Judgments of 2022

The case concerned commission vendors of the Northern Railway who, after being absorbed into regular railway service, sought to have 50% of their pre‑absorption service counted as qualifying service for pension benefits, as had been granted to similarly situated vendors in other railway zones. The Union of India appeal…

The victim was allegedly raped and set on fire by the accused, Shailendra Kumar Rai, and later died of septicemia caused by the burn injuries. While on her way to death she gave a statement to police officer Lallan Prasad, which was read back to her, signed, and later treated as a dying declaration. The Sessions Court …

The Enforcement Directorate registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PML Act) against Padmanabhan Kishore for allegedly handing over Rs 50 lakh as a bribe to an Additional Commissioner of Income Tax. Kishore contended that the money remained "untainted" while in his possession and only beca…

The case arose from an India Today article titled “Mission Misconduct” that alleged sexual misconduct and other improprieties by an Indian Foreign Service officer. The officer, after disciplinary action, filed a criminal complaint against the magazine’s Editor‑in‑Chief (A‑1), the article’s author (A‑2) and several publ…

The Supreme Court examined a series of appeals arising from disputes between buyers and micro‑small suppliers under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (MSMED Act) and the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The core issue was whether Chapter V of the MSMED Act, which provides a special, t…

The case concerned the grant of occupancy rights to Nadakerappa, a protected tenant, under the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961. The Land Tribunal had awarded occupancy rights in 1982, which the landowners later challenged through multiple writ petitions and appeals. The High Court Single Judge dismissed one petition o…

The appellants, eight retired assistant professors and a college librarian from Manipur, claimed a revised pension entitlement effective from 1 April 2010 based on an Office Memorandum (OM) dated 5 May 2010, which was issued by the Governor and had statutory force. The State Government issued a later OM on 24 December …

The Tamil Nadu Legislature enacted the 2021 Special Reservation Act, earmarking 10.5% of the 20% reservation for Most Backward Classes (MBCs) and Denotified Communities (DNCs) for the Vanniyakula Kshatriya community. Several writ petitions challenged the Act on the ground that the State lacked legislative competence af…

The Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDM Corp) and the State of Maharashtra appealed against a Bombay High Court order that set aside the suspension of Sanjay Gajanan Gharat, an Additional Municipal Commissioner (AMC), and quashed the departmental inquiry against him. Gharat had been arrested under the Preventio…

Mata Prasad, convicted of murder and related offences and sentenced to life imprisonment, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking premature release under the Uttar Pradesh Governor's 2018 policy for Republic Day releases. Although he satisfied the 2018 criteria, his application was rejected, and the State cited …

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) issued a tender for the Mumbai‑Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, which is funded by a loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Monte Carlo Limited submitted a technical bid that was rejected by NHSRCL as non‑responsive due to material deviations, a…

Kalawati Pandurang Fulzele was appointed by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) as a sweeper on a contractual basis with a fixed honorarium of Rs 500 per month and served for about four years before being terminated in August 1994. She filed a complaint alleging that her termination violated Sectio…

The Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) issued a notice inviting tenders on the GeM portal for 68,940 tablets, requiring bidders to have supplied the same or similar category products for at least 60% of the bid quantity in the preceding three financial years. M/s. Resoursys Telecom supplied only smart phones and claimed t…

Mongia Realty and Buildwell Pvt. Ltd. (appellant) sued Manik Sethi (respondent) for recovery of alleged business loans, claiming the loans were repayable within one year of the last instalment and that the suit was filed within the limitation period. The respondent denied any loan relationship, asserting the payments w…

The respondents were initially appointed as contract Assistant Managers in 2000 and were regularised in 2006, but their regularisation was cancelled in 2007. The High Court set aside the cancellation and ordered their reinstatement with continuity of service from 12 September 2007, but without any monetary benefits for…

The appellant, United Bank of India, dismissed Biswanath Bhattacharjee, a former branch manager, on five charges including non‑recording of a subsidy, disbursement to fictitious beneficiaries, misappropriation of loan and subsidy amounts, removal of documents and unauthorized demand‑draft transfers. The disciplinary en…

On 7 March 2000 Vikas Kumar Singh was shot by Pappu Tiwari and subsequently stabbed by five others, resulting in his death. All six accused were convicted under IPC sections 302 and 34 and, in Pappu Tiwari's case, also under Section 27 of the Arms Act. The appellants challenged the convictions on several grounds, inclu…

Shiv Developers, an unregistered partnership firm, filed a suit for declaration and injunction alleging fraud and non‑payment of consideration in a sale of its share in a property to Aksharay Developers. The respondents moved to dismiss the plaint under Section 69(2) of the Indian Partnership Act, 1932, arguing that an…

A truck transporting eighteen cattle was intercepted for lacking proper permits, leading to seizure of the animals and registration of FIRs under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act and related statutes. The private respondents, claiming ownership, applied under CrPC sections 451 and 457 for interim custody, which …

The State prosecuted four appellants for the murder of a 72‑year‑old man in Ulsoor, alleging they confessed to the crime while in police custody and led investigators to a knife and stolen gold. The trial court and the Karnataka High Court convicted them under IPC s.302 r.w. s.34 and sentenced them to life imprisonment…

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) issued Request for Proposals for ground handling services at various airport groups, setting eligibility criteria that included regional clustering, a 36‑month experience requirement for scheduled flights, and a minimum annual turnover of Rs 30 crore (later reduced to Rs 18 crore). …

The appellant, Sushanta Kumar Banik, was detained under Section 3(1) of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 on the basis of two FIRs for alleged drug trafficking. The State of Tripura sought preventive detention, arguing that he was a habitual offender, while the ap…

The Supreme Court considered a batch of writ petitions filed by several banks challenging the Reserve Bank of India's directions to disclose confidential information under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The banks argued that the directions conflicted with Section 8 of the RTI Act, the RBI Act and the Banking Regul…

M/s Emaar India Ltd entered into a Collaboration Agreement and a 2011 Addendum with Tarun Aggarwal Projects LLP. A dispute arose concerning performance under clauses 3, 6 and 9 of the Addendum, and the parties invoked Clause 36, which permits specific performance in a court, while Clause 37 provides for arbitration of …

The plaintiffs filed suits in 2015‑2016 to cancel sale deeds executed in 2005, alleging fraud. The defendant moved to reject the plaints under Order VII Rule 11(d) of the CPC, contending the suits were barred by the 10‑year limitation period. The trial court and High Court refused to reject the plaints, holding that li…

