Judgments of 2021

The appellants, employees of Coal India Ltd., received gratuity under a 2008 Government office memorandum that raised the ceiling to Rs 10 lakhs effective from 1 January 2007. They challenged the tax deducted at source, arguing that the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Act, 2010, which officially raised the ceiling to R…

The Sandur Gram Panchayat and its chief officer were convicted under Sections 43 and 44 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The Additional Sessions Judge set aside the conviction, holding that the chief officer, as a public servant, was protected by Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedur…

Ismailbhai I. Kansara, an encroacher, occupied an evacuee land parcel in Gujarat since 1976 and was served an eviction notice under Section 19(2)(b) of the Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act, 1954. He filed a writ petition challenging the eviction, but the High Court and the Division Bench dismisse…

India Resurgence ARC Private Ltd., a dissenting secured financial creditor, challenged the approval of a resolution plan for VSP Udyog Pvt. Ltd. on the ground that the Committee of Creditors (CoC) failed to consider the full value of its security interest, alleging denial of fair and equitable treatment. The CoC had ap…

The Supreme Court considered the corporate insolvency case of Orissa Manganese & Minerals Ltd., where the National Company Law Tribunal approved a resolution plan submitted by GMSPL. The Court examined whether, after approval of a resolution plan under Section 31 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (I&B Code), the pl…

M/s Neeharika Infrastructure Pvt Ltd lodged an FIR alleging forgery and fraud against three respondents under several IPC sections. The respondents filed a petition under Article 226 and Section 482 of the CrPC seeking quashment of the FIR and obtained a blanket interim order from the Bombay High Court directing the po…

The accused, a Patwari, was alleged to have demanded a bribe of Rs.2,800 for issuing a domicile/OBC certificate, as recorded in a telephone transcript. The Special Judge, after hearing the prosecution, found a prima facie case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and framed a charge. The High Court…

Inox Renewables Ltd entered into a purchase order with Jayesh Electricals Ltd containing an arbitration clause that designated Jaipur as the venue of arbitration. The parties later mutually agreed to shift the arbitration venue to Ahmedabad, which the arbitrator recorded in the award. A Section 34 petition was filed in…

The petition, filed under Article 32 as a public‑interest litigation, challenged the nationwide closure of Anganwadi Centres during the COVID‑19 pandemic and sought their reopening and the provision of nutrition to pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls and children up to six years as mandated by Sections …

The Tamil Nadu Housing Board acquired land under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and awarded compensation and solatium to Abdul Salam Sarkar (deceased) and others. The claimants sought interest on the solatium, which the reference court had not expressly rejected. The Madras High Court allowed the claim, pending the out…

M/s Vellanki Frame Works imported timber and claimed exemption from Central Sales Tax under Section 5(2) of the CST Act, arguing that the goods were sold on the high seas to end‑buyers before crossing India’s customs frontiers, making the sale a "sale in the course of import". The Commercial Tax Officer and the High Co…

M/s B.K. Enterprises appealed against the State of Manipur for continuing transportation contracts for the Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) under an interim arrangement since 2017-18 without issuing fresh tenders, despite a High Court order directing the issuance of a new Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) within ten d…

The appellant filed a criminal complaint alleging fraud and extortion in a land‑title dispute, leading to an FIR under Sections 465, 467, 468 and 120B IPC. The respondents filed petitions under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking quashment of the FIR; the High Court allowed the petitions, quashing the FIR except for the ex…

The appellants, Sadakat Kotwar and another, were convicted for stabbing two victims, PW7 and PW8, with a dagger, causing grievous injuries to vital parts of the body. The prosecution presented ten witnesses, including the injured eye‑witnesses PW7 and PW8, whose testimonies were found reliable. The appellants argued th…

The appellants, who were convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment, were released on bail by the High Court under Section 389 of the CrPC while their appeals were pending. The complainant challenged this release, contending that the High Court failed to comply with the first proviso o…

Uttar Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (UPPTCL) entered into four separate contracts with CG Power and Industrial Solutions Ltd for the construction of 765/400 KV substations, the first being a pure supply contract. After a CAG audit, UPPTCL issued letters demanding a 1% labour cess on the supply contract, wi…

The appellant, Gautam Navlakha, was arrested in connection with a UAPA case and placed under house arrest for 34 days after a transit remand order was stayed by the Delhi High Court. He later surrendered and was taken into police custody, seeking default bail on the ground that the house‑arrest period should count towa…

Pearl Beverages' Porsche, insured with IFFCO Tokio, was destroyed in a high‑speed crash on 22 December 2007. The driver, Aman Bangia, was reported to have smelled of alcohol and was later convicted under IPC 279 for rash driving, but no breath or blood test was conducted. IFFCO Tokio denied the claim invoking an exclus…

Retired Justice V. Eswaraiah filed a Special Leave Petition challenging an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court that directed retired Supreme Court Judge R.V. Raveendran to conduct an enquiry into the authenticity of a conversation recorded on a pen‑drive. The High Court had earlier closed the preliminary objection o…

The case involved Bhima Razu Prasad, who was charged with offences under the IPC, PC Act and alleged to have concealed disproportionate assets. During investigation, accused No.2 and No.3 claimed the seized money was held in escrow, producing a fabricated sale deed to shield Prasad. The trial and High Courts convicted …

The State of Goa appointed its Law Secretary as State Election Commissioner (SEC) to oversee municipal elections that had been postponed due to COVID‑19. The SEC, acting under this dual role, issued a reservation order on 4 February 2021 and a subsequent election schedule, which were challenged in writ petitions allegi…

The Supreme Court examined whether the term “consent of the unitholders” in Regulation 18(15)(c) of the SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996 requires the approval of a majority of all unitholders or merely a majority of those who actually voted in the poll. The Court held that consent means the affirmative vote of a s…

The State of Odisha filed a Special Leave Petition challenging the acquittal of Banabihari Mohapatra and his son for the alleged murder of Bijay Kumar Tadu, whose body was found with electric shock injuries in the accused's shop. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including the deceased’s presence at th…

The International Association for Protection of Intellectual Property (India Group) sought a direction that the incumbent Chairperson of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) continue in office until a new Chairperson is appointed, invoking Section 89A of the Trademarks Act, 1999 and Section 184 of the Finan…

The petitioners, Major Ravinder Nath Agarwal and his sister Lily Nath, sought transfer of a partition suit and a testamentary case involving a Will dated 06‑04‑2011 of their father. The first petition asked to move the partition suit from the Additional District Judge, Saket, Delhi to the District Court, Nainital, whil…

