Judgments of 2017

The case concerned a long‑standing partition suit over the matruka property of the late Nawab Jung, in which Defendant No.1 (Hamid Ali Khan) sold his share of 68 acres 10 guntas to Bala Mallaiah on 23‑Nov‑1959. The sale was challenged on the grounds that it was made during the pendency of the partition suit, that the v…

M/S. Brakewel Automotive Components (India) Pvt. Ltd. obtained a decree for recovery of a sum of money from P.R. Selvam Alagappan. The respondent filed an application under Section 47 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, challenging the executability of the decree on grounds of alleged mis‑joinder of parties, fraud an…

Ram Kishan Fauji challenged the Haryana Lokayukta's recommendation to register an FIR and investigate alleged corruption. The Punjab & Haryana High Court, sitting as a Single Judge, quashed the recommendation and the FIR under a writ petition filed under Article 226. The State appealed the judgment via a Letters Patent…

Larsen & Toubro Ltd. filed returns under the Bihar Finance Act, 1981 for AY 1991‑92 and received an assessment order in 1996. An audit by the Auditor General identified an exemption of Rs 3.12 crore for consumables that, in the auditor’s view, should have been taxed, leading to a show‑cause notice in 2000 and a re‑asse…

The Baranagore Jute Factory in liquidation was to receive compensation from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for land acquisition. The compensation, after deduction of tax deducted at source (TDS), was to be deposited with the High Court and kept under its protection. The company’s managers later claimed …

The respondent company borrowed Rs 900 lakhs from a consortium led by State Bank of Travancore (SBT). SBT assigned the debt to Kotak Mahindra Bank on 29‑03‑2006 but failed to inform the borrower. Unaware of this, the borrower later assigned a separate debt to Kotak and discovered the earlier assignment only when Kotak …

Om Prakash and another, joint owners of a property, filed an eviction suit under the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972 against Mishri Lal (deceased) represented by his legal heirs. The tenants admitted tenancy under the appellants' grandmother but denied the appellants as landlor…

The appellants, who cleared the Uttar Pradesh Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination but were not allotted seats in the first round of counselling, filed a writ petition seeking a mandamus directing the State to conduct second, third and mop‑up rounds of counselling as prescribed in the information brochure. The Hi…

Vasanti purchased a residential property on 26 June 1982 from the heirs of Ramnathan Chettiar and sought a declaration of title and possession. The original occupant, Venugopal (deceased), claimed he had a 1975 agreement of sale with the same owner, had paid part consideration, taken possession and invoked Section 53A …

The Supreme Court considered two interlocutory applications arising from its earlier orders directing the State of Karnataka to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and a Comprehensive Environment Plan for the Mining Impact Zone (CEPMIZ) to remediate the massive environmental damage caused by illegal iron‑ore mining …

The State of Haryana acquired large tracts of land for an industrial model township, vesting the land in the State after the Collector’s award. The Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) later allotted part of this land to Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) under a deed that required the allottee to pay a…

In 2001 a Tata Sumo collided head‑on with a truck, killing two passengers and injuring others who were travelling as gratuitous passengers. The claimants obtained compensation from the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, but the Tribunal held that the insurer of the Tata Sumo was not liable because the victims were gratuit…

The appellant-landlord filed a suit in 1992 seeking a permanent injunction against the tenant for constructing a permanent structure without consent, invoking Section 13(b) of the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947. The trial court partially decreed the suit, but the High Court later dismisse…

The appellants entered into an agreement to sell a residential property to the respondent for Rs 1.60 lakh, receiving Rs 60,000 as advance, with the balance to be paid on execution of the sale deed. The deed was not executed within the stipulated period and the respondent sued for specific performance. The trial court …

Zenith Infotech Ltd filed a reference under the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 before the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). The Registrar of the Board refused to register the reference on the ground that the company was not an "industrial company" within the meaning of …

Transparency International India and Centre for Media Studies filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging contempt proceedings initiated by a Judicial Magistrate, Class I, Kangan, Jammu & Kashmir, against them for a study that alleged 92% of the lower judiciary in the State was corrupt. The magistrate issued a s…

The appellant purchased a shop and sued the respondent for possession, alleging the respondent occupied the shop without any right. The respondent denied the appellant's title and pleaded adverse possession, claiming long possession. The trial court and first appellate court held in favour of the appellant, finding the…

The Union of India challenged the constitutional validity of Section 115‑0 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, which imposes an additional 10% tax on dividends declared by domestic companies. Tea companies argued that because up to 60% of their income is agricultural, the dividend is agricultural income and therefore only the…

The dispute arose when an arbitrator, appointed with the parties' consent, terminated the arbitration under Section 25(a) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 because the claimant failed to file a statement of claim within the time prescribed under Section 23(1). The claimant later filed an application seeking…

The Supreme Court examined whether non‑intermediary front‑running—where a person receives confidential information about a forthcoming large block trade and trades ahead of it—constitutes a prohibited fraudulent or unfair trade practice under SEBI’s Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices Regulations, 2003…

Satwant Singh, an investigating officer, arrested Malkeet Singh on a charge of murder (Section 307 IPC) after the latter had been granted anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC. The High Court had ordered that the bail protection applied only to offences listed in its order, leading to a conviction of Satwant …

The appellants applied for the post of Deputy Surveyor and, in the absence of any selection procedure prescribed in the service Rules, the executive issued instructions requiring a written examination and a physical endurance test. All candidates, including the appellants, participated in both components, but the appel…

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted Ram Kumar and others for the murder of informant Mohan Lal, his wife, and three children by firearms and arson, alleging a common intention to kill. The trial court convicted all accused and imposed the death penalty. The Allahabad High Court acquitted them, holding that the lanter…

The complainant, dissatisfied with a magazine cover that featured the petitioner with the caption "God of Big Deals," filed a complaint under Section 295A read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code before a magistrate in Andhra Pradesh. The petitioner sought transfer of the proceedings to Karnataka and simultaneousl…

The State of Bihar appealed against the Patna High Court's order granting conditional bail to Amit Kumar, the principal of Vishnu Rai College, who was alleged to be the king‑pin of the "Bihar Toppers Scam" involving tampering of answer sheets, illegal firearms, and large sums of cash and property. The High Court had re…

The appellants, joint owners of a property, entered into development agreements with the respondent which contained an arbitration clause. A dispute arose and an arbitrator awarded in favour of the respondent, but the award was unreasoned. The appellants challenged the award under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conc…