The deceased businessman K. Kumareshan died in a motor accident, leaving a widow, minor children and parents as dependents who claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs. 4,29,37,700 based on the deceased's income tax returns and audit reports, but the…

Sanghi Industries Ltd invoked performance bank guarantees issued by Ravin Cables Ltd in respect of three purchase orders and subsequently commenced arbitration. Ravin Cables filed two applications under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 before Commercial Courts seeking to secure the disputed amoun…

The father, a government clerk, died in harness and his wife was appointed on compassionate grounds; she later died. The elder married daughter’s application for compassionate appointment was rejected on the ground that a married daughter is not a dependent. The younger married daughter (respondent) also applied and wa…

The father of the respondent, Anusree K.B., died in service in 1995, leaving a widow who was already employed and a minor daughter. Fourteen years after his death, the daughter applied for a compassionate appointment, which was rejected on the ground that she was not listed as a dependent and that the policy favoured w…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to respondent No.2, who is charged with murder (IPC s.302) and criminal conspiracy (IPC s.120B). The Supreme Court observed that the High Court failed to consider the gravity of the offences, the charge‑sheet details, the earlier…

The appellants, contractors, obtained an arbitral award that granted them a sum of money plus interest at 18% per annum for the pre‑reference, pendente lite and post‑award periods. The arbitrator did not provide any reasons for fixing the rate of interest. The respondents had remained silent for long periods (1977‑1989…

The appellant was charged in a FIR for the murder of two sons of the complainant, along with several other offences. Although not named in the FIR, his involvement emerged during investigation and he was later added to the charge‑sheet under Section 161 of the CrPC. The trial court denied bail, but the Allahabad High C…

The appellants, land owners, challenged the High Court's order allowing the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to withdraw Rs 1,37,50,547 that it had deposited on 20 March 2018 as part of the compensation awarded in a land‑acquisition case. The dispute centred on whether the Supreme Court’s order of 29 …

The Supreme Court considered several petitions concerning the determination of arbitrators' fees under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The Court held that arbitrators cannot unilaterally issue binding orders determining their own fees, as this violates party autonomy and the principle that one cannot be a j…

The widow of a permanently disabled ex‑serviceman, Smt. Sovan Devi, claimed that a 1971 inter‑departmental letter from the Soldier Welfare Department to the District Collector constituted a valid allotment of 25 bighas of land to her late husband under the Rajasthan Special Assistance to Disabled Ex‑Servicemen Rules, 1…

The appellant, Sanjeet Kumar Singh, was convicted under the NDNDPS Act for possession of 47.37 kg of ganja after a police search of his car. The prosecution’s case relied heavily on the testimony of PW‑7, a police officer who was both the informant and the investigating officer, and on his claim that the search was con…

Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd (RCFL) issued non‑convertible debentures and defaulted in March 2019. The RBI issued a prudential framework requiring lenders to enter into an inter‑creditor agreement (ICA) before a resolution plan, and SEBI later issued a circular on 13 Oct 2020 standardising the procedure for debentur…

Punjab National Bank (PNB) filed a petition under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) against Jailaxmi Sugar Products Pvt Ltd, alleging default and seeking initiation of a corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP). The Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) issued a certificate of recovery on 1 November 20…

The appellants Dibakar and Babul were convicted for murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC based primarily on the testimony of the deceased's parents, who claimed to have witnessed the assault. The trial and High Courts accepted this testimony despite inconsistencies, such as the parents allegedly returning home, …

Kotak Mahindra Bank (the appellant) sought initiation of a Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) against Prasad Properties and Investments Pvt. Ltd. (the corporate debtor) under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC). The corporate debtor had stood as guarantor for loans to three borrower …

The dispute concerned the management of Salafi Juma Masjid, a waqf registered under the Waqf Act, 1995. The Mahal Committee, claiming to be a local (Sakha) unit of the registered society Kerala Naduvathil Mujahideen, sued the Salafi Trust seeking a declaration that a certificate of registration issued under s.36 of the…

The married couple Mannar Reddiar and Adhilakshmiammal executed separate wills bequeathing their properties to their two sons, excluding their daughter Kalavathy who had earlier received gifts. After the death of the testators, the daughter and the second son filed a suit for partition and contested the probate of the …

The appellant, a registered contractor, was awarded a work order for a water supply scheme but faced non‑availability of specified pipes and was asked to substitute them, leading him to seek a modified rate. The respondents subsequently directed him to stop the pipeline work and commence a different project, while also…

The appellant, Deputy Commissioner (Commercial Tax), challenged the High Court's observations and cost orders that accused him of deliberate, malafide actions in passing ex‑parte provisional assessment orders against Flipkart India Private Limited under the Uttar Pradesh Value Added Tax Act. The High Court had set asid…

The appellant, B.R.K. Aathithan, filed a criminal complaint under Sections 499 and 500 IPC alleging defamation by the respondents for broadcasting his arrest. The Judicial Magistrate dismissed the complaint, finding that the allegations fell within the fourth exception to Section 499. The appellant sought redress throu…

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) sought permission to fell an additional 84 trees in the Aarey forest for a ramp segment of its Metro Line‑3 car depot. Earlier, permissions had been granted for 2,185 trees (car depot) and 235 trees (ramp), of which 2,144 and 212 respectively had already been cut. The m…

The petitioners, the daughter and wife of the deceased Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, sought transfer of the CBI trial concerning his mysterious murder from the CBI Special Court in Kadapa to a court outside Andhra Pradesh, alleging threats to witnesses and potential bias in the investigation. They argued that key witnesses h…

Sansera Engineering Ltd, a manufacturer of excisable goods, exported products in August‑October 2015 and paid excise duty. It claimed rebate of the duty under Rule 18 of the Central Excise Rules, 2002 in February 2017, but the claims were rejected as being beyond the one‑year limitation prescribed in Section 11B of the…

The appellants filed a declaratory suit challenging a relinquishment deed and were dismissed by the trial court on a preliminary issue of limitation, a decision affirmed by the first appellate court and the Delhi High Court. They contended that the limitation period should be extended to twelve years under Article 136 …

The case involved a series of civil suits filed in 2001 that had been repeatedly amended and impleaded, leading to a long pendency. The plaintiff sought to file a rejoinder after the defendants had filed written statements, but the trial court initially rejected the application, later allowing it on review. The High Co…

Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. (JSPL) sought a distribution licence for its captive power plant to supply electricity to an industrial park and two villages in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. The State Electricity Regulatory Commission granted the licence, but the Appellate Tribunal later cancelled it on the ground that JSPL did n…

The appellant, an unmarried woman in a consensual relationship, sought to terminate a 22‑week pregnancy under Section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act and Rule 3B of the MTP Rules. The Delhi High Court held that Rule 3B applied only to married women and denied the relief, prompting a Special Le…

The appellant, Harkirat Singh Ghuman, contested the 2019 Punjab/Haryana Superior Judicial Service examination, alleging procedural irregularities such as a missing question in Paper V (Criminal Law), absence of an OMR sheet and transparent answer key for Paper VI (General Knowledge), non‑provision of Bare Acts, and den…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Act, 2009, which amended the definition of “employee” in the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and inserted Section 13A with retrospective effect from 3 April 1997 to extend gratuity benefits to teachers in private schools. The pe…

The appellant, a cargo importer, claimed damages from British Airways for loss of perishable goods shipped from Mumbai to Canada, filing suit in 2012. The trial court held the claim was not time‑barred, but the Bombay High Court dismissed it, holding that the two‑year limitation under Rule 30 of the Carriage by Air Act…

The widow of Shaileshkumar Patel challenged the quashing of FIR No. I‑11209016200112, filed under Section 306 IPC for alleged abetment of his suicide, on the ground that the complainant and accused had reached a monetary settlement. The Gujarat High Court, invoking its inherent power under Section 482 of the CrPC, set …

M. V. Chandrakanth (appellant) challenged a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court that had set aside a Single Judge's order dismissing a writ petition filed by Respondent No.1, who claimed Other Backward Class (OBC) reservation as a member of the Ganiga caste. The central issue was whether a person belonging to th…

National Petroleum Construction Co., a UAE‑incorporated firm, sought a Section 197 certificate for a 4% TDS rate on payments from ONGC for contracts involving both onshore and offshore work in FY 2019‑20. The Deputy Commissioner issued a certificate directing 4% TDS on the entire amount, despite the appellant’s earlier…

The appellant, a US permanent resident, filed a writ petition in Karnataka High Court seeking habeas corpus to have his 11‑year‑old son, a naturalised US citizen born in the United States, returned to the US. The child had been taken to India by the mother without the father's consent in March 2020, and US courts had i…

The case concerned whether a 1977 circular issued by the Governor of undivided Madhya Pradesh, which granted entry into Ranger training for Forest Guard trainees who topped their training, remained in force after the creation of Chhattisgarh in 2000. The State of Chhattisgarh issued several communications in 2009 and 2…

The Supreme Court examined whether a student who obtained an MBBS degree from a Chinese university, where the tenth‑semester clinical training was delivered online due to COVID‑19, is entitled to provisional registration by the National Medical Commission (NMC). The Court held that the Eligibility Regulations require t…

The Rajasthan Waqf Board claimed that a structure identified as the Qalandari Masjid on Tiranga Hill was a waqf religious site situated within Survey No. 6731, which had been leased to Jindal Saw Ltd for mining. The High Court allowed the mining lease to proceed, prompting the Board to appeal. The Supreme Court examine…

Atbir, convicted of multiple murders and originally sentenced to death, had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment by a presidential order that barred parole and any remission for the remainder of his natural life. He applied for furlough under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, but the Director General of Prisons denie…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Government of NCT of Delhi appealed a Delhi High Court order that had declared the land acquisition proceedings under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 as deemed to have lapsed under section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabili…

The appellants, employees of the Rajasthan Medical & Health Subordinate Service, applied for a three‑year General Nursing Training as in‑service candidates and sought to have their study leave treated as deputation. A Single Judge of the Rajasthan High Court allowed the petitions, directing the State to grant deputatio…

The Municipal Committee of Barwala appealed against a decree granting the respondent, Jai Narayan & Co., a mandatory injunction to execute a sale deed for land allegedly won at a public auction in 1999. The respondent claimed to be a bonafide purchaser, having deposited the auction consideration, and argued that the Mu…

The appellant, an educational society, dismissed its principal (the first respondent) after a departmental inquiry found several charges proved. The principal appealed to the School Tribunal, which set aside the dismissal on the ground that the Inquiry Committee was not constituted as required by Rule 36(2)(b) of the 1…

The Supreme Court considered the claim of a five‑year‑old child who became a paraplegic after a road accident in 2010. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 18,24,000, which the Karnataka High Court reduced to Rs 13,46,805. On appeal, the Court examined the method of calculating compensation under the Motor Veh…

The appellant, a senior Income Tax officer, was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.15,000 from the complainant, Madhu Bala, during a CBI‑operated trap. The prosecution relied primarily on the complainant’s testimony and on the recovery of currency notes …

The appellant, Tarlochan Singh, was the licensed holder of a double‑barrel 12‑bore rifle that was used to murder Gurdeep Singh. The prosecution alleged that the appellant had delivered the firearm to co‑accused Gurpreet Singh, who then used it in the killing, leading to convictions under Sections 29 and 30 of the Arms …

The wife (appellant) and her son filed a maintenance petition under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, alleging that the husband subjected her to cruelty, dowry harassment and forced her to leave the matrimonial home. The Family Court dismissed the wife’s application but granted maintenance to the son, a decis…

The appellant, Ram Kumar, was allotted a Fair Price Shop licence during the pendency of an appeal by the earlier licence holder, Kiran Devi (respondent No.9), whose licence had been cancelled by the Deputy Collector. Kiran Devi challenged the cancellation in the High Court, which set aside the cancellation, holding tha…

The appellant, Chotkau, was convicted and sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a six‑year‑old girl based solely on the testimonies of three prosecution witnesses and circumstantial evidence. The Supreme Court found serious contradictions in the witnesses' accounts regarding the FIR filing, the handling of the …

The State of Karnataka issued a land acquisition notification under Section 17 of the Karnataka Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act, 1973. The petitioners challenged the notification on grounds of inadequate consideration of objections, alleged lapse of the acquisition process, and the constitutionality of Secti…

The appeal concerned Sunil Sikri, a former teacher of Guru Harkrishan Public School, who challenged a Tribunal order directing his reinstatement with 50% back wages. The key issues were whether Sections 8 and 11 of the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 empower the Tribunal to award back wages, whether Rule 121 of the De…