The plaintiff H.S. Goutham sued the defendants for repayment of a mortgage loan and a consent decree was passed in 1995 ordering the defendants to pay the amount in instalments. The defendants objected in the execution petition, alleging the decree was obtained by fraud, but the executing court overruled the objection …

The appellant, Anversinh, was convicted under Sections 361 and 366 of the Indian Penal Code for kidnapping a 16‑year‑old girl and attempting to compel her marriage, after the girl was recovered from his custody. The appellant argued that the relationship was consensual and that the girl had voluntarily left her parents…

The Himachal Pradesh Bus Stand Management and Development Authority (HPBSM&DA) obtained a 99‑year lease on forest land that had been diverted for a parking space and a bus stand under Forest (Conservation) Act orders of 1997 and 2001. It then authorised a private contractor to construct a Bus Stand‑cum‑Parking Complex …

The Supreme Court examined whether cooperative societies registered as primary agricultural credit societies under the Kerala Co‑operative Societies Act could claim deduction under section 80P(2)(a)(i) of the Income‑Tax Act after the insertion of section 80P(4) by the Finance Act, 2006. The Court held that the deductio…

The charitable Vaduwala Eye Hospital conducted an eye camp in 2000 during which 112 cataract surgeries were performed. Patients later complained of infections and loss of vision, alleging negligence due to non‑sterilized equipment, untrained staff and contaminated medicines. Consumer complaints were filed against both …

The deceased, a 24‑year‑old helper earning Rs 2,400 per month (plus a Rs 25 daily food allowance), was killed when a truck driver lost control of the vehicle. His parents claimed compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923. The Commissioner awarded Rs 2,64,895 (50% of monthly wages multiplied by the factor …

The Rajasthan Housing Board launched a hire‑purchase housing scheme in 1985 and registered the respondent after he paid a Rs 5,000 registration fee. The Board later demanded seed money in 1993, and after repeated notices the respondent failed to deposit it, leading to cancellation of his registration on 29 May 2000. Th…

The State of Odisha filed a criminal appeal against the High Court’s order that quashed FIR proceedings under Sections 420 r/w 120B IPC and Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act against public servants of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and the Housing & Urban Development Departmen…

Amrita Sinha, whose husband, a Sergeant in the Indian Air Force, died in service in 2008, applied for a compassionate appointment under the Central Government scheme, citing her family pension of Rs 8,265 per month. The initial applications were rejected, but the Central Administrative Tribunal quashed the rejection, d…

The case arose from a firearm clash on 8 May 2020 in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, leading to two FIRs: FIR No.406 filed by Laxman Prasad Pandey alleging his brother was killed by the rival group, and FIR No.407 filed by the rival group alleging Pandey's party were the aggressors. The High Court granted regular bail to th…

The appellant Kallu Khan was apprehended while riding a motorcycle on a public road and, after a brief search, 900 grams of heroin (smack) was seized from beneath the seat of the vehicle. The trial court convicted him under Sections 8 and 21 of the NDPS Act, a decision affirmed by the High Court, which reduced the defa…

The respondent, whose father died in service, applied for a compassionate appointment as Junior Assistant but was offered a Record Clerk post with an undertaking not to claim the Junior Assistant post later. He accepted the Record Clerk position and later filed a writ petition seeking to be treated as a Junior Assistan…

The appellant, National Company, owned a parcel of land in Chennai that was leased to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) until 31 December 2009. After the lease expired, BPCL continued to occupy the premises and sub‑let the petrol bunk to a dealer, refusing to vacate or pay rent. The appellant filed a writ petitio…

Constable Ram Karan of the CRPF assaulted a doctor and falsely accused him of sexual harassment. A departmental inquiry under Rule 27 of the CRPF Rules found the charges proved and imposed removal from service, which was affirmed by the appellate and revisional authorities. The Delhi High Court substituted the removal …

The Supreme Court considered appeals filed by Newtech Promoters and Developers challenging orders of the Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority that directed refund of home‑buyers' money with interest. The promoters argued that the authority, a single member, lacked jurisdiction, that the Real Estate (Regulatio…

M.M. Aqua Technologies Ltd., unable to meet interest obligations on loans, entered a rehabilitation plan and issued convertible debentures to financial institutions in lieu of the interest due. The company claimed a deduction under Section 43B(d) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, arguing that the issuance of debentures cons…

The petitioners, a group of teacher‑training colleges, applied to the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) for recognition to run B.Ed. and D.El.Ed. programmes for the Academic Session 2021‑2022. Although the NCTE, after inspecting infrastructure and satisfying all statutory norms, granted recognition only for…

The appellant, a medical graduate suffering from writer's cramp (dysgraphia), applied for a scribe in the 2018 Civil Services Examination (CSE) but was denied because the UPSC said only candidates with benchmark disabilities (≥40% impairment) were eligible. The appellant challenged the denial before the Tribunal, High …

The petitioner, a single home buyer, filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking cancellation of agreements, refund of monies, or completion of the Sushant Megapolis real estate project, along with directions for a monitoring committee, forensic audit, and investigations by various agencies. The …

The appellant, Khokan, got into a sudden quarrel with the deceased over money, pushed him down and stood on his abdomen, causing internal injuries. The victim died three days later in hospital from septicemia. The trial court and High Court convicted the appellant under Section 302 IPC (murder). The appeal before the S…

The petitioners, M/s Daddy’s Builders Pvt. Ltd., sought condonation of delay in filing a written statement beyond the 45‑day limit prescribed under Section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. Both the Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission rej…

Chintels India Ltd. filed an application under section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to set aside an arbitral award, but the single judge of the Delhi High Court refused to condone the delay in filing the application and dismissed it. The appellant challenged that order by invoking section 37(1)(c) o…

Two police officers, the in‑charge of Purighat Police Station and a senior inspector, mercilessly beat Kasinath Naik in the police station premises on 4‑5 May 1985, causing injuries that led to his death that night. The trial court convicted them under Sections 304(Part II), 324, 342, 323, 471 and related provisions; t…

The appeal concerned the interpretation of Rule 7 of the Kerala Judicial Service Rules, 1991 (as amended 2019) regarding the number of "probable vacancies" for appointing Munsiff‑Magistrates. The High Court had held that vacancies arising within a year of the Governor’s approval of the merit list could be filled from t…

The Supreme Court considered a batch of review petitions filed by Beghar Foundation challenging the majority opinion in Puttaswamy (Aadhaar‑5J.) that the Aadhaar Act was a Money Bill under Article 110. The petitioners argued that a subsequent coordinate bench decision in Rojer Mathew raised doubts about that certificat…