Halliburton Offshore Services and others sought to challenge the revocation of a Provisional Certificate of Registry (PCOR) issued for the vessel Sita Devi. The Supreme Court examined the statutory requirements under Section 40 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 for granting a PCOR and whether such a certificate could …

The plaintiff obtained a decree for permanent injunction restraining the defendant from interfering with his immovable property. The judgment‑debtor died shortly thereafter, and his heirs attempted to dispossess the plaintiff, prompting the plaintiff to file an execution petition. The issue before the Supreme Court was…

The dispute involved a brother (appellant) and his sister (plaintiff) over ownership of a family property in Aurangabad. The sister claimed inheritance under Mohammedan law, while the brother asserted that the property was self‑acquired through a registered sale deed and adverse possession. The trial court dismissed th…

The deceased woman was found dead with her jewellery missing; the appellant had been present in her house the night before the incident and was later arrested with the missing ornaments recovered from his possession. The prosecution relied solely on circumstantial evidence – the appellant’s presence, a "last seen" test…

The appellant, Ganpat Singh, was convicted for the murder of Shantabai, whose body was discovered in a dry well and identified as the mother of a minor. The trial court relied on circumstantial evidence: the deceased was last seen with the appellant, silver ornaments allegedly lent to her were recovered from the appell…

The operational creditor, Mis. Surendra Trading Co., filed an application under Section 9 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, against the corporate debtor, Mis. Juggilal Kamlapat Jute Mills Co. Ltd. The adjudicating authority identified procedural defects and gave the creditor seven days to cure them. The cred…

The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) and its successor GMADA were found to have charged excess rates for plot allotments, which the High Court reduced. The allottee, Jagtar Singh, sought interest on the refunded excess amount, but PUDA declined, citing no policy for interest. After PUDA failed to …

The appellant owned 0.15 acre of land with 45 three‑year‑old pomegranate trees that were acquired under a 1990 notification of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The award fixed the market value of each tree at Rs 65 and applied a multiplier of 2, later increased to 9 by the High Court, relying on a 1992 government order.…

The appellants' agricultural land was acquired for the Telugu Ganga Project in 1992 and they were initially compensated Rs 50‑70 per lime tree and Rs 32 per pomegranate tree. They obtained a modest enhancement of the tree compensation from the reference court, but sought further increase before the High Court, filing t…

The Supreme Court examined a large group of contempt petitions filed by newspaper establishments alleging that they had failed to implement the Majithia Wage Board Award, which had been upheld by the Court in a 2014 judgment. The petitioners claimed wilful disobedience of the award, seeking civil contempt under Section…

Kanchan Udyog Ltd. entered into a bottling agreement with United Spirits Ltd. for a non‑alcoholic beverage plant, relying on the respondent to supply concentrate. The agreement was terminated by United Spirits in March 1988 and the plant ceased operations in May 1989. The appellant claimed damages for loss of anticipat…

Allokam Peddabbayya and another bought a property in 1985 that was under an equitable mortgage created in 1979 by Defendants 3 and 4 in favour of Allahabad Bank. The bank foreclosed on the loan, obtained a decree in 1991 and the property was auctioned in 1993, with a sale certificate issued to the auction purchaser (De…

The appellants, arc‑furnace industries established before June 1995, were required to shift their power supply from 11 kV to 66 kV or pay a surcharge of 17.5% under a 1995 circular. A 1999 circular exempted pre‑1995 units from both conversion and surcharge. After the Electricity Act, 2003 came into force, the Punjab St…

The husband Kalyan Dey Chowdhury and his wife Rita Dey Chowdhury (née Nandy) were married in 1995 and later divorced. The wife sought permanent alimony under Section 25 of the Hindu Marriage Act, which was initially set at Rs.16,000 per month in 2015. The husband’s net salary rose from Rs.63,842 to Rs.95,000, prompting…

Machindra, the father of a deceased son, appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court's acquittal of Sajjan Ghalfa Rankhamb and his son for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The trial court had convicted them based on testimonies of alleged eye‑witnesses and medical evidence, but the Hig…

Indus Mobile Distribution Pvt. Ltd. appealed against a Delhi High Court order that had entertained interim relief applications, holding that the court had jurisdiction because the cause of action did not arise in Mumbai. The parties' agreement designated Mumbai as the seat of arbitration and contained a clause stating …

Madanuri Sri Rama Chandra Murthy filed a suit seeking cancellation of a sale deed, alleging that the land was Wakf property. The defendants moved an application under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC for rejection of the plaint, which the Wakf Tribunal allowed, finding the suit meritless and barred. The High Court set asid…

The appellant, Balakram, was charged with murder and attempted murder and, after the prosecution's witness (the investigating officer) was examined, sought to produce copies of pages from the police diary obtained under the Right to Information Act to confront the officer. The trial court rejected the application, the …

The case concerns the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the filing of a joint charge‑sheet by the CBI covering 49 FIRs alleging offences such as criminal conspiracy, hate offences and dacoity. The High Court held that a technical defect in the State notification preventing a joint trial was curable, but the Special Co…

The appellant, S. Krishna Sradha, was denied admission to the MBBS course under the sports quota despite being more meritorious than the candidates selected. The High Court, relying on the two‑judge decision in Jasmine Kaur, refused admission and awarded monetary compensation, holding that the cut‑off date for admissio…

The State of Uttar Pradesh and its excise officials appealed against a High Court order that required Mawana Sugars Ltd. to retain only 25% of its balance stock of molasses for supply to country‑liquor distilleries for the Molasses Year 2015‑16. The dispute centered on the interpretation of the State’s Molasses Policy …

The State of Goa filed a complaint under Section 340 of the CrPC alleging that a prosecution witness, Jose Maria Albert Vales, gave false testimony under oath in a Sessions trial, constituting an offence under Section 193 IPC. The trial magistrate, without conducting a full inquiry, framed a charge against Vales. The H…

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted Ms. Pushpa Lekhumal Tolani at Delhi airport on a tip that she was carrying gold and diamond jewellery concealed in her baggage and attempting to pass through the Green Channel without duty. A search under the Customs Act, 1962 uncovered 44 jewellery items worth …

The appellant, R.A.H. Siguran, was charged under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 for procuring minor girls for prostitution. The investigation was conducted by an officer who was not a Special Police Officer as required by the Act, leading the respondent to invoke Section 482 of the CrPC to have the proceedi…

The Rajasthan Police Subordinate Service Rules, 1989 provided for reservation of SC/ST/BC posts. Advertisements for Constable and Sub‑Inspector were issued in October 2010. While the selection process was underway, the State issued a circular on 11 May 2011 allowing any reserved‑category candidate, even if he/she had t…