The appellant, a public servant, was convicted under Section 13(1)(d)(ii) read with Section 15 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 477A of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly manipulating measurement books and causing excess payment in school construction works. The prosecution alleged that he reduced…

The Supreme Court examined the meaning of “initiated” in Section 24(1) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (2013 Act) with reference to acquisition proceedings under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (L.A. Act). The petitioners (HSIIDC and other…

The Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) initiated compulsory land acquisition under Section 33(2) of the Karnataka Housing Board Act, 1962 without a housing scheme having been sanctioned under Section 24(2). Petitioners argued that such acquisition was void for lack of a sanctioned scheme, relying on earlier decisions in Moh…

The mother, Akella Lalitha, gave birth to a child with her first husband Konda Balaji, who died shortly after. She later remarried Akella Ravi Narasimha Sarma, and the child's grandparents sought guardianship and visitation, later prompting the High Court to order a restoration of the child's original surname and to re…

On the night of 2-3 November 2015, the deceased Vilas Gawande was attacked by four accused; two of them wielded an axe while the other two, Sanjay Puran Bagde and Rajratna (Nandu) Bagde, held the victim. The victim’s wife, an eyewitness, testified that all four were present and that the accused had a pre‑meditated plan…

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (East‑I) challenged two notices issued by the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) under Section 299 of the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, seeking possession of land that formed part of the regular street line. The appellant argued that the notices were invalid because no prior san…

Mukesh Kumar Meena, an ST employee, appeared for the departmental exam for Income Tax Inspector and passed in his reserved category with 43% in the "Other Taxes" paper, exceeding the 40% threshold for ST candidates. He sought two grace marks to reach the 45% required for the general category, aiming for promotion. The …

BSNL conducted a recruitment exam for Telecom Technical Assistants. Two OBC candidates (Alok Kumar Yadav and Dinesh Kumar) scored higher than the last selected general‑category candidate. The question was whether such OBC candidates must be adjusted to the general‑category pool and not counted against the OBC quota, wi…

The Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax issued a notice under Section 147 to reopen the assessment of M/s M.R. Shah Logistics for AY 2010-11 based on material seized during a search of an accommodation‑entry provider and on the alleged unaccounted income of promoters. The assessee argued that the reopening was premised o…

The petitioners, who had been employed on contractual or daily‑wage terms for 15 to 30 years at Jai Narayan Vyas University, filed writ petitions seeking regularisation and parity with similarly situated permanent staff. The Rajasthan High Court ordered their regularisation with all consequential benefits, a decision t…

Saranpal Kaur Anand filed a suit in 2012 seeking a declaration that a 1969 sale deed and a 1995 deed were void, and an injunction against the defendants. The defendants moved to reject the plaint on the ground of limitation under Order VII Rule 11(d). The Delhi High Court Single Judge framed a preliminary issue under O…

Vishal Ashwin Patel and others challenged the reopening of their income‑tax assessment under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 by filing writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution. The Bombay High Court dismissed the writ petitions in a terse order stating it was not inclined to entertain them, without …

The appellant, Rajbir, entered into a sale agreement which later resulted in a suit for specific performance. The trial court decreed that the respondents, Suraj Bhan and others, must execute a sale deed in favour of the appellant and deposit the balance consideration. The respondents filed an execution petition and su…

The appellant filed a written complaint on 10 July 2012 alleging that the respondents had failed to return silver entrusted to them, with the alleged offence dated 4 October 2009. An FIR was registered and a charge‑sheet filed, after which the Judicial Magistrate took cognizance on 4 December 2012. The respondents cont…

The petitioner entered into a sale deed with NOIDA in 2001 that promised a 10% plot allocation. After ten years he made a representation to NOIDA, and eleven years after the deed filed a writ petition under Article 226 seeking specific performance. The High Court entertained the petition, directed NOIDA to decide the r…

Chandra Sekhar Jha was intercepted in 2013 while smuggling gold and was penalised Rs 75 lakhs. He appealed the penalty before the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal in 2017, but the Tribunal dismissed the appeal because he had not made the pre‑deposit required under Section 129E of the Customs Act. The …

The Municipal Council of Gondia issued a work order to Divi Works & Suppliers for school furniture, but suspended and later cancelled it due to the COVID‑19 pandemic and a government circular restricting non‑priority expenditure. The original petitioner claimed it had already manufactured the customized goods and sough…

In a miscellaneous application (No. 1769 of 2021) filed in Civil Appeal No. 4846 of 2021, the petitioner sought correction of a typographical error in the cause title of the judgment dated 17‑08‑2021. The judgment incorrectly read the respondent's name as "Kerala Public Service Commission Commission & Ors." The Supreme…

The Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman, a registered public trust in Mhow, applied to the Registrar of Public Trusts for prior sanction under Section 14 of the Madhya Pradesh Public Trusts Act, 1951, to sell five immovable properties in order to augment its income. The Registrar rejected the application, citing potential prejud…

The petitioners, twelve BJP MLAs, were suspended for one year by a resolution of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly after a heated monsoon session. They challenged the resolution under Articles 14, 21 and 190(4) of the Constitution, arguing that the suspension exceeded the period allowed by Rule 53 of the Assembly Ru…

The plaintiff, Amar Nath, executed a special power of attorney (PoA) on 28‑01‑1987 in favour of the second defendant to sell his land for Rs.55,000. When the first defendant could not pay, the second defendant allegedly returned the PoA on 02‑02‑1987 and the plaintiff claimed it was cancelled, yet no formal notice or r…

The Supreme Court examined the legal framework governing reservation in promotions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under Articles 16(4‑A) and 16(4‑B) of the Constitution. It clarified that the State must collect quantifiable, cadre‑wise data to demonstrate backwardness and inadequate representation, but no fi…

The petitioners, former Assistant Enforcement Officers, claimed that on their third financial upgradation under the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) Scheme they were entitled to a grade pay of Rs.6600, the grade pay of the next promotional post. The High Court allowed this claim, interpreting the scheme to fo…

The appellants, owners of a 10,000 sq ft plot in Kaithal, sued the respondents for possession after a lease to Burmah Shell (later transferred to Bharat Petroleum) expired in 1998. The lease had a renewal clause exercised once, and the Central Government, under the Burmah Shell (Acquisition of Undertakings) Act, 1976, …

Centrum Financial Services Ltd., a non‑banking financial company, filed a criminal appeal against the Delhi High Court’s order granting bail to Jayant Kumar Jain (Respondent No.2) in a case involving alleged siphoning of Rs 25 crore through shell companies and offences under IPC sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120…