The case involved a dispute between IREO Grace Realtech Pvt. Ltd., a real‑estate developer, and a group of apartment buyers over the delayed possession of flats in the "The Corridors" project. The buyers alleged that the developer had incorporated one‑sided clauses in the Apartment Buyer’s Agreement, failed to obtain t…

The appellant, Global Mercantile, entered into a sub‑contract with Indo Unique containing an arbitration clause, but the work order was unstamped under the Maharashtra Stamp Act. A dispute arose when Indo Unique invoked a bank guarantee, which Global Mercantile alleged was fraudulent, leading to a civil suit and an app…

The deceased E. Srinivasa Pillai executed a will bequeathing his house to his only son S. Damodaran, excluding his daughters. The will was produced fifteen years after the testator's death by the son’s widow, C. Saradambal, who sought Letters of Administration, while the daughters contested its validity alleging fabric…

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd., a distribution licensee, sought to recover an additional surcharge under Section 42(4) of the Electricity Act, 2003 from a group of captive consumers represented by M/s JSW Steel Ltd. The State Commission had held the surcharge applicable, but the Appellate Tribunal …

The appellant, a qualified Chartered Accountant, was appointed Manager (Finance) and later Deputy Chief (Finance) at Manganese Ore (India) Ltd. He was suspended and subsequently dismissed following a series of show-cause notices after reporting late to work due to his father's death. The High Court reinstated him but d…

The dispute arose from a settlement deed between Ratnam Sudesh Iyer (appellant) and Jackie Kakubhai Shroff (respondent) concerning the sale of shares in Atlas Equifin Private Limited. The deed required the respondent to withdraw criminal complaints and, in return, receive US$1.5 million in escrow and US$2 million upon …

The appellant, Bell Marshall Telesystems Ltd., through its Managing Director Bhupesh Rathod, filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act against Dayashankar Prasad Chaurasia for dishonouring eight cheques of Rs.20,000 each. The respondent contested the complaint, claiming it was not filed by t…

The State of Bihar appealed against a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order that barred sand mining in Banka district until a District Survey Report (DSR) received approval from the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). The Supreme Court examined whether th…

The Executive Engineer, Gosikhurd Project (the State agency) acquired land under the 1894 Land Acquisition Act, but the 2013 Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act came into force before an award was made. The landowners challenged the award dated 30 October 2014, arguing that the two‑year …

The Supreme Court entertained a contempt petition filed by Brajesh Singh alleging that several political parties wilfully disobeyed the Court's order dated 13‑02‑2020, which required parties to disclose the criminal antecedents of their candidates and the reasons for their selection, within 48 hours of nomination. The …

The Supreme Court examined whether a foreign arbitral award could be enforced against entities that were not signatories to the underlying arbitration agreement in a dispute between a Hong Kong representative (ISS) and an Indian company (DMC) over commission payments. The Court held that Section 47(1)(c) of the Arbitra…

Kay Bouvet Engineering Ltd. (appellant) contested a Section 9 petition filed by Overseas Infrastructure Alliance (India) Private Ltd. (respondent) which sought initiation of corporate insolvency proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC). The dispute centred on an advance payment of Rs 47.12 crore…

Parubai, the second wife of Gulab, was convicted under Sections 302 and 436 of the IPC for allegedly setting fire to the house that killed her husband's first wife Mandabai and two children. The prosecution's case relied on the fact that Parubai emerged uninjured, kerosene residues on a child's frock, and a motive infe…

The appeal concerned a non‑residential premises let to a partnership between Pradeep Kumar (successor‑in‑interest of the original tenant) and Subhash Chand, approved by the District Magistrate in 1982. Both partners later died (Pradeep Kumar on 21‑May‑2004 and Subhash Chand on 25‑Jun‑2014) and the partnership deed cont…

Ratul Mahanta filed a title suit seeking a declaration that a common public drain forming the western boundary of his and adjoining properties could be used by him and that the respondent could not obstruct it, also seeking a permanent injunction. The respondent contended that the Guwahati Municipal Corporation Act, 19…

The operational creditors (Pratap Technocrats and others) challenged the NCLT's approval of a resolution plan for Reliance Infratel Ltd., alleging that they were not given fair and equitable treatment and that the plan improperly excluded certain financial creditors and omitted the value of preference shares from the l…

The appellant, Hari Shankar Aggarwal, was named as a nominee in a complaint under Sections 7 and 16 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, based on information from the Commercial Tax Department, while the Local Health Officer had identified Devendra Singh Bhadauria as the director of the firm. Aggarwal cont…

The appellants filed a criminal complaint alleging that the second respondent, a property owner, cheated them in a commercial transaction involving the sale of a mortgaged plot, breaching the agreement and misappropriating funds, leading to FIRs under Sections 420, 406 and 34 IPC. The Delhi High Court, invoking its inh…

The dispute arose when BSNL (appellant) withheld Rs.99.70 crore from Nortel (respondent) after completing a telecom tender. Nortel claimed the amount in May 2014, which BSNL rejected on 4 August 2014. After more than five years, Nortel invoked the arbitration clause on 29 April 2020 and sought appointment of an arbitra…

The corporate debtor Ricoh India Ltd. initiated a corporate insolvency resolution process under the IBC, inviting resolution plans. Kotak Investment Advisors Ltd. (KIAL) submitted its plan on time, while Kalpraj submitted a belated plan which was later accepted by the Committee of Creditors (CoC) and approved by the NC…

M/s. Kalamani Tex & Anr and its managing partner B. Subramanian issued a cheque of Rs 11.20 lakhs to P. Balasubramanian, which was later dishonoured. A complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act was filed; the trial court acquitted the appellants, but the Madras High Court reversed the acquittal, con…

The appellant, a seaman, was engaged on a foreign‑going vessel from 18 September 2009 to 18 June 2010 and was subsequently declared permanently unfit for sea service due to dilated cardiomyopathy. He claimed 100% disability compensation under clause 21 of the National Maritime Board Agreement, arguing that his heart co…

The appellants, the Conservator and Custodian of Forest, appealed a Kerala High Court decision that ordered payment of compensation to the respondents, Sobha John Koshy and anr., for land in Wayanad that could not be restored. The land was originally claimed to be vested in the Government under the Kerala Private Fores…

The Supreme Court examined whether the admission of 22 persons, including the appellants, as members of Prabodhan Education Society on 17 September 2017 was valid despite a pending no‑confidence requisition against the then Managing Committee. The Registrar had set aside that admission as illegal and arbitrary, a decis…

