distributor paid a lump‑sum royalty to the music producer and then sold the duplicated CDs to the market. The Revenue argued that the royalty value embedded in the master t…

Nirlon Ltd., a manufacturer of tyre cord yarn and fabric, filed price declarations under Section 4(2) of the Central Excise Act, 1944 using Rule 6(b)(i) of the Valuation Rules, treating goods removed for captive consumption the same as those sold at the factory gate. The Excise Commissioner, relying on a cost accountan…

The appellants, small shop‑owners in Tirumala, challenged the compensation awarded for their land acquired by the State for the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Reference Court had fixed a market value of Rs.80‑100 per square foot based on escalation of values of adjacent l…

The appellant, Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise, challenged the CESTAT order that allowed Roofit Industries Ltd. to deduct freight, insurance and unloading charges from the assessable value of its pipe products. The revenue argued that the sale of goods occurred at the buyer's premises, making those charges p…

The appellant Raj Singh was convicted of murder (later reduced to culpable homicide not amounting to murder) for shooting and killing Girdhari Lal during a violent altercation at the complainant's house. He claimed the act was in private defence, invoking Exception 2 to Section 300 IPC, asserting that the complainants …

M.P. Steel Corporation imported a vessel and disputed the customs duty assessed on its light displacement tonnage. After paying duty, the corporation appealed the Collector's order before the Customs, Excise and Gold (Control) Appellate Tribunal (CEGAT), which allowed the appeal, but the Supreme Court later set aside C…

Taparia Tools Ltd issued non‑convertible debentures offering investors a choice of either periodic interest or a one‑time upfront interest of Rs.55 per debenture. The company paid the upfront interest in the years 1995‑96 and 1996‑97 and, following mercantile accounting, recorded it as deferred revenue expenditure to b…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the High Court’s order that set aside the trial court’s decision to frame charges against three municipal officials accused of corruptly granting building and completion certificates for Sayaji Hotel. The officials were alleged to have conspired to issue a revised building p…

Millenium Wires Ltd. and State Trading Corporation of India entered into an agreement to import copper wire rods from the Synergic companies, opening four letters of credit (LCs) with Allahabad Bank as the issuing bank and Malayn Bank, Malaysia as the confirming bank. After the confirming bank released payments to the …

The appellant, a promoter of a limited company, entered into a buy‑back agreement with Haryana Financial Corporation, which later issued a recovery notice under the Haryana Public Moneys (Recovery of Dues) Act, 1979 claiming arrears of land revenue. The appellant filed a civil suit seeking declaration that the agreemen…

The Union of India and Reliance Industries Ltd. entered into Production Sharing Contracts for the Tapti and Panna Mukta fields that contained an arbitration clause stipulating that disputes be resolved under UNCITRAL rules, with the seat in London and the arbitration agreement governed by English law. A dispute arose, …

The Supreme Court examined a dispute arising from a 1999 technology‑transfer agreement between the government‑run research institute ARCI and private firm Nimra Cerglass. Nimra alleged that ARCI made false representations about having a perfected extruded ceramic honeycomb technology, leading it to invest heavily and l…

The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of Sushil Ansal, Gopal Ansal and H.S. Panwar under IPC sections 304‑A, 337, 338 read with s.36 and s.14 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 for the Uphaar cinema fire. The issue before the Court was the appropriate quantum of sentence, given the statutory maximum of two years’ rigor…

The Commissioner of Central Excise appealed against the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) claiming that wharfage charges collected from its licensee, Ultratech Cement Ltd (UCL), were liable to service tax as "port services" under the Finance Act, 1994. The dispute centered on a licence agreement under the Gujarat Maritime B…

The Cochin Port Trust, a statutory authority under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, was assessed sales tax for its dealings in scrap items such as water, firewood and waste paper. The Trust contended that it was not a "dealer" within the meaning of Section 2(viii) of the Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963, arguing that…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is a "State" under Article 12 and concluded that, although it is not, it performs public functions and is therefore amenable to writ jurisdiction under Article 226. The Court upheld the Probe Committee’s findings that Gurunath Meiyappan…

The respondents were convicted under Sections 466, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code for forging documents to appropriate property. The trial court sentenced them to imprisonment ranging from one to three years. The High Court reduced each sentence to the period already served, relying on the respondents'…