The appellant, Deepak Dongre, was ordered to leave District Jalna for two years under Section 56(1)(a)(b) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, based on five offences (three dated 2013‑2018 and two from 2020) and confidential witness statements. He challenged the externment order through a statutory appeal and a writ pe…

Messer Griesheim GmbH (now Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH) obtained a money decree of the English High Court, a superior court of a reciprocating territory, for US $5.8 million. The decree, exceeding Rs 20 lakhs, was filed for execution before the Delhi High Court. The Division Bench held that only a District Court could…

The plaintiff, a doctor, rented part of the defendant's house and later entered into an agreement to purchase that portion for Rs 50,000, paying Rs 24,000 and Rs 6,000 and taking possession. The plaintiff sued for specific performance, admitting in the plaint that the suit property was jointly owned by the defendant, h…

The plaintiff paid an advance for a property sale that was conditioned on the seller obtaining permission under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 within 75 days, with a right to a refund if the permission was not obtained within 90 days. The seller failed to obtain the permission and cancelled the agree…

The appellants leased a property in Calcutta for 20 years from 1973 to 1993 and erected pucca structures on it. After the lease expired, they applied to the Thika Tenancy Controller claiming status as thika tenants under the Calcutta Thika Tenancy Act, 1949, the 1981 Act and the 2001 Act, seeking land vesting in the St…

The borrower, M/s R.D. Jain & Co., challenged the Bombay High Court’s interpretation that the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) and District Magistrate (DM) under Section 14 of the SARFAESI Act are not persona designata and that the terms include their additional counterparts. The secured creditor, Capital First Ltd.…

The victim Ramesh, who had political enmity with three accused (Mohan, Prahlad and Jagdish), was shot and died in June 1991. The trial court acquitted all three, finding the prosecution evidence insufficient. The High Court reversed the acquittal of Mohan and Prahlad, relying on the sole testimony of an eye‑witness (PW…

The petitioners, a Kerala distributors association, challenged the constitutional validity of amendments to the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1976 (ss.4(7) and 4(8)), Section 15 of the same Act, and Section 8A of the Kerala Motor Transport Workers’ Welfare Fund Act, 1985, arguing that these provisions made the pa…

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of most provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), including the definition of money-laundering, attachment of property, search and seizure, arrest, bail conditions, and burden of proof. The Court interpreted Section 3 to have a wider reach, c…

The petitioners, a group of Munsiffs appointed in 2003 by direct recruitment, challenged the High Court's order fixing their inter‑se seniority on the basis of roster points under the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation Rules, 2005. They argued that seniority should be determined by the merit order prepared by the State Public…

The case involved the disappearance and subsequent discovery of the decomposed bodies of a young couple, Kumari Brinda and Kanhaiya, who were found hanging from a tree. The prosecution alleged that Chandrapal, the appellant, conspired with others to murder the couple and later staged the deaths as suicides, relying on …

The case concerned claims by thousands of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) workers who had been employed as temporary, badli or part‑time staff between 20 May 1985 and 4 March 1991, seeking regularisation (absorption) under the Srivastav Award and earlier Tulpule and Jamdar Awards. The Supreme Court examined w…

NDMC entered into a purchase order with Minosha India Ltd, terminated it for alleged non‑performance and the latter invoked the arbitration clause on 7 June 2016. Before the arbitration could commence, the corporate debtor was admitted to corporate insolvency resolution on 14 May 2018, a moratorium was imposed under Se…

The petitioner was arrested after a joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard and DRI seized over 236 kg of heroin from a Pakistani vessel near Jakhau Port, Gujarat. The prosecution alleged that the petitioner, aboard an Indian fishing boat, responded to a VHF call intended for the drug handover, indicating his role as…

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC) entered into a contract with Discovery Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. (DEPL), a member of the DP Jindal Group, which contained an arbitration clause. ONGC sought to bind Jindal Drilling and Industries Ltd. (JDIL), a non‑signatory affiliate, invoking the group‑of‑companies doctrine, an…

The appellant‑plaintiff, K. Arumuga Velaiyah, claimed a one‑fourth share in ancestral joint family property based on a 1994 will of his grandfather, Periyaiya Servai, and sought partition and separate possession. The lower courts dismissed the suit, holding that a partition had already been effected in 1964 by a pancha…

The retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) of Madhya Pradesh, who retired in 2001, sought a higher pension by invoking the Indian Forests Service (Pay) Second Amendment Rules, 2008 which created an apex scale of Rs.80,000 for the upgraded post of Head of Forest Force. The Central Administrative Tribunal …

The appellants, Satish Chandra Yadav and Pushpendra Kumar Yadav, were dismissed from the CRPF while on probation after it was discovered that they had answered "No" to questions about pending criminal cases in the verification Form-25, despite an FIR and subsequent criminal proceedings against them. The Supreme Court h…

The petitioners, legal heirs of the deceased Balkrishna Rama Tarle, claimed tenancy rights over part of a mortgaged property and challenged the District Magistrate's refusal to assist the secured creditor, Phoenix Arc Private Limited, in taking possession under Section 14 of the SARFAESI Act. The magistrate had conditi…

The appellants, teachers appointed in a grant‑in‑aid school in Rajasthan, were regularised by the Supreme Court but were denied leave‑encashment and gratuity benefits. The High Court held that payment of salary arrears sufficed, ignoring the entitlement to leave encashment and gratuity. On appeal, the Court examined wh…

K. Madan Mohan Rao filed an election petition (No.34/2019) in the Telangana High Court and moved an application under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC seeking exemption from filing the impugned order. After a prolonged hearing, the High Court pronounced an order on 15 June 2022 allowing the application and rejecting the el…

The appellants challenged the compensation awarded by the Punjab and Haryana High Court for land acquired by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority. The High Court had fixed Rs 7,80,000 per acre (or Rs 19,85,700 per acre in one case) relying on its earlier decisions in Kapoor Singh and Surjit Singh. Those earlie…

The liquidator of ABG Shipyard sought release of goods stored in customs bonded warehouses without payment of customs duty, invoking the moratorium under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) issued demand notices and sought to sell the goods under the Customs …

The corporate debtor, ABG Shipyard Ltd., was placed under liquidation after a failed resolution process. The liquidator conducted five e-auctions without success and then adopted a Swiss Challenge Process, naming R.K. Industries as the anchor bidder. Before the process could conclude, the liquidator, with the approval …