The appellant, ACME Cleantech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., filed a consumer complaint before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) seeking settlement of an insurance claim and related damages. The insurer, United India Insurance Co., failed to file a written statement within the period prescribed by Secti…

The Commissioner of Service Tax issued show‑cause notices to Citibank alleging that the Rs 2 interchange fee it earned as an issuing bank on credit‑card transactions was taxable service income. Citibank contended that it performed no service, that the fee was interest, and that tax had already been paid by the acquirin…

Electrosteel Steels Ltd. obtained environmental clearance (EC) and consent to establish a steel plant at a specified site in Bokaro, but later shifted the plant 5.3 km away, allegedly encroaching forest land. The Ministry of Environment and the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) revoked the EC, leading the…

The State of Karnataka filed a criminal complaint against a private respondent (original accused No.1) and others for offences under Sections 120B, 408, 409, 420 and 149 of the IPC. A charge‑sheet was filed only against accused No.1 after a thorough investigation. The High Court of Karnataka quashed the proceedings on …

Gulab was convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for allegedly exhorting his co‑accused Idrish to shoot the deceased. The prosecution relied on three eyewitnesses, all relatives of the victim, who consistently testified that Gulab arrived with a lathi, urged Idrish to kill, and that Idris…

The appellant Bhagchandra was convicted of murdering his two brothers and a nephew during a property dispute, with the prosecution relying on the ocular testimony of several rustic village witnesses who identified him as the assailant wielding an axe. The trial court sentenced him to death under IPC sections 302, 201 a…

The appellants held an annual medical insurance policy with United India Insurance that was renewed each year. For the 2008‑09 renewal the insurer introduced a cap on coverage for certain procedures, notably angioplasty, without informing the policyholders, who believed they were merely renewing the existing policy on …

The CBI alleged that Uttamchand Bohra aided a senior income‑tax officer (A‑1) in acquiring a flat through a company, thereby helping the officer amass assets disproportionate to his known income. The prosecution’s case rested on Bohra’s custody of the sale deed and the fact that his employee witnessed its execution, al…

The Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt. Ltd. (DAMEPL) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (DMRC) entered into a concession agreement for the Airport Metro Express Line. DMRC was served a termination notice for alleged defects in the civil structure, which DAMEPL claimed were not cured within the 90‑day period, leading t…

The appellants challenged two second appeals decided by the Karnataka High Court, which had reversed a trial court's decree in favour of the respondent concerning ownership of certain parcels of land. The High Court, invoking its power under Section 103 of the Code of Civil Procedure, re‑examined documentary evidence (…

South Indian Bank Ltd. and other scheduled banks earned tax‑free income from bonds, securities and shares. The Assessing Officer, unable to identify the exact funds used for these investments, proportionately disallowed interest expense under Section 14A of the Income Tax Act. The banks argued that they had sufficient …

The petitioners, Jaipur Zila Dugdh Utpadak Sahkari Sangh Ltd. and others, entered into a distributorship agreement with the respondent, M/s Ajay Sales & Suppliers, which contained an arbitration clause appointing the Sangh's Chairman as sole arbitrator. The respondent later approached the High Court under Section 11 of…

The petitioners, directors of Parul Polymers Pvt. Ltd., obtained a conditional stay from the Delhi High Court on 8 April 2015, undertaking to deposit Rs 7 crore in three instalments by 30 June 2015. They later issued post‑dated cheques dated 6 May 2015, which bounced on 8 May 2015, and subsequently evaded court appeara…

The suit property, originally owned by the mother of the first respondent, was inherited by him and his brother, mortgaged to Karnataka State Finance Corporation (KSFC), and later auctioned to the third respondent, who obtained a sale deed and a decree for possession. The first respondent subsequently filed a suit chal…

The Punjab State Co-operative Milk Producers Federation Ltd. (the Federation) appealed against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that granted its employees pay scales equivalent to Punjab government employees from 1 January 1986, despite the Federation having introduced revised pay scales only from 1 January 1994 d…

The State of Goa and Vedanta Ltd. filed review petitions against the Supreme Court's judgment in Goa Foundation v. Sesa Sterlite Ltd. (2018) more than 650 and 907 days, respectively, after the judgment was delivered on 7 February 2018. Under Rule 2 of Order XLVII of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, a review must be filed…

The appellant, a medical officer, was transferred from Uttarakhand to Uttar Pradesh in 2002 but never reported to his posting at Badaun, instead filing a petition for a posting elsewhere and later starting a private practice. He subsequently claimed 50% back wages for the period 2003‑2016, which the State denied on the…

The dispute arose from a Tender Call Notice issued by the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack, which required bidders to submit a "valid labour licence". M/s. Utkal Suppliers (appellant) was awarded the contract, while M/s. Maa Kanak Durga Enterprises (respondent No.1) was disqualified for not having a contract‑labou…

Two students from the Union Territory of Ladakh were allocated central pool MBBS seats at Lady Hardinge Medical College and Maulana Azad Medical College but were not admitted despite the allocations. They filed writ petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking directions for admission. The Court observed that…

The New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) allotted hotel plots for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which were later cancelled and the matter litigated. The Supreme Court, in its 2011 judgment, allowed the allottees to continue their leases by paying a higher premium of Rs.70,000 per square metre. The petition…

The appellant, Sumeti Vij, ordered non‑woven fabric from the respondent, received the goods and issued two cheques to pay the invoices. Both cheques were returned by the bank for insufficient funds; legal notices were served but the appellant neither responded nor paid within the statutory period, leading to two compla…

The petitioners sought transfer of a criminal case (FIR No. 39/2016) from the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Delhi to the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Prayagraj under Section 406 of the CrPC. The Supreme Court had earlier allowed the transfer ex parte, but the complainant (respondent No.4) applied for recall, whi…

Canon India imported digital still image video cameras which were cleared as exempt from customs duty by the Deputy Commissioner of Customs on 24 March 2012 under Notification No.15/2012. On 19 August 2014 the Additional Director General of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) issued a show‑cause notice under …

Ramesh Kymal, an operational creditor, filed a petition under Section 9 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) on 11 May 2020 alleging a default by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Power Ltd on 30 April 2020. While the petition was pending, Section 10A was inserted into the IBC by the 2020 amendment (effective 5 June 2020…

The appellants, Junior Engineers of the Mechanical and Civil streams, challenged a seniority list that placed candidates from the Agricultural, Mechanical and Civil streams in the order the three separate select lists were received, contrary to the Uttar Pradesh Government Servants Seniority Rules, 1991 and the 2009 Su…