The State of Jammu & Kashmir issued a 1990 Government Order (GO) granting a 100% refund of Central Sales Tax (CST) to small‑scale industrial units for five years, which was later superseded by a 1993 GO restricting the refund. The respondents, M/s. Trikuta Roller Flour Mills, challenged the 1993 GO on the ground of pro…

The case concerned the pay‑scale disparity between Vocational Masters and Vocational Lecturers in Punjab schools. The State Government had issued a notification on 16 July 2003 restricting the higher pay‑scale (Rs.6,400‑10,640) to only those Vocational Masters appointed before 8 July 1995 and possessing certain qualifi…

The appellant, representing the deceased Dr. Manjeet Kaur Monga, challenged the cancellation of a flat allotment by the builder K.L. Suneja & Ors., alleging unfair trade practice before the Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT). The CAT awarded compensation under Section 12B of the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Pract…

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a manufacturer of the bulk drug Betamethasone Disodium Phosphate, was granted an exemption under paragraph 28 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1987, valid up to 31‑December‑1994. After the exemption expired, the Union of India issued a show‑cause notice alleging that the compan…

The case concerned the abduction and murder of Ramesh Jain, for which six accused were convicted under sections 120B, 364A, 302, 328A and 201 of the IPC. The prosecution relied on disclosure statements, recovered items, and Call Detail Records (CDRs) of the accused’s mobile phones. The principal issue was whether the C…

The respondents filed a civil suit seeking a permanent injunction and, by implication, a declaration of title over certain land. The trial court decreed in their favour, but the first appellate court dismissed the suit. On second appeal, the High Court held the suit was only for a perpetual injunction and therefore did…

The plaintiff filed a civil suit seeking declaration of tenancy and a permanent injunction, and during the suit applied for a temporary injunction under Order 39 of the CPC. The trial court granted the injunction, directing a status‑quo and finding the plaintiff prima facie in possession. On appeal, the High Court modi…

Dagadabai, the heir of the deceased Muslim landowner Rustum, filed a suit for possession of agricultural land against Abbas who claimed to be Rustum's adopted son and also pleaded adverse possession. The trial court and the first appellate court held that adoption is not recognized under Mohammedan law and that the def…

Equinox Solution Pvt Ltd sold its entire running business, including assets and liabilities, in a single transaction on 31‑December‑1990 and claimed a deduction under Section 48(2) of the Income‑Tax Act, treating the sale as a slump sale of a long‑term capital asset. The Assessing Officer held that the transaction fell…

The appellant, Surajsinh alias Sonu Surajsinh, was convicted for kidnapping a seven‑year‑old boy from Ahmedabad and demanding a ransom of Rs 10 lakh, leading to the child's recovery in Dausa, Rajasthan. The trial court found the child’s testimony reliable and corroborated by police officers, other witnesses and call‑de…

The plaintiffs entered into an agreement to purchase 10.75 acres of land, paying earnest money of Rs.50,000 and an advance of Rs.14,50,000, but failed to arrange the balance consideration and were not ready to perform their part of the contract. The trial court and the first appellate court dismissed the suit for speci…

Mis Unichem Laboratories Ltd., a company that provided housing to its industrial workers under the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Housing Act, 1955, sought eviction of Rani Devi and others who continued to occupy a quarter after the original allottee, Dharam Dev Yadav, retired and later died. The company filed a civil suit f…

M/S Southern Motors, a registered dealer under the Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003, issued tax invoices for vehicle sales and later granted post‑sale discounts through credit notes, retaining only the net amount. The Assessing Authority disallowed deduction of these discounts from total turnover, insisting that a d…

Safety Retreading Company (P) Ltd entered into tyre retreading contracts and was assessed service tax on the total consideration, including material costs. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether service tax is payable on the entire amount or only on the service component as defined under the Finance Act, 1994. …

The appellant KUNA@ SANJAYA BEHERA and co‑accused Pravati Behera were convicted under IPC s.302 read with s.34 for the murder of Santosh Behera, the prosecution alleging an extra‑marital relationship as motive. The sole eye‑witness, PW‑1 (Niranjan Behera), claimed to have seen the murder and to have disclosed the alleg…

The State Government fixed lease rent for land allotted to the assessee in 1988, which the assessee contested but was rejected in 1991. The assessee claimed a deduction of the accumulated lease rent in Assessment Year (AY) 1992‑93, arguing that the dispute was sub‑judice until the State’s final decision. The Assessing …

The appellants, bona‑fide tenants of a property owned by Krishna Budha Gawde, challenged the forfeiture of that property under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 (SAFEMA). Gawde had been detained under COFEPOSA and his property was declared “illegally acquired” and forfei…

The appellants, legal representatives of a deceased landowner, sought to challenge the compensation awarded under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, after their reference application under Section 18 was dismissed as time‑barred. They argued that, despite the dismissal, they were entitled to file an application under Sect…

Ms. Z, a 35‑year‑old destitute woman with mild mental retardation and HIV‑positive status, alleged that she had been raped and sought termination of her 18‑week pregnancy under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. The government hospital failed to perform the termination, involving the appellant’s father and…

Advocate-on-Record Mohit Chaudhary, who had been practising since 2009, made an agitated mention before the Supreme Court alleging that the Court's Registry colluded with the opposite party to hastily list a matter for the purpose of bench hunting. He produced a letter to the Chief Justice containing false averments th…

The appellant was elected as Adhyaksha of the Zilla Panchayat, Bellary, and a group of voters filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging the election on grounds of a false caste certificate. The Karnataka High Court Single Judge dismissed the petition, invoking the bar in clause (b) of Arti…

The case concerned several electricity corporations in Telangana that advertised for Assistant Engineer posts with a stipulation of no waiting list as per GO.Ms. No.81 dated 22‑02‑1997. After the examinations, many candidates appeared on the select lists of more than one corporation. The State issued a clarification on…

The case concerned the termination of an assistant teacher (respondent No.1) from a private school run by a trust under the Bombay Public Trust Act. The teacher was served with a charge‑sheet of 17 serious allegations under the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Regulation Act, and an inqu…

The landlord (appellant) owned eight shops and sought eviction of tenants, including the respondent, under the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965 on the ground of bona‑fide need. After a protracted litigation spanning more than a decade, the trial court finally passed an eviction order, which was execu…

Lahu Shrirang Gatkal, a constable, was detained on 10 October 2016 under Section 3(1) of the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1981, by the Commissioner of Police, but the order failed to specify the period of detention. He challenged the order, and the High Court dismissed his writ petition. The Supr…