In 1979, the principal of a college, Iqbal Bahadur Saxena, was allegedly shot by three accused while seated with his physician. The FIR, recorded at the police station, and a later statement made in hospital were treated as two dying declarations. The trial court convicted the accused under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of …

The State of Rajasthan sought to overturn a Rajasthan High Court order directing it to allot a parcel of land, classified as a ‘Johad’, to Ultratech Cement Ltd. for a cement plant. The High Court had relied on two spot‑inspection reports of the Tehsildar, which found no natural water body or catch‑ment on the land, and…

The petitioners challenged pre‑election promises of free goods (“freebies”) made by political parties, arguing that such promises strain state finances and violate the spirit of free and fair elections. They sought judicial intervention, contending that the promises amount to corrupt practices under Section 123 of the …

The petitioners challenged the lifting of the ceiling limit on iron‑ore production in the Karnataka districts of Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga, arguing that removal could lead to unregulated mining and violate inter‑generational equity. The State, the CEC, the Ministry of Steel and mining lease‑holders sought a compl…

The M.P. Medical Officers Association challenged the State of Madhya Pradesh's order withdrawing a 2009 circular that had granted higher pay‑scales to specialists and dental specialists, and the subsequent recovery of excess amounts paid under that circular. The High Court Division Bench upheld the withdrawal of the ci…

The appellant Ghulam Hassan Beigh alleged that seven accused formed an unlawful assembly, assaulted him and his family, and caused the death of his wife, whose post‑mortem reported cardio‑respiratory failure. The trial court, after reviewing the medical report and limited oral evidence, discharged the accused of murder…

The petitioners, a consortium of Haj Group Organizers (HGOs) and private tour operators, challenged the levy of service tax/GST on the packages they provide to Indian Haj pilgrims, arguing that the place of supply is outside India and that the Mega Exemption Notification should exempt their services. The Court examined…

The Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued orders on 31 October 2018 and 27 October 2020 authorising the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to investigate several Sahara group companies under sections 212 and 219 of the Companies Act, 2013. The Delhi High Court, hearing writ petitions under Article 226, stay…

MBL & Co Ltd was found by SEBI’s Whole Time Member (WTM) to have engaged in manipulative self‑trades, placing single‑share buy orders after large sell orders to artificially raise the price of Gujarat NRE Coke Ltd. The WTM barred MBL from trading in its proprietary account for four years under Sections 11, 11(4), 11B a…

The appellant, Shraddha Gupta, was added as an accused in a murder case after call recordings linked her to the crime. A gang chart was prepared and she was charged under Sections 2 and 3 of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti‑Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986. She filed a writ petition under Section 482 of the…

The appellant, a Cooperative Development Officer appointed under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category in undivided Bihar, was transferred to the successor State of Jharkhand after the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000. He applied for promotion to Deputy Collector through a limited departmental examination that required a cas…

The Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Ltd. acquired a defaulted loan from Oriental Bank of Commerce through an assignment agreement that was registered as a single instrument. The deed contained a Schedule 3 draft of a Power of Attorney (PoA) authorising the assignee to sell immovable property, leading the revenue a…

The dispute concerned the inheritance of property belonging to the late P.S. Dahrawka and his wife Kaithuami under Mizo Customary Law. The appellant, Thansangi Huha, a divorced daughter who returned to care for her aged mother, claimed a share, while the respondents, including the widow Ralliani and the granddaughter L…

The appellant, Rathish Babu Unnikrishnan, challenged a summoning order issued under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act on the ground that the cheques were security instruments for a share buy‑back and not payable on a legally enforceable debt. The Delhi High Court dismissed his petition under Section 482 of …

The appellants, a group of farmers, allowed the Sulthan Bathery Panchayat (later a municipality) to use a portion of their agricultural land for a bypass road on the promise of compensation, which was never paid. No formal acquisition, transfer, or documented voluntary surrender was produced by the Panchayat or the Pub…

The Supreme Court examined whether determining the conditions of service of officers and employees of the Uttar Pradesh Avas Evam Vikas Parishad (the Board) is a statutory function of the Board under the 1965 Act. It held that the power to fix service conditions vests in the Board and can be exercised only by regulatio…

The appellants surrendered a 66,372.82 sq. m. parcel of land in Pune to the Municipal Corporation under a scheme that promised Transferable Development Rights (TDR) at 100% Floor Space Index (FSI) as compensation for the land reserved for a park. The State, invoking the land's classification as a "Hill Top/Hill Slope" …

The appellant, a head cashier of a bank branch, was convicted under Sections 201, 380, 435, 457 and 477 read with Section 120B of the IPC for a theft of Rs. six lakh from the bank's safe, based solely on his custody of one set of keys in a dual‑lock system. The trial and High Courts inferred a conspiracy between the ap…

The appellants, who qualified the 6th Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Examination 2016 and were appointed after completing probation, challenged the cancellation of their appointments by the High Court, which had held that Paper‑I marks should be excluded from the merit list and that qualifying marks must be met in e…

The appellants, heirs of the late Ratilal S. Pujara, owned Flat No. 9 in a 55‑year‑old building that was classified as C‑1 (dangerous) after a structural audit mandated by Section 353B of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888. The Municipal Commissioner, relying on this audit, issued a demolition notice under Sect…

The purchaser entered into two sale agreements in 1997, paying 90% of the price but failing to pay the remaining 10% within the three‑month period stipulated as essential. After sending two notices in 2000 and 2002, the purchaser filed a suit for specific performance in 2002, which the trial court dismissed as time‑bar…

The assessee, Khyati Realtors Pvt. Ltd., advanced Rs 10 crore to a builder for the purchase of commercial premises, which later stalled and the amount was written off as a bad debt in 2009. The assessee claimed a deduction under Section 36(1)(vii) of the Income Tax Act, arguing that the advance was either a business de…

The Union of India sought to fill 11,952 constable posts in the Railway Protection Force through a written test, requiring candidates to submit application forms in the language they intended to use for the answer sheet. Mahendra Singh filled his application in English but wrote the paragraph on the OMR sheet in Hindi,…

The second respondent filed an application under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking anticipatory bail for alleged offences under IPC sections 406, 420, 467 and 468. The Patna High Court granted the bail but, in the same order, directed the cancellation of the licence of Kanchan Kumari, the appellant,…