The appellants, sons of M. Krishna Reddy, claimed that 8 guntas of land in Survey No.13, which they alleged was left out of a 1971 acquisition by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), had been illegally allotted to other parties. They filed writ petitions seeking cancellation of those allotments, while earlier hav…

Manoj Kumar Biswal died in a motor accident on 9 May 2013, leaving behind his wife and two minor sons who claimed compensation. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 30,24,000 for loss of dependency, applying a multiplier of 16 for his age (33) and adding 40% of his income for future prospects as mandated in Pr…

The appellants, owners of agricultural land since 1929, sued for declaration of title and injunction against Karnataka Industrial Corporation (KIC). KIC claimed title based on a 1968 government grant and filed a separate suit for injunction, which was dismissed along with the appellants' suit, the courts holding the gr…

The Director of Indian System of Medicine challenged orders of the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) that directed the department to report 28 unreported vacancies for Medical Officer (Ayurveda) posts, alleging that all vacancies had already been reported. The applicants, who were on the ranked list, sought judicial…

The appellant, K.S. Ranganatha, was charged under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for the dishonour of a cheque issued to the respondent, Vittal Shetty, for a loan of Rs.3,75,000. The trial court acquitted the appellant, but the Karnataka High Court reversed the acquittal, finding that the respondent had …

The landlord served a legal notice on 22‑12‑2007 under Section 21(1)(a) of the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972, terminating the tenancy within 30 days. An eviction application was filed on 20‑11‑2008, well after the six‑month period prescribed in the proviso. The tenants never …

The State of Chhattisgarh entered into agreements with M/s Sal Udyog for the supply of Sal seeds, which included a clause for "supervision charges" and were governed by a 1987 government circular imposing a 10% charge. After the State terminated the agreement, Sal Udyog claimed a refund of excess supervision charges, a…

The appellant, Irappa Siddappa Murgannavar, was convicted of raping and murdering a five‑year‑old girl, R, and disposing of her body in a stream. The prosecution relied on eyewitness accounts, the appellant’s own disclosure statement, and post‑mortem evidence to establish the crime. The Supreme Court held that the chai…

The appellant Bijender @ Mandar was convicted under Sections 392 and 397 IPC for allegedly robbing a complainant and his nephew with pistols, based primarily on his own disclosure statement that led to the recovery of Rs.5,000, a red cloth and a passbook. The prosecution’s case lacked any eye‑witness testimony, and key…

The petitioner filed three separate complaints against BSNL before the District Consumer Forum through three different advocates, and all three complaints were dismissed on merits. After those dismissals, he lodged complaints against the same advocates alleging deficiency in service and claimed Rs.15 lakhs in compensat…

The case involved the murder of Vikas Singh, for which an FIR was lodged by his brother‑in‑law, Prashant Singh Rajput. The accused Jogendra Singh and Suryabhan Singh sought anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, which the High Court granted on the basis of a police report stating they were not present at the …

M/S Gimpex Private Limited sued Manoj Goel for dishonour of cheques under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. After the first set of cheques bounced, the parties entered into a deed of compromise in March 2013, under which new cheques were issued; those too were dishonoured, leading to a second criminal comp…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR against a senior Income Tax Commissioner and her husband, alleging possession of assets disproportionate to their known sources of income under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The respondents challenged the FIR, arguing that the CBI should have conduct…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by Nasir Singh, a police officer acquitted in two separate trials—one for alleged gang rape (FIR 96) and another for alleged abetment of suicide (FIR 187). The Punjab and Haryana High Court had remitted both judgments for a fresh joint trial under Section 223 CrPC, claiming a miscarri…

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL) appealed against the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) and the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) which had ordered it to pay Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) to power generators based on the State Bank of India Prime Lending Rate (SBAR…

The appellant, Dr. Yashwantrao Deshmukh, was sued for specific performance of a land sale agreement and the trial court partially decreed ex parte, granting monetary relief but denying specific performance. On appeal, the case was transferred to a district court where a fresh notice was published; the appellant did not…

The appellant, a daily‑wage employee of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, challenged his termination by filing a civil suit invoking Sections 25B and 25F of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, seeking reinstatement, regularisation and back wages. The civil court entertained the suit, held that the appellant had …

The dispute arose over the appointment of a Junior Lab Technician at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, where the appellant was selected based on a merit list that allocated 85% weightage to the qualifying exam, 10% to work experience and 5% to an interview. The third respondent, who had scored higher in the qual…

The appellant was convicted for kidnapping, rape, and related offences after the father of a minor girl filed a complaint alleging that the appellant and others had enticed and assaulted his daughter. The trial court and the Allahabad High Court upheld convictions under Sections 363, 366, 376-D IPC and Section 4 of the…

The Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (appellant) was ordered by a Facilitation Council under the MSME Act to pay Rs 105,053,387 to M/s Aska Equipments Ltd (respondent). The appellant sought to set aside the award under Section 34 of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 and, pursuant to Section 19 of the …

The petitioners, home buyers in a Gurgaon housing project, obtained a refund order with interest from the NCDRC, which was stayed by the Delhi High Court. An operational creditor later initiated a corporate insolvency proceeding against the developer (Today Homes & Infrastructure Pvt Ltd) under Section 9 of the IBC, le…

In the wake of the February 2020 Delhi communal riots, the Delhi Legislative Assembly constituted a Committee on Peace and Harmony and issued summons to Ajit Mohan, the Vice‑President of Facebook India, and later to Facebook India itself, seeking their testimony on the platform's role in online hate speech. The petitio…

The respondent filed a consumer complaint alleging medical negligence against Dr. A. Suresh Kumar and others. The appellants filed their written statement 7 days after the 45‑day deadline prescribed under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, and sought condonation of the delay. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Co…

The petitioners sought higher compensation for land acquired for the Phase‑V Industrial Model Township at Manesar, arguing that the market value determined by the High Court—based on sale deeds (Exhibits P‑13, P‑24, P‑25) and the valuation in Madan Pal III—was too low. The High Court had applied a 12% enhancement on a …

The Supreme Court considered appeals by landholders challenging the High Court's fixation of market value at Rs.43,61,400 per acre for agricultural lands acquired for the Phase‑VI Industrial Model Township at Manesar. The landholders argued that, given the proximity to the Kundli‑Manesar‑Palwal Expressway and a one‑yea…