The appellant, Padmini Mahendrabhai Gadda, was convicted under Section 201 of the IPC for causing disappearance of evidence and giving false information to screen the offender in a murder case, while being acquitted of the murder charge itself. The trial court sentenced her to two years' rigorous imprisonment, which th…

The Special Agricultural Produce Market Committee sought to acquire 42 acres 32 guntas of land in Bangalore for expanding its marketing yard. The acquisition, notified under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 on 20 May 2002, faced challenges from landowners alleging procedural defects, including improper ne…

The appellants, who were Social Security Assistants in the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu regions of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), were transferred to the Kerala region and appeared for a departmental competitive examination for promotion to Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer (EO/AO). Private responden…

Power Machines India Ltd obtained an arbitral award under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 directing it to pay a sum to Lakshmi Engineering Industries. The State of Madhya Pradesh, invoking Rule 5 of the Madhya Pradesh MSME Facilitation Council Rules, 2006, sought recovery of the award amou…

The Steel Authority of India, a public sector steel manufacturer, imported graphite electrodes from China and challenged a notification imposing anti‑dumping duty on such imports. The challenge was dismissed by the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) which upheld the Designated Authority's metho…

The Supreme Court examined two cooperative housing societies, Bankmens CGHS and Safdarjung CGHS, which had been placed under liquidation and later revived by individuals not originally associated with them, allegedly with the assistance of the builder mafia. The societies had received provisional land allotments from t…

Vipulbhai Mansingbhai Chaudhary, who continued as Chairman of a district cooperative milk union beyond his three‑year term, was served a show‑cause notice under s.76B(1) and (2) of the Gujarat Co‑operative Societies Act, 1961. The Registrar removed him and disqualified him for three years; a later order extended the di…

Mehmooda Gulshan, a deserted and unemployed landlord, filed a suit to evict tenant Javaid Hussain Mungloo from premises let in 1997, claiming she needed the property for her unemployed son to start a business. The trial court found a genuine need and granted eviction, but the High Court reversed, holding that the landl…

The Supreme Court considered a custody dispute between Jitender Arora (father) and Sukriti Arora (mother) over their 15‑year‑old daughter, Vaishali. Both parents had obtained ex‑parte divorce decrees in the UK and India, and the mother filed a habeas corpus petition seeking custody. The High Court had ordered temporary…

Black Pearl Hotels (Pvt) Ltd. entered into a "conducting agreement" with M/s Planet M Retail Ltd. and later sought arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The High Court Judge, invoking s.33(2)(b) of the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957, referred the matter to the Registrar to determine whether the instr…

Anil Kumar was first convicted under Section 22 of the NDPS Act and sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.1 lakh and a default two‑year term. He was later convicted under Sections 27(b)(ii) and 28 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and sentenced to one year' rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs…

S. Muthu Kumaran, a Havildar/Clerk in the Indian Army, was alleged to have participated in a fraudulent recruitment racket in 2006 and had earlier given a confessional statement, which he later claimed was made under coercion. The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 26 Infantry Division issued a show‑cause notice, …

ECL Finance Ltd filed a contempt petition alleging that the respondents had breached a consent decree dated 14 August 2015. The Single Judge of the Bombay High Court admitted the petition and issued a notice to the respondents, after which the respondents filed an intra‑court appeal under Section 19 of the Contempt of …

The landlord, a retired armed forces officer, held land under the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Act, 1948, which was occupied by the tenant. Under Section 32F the tenant could purchase the land by giving notice within one year of the landlord's retirement, provided the landlord did not terminate the tenancy; the land…

The appellants alleged that consent forms for land acquisition were obtained on blank documents in 1989, after which the State took possession and paid only 80-90% of the agreed compensation. The State delayed issuing a notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 until 1996 and passed consent awards …

The State of Bihar filed a money suit seeking Rs 41,59,418 against Modern Tent House and others. The defendants denied the claim in their written statement and later applied under Order 6 Rule 17 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 to amend the statement by adding two paragraphs that merely elaborated facts already pl…

The appellants filed a suit in 1962 seeking a declaration of customary rights over agricultural land under the Punjab Custom (Power to Contest) Act, 1920. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the appellate court in 1965 decreed in favour of the respondents, and the decree became final as no second appeal was filed. …

The appellant, Terapalli Dyvasahata Kumar, filed a petition under Section 23 of the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2001, seeking declarations and injunctions concerning the management of a society. The District Court allowed the petition, holding that "District Court concerned" should be interpreted using t…

The petitioners sought a writ directing AICTE to issue a Letter of Approval for starting Anant Institute of Business Studies for the 2017‑18 academic year, alleging they had applied within the prescribed time and that AICTE’s delay caused loss. The Court examined the AICTE Act and its regulations, which fix 30 April of…

The petitioners claimed ownership of land in Survey No. 129/45/D, Hyderabad, based on a 1961 compromise decree and a 1962 sale deed in favour of their mother. The State Government had recommended issuance of supplementary sethwars for this parcel. The land had been caught up in urban land ceiling proceedings, but both …

Rakesh Kumar Paul was arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and remained in custody for more than 60 days without a charge‑sheet. The State argued that because the offence could attract imprisonment of up to ten years, the 90‑day period under clause (i) of proviso (a) to Section 167(2) CrPC applied, den…

MIS Misra & Co. was awarded Rs.5,78,873 by an arbitrator in 1988 for a construction contract with Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). The Civil Court made the award a decree on 16 March 1991, but DVC neither paid nor appealed, and due to repeated objections the formal decree was only prepared on 21 February 2003. Misra f…

The appellant, an advocate, was charged by his client for failing to return a cheque handed over for filing a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and for not obtaining an acknowledgment of its return. The Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council of India found him guilty of gross neg…

Meera Santosh Pal, a 22‑year‑old woman, petitioned the Supreme Court under Article 32 seeking permission to terminate her 24‑week pregnancy after the fetus was diagnosed with anencephaly, a lethal condition that also endangered her life. A seven‑member Medical Board examined her and concluded that continuation of the p…

The Supreme Court, hearing Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India (Writ Petition No. 494 of 2012), considered interim orders that limited the use of Aadhaar to six government schemes and made its linkage voluntary pending a final decision. The petitioners argued that the Union could not make Aadhaar mandator…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Central Government must obtain prior advice from the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) before invoking the power under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 to prohibit, restrict or regulate a drug or cosmetic in public interest. The Court held that Section 26A is a…