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd., a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd., entered into a contract with IVRCL AMR Joint Venture for road works. The contract contained Clause 15 titled “Settlement of Disputes/Arbitration”, which the respondent invoked to issue a notice of arbitration and later sought appointment of an arbitrator under …

Sharda Associates insured a JCB excavator with United India Insurance for Rs 13.50 lakhs. While the excavator was being used for road construction, a section of the road collapsed, causing the machine to fall into a ditch, killing two workers and resulting in total loss of the excavator. The insurer denied the claim, i…

Harish Marine Products (the appellant) purchased a Single Buyer Exposure Policy from Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) covering the risk of a foreign buyer’s non‑payment for goods exported between 14‑12‑2012 and 13‑12‑2013. The goods were loaded onto the vessel on 13‑12‑2012 (as per the Bill of Lading) and the…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 in 2003, followed by a declaration in 2004 and an award in 2005 for land needed for a road project. The respondents obtained interim stay orders that prevented DDA from taking possession, and later filed a writ petition und…

The petitioners, Anganwadi workers and helpers employed under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme in Gujarat, sought gratuity benefits under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. The Gujarat High Court’s Division Bench held that they were not employees and thus ineligible for gratuity, overturning an e…

The appellants, Pahwa Plastics Pvt. Ltd. and related firms, are MSME manufacturers of formaldehyde that obtained Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board but did not secure prior environmental clearance (EC) as required by the 2006 EIA Notification. The Haryana governme…

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) restrained Mega Corporation Ltd, a listed radio‑taxi company, from accessing the capital market after observing an unusual surge in its share price and alleged profit manipulation. SEBI issued a show‑cause notice alleging violations of the SEBI (Prohibition of Fraudulen…

The State of Uttar Pradesh sought recovery of license fee and interest from Prem Chopra for a retail liquor shop licence for FY 2002-03. Prem Chopra surrendered the licence, was asked to pay the balance, and filed a writ petition which resulted in an interim stay of the recovery proceedings subject to a partial deposit…

The NKGSB Cooperative Bank, a secured creditor, sought possession of a mortgaged flat after the borrowers defaulted on a loan, invoking Section 14 of the SARFAESI Act. The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) appointed an advocate commissioner to take possession of the asset, a move upheld by several High Courts but str…

The claimant, a 29‑year‑old bank employee, suffered grievous brain injuries in a motor accident on 01‑01‑2013 and has remained in a permanent coma and bedridden. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 94.37 lakh with 9% interest; the High Court enhanced the compensation to Rs 1.24 crore but reduced the interest …

The appellant was charged under the UAPA and related statutes, and the trial court declared five prosecution witnesses as protected under Section 44 of the UAPA and Section 173(6) of the CrPC, sealing their statements. The appellant later sought, under Section 207 of the CrPC, redacted copies of those statements so tha…

Ajay Gupta, leading a consortium, was a resolution applicant in the CIRP of B.B. Foods Pvt. Ltd. He sought to amend his resolution plan to uncap CIRP costs and reduce the plan term from 180 to 90 days, but the resolution professional rejected the amendment. The adjudicating authority (NCLT) allowed the amendment and, t…

On 11 September 2010, Sub‑Inspector K.S. Singh, acting on information, apprehended Dayalu Kashyap who was carrying ganja in a green polythene bag on a wooden kanwad. The officer served a notice under Section 50 of the NDPS Act, offering Kashyap the choice of being searched by a gazetted officer, a magistrate, or the of…

The appellant, a driver in the Indian Army's 12th Battalion, was found to have driven a truck carrying personnel while under the influence of alcohol, resulting in a minor collision with a jeep. A departmental enquiry proved the misconduct and the disciplinary authority dismissed him, a decision affirmed by the appella…

The Intercontinental Hotels Group (India) and its associate entered into a Hotel Management Agreement (HMA) with Waterline Hotels, which required the latter to pay incentive fees for renovations. Waterline Hotels failed to pay and later terminated the HMA, prompting the petitioners to invoke the arbitration clause and …

The Railway Board introduced the Safety Related Retirement Scheme (2004) and later the Liberalised Active Retirement Scheme for Guaranteed Employment for Safety Staff (LARSGESS) to allow voluntary retirement of safety staff and appointment of their wards. The scheme was challenged as violative of Articles 14 and 16 and…

The complainant, Manno Lal Jaiswal, filed an FIR alleging that his son was murdered by a group of accused who were named in the FIR and whose statements were recorded on the same day. The Sessions Court rejected the accused's bail applications, but the Allahabad High Court granted bail, erroneously stating that the acc…

The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking that pregnant women and lactating mothers be classified as a high‑risk category for COVID‑19 vaccination and that specific measures such as priority slots, a dedicated registry, and modifications to the Co‑WIN portal be i…

The Supreme Court examined whether a High Court, exercising revisional jurisdiction under Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, can set aside an acquittal and convert it into a conviction. It held that Section 401(3) expressly bars such conversion; the High Court may only remit the case for retrial or rehearin…

The appellants, buyers of apartments from DLF Universal Ltd., entered into an Apartment Buyer Agreement in 1993 promising possession within 2½‑3 years. Possession was delayed and the builder imposed extra charges, leading the buyers to allege unfair trade practice under the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (M…

The State of Punjab, under its 2006 Act, regulates reservations in private health‑science institutions. While its 2018 Sports Policy prescribed a 3% reservation for sports persons, the Government issued an order on 25‑07‑2019 fixing only 1% reservation. The Punjab High Court, via writ of mandamus, directed the State to…

The Department of Land and Building initiated land acquisition proceedings in 1986 under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, with the award declared on 14 September 1986 and possession taken on 22 September 1986. Compensation to the co‑owners was never paid because of an inter‑se dispute among them. The Delhi High Court he…

The Government of NCT of Delhi appealed a Delhi High Court order that declared a land acquisition lapsed under Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 because compensation had not been paid, despite the High Court finding that posse…

The Zila Parishad, Thane appointed Santosh Tiware as a driver on a temporary contractual basis in 2010 pending a tender for driver services. Because the tender was delayed, he continued on contract for about nine years. When the tender was finally awarded to a private agency in July 2021, his services were terminated. …

The Supreme Court considered appeals by Parivar Seva Sanstha and Bai Gulab Hargovandas Trust seeking exemption from municipal property tax on the ground that their hospitals and clinics are run by charitable trusts. The issue was whether clause (b) of Section 132 of the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, wh…