The Supreme Court considered applications filed by landholders from the villages Bas Khusla, Bas Haria and Dhana seeking clarification of the compensation awarded in Wazir v. State of Haryana, where the Court had fixed Rs 29,77,333 per acre for those villages. The landholders had already received Rs 37,40,000 per acre,…

Pravin Electricals alleged that no consultancy agreement dated 7 July 2014 existed with Galaxy Infra, while Galaxy claimed such an agreement, containing an arbitration clause, was executed and sought appointment of a sole arbitrator under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The Delhi High Court…

Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL) allocated a 25‑MW solar project to Astonfield Solar (the corporate debtor) under a 25‑year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) executed in 2010. After severe flood damage the plant operated at a fraction of capacity and the corporate debtor was declared a non‑performing asset, prompting …

The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) inspected Texmo Industries and found that the company had underpaid ESI contributions by including conveyance allowance in the wage base. Texmo contested, arguing that conveyance allowance is not "wages" under Section 2(22) of the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948. Th…

The appellant Girraj filed a criminal appeal challenging the High Court's grant of bail to five accused (Kiranpal, Sundar, Rakesh, Satish, Dharmendra) in a murder case involving the death of his two sons. The bail to these accused was obtained on the basis of parity with a co-accused, Narendra, whose bail had earlier b…

The builder NBCC (India) Limited failed to hand over possession of a residential unit to Shri Ram Trivedi within the period stipulated in the allotment letter, which required completion within two and a half years and allowed a one‑year grace period before compensation became payable. The National Consumer Disputes Red…

The appellants, Krishna Lal Chawla and others, challenged a private complaint filed in 2018 by their neighbour (Respondent No.2) under Section 200 CrPC, which alleged offences arising from a 2012 altercation. The complaint was filed six years after the incident, despite a charge‑sheet already being filed against the co…

The Union of India appealed against a bail order granted by the Allahabad High Court to Prateek Shukla, who was alleged to be a director of Altruist Chemicals Private Limited and a member of an international drug syndicate involved in the diversion of acetic anhydride and amphetamine. The complaint under Sections 8, 9A…

The appellant, Nagabhushan, was convicted by the Karnataka High Court for dowry death and murder after the trial court had acquitted him. The conviction rested on a later dying declaration (Exhibit P5) in which the deceased alleged that the appellant poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze, contrary to an earlier dyi…

The complainant, a practising advocate, received a post‑dated cheque from the husband (original accused No.1) of the appellant for professional fees. The cheque was drawn on the husband’s personal bank account, signed by him, and later returned unpaid. A criminal complaint under Section 138 read with Section 141 of the…

In a suo motu writ petition, the Supreme Court examined the extension of limitation periods granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier orders had excluded the period from 15 March 2020 to a date to be fixed, allowing litigants extra time to file suits, appeals and other proceedings. Observing that the pandemic situa…

Westinghouse Saxby Farmer Ltd., a state‑owned manufacturer of electrical relays, sought to have its relays classified under Chapter 86 heading 8608 of the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985, arguing that they are used solely as parts of railway signalling equipment. The Revenue argued that the relays fell under Chapter 85…

Laxmibai Chandaragi and Santosh Singh Yadav, both well‑educated Hindus, married without their parents' consent after Laxmibai travelled from Karnataka to Delhi. Her father filed a missing‑person complaint, leading to FIR No.226/2020 at Murgod Police Station. The investigating officer (IO) insisted that Laxmibai appear …

The State of Andhra Pradesh, facing a sharp decline in revenue due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, issued Government Orders on 31 March and 26 April 2020 that deferred payment of salaries, wages, honoraria and pensions. A writ petition under Article 226 challenged the deferment, and the Andhra Pradesh High Court held that th…

The appellant, a bank manager, was charged with misappropriation and irregular loan disbursal. A departmental enquiry found all charges proved and the disciplinary authority, after issuing a show‑cause notice that enclosed the enquiry report, imposed compulsory retirement. The appellant challenged the procedure, arguin…

The plaintiff filed a suit for permanent injunction to prevent the defendants from disturbing his peaceful possession of a property he claimed to have purchased from the heirs of a former owner. The trial court upheld the injunction, finding the plaintiff in possession, but the First Appellate Court set aside the decre…

The builders Manohar Infrastructure and Constructions Pvt Ltd and TDI Infrastructure Ltd appealed orders of the State Consumer Commission directing them to refund home‑buyers, arguing that the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDC) should not require deposit of the entire decretal amount as a condition …

The appellants bought a 3.46‑cent land parcel from the original owners (respondents 1‑4) through a registered sale deed dated 09‑03‑2005, executed by a power of attorney holder (respondent 7). The original owners later executed a cancellation deed on the same date, got it registered on 20‑09‑2007, and filed a civil sui…

Mohd Zahid was convicted in two separate NDPS cases: for possession of 4 kg of heroin in Amritsar (12 years' rigorous imprisonment) and for 750 g of heroin in Delhi (15 years' rigorous imprisonment, enhanced under s.31(ii)). The Delhi trial court did not expressly order the two sentences to run concurrently, and the Hi…

C. Sivasankaran, an Ambassador-at-large of Seychelles, filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution claiming diplomatic immunity to avoid criminal proceedings in India. The Madras High Court rejected his claim, holding that he does not fall within the definition of a "diplomatic agent" under Article 1 of …

The appellant, Parveen @ Sonu, was convicted along with other accused for offences including criminal conspiracy (s.120‑B IPC) and murder (s.302 IPC) arising from an alleged attempt to rescue four prisoners being escorted by police on a train. The prosecution’s case relied mainly on the eye‑witness constable’s depositi…

The Supreme Court examined whether the National Green Tribunal (NGT) under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 can initiate suo motu proceedings in environmental matters. The matter arose when the NGT, on its own motion, took cognizance of a news article on solid waste mismanagement at the Deonar dumping ground and o…

The respondent, N. Murugesan, was appointed Director‑General of the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) on a five‑year tenure through direct recruitment, with a clause that re‑appointment would depend on suitability. As his tenure ended, he sought extension, claiming that his appointment was a regular post and that…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over the custody of a minor child, Aditya, between his mother Smriti and father Perry, who had obtained custody in India based on a judgment dated 28 Oct 2020 and a subsequent order on 8 Dec 2020. The Court found that Perry had concealed material facts, failed to disclose the dismis…

The appellant sought declaration and possession of a house based on a registered Will (Exhibit P4) executed by the deceased in his favour, which was attested by his brother and witnessed by his sister. The respondents admitted the existence of Exhibit P4 but contested it by producing an unregistered Will (Exhibit D1) a…