The appellants sought a declaration that a temple they manage is their private family place of worship, not a public endowment. The Endowment Department contended that the appellants' father had endowed the temple as a Wakf, an entry of which (Exh. B6) appears in the Register of Endowments and was published in the Offi…

The Supreme Court examined applications seeking de‑sealing of residential premises that had been sealed for non‑industrial commercial use under the Monitoring Committee's orders. The applicants, wishing to use the premises solely for residential purposes, argued that filing appeals before the statutory appellate tribun…

The Supreme Court, hearing a civil appeal filed by the State of Uttar Pradesh against the All U.P. Consumer Protection Bar Association, examined the chronic shortage of infrastructure and vacancies in the consumer dispute redressal system. It noted that a three‑member Committee had been constituted to study infrastruct…

The appellant, a 26‑year‑old motorcyclist, was injured in a collision with a mini‑lorry owned by the second and third respondents and insured by the first respondent. He claimed Rs 40 lakhs compensation, but the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal assessed his permanent disability at 10% and awarded Rs 9 lakhs, later reduce…

Tata Iron & Steel Co. (TISCO) was allotted a large parcel of land on which it draws water from the Subarnrekha River; the State of Bihar (now Jharkhand) built the Chandil Dam and issued a demand for payment of Rs.31.351 million, claiming it was a fee for water use. TISCO challenged the demand as unconstitutional, alleg…

The suit concerned possession of a property claimed to be joint Hindu family property. The appellant, Raj Kumar Bhatia, sought to amend his written statement to elaborate that the property was coparcenary undivided HUF, an argument already contained in his original statement. The Trial Court allowed the amendment under…

The Supreme Court examined whether the police could lawfully freeze the bank accounts of Teesta Atul Setalvad, Javed Anand and related trusts under Section 102 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) without prior notice to the account holders. The investigation, stemming from an FIR alleging misappropriation of donation…

The petition, filed by a visually disabled individual, sought comprehensive accessibility measures for roads, transport, public buildings, airports, railways, websites and other public facilities. The Court held that the right to accessibility for persons with disabilities is a constitutional right under Articles 19(1)…

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest writ filed by Disabled Rights Group seeking enforcement of reservation, accessibility and teaching‑facility provisions for persons with disabilities in higher education. The petitioners argued that institutions were not complying with the 3% reservation under the 1995 Disabilit…

The Delhi High Court had cancelled a petrol pump dealership granted to Shashi Prabha Shukla on grounds of favouritism and directed Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to auction the right to operate the outlet at a nearby location. IOC instead advertised an auction for the same site, failed to identify a new location, and lat…

The Supreme Court examined two pivotal questions arising under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016: (i) whether the requirement in Section 9(3)(c) to attach a certificate from the financial institution confirming non‑payment of an operational debt is a mandatory condition precedent, and (ii) whether a demand notic…

The respondents filed a suit for possession of land under Section 6 of the Specific Relief Act, which was decreed ex‑parte. During execution, the appellant objected that the suit was barred by Section 185 of the Delhi Land Reforms Act because the land was agricultural. The executing court held that the land had been bu…

The appellant, a 28‑year‑old agriculturist, suffered total paralysis when a tractor at a demonstration turned turtle and fell on him. He claimed compensation before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, which awarded Rs.8,66,000 based on his disability and loss of earning capacity. The insurer contended that the appellan…

Two pending land‑grabbing suits (LGC No.41/1998 and LGC No.50/2004) were filed under the Andhra Pradesh Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 1982 concerning the same parcel of land. The Special Court dismissed the first suit and allowed the second, leading to conflicting orders. The High Court clubbed the writ petitions un…

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) acquired land for a metro project under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, completed the acquisition and paid full compensation before the 2013 Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (RFCTLARR Act) came into force. The la…

Six FIRs were lodged in different police stations in Gujarat against five cooperative housing societies and the accused family members for alleged offences under the IPC. The accused filed criminal applications under Section 482 of the CrPC in the Gujarat High Court, which quashed five of the FIRs on the ground that th…

The State of Maharashtra sought to acquire portions of two high‑rise buildings – the third floor of Reliance Centre and the second floor of the Express Building – where the land beneath the structures was owned by the Government or a Port Trust, but the buildings were owned by private parties. The key issue was whether…

The Supreme Court examined a batch of appeals concerning the levy of transit fees on forest produce under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. It held that crushing stone boulders into grits, marble slabs, limestone, coal and related minerals does not change their character as forest produce, and that the Forest Act and its 19…

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi issued a notice under Section 126 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 on 25 March 1998 proposing to increase the rateable value of Dharma Properties' premises w.e.f. 1 April 1997; the notice was dispatched on 27 March but received by the assessee only on 4 April 1998. The ass…

The Supreme Court, hearing a public‑interest writ petition (Writ Petition (Civil) No. 406 of 2013) on the inhuman conditions in 1,382 Indian prisons, examined the high incidence of unnatural deaths, especially suicides, in custodial settings. Relying on the International Committee of the Red Cross guidelines, the Court…

The case arose from a murder trial where the charge sheet under IPC sections 302, 201, 342 and 120B was filed against two accused. Twenty‑eight witnesses, including PW4 (Sawarmal) and PW5 (Chandri), had given statements that supported the prosecution. After about fourteen months, PW4 and PW5 filed applications under Se…

The Haryana government assessed Hindustan Construction Co. for the 1998-99 year under the Haryana General Sales Tax Act, 1973 and ordered a refund in May 2000. The 1973 Act was repealed by the Haryana Value Added Tax Act, 2003 on 1 April 2003, which saved only pending proceedings. In June 2004, the tax authority exerci…

The appellant, a government-owned corporation formed by the merger of two Chinese rail manufacturers and their wholly‑owned subsidiaries, submitted a bid for a metro rolling‑stock project. The respondent rejected the bid, stating that the appellant lacked the required experience under clause 2.4 of the tender documents…

MIS STESALIT LIMITED, a manufacturer of railway parts, used copper coils for captive consumption in upgrading smoothing reactors without paying excise duty or filing the required declaration under Rule 173‑C. The adjudicating authority demanded unpaid duty and imposed a penalty of Rs 2,06,000 under Section 11‑AC read w…

The petitioners, led by Asha Ranjan, sought the transfer of accused M. Shahabuddin, a notorious history‑sheeter involved in the murder of the petitioner's husband and other crimes, from Siwan Jail in Bihar to Tihar Jail in Delhi, and the conduct of his pending trials via video‑conferencing. The core issue was whether t…