The partnership firm M/s. Mansukh Dyeing and Printing Mills revalued its assets on 1 January 1993, increasing their value by Rs 17.34 crore, and credited the surplus to the partners’ capital accounts in their profit‑sharing ratios. New partners who had contributed only small amounts of capital received large credits, s…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by three college officials charged under Section 306 of the IPC for alleged abetment of suicide after a student, Gaurav Wahi, was suspended and asked to deposit a security amount as part of disciplinary action. The student subsequently committed suicide, sending an SMS to his brothe…

The State of Madhya Pradesh sought to acquire 38.178 hectares of land in Village Sala for rehabilitation of persons displaced by the Sardar Sarovar Dam. The Land Acquisition Officer initially awarded compensation based on low market values, which the landowners challenged, leading the Reference Court to re‑determine ma…

Citi Bank, an authorized dealer under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 (FERA), accepted cash in foreign currency into the NRE account of a non‑resident Indian during October 1992‑January 1993. In 2002 the Enforcement Directorate issued a show‑cause notice alleging violations of several FERA provisions, relying…

Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. (UHBVNL) and another distribution licensee appealed against the Appellate Tribunal's order granting Adani Power (Mundra) Ltd. carrying cost with compound interest arising from a Change in Law event that required installation of a Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) unit. The appellants …

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) acquired land from private owners and an arbitrator awarded enhanced compensation, which NHAI challenged under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The land owners, instead of filing an execution proceeding, approached the High Court under Article 226…

The State of Tripura framed the Tripura State Civil Services (Revised Pension) Rules, 2009, wherein Rule 3(3) provided that revised pension would be computed notionally from 1 January 2006 but the actual financial benefit would be payable only from 1 January 2009. A group of pensioners, led by Smt. Anjana Bhattacharjee…

The appellant, an Executive Engineer of the Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB), was accused of financial irregularities and fraud in connection with the implementation of an arbitration award favoring Ramjee Power Construction Limited (RPCL). The prosecution alleged that he prepared an agenda for appointing an ar…

The appellant, Rajbir Singh, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly poisoning his neighbour's wife by mixing organophosphorus into milk he supplied. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including a loan motive, alleged pronote, and chemical reports indicating poison in milk and viscera. The Sup…

The appellant, a homebuyer, paid Rs.21.18 lakh to the respondent for the construction of a flat, which remained incomplete beyond the presumed two‑year period. The Madhya Pradesh State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission ordered the respondent to refund the entire amount with 9% simple interest and a modest litigatio…

M/s Jyoti Ltd, a manufacturer of mechanical and electrical goods, performed installation, erection, commissioning and related civil works at customers' sites in addition to selling goods. The Revenue claimed that these activities amounted to "consulting engineer" services and demanded service tax for the period July 19…

The private unaided minority school St. Mary's Education Society terminated the services of its non‑teaching employee, Rajendra Prasad Bhargava, after a disciplinary enquiry. Bhargava filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking to set aside the termination and the disciplinary committee's order.…

The State of Maharashtra alleged that the appellants were members of an organized crime syndicate operating the illegal "Mumbai Matka" gambling network. Police raided a gambling den, recorded confessions of several accused, including the appellants, by an Additional Superintendent of Police (Addl. SP) under Section 18 …

Manoj Pratap Singh was convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering a seven-and-a-half-year-old mentally and physically disabled girl. The prosecution proved its case through a complete chain of circumstantial evidence, including DNA matches, blood‑stained clothing, the victim’s body recovered at the appellant’s direc…

The case arises from the 2002 Gujarat riots following the Godhra train burning incident, in which the appellant's husband was killed in the Gulberg Society massacre. The appellant filed a complaint alleging a larger criminal conspiracy at the highest level of the state government, including the then Chief Minister, to …

The second respondent was charged with kidnapping and murdering a 13‑year‑old child for ransom, with the trial ongoing since 2014. The Delhi High Court granted him bail, a decision challenged by the parents of the deceased and the State. The Supreme Court examined whether bail under Section 439 of the CrPC was appropri…

The parties entered into a development agreement for a property in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, which contained an arbitration clause stating that the arbitrators' sittings would be in Kolkata. After a dispute arose, the respondent filed an arbitration petition under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 i…

Vaishno Enterprises, a consultancy firm, entered into two consulting agreements with Hamilton Medical AG, a Swiss ventilator manufacturer, the second on 24‑08‑2020. Vaishno registered as an MSME on 28‑08‑2020, after the contract was executed. When a payment dispute arose, Vaishno approached the Micro and Small Medium E…

The respondents were initially appointed on a fixed‑term contractual basis for eleven months as drivers in a temporary "Post‑Earthquake Redevelopment Programme" project. When the project closed, the Gujarat Government placed them with the Indian Red Cross Society, which they rejected and filed a writ petition for regul…

The appellant, Dinesh Chandra Shukla, had been engaged as a guest lecturer teaching Karm Kand in the Department of Sanskrit of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth University. When the University advertised a permanent Lecturer post in Karm Kand, the Selection Committee recommended him, but the Executive Council objected on…

The Union of India filed an interlocutory application seeking modification of the Supreme Court's earlier orders on ex‑gratia compensation for families of COVID‑19 victims, arguing that the absence of an outer time limit could lead to endless and fraudulent claims. Over 7,38,610 claims had been received, raising concer…

Jagdish Harijan, an Indian Railways employee, died leaving a son, Mukesh Kumar, born of his second wife. The Railway Board circular barred children of a second wife from receiving compassionate appointments, leading to the denial of Mukesh's application. The appellant challenged this denial, arguing it violated constit…

The Central Excise Commissioner ordered the confiscation of land, building, plant and machinery of Rathi Ispat Ltd. (RIL) under Rule 173Q(2) of the Central Excise Rules, 1944 in 2007, even though that rule had been omitted from the statute by a 2000 notification. RIL had earlier mortgaged the same assets to Punjab Nati…

The State of Odisha blacklisted M/s Panda Infraproject Ltd. after a high‑level inquiry found the contractor responsible for the collapse of a ten‑metre flyover slab that killed one person and injured eleven. The contractor was served a detailed show‑cause notice, replied, and was subsequently debarred under the Orissa …

Ajaya Kumar Das, a labourer, suffered an accident in 2000 that left him 85% permanently disabled. The Workmen's Compensation Commissioner awarded him Rs 2,78,926 with 12% interest from the date of the accident. The insurer appealed to the Orissa High Court more than 600 days after the award, and the High Court dismisse…