The Supreme Court considered three miscellaneous applications filed by occupants of government accommodation in Delhi/NCR who are retired central government employees classified as Kashmiri migrants. The applications sought recall or modification of the Court’s earlier order that had struck down an Office Memorandum al…

The petitioners, Union of India and others, appealed against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that directed the Department of Posts to reformulate its regularisation policy and to sanction posts for part‑time contingent sweepers (Safai Karamcharies) employed at a Chandigarh post office. The respondents‑applicants …

The wife (Nitaben Dinesh Patel) filed a counter‑claim in her husband’s divorce suit seeking a declaration that his alleged second marriage to Hinaben Manubhai Panchal was void and that their child was illegitimate. The trial court allowed amendment of her written statement to include facts about the second marriage (pa…

The late husband of the petitioner, a Gram Sevak, was suspended in January 1996 and terminated in December 1996 under Section 91(3) of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 and Rule 86 of the Rajasthan Services Rules, 1951. He filed an appeal against the termination, which remained pending when he died in 2009. In 201…

The Estate Officer filed Writ Petition No. 8074 of 2011 before the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which was later referred to a Lok Adalat on 30 November 2013. The Lok Adalat members examined the merits of the petition and dismissed it, prompting the appellant to argue that the Lok Adalat exceeded its jurisdiction under th…

The Commissioner of Income Tax issued a revision order under Section 263 of the Income Tax Act on 26 March 2012, revising an assessment order for AY 2008‑09 that had been passed on 30 December 2010. The assessee argued that the revision order was barred by the two‑year limitation because it was received by him on 29 No…

The respondents, allottees of leasehold plots in Chandigarh, sought conversion of their sites to freehold by paying the conversion fee fixed under the 1996 Rules. The District Consumer Forum, State and National Consumer Commissions ordered the Estate Officer to convert the plots, treating the fee as a service charge an…

The management of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL), a Central Government undertaking, recruited SC/ST miners/loaders in 1986 through the Employment Exchange as mandated by the Employment Exchange (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959. Thirty‑eight workmen were later alleged to have obtained appointments fraudu…

The widowed appellant challenged the Allahabad High Court's order that released four accused murderers on bail pending appeal against their life‑sentence convictions under IPC sections 302, 149, 201 r/w 120B. The Supreme Court observed that the High Court's order lacked clarity on submissions, findings and reasoning, f…

The appellants, accused in a brawl that resulted in two deaths, were granted bail by the Gujarat High Court on the condition that each deposit Rs.2 lakh as compensation to the victims' heirs. They challenged this condition, arguing that the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) does not empower a court to order compensatio…

Mallappa was charged with murdering his brother Earappa by assault with a club. The trial court acquitted Mallappa and his son, but the Karnataka High Court reversed the acquittal and convicted Mallappa under Section 302 IPC. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the reliability of the key eyewitness, PW‑5, finding con…

The case concerned the death of Jayamma, who suffered extensive burns and allegedly named four accused in a dying declaration. The trial court acquitted the accused, finding the prosecution failed to prove the homicide beyond reasonable doubt, especially given doubts about the victim’s fitness to make a statement and t…

The appellant, the heirs of Mangala Waman Karandikar, entered into a 1963 agreement with the respondent to transfer the operation of the "Karandikar Brothers" stationery business for a royalty of Rs.90 per month. The dispute arose when the appellant sought possession, alleging the agreement was a business transfer, whi…

The appellants, Achhar Singh and Budhi Singh, were acquitted by the trial court of charges including murder, grievous hurt and rioting, but the Himachal Pradesh High Court set aside the acquittal and convicted them based on eye‑witness testimony and medical evidence. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court co…

The appellant, Sanjay Kumar Rai, was charged under Sections 504 and 506 IPC for allegedly threatening a journalist and sought discharge under Section 239 CrPC, claiming the investigation was biased and the complainant’s testimony unreliable. The Chief Judicial Magistrate rejected the discharge application, and the High…

The Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission advertised 222 Junior Engineer (Electrical) posts, specifying a minimum qualification of matriculation with a diploma. Degree‑holders applied, arguing that a higher qualification should satisfy the minimum requirement, while diploma‑holders contended that only diploma hol…

Manohan Nanda purchased an overseas mediclaim policy to travel to the USA. A medical examination disclosed his diabetes mellitus‑II, which he disclosed in the proposal form and supporting reports. After suffering an acute myocardial infarction in the USA, the insurer repudiated the claim, alleging non‑disclosure of a p…

The appellant, a managing director of a pharmaceutical firm, sought to execute an international Merchanting Trade Transaction (MTT) for PPE products, but the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) denied permission under Clause 2(iii) of the 2020 MTT Guidelines because the Indian government had banned PPE exports during the COVID…

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) acquired a parcel of land in 1977 under the Bangalore Development Authority Act, 1976, and took possession of it. Seventeen years later, the landowner (respondent No.1) leased part of the land to respondent No.2 and sued for ejectment, obtaining a decree in his favour. BDA, not…

Satish Chand Surana filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement concerning two parcels of land, which the trial court dismissed ex‑parte. He appealed to the High Court of Chhattisgarh and, during the pendency of that appeal, filed an application under Order 41 Rule 27 of the CPC seeking permission to addu…

Methu Meda, who had been provisionally selected as a Constable in the CISF, was denied training after a screening committee found him ineligible because his acquittal in a kidnapping case was not "honourable" but based on benefit of doubt and hostile witnesses. The appellant Union of India challenged the High Court ord…

The appellant, a sandalwood oil manufacturer, was convicted under Section 27(1)(d) of the Kerala Forest Act for allegedly possessing forest produce illicitly removed from a reserved forest. The High Court upheld the conviction, treating the presumption under Section 69 as creating a reverse burden of proof on the accus…

The complainant, Dolphin International Ltd., engaged SGS India Ltd. to inspect and certify groundnut consignments for export to Greece and the Netherlands. Disputes arose over the size/count of Java peanuts and aflatoxin levels at the destination ports, leading the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to fin…

M/S. Indsil Hydro Power and Manganese Ltd (the appellant) and Carborundum Universal Ltd (CUMI) entered into agreements with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) under a 1990 Government policy that required payment of royalty for the controlled release of water used in their captive hydro‑electric projects. Both co…

The dispute concerned the educational qualification required for in‑service candidates applying for clerk/cashier posts in Kerala cooperative banks where the starting salary exceeded Rs 250 per month. The candidates contended that SSLC (or equivalent) was sufficient, while the Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) ar…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the High Court’s order affirming a Central Administrative Tribunal decision that quashed a charge‑sheet issued to Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Jha for allegedly defying orders to disband a ‘Gunda Squad’ and for a custodial death. The Tribunal had held the charge‑sheet v…