The appellant, a 29‑year‑old professional driver, lost his left leg in a bus accident and claimed compensation under s.166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Tribunal fixed his annual income at Rs 15,000 and a 60% loss of efficiency, awarding Rs 2,75,000. The High Court raised his income…

Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd. sought registration of its 'Royal Orchid' trademark in class 42, which was initially refused by the Deputy Registrar on the ground that it was not the first user and that the mark was similar to the respondent's earlier 'Orchid' mark. The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) set aside t…

Madan Mohan filed an application under Section 193 CrPC seeking the summoning of Ashish Meena and Vimal Meena as accused in a case already pending against two other persons. The Sessions Judge issued non‑bailable warrants against the two respondents. They filed a revision under Section 197 CrPC in the High Court, but t…

The case arose from a violent clash between two factions at a funeral in Perumanal village, where eleven accused attacked the complainant party, resulting in the death of the deceased (son of PW‑2). The trial court and the Madras High Court convicted all the accused under Section 302 IPC read with Section 149 IPC, invo…

Prem Giri, charged with offences under several sections of the IPC, applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before the High Court of Rajasthan. The Single Judge of the High Court dismissed the application, merely stating that, in view of the overall facts, bail was not proper, …

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, a Japanese automobile manufacturer, sued M/s Prius Auto Industries and partners in Delhi High Court for infringement of its registered marks (Toyota, Toyota Innova, Toyota Device) and for passing off of the unregistered mark 'Prius'. The trial judge granted a permanent injunction agains…

The State of Jharkhand appealed against an award made by an arbitrator appointed by the Supreme Court, contending that the Court could not entertain an application to make the award a rule of court merely because it retained seisin over the arbitration. The Supreme Court examined the scope of Section 31(4) of the Arbit…

The Supreme Court revisited its earlier orders that imposed an absolute ban on iron‑ore mining in Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts of Karnataka, later allowing limited mining under a capped Maximum Permissible Annual Production (MPAP). Lessees of Category A and B mines sought modification of the cap, arguing t…

The dispute concerned a notice inviting tenders (NIT) for constructing an educational campus, which required bidders to have completed similar large‑scale projects. Respondent No. I was found ineligible by three expert committees, a finding upheld by the Single Judge of the High Court. The Division Bench, however, set …

The dispute concerned possession of site No. 47 in Bangalore. The plaintiff, S. Pushparaj, claimed possession based on an agreement of sale dated 09‑09‑1986 and a registered general power of attorney dated 03‑05‑1988 executed by the seller, Madhavan Pillai (PW‑2). The defendants, Sunkamma, alleged that these documents …

The Supreme Court examined appeals by six accused, including Anil Kumar Yadav, against the cancellation of bail granted by the Sessions Court in a murder‑related case (Sections 302, 308 IPC read with 34 IPC). The Court held that the Sessions Court had improperly merged the framing of charges with the grant of bail in a…

The State of Tripura and others appealed against Jayanta Chakraborty and others, seeking a re‑examination of the M. Nagaraj judgment on the test of backwardness for SC/ST reservations. The petitioners argued that the backwardness test should not apply to SC/ST in view of the Indra Sawhney and E.V. Chinnaiah decisions, …

The petitioners, including a member of the Commission for Judicial Accountability and Reforms, filed successive writ petitions alleging that an FIR implicated senior judicial functionaries and that the Chief Justice of India (CJI) should not hear or assign the matter. They sought a Special Investigation Team and the re…

The petitioners challenged the selection of District and Sessions Judges for the Kerala Higher Judicial Service in 2015, alleging that the Administrative Committee introduced a minimum cut‑off mark for the viva‑voce after the written examination and interview had been completed, contrary to the Full Court resolution of…

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) imports crude oil into Bihar, refines it and sells petroleum products to two oil marketing companies (BPCL and HPCL) and to local retailers. IOCL pays Entry Tax when the products enter the Patna local area but claims that Value Added Tax (VAT) should be set off against this Entry T…

The petitioners, Annaii Medical College, sought confirmation of a conditional Letter of Permission (LOP) for the 2016‑17 MBBS session and relief from a decision that barred them from admitting students for 2017‑18 and 2018‑19 and authorised the Medical Council of India (MCI) to encash a Rs 2 crore bank guarantee. The M…

The appellant, Karpagam Faculty of Medical Sciences & Research, challenged the Central Government's order that barred it from admitting MBBS students for the 2017‑18 session and denied recognition under Section 11(2) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. The college argued that successive inspections by the Medical …

The Association of Engineers appealed against the Tribunal’s order directing that vacancies for Assistant Engineer be filled in a 3:1 ratio of direct recruitment to recruitment by transfer. The dispute centered on whether the 1985 Tamil Nadu Engineering Service Special Rules, which govern promotion and recruitment, per…

Chrisomar Corporation supplied bunkers to the vessel M.V. Nikolaos‑S owned by Third Element Enterprises and sued for unpaid invoices, leading to the vessel's arrest. The parties entered a settlement on 18 January 2000, but the vessel was re‑arrested on 2 May 2000 when payment was still outstanding. Respondent No. 1 (MJ…

The widow and son of a bus driver who died after electrocution filed an application under Section IA of the Fatal Accidents Act, 1855 seeking compensation. The trial court and the High Court dismissed the claim, holding that the suit was time‑barred under Article 82 of the Limitation Act, 1963, which prescribes a two‑y…

Rima Taipodia, a disabled candidate, was appointed to a Group‑B post on the basis of a 2009 disability certificate showing 50% disability, although the certificate was not issued by the State Medical Board. The recruitment rules required a minimum of 40% disability, to be verified under the Persons with Disabilities (E…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ filed by Victim Families Association on behalf of relatives of 1,528 alleged fake‑encounter victims in Manipur, holding that third‑party petitions are maintainable where access to justice is denied. It ruled that the State must investigate alleged extrajudicial killi…

The appellant, Manmohan Attavar, contested an ex‑parte interim order of the Karnataka High Court that allowed the respondent, Neelam Manmohan Attavar, to occupy his Bengaluru premises under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. The respondent claimed to be the appellant’s wife/companion and sought a…

The deceased Parvez Khan was killed in a motor accident while driving a truck that was owned by defendant No.1 (Santosh Dental Hospital) and insured by Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. The claimant, the deceased's father, sought compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act. The Workmen's Compensation Commissioner award…

The appellant, heir of the deceased Mukhtiar Singh, appealed against the conviction of the latter, a former Station House Officer, under Sections 7 and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for allegedly demanding and receiving bribes of Rs.3,000 and Rs.2,000 during a police‑trap operation. The prosecution re…

The appellant IDCO allotted land to Mesco Kalinga Steel for a steel plant on the condition that a formal lease deed be executed. Mesco paid an initial instalment and took advance possession but never executed the lease deed despite repeated notices. After more than five years of default, IDCO gave a final notice and, o…

On 19 November 2006, a dispute over cutting a tree led three accused (Arjun, Lalaram and Padumlal) to assault the deceased Ayodhya Prasad with a katta, gandasa and a stone, causing fatal head injuries. The prosecution proved the case through the testimony of a related witness (the deceased's brother, PW‑6), four eye‑wi…

The Supreme Court allowed appeals against the acquittal of A2 to A4 (Sasikala, Sudhakaran, Elavarasi) in a disproportionate assets case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The trial court had convicted them for conspiracy and abetment with A1 (Jayalalitha, since deceased) in amassing assets worth Rs.66.65 cro…

Dr. Sabu Mathew George filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking directions to block online advertisements and content facilitating sex selection, and to compel Google India, Yahoo! India and Microsoft Corporation to comply with the Pre‑conception and Pre‑natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) …

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted Prem Bhujva, Raghuvir, Mehngu and Prem Yadav for the murder of Lallu Singh, alleging an ambush and shooting on 30 July 2003. The trial court, relying on two eye‑witnesses, recovery of a pistol from Prem Yadav and a ballistic report linking the weapon to cartridges found at the scen…

The dispute concerned the auction of a 10,000 sq. m. government plot in Powai, Mumbai, advertised by MHADA on 17‑Nov‑2004. Jaykrishna Industries Ltd. (appellant) was the highest bidder and its bid was provisionally accepted with a 25% deposit paid. The respondent, Popcorn Properties Ltd., obtained a High Court order al…

The State of Uttarakhand appealed a High Court order acquitting Jairnail Singh of charges under IPC s.307 (attempt to murder) and Arms Act s.25(1‑A). The Session Court had convicted Singh, but the High Court set aside the conviction, citing material infirmities such as the failure to forensic‑test the recovered pistol,…

The Supreme Court examined whether a family member of a person who encroached on Government land can be disqualified from being a member of a Gram Panchayat under the Maharashtra Village Panchayat Act, 1958. The petitioners, who were elected Panchayat members, were alleged to be beneficiaries of encroachments made by t…

The appellants were first engaged on a daily‑wage basis in August 1993, later on a contractual basis in 1996, and were given the minimum pay‑scale in 2000. In 2006 they were conferred temporary status with retrospective effect from 2 October 2002. The Allahabad High Court directed that they be considered for regularisa…

The Union of India moved a transfer petition under Article 139A seeking to shift a writ petition (Civil) No. 15798 of 2009, pending before the Andhra Pradesh High Court, to the Supreme Court. The High Court writ challenged the constitutional validity of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recogn…

The Supreme Court was approached by the State of Tamil Nadu for clarification of its 15 December 2016 order that prohibited the grant of liquor licences along national and state highways, including stretches within municipal limits. The Court clarified that the purpose of the order is to curb liquor sales along highway…

The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries and other mining entities challenged the validity of notifications establishing District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) and the associated contribution rules under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, arguing that the DMFs were retrospectively created an…

The appellants, partners in the firm G.D. & Sons, owned a cinema building (Alpana Cinema) that was assessed for wealth tax. The assessing officer referred the valuation to a Departmental Valuer under Section 16A of the Wealth Tax Act, 1957 and adopted the land‑and‑building (open‑market) method. The ITAT held that the i…

The petitioners sought a writ directing the Kerala government, the Travancore Devaswom Board and the chief priest of Sabarimala to allow women aged 10‑50 to enter the Ayyappa temple, challenging Rule 3(b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965 as unconstitutional. The High Cou…

The Punjab Wakf Board sued Dharampal (deceased) and others for possession of land it owned. Dharampal's heirs claimed title by adverse possession, asserting continuous possession since 1953 through his father. The lower courts initially upheld the board's claim, rejecting the adverse possession plea. On appeal, the Sup…

Karan Singh, a former conductor with Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), opted for the corporation's Voluntary Retirement Scheme in 1993 after completing ten years of service, but was denied a pension. He challenged the denial before the Central Administrative Tribunal, which held that his service, including a training …

Narain Singh died intestate in 1952 leaving his wife Gurmej Kaur and three sons, including Pal Singh. Gurmej remarried later that year. Pal Singh died intestate in 1972 without issue, and his mother claimed inheritance of his estate. The question was whether Section 2 of the Hindu Widow's Re‑Marriage Act, 1856 barred a…

The Supreme Court examined appeals arising from the acquisition of 561.38 acres in Haryana where the High Court had fixed compensation at Rs.1.46 crore per acre by applying a 15% cumulative annual increase and relying heavily on the Swaran Singh judgment. The Court held that such reliance was improper because prior awa…

The Supreme Court examined a writ petition filed by Major S.D. Singh Medical College and Hospital challenging the Union Government’s order, based on the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) recommendation, that barred the college from admitting MBBS students for the 2017‑18 academic year and directed the encashment of a Rs…

The management of the Church of South India ran two schools and advertised a Music Teacher post on a direct recruitment basis. Both the appellant, D. Sarojakumari, and Respondent No.1, R. Helen Thilakom (already a part‑time teacher in the other school), applied and appeared for the selection; the appellant was appointe…

Laurel Energetics Pvt. Ltd. (appellant) acquired 18% of Rattan India Infrastructure Ltd., the target company, in July 2014 at Rs 6.30 per share. In October 2015 it made an open offer to acquire the remaining shares at Rs 3.20 per share. SEBI held that the acquisition was not exempt under Regulation 10 of the SEBI Subst…

The dispute involved a residential house in Munger, Bihar, owned by Hira Mistry, whose eviction decree against tenant Surendra Narayan Sinha was eventually reversed. An agreement to sell the house to Vijay Kumar was executed in 1983 while eviction proceedings were pending, leading to a specific‑performance suit in 1986…

The claimant, a 37‑year‑old security officer, lost his left leg below the knee in a motor accident on 28 January 2004, resulting in 85% permanent disability. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 6,87,000 with interest, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced the total compensation to Rs 27,14,835, inclu…

The Supreme Court upheld its earlier order that any prayer for stay or to impede the progress of investigations or trials in the coal block allocation cases must be made only before the Supreme Court, thereby limiting the High Court's jurisdiction under Articles 226 and 227. The Court held that this restriction is perm…