The Supreme Court examined whether a temple priest (Pujari) could be deemed a Bhumiswami under the Madhya Bharat Land Revenue and Tenancy Act, 2007 and the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, and whether the State could, by executive circulars, delete the priest's name from revenue records and insert the Collector as man…

The Union of India and others entered into a road‑construction contract with M/s Puna Hinda, which contained an arbitration clause for dispute resolution. After completing the work, the contractor submitted a final bill of Rs 23.68 crore, claiming payment for certain bills that the government alleged were already settl…

Amazon invested in FCPL and, through it, in Future Retail Ltd (FRL). When FRL and its promoters attempted to sell FRL's retail assets to a rival, Amazon sought emergency interim relief under the SIAC Rules, and an Emergency Arbitrator issued an award restraining the transaction. The Delhi High Court enforced the award …

The original standing order of a co‑operative bank fixed the retirement age at 55 years. Two settlements, dated 11‑01‑2004 and 21‑02‑2010 and sanctioned by an award of the Industrial Court, raised the retirement age to 58 years. The Bank Employees Union, a registered trade union, filed an application under Section 38(2…

The petitioners, a group of pharmacy colleges, filed writ petitions under Article 32 seeking directions to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University to grant them conditional affiliation for the academic year 2020‑21 and to allow their B.Pharm students to appear in special examinations. The University had refused aff…

The appellant and respondent, brothers and heirs of the deceased, were involved in a suit for possession of land based on a will. During the suit, the parties reached a compromise that allocated additional land not originally in dispute, resulting in a compromise decree. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether s…

The appellants Rakesh and another were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Bhishampal Singh, based primarily on the eye‑witness testimony of PW1 and PW2 and medical evidence. The appellants challenged the conviction, arguing that the ballistic report showed a mism…

The Chief Election Commissioner (EC) sought an order restraining the media from reporting oral remarks made by the Madras High Court, which alleged that the EC was "singularly responsible for the second wave of COVID‑19" and should face murder charges. The High Court’s oral observations were not part of its written ord…

The case concerns the murder of village Pradhan Ram Aasare Pathak, for which four accused were charged under IPC sections 302 and 34. The trial court acquitted all four, relying on alleged relationships among witnesses, lack of independent witnesses, disputed motive, and questions about the place of occurrence and inju…

The Supreme Court examined the third proviso to Section 254(2A) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, which mandates automatic vacation of a stay after 365 days irrespective of who caused the delay. The Court held that the provision treats assessees who delay the appeal the same as those who do not, thereby violating the equali…

Shital Fibers Ltd. (appellant) sought to avoid a winding‑up petition filed by Indian Acrylics Ltd. (respondent) under Sections 433 and 434 of the Companies Act, 1956, alleging inability to pay an admitted debt of Rs 8,92,723. The respondent claimed the debt arose from supply of raw material, while the appellant contend…

Gurdev Singh was convicted under Section 21 of the NDPS Act for possessing 1 kg of heroin, which is four times the commercial quantity of 250 g, and was sentenced to 15 years' rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.2 lakh. He appealed, contending that the Special Court and the High Court imposed a sentence higher than…

The appellant, Sanjiv Prakash, invoked an arbitration clause in a 1996 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among family members after a dispute over share transfers with his sister and mother. The respondents argued that the MoU was superseded and novated by a later Shareholders' Agreement (SHA) dated 12‑04‑1996, which t…

The appellant, Bhaven Construction, entered into a contract to manufacture and supply bricks that contained an arbitration clause. It unilaterally appointed a sole arbitrator, who dismissed Respondent No.1's Section 16 challenge to his jurisdiction. Instead of using the statutory remedy under Section 34, Respondent No.…

The decree-holder obtained a money decree against the judgment‑debtor, leading to execution proceedings for the sale of 17 decimals of land. After a series of auctions, sale proclamations, issuance of a sale certificate and delivery of possession, the judgment‑debtor repeatedly challenged the execution, ultimately fili…

The Supreme Court examined whether 162 acres of land in Kasmandi Khurd, Uttar Pradesh, vested in the State under the U.P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 and was subsequently declared a reserved forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. It held that the Gaon Sabha had no authority to grant a lease to the…

The appellant, a Physical Training Teacher, was charged under Section 306 IPC for alleged abetment of his student’s suicide, based on an FIR alleging harassment and insult. The High Court dismissed the appellant’s petition under Section 482 CrPC to quash the FIR, holding that the FIR disclosed a cognizable offence. On …

The appellants challenged a Bombay High Court order that disposed of two public‑interest litigations concerning a housing scheme in Naldurg, alleging that the court failed to give reasons for its operative part and that they were not heard before criminal proceedings were initiated against them. The Supreme Court noted…

The Burdwan Development Authority acquired land for a satellite township under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and entered into an unregistered MoA with Bengal Shrachi for public‑private partnership development. The Reference Court enhanced compensation payable to landowners from Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 35 lakh per acre, prom…

The widowed petitioner Premlata applied for a compassionate appointment under Rule 5 of the Dying‑in‑Harness Rules, 1974, after her husband, a Class‑IV messenger in the Uttar Pradesh Police Radio Department, died. Her first application for an Assistant Operator post was rejected for lack of eligibility, and a subsequen…

M/S Prem Cottex, a cotton yarn manufacturer, was issued a short assessment notice by Uttarakhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. alleging that the multiply factor (MF) used in its electricity bills was incorrectly applied, resulting in short billing of about Rs.1.35 crore. The appellant filed a consumer complaint under the Con…

The first respondent claimed to be the transferable owner of a parcel of land and sued to declare the Moradabad Development Authority's (MDA) auction of that land illegal and to restrain dispossession. The trial court dismissed the suit, holding MDA was the lawful owner; the High Court reversed, declaring the auction v…

The case concerned a retired Intelligence Bureau officer, Onkar Nath Dhar, who continued to occupy a government‑allotted residence after superannuation. The Delhi and Punjab & Haryana High Courts, relying on the J.L. Koul decision, allowed him to retain the accommodation on compassionate grounds, treating it as a right…

The Central Government appealed against a High Court order that directed it to pay interest on solatium to Raj Devi from the date she was deprived of possession (16‑06‑1990). The Government argued that, per Gurpreet Singh v. Union of India, interest on solatium could only be awarded from the date of the Supreme Court’s…