The appellant, Vaneet Mahajan, alleged that he, his brother and an employee were brutally attacked by 10‑12 persons armed with swords, baseball bats and other deadly weapons, allegedly at the behest of a cabinet minister. The attack caused grievous and simple injuries, leading to an FIR and charge‑sheet that included S…

The respondent, Mis. Palakkad Heritage Hotels, applied for a FL‑11 beer/wine bar licence under the Foreign Liquor Rules, 1974. The Excise Commissioner recommended grant of the licence on 28‑Mar‑2012, but before the State Government could give its final approval the Rules were amended on 18‑Apr‑2012 to increase the mini…

The Union of India entered into a reconstruction contract with M/s. Simplex Infrastructures Ltd, which it later rescinded alleging delay. An arbitrator held the rescission illegal and awarded payment to the respondent. The Union filed a petition under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to set asid…

The case involved a violent incident in which two persons were killed and an injured witness (PW.5) was assaulted; the trial court acquitted 19 accused, finding inconsistencies in eyewitness testimony and doubting medical evidence. The State appealed, and the High Court convicted the surviving accused, relying on the i…

The plaintiff, a holder of agricultural land exceeding the ceiling prescribed under the Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms (Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings) Act, 1973, sold the land to the respondents on 16 July 1975, after the Act had come into force. The Land Ceiling Tribunal in 1976 declared the sale void and the land dee…

The Supreme Court examined the implementation of the National Auto Fuel Policy and Bharat Stage‑IV (BS‑IV) emission norms, which required that from 1 April 2017 no vehicle non‑compliant with BS‑IV could be sold or registered in India. Automobile manufacturers intervened, arguing that they could continue to sell their e…

Two candidates contesting the Pune Municipal Corporation elections filed writ petitions in the Bombay High Court challenging a nomination rejection and a symbol allotment by the State Election Commission. The High Court dismissed both petitions on constitutional and alternative‑remedy grounds. The aggrieved candidates …

The appellant, a tenant of a small shop in Doiwala, Dehradun, received a notice of termination under Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act on 19 September 1972 and the landlord filed an eviction suit on 1 October 1972. The issue was whether the tenancy was protected by the United Provinces (Temporary) Control of …

Vivek Singh (father) and Romani Singh (mother) contested custody of their minor daughter Saesha Singh. The mother filed a petition under Sections 25, 10 and 12 of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1980 seeking custody and guardianship; the Family Court dismissed it, but the Delhi High Court granted custody to the mother. On…

The appellants were admitted to MBBS courses in Madhya Pradesh through a systematic fraud involving computer manipulation, roll‑number tampering and assistance from meritorious candidates. Vyapam cancelled their admissions, a decision upheld by the High Court and earlier by this Court. The appellants sought relief unde…

The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India challenged the applicability of the Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976, its 1985 Enforcement Act and the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 to the sale of packaged water bottles served in hotels and restaurants at prices above the printed MRP. The Single Judg…

The Supreme Court heard appeals against a Delhi High Court judgment that limited the benefit of a rehabilitation order to only the petitioners in a public interest litigation concerning the demolition of slum dwellers' jhuggi clusters. The petitioners sought relocation and compensation for all affected residents, whose…

The deceased B.R. Dewan owned a house which he bequeathed by will: the ground floor to his son Ranvir, the first floor to his daughter Rashmi, and a "life interest" to his second wife, Mrs. Pritam, to reside and collect rent. After his death, a dispute arose and Ranvir (appellant) and his mother sought a declaration th…

The appellants sought re‑determination of compensation under Section 28A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, filing an application on 31‑12‑1992 based on a 1992 award. While the award was under appeal, the Land Acquisition Collector prematurely decided the application on 25‑10‑2000. After the High Court enhanced compens…

The landlord filed a civil suit seeking eviction of the premises leased to the defendant, Himangni Enterprises. The lease deed contained an arbitration clause, prompting the defendant to file an application under Section 8 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to refer the dispute to arbitration. The trial cour…

M/s Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Ltd. manufactures a perfumery (odoriferous) compound used in the production of agarbathi. The Central Board of Excise and Customs issued Circular No.495/61/99-CX.3 (1999) stating that such odoriferous compounds, when used as an intermediate in a continuous manufacturing process and not …

The petitioners challenged the constitutionality of the practice of designating Senior Advocates under Section 16 of the Advocates Act, 1961 and Order IV Rule 2 of the Supreme Court Rules, alleging violations of Articles 14, 15, 18 and 21 of the Constitution. The Court examined whether the power to confer the designati…

The landlord filed an eviction suit and the tenant applied for leave to defend, claiming no landlord‑tenant relationship. The Rent Controller dismissed the application and the High Court, without hearing the merits, ordered the tenant to pay Rs.1.25 lakh per month as rent. The Supreme Court noted that the interim order…

P. Karupiah, a driver employed by the General Manager Thiruvalluvar Transport Corporation Ltd., was dismissed after being convicted in a murder case, but was later acquitted by the High Court and reinstated. The employer refused to pay back wages for the period of dismissal, prompting the employee to file a writ petiti…

The Royal Medical Trust, which runs Kerala Medical College, applied for a Letter of Permission (LOP) to admit 150 MBBS students for the 2017‑18 academic year. After a surprise inspection by the Medical Council of India (MCI) revealed several deficiencies, the Central Government barred the college from admissions and au…

Aravali Power Company Pvt. Ltd. (appellant) and M/s. Era Infra Engineering Ltd. (respondent) entered into a contract for constructing a township for a thermal power project, which contained an arbitration clause (Clause 56) stipulating that disputes be referred to the Project In‑charge or, failing that, to a person app…

Madha Medical College and Research Institute, which had been granted recognition to admit 150 MBBS students, was found to have numerous deficiencies in faculty, residents, infrastructure, and hostels during inspections by the Medical Council of India (MCI). After two inspections within a month, the MCI recommended, and…

The Supreme Court heard an application for modification of its November 2016 interim order that had suspended all licences for the sale of fireworks in the National Capital Region (NCR) after severe air‑pollution following Diwali 2016. Petitioners – fireworks manufacturers and suppliers – argued that a total ban was di…

The petitioners, Varunarjun Trust, applied for a new medical college and were granted a conditional Letter of Permission (LOP) for the 2016‑17 session. Subsequent assessments by the Medical Council of India (MCI) revealed significant deficiencies in faculty (16.79%) and residents (21.73%), as well as shortcomings in mi…