Judgments of 2022

Vidarbha Industries Power Ltd., a power generating company, sought a stay of the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) initiated by its financial creditor, Axis Bank Ltd., arguing that pending regulatory disputes and a favourable APTEL award of Rs.1,730 crore rendered the admission of the petition inappropriat…

The case arose from a complaint that the General Manager of Punjab Roadways, in collusion with conductors, was selling and using illegally printed tickets, causing massive loss to the depot. An enquiry was conducted, tickets were seized, and an FIR was filed; fifteen persons were charged, of whom three conductors (Jarn…

The State of Uttar Pradesh sued Farooqi Begum for declaration, possession and mesne profits of a 20‑bigha land that was claimed to be a government grove. The land had been granted rent‑free to Begum in 1924 by the Nawab of Rampur, but the successor allegedly resumed the grant in 1930 and the State took possession. Begu…

The appellant, Sadhna Chaudhary, alleged that a police officer (respondent No.2) drugged and sexually exploited her, threatened to release obscene videos, and continued to harass her for two years, culminating in a violent assault in June 2020 for which she lodged an FIR under Sections 376, 323, 341, 354 and 379 IPC. T…

The appeal concerned a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement where the plaintiff had paid a small advance and was required to pay the balance by a stipulated date. The Supreme Court held that under Section 16(c) of the Specific Relief Act, 1963 the plaintiff must prove continuous readiness and willingness, …

The State of Uttar Pradesh sought to impose Rs 10 crore in damages on Anand Engineering College for discharging effluent into the National Chambal Sanctuary, invoking Section 33 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The Forest Department had issued multiple notices since 2003, but the college continued the discharge…

The case involves three appellants who, along with seven others, stopped a vehicle carrying the deceased and his friends, leading to a verbal altercation and subsequent assault with sticks and a brick that caused the deceased's death. The trial court convicted all six remaining accused under sections 302 and 304 IPC, a…

The appellant, a 55‑year‑old woman, was allotted a residential plot under Uttar Pradesh's Middle‑Income Group Scheme at a cost of Rs.2,70,000. She paid the upfront amount and the first three instalments but defaulted on the next four due to her husband's ill‑health. She later paid the outstanding instalments with inter…

The Supreme Court entertained a contempt petition filed by Urban Infrastructure Real Estate Fund against Dharmesh S. Jain and another for wilful disobedience of a Supreme Court order dated 28 October 2021 and a Bombay High Court order dated 8 August 2019. Despite repeated opportunities to comply with the orders or to s…

The Supreme Court examined whether a captive generation plant owned by Shri Bajrang Power and Ispat Ltd (SBPIL) could supply electricity to its sister concern Shri Bajrang Metallics and Power Ltd (SBMPL) through the transmission system of Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Ltd (CSPDCL). The Court held that t…

Seema Sharma was appointed as Librarian‑cum‑Museum Assistant in a Government Ayurvedic College in Madhya Pradesh under the Ayush Department in 1991 on the pay scale of Rs.950‑... After eight years of service she claimed the senior University Grants Commission (UGC) pay scale applicable to librarians under the Madhya Pr…

The appellant, a widow, alleged that after her husband's death she was harassed by her in‑laws and denied her stridhana, prompting her to file an application under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 seeking protection, residence and compensation orders. The trial magistrate granted p…

The appeal concerned PTC India Financial Services Ltd (PIFSL) who, after a corporate debtor defaulted, invoked a pledge over 31,80,678 dematerialised shares of NEVPL under a pledge deed and sought to enforce its rights under the Contract Act, 1872. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal had held that the pledge cr…

The Dental Council of India (DCI) amended Regulation 6(2)(h) of its 2006 Regulations, mandating that new dental colleges be attached to a recognised medical college within a specified distance. Biyani Shikshan Samiti (respondent) challenged the amendment, alleging that the Council exceeded its statutory authority, and …

The appellant, a tenant, sought possession of a shop owned by the respondent. A civil suit for possession was filed in 2013, before the Rajasthan Rent Control Act, 2001 (the Act) applied to the area. During the suit, the State Government notified that the Act would become effective on 11 May 2015, and the civil court p…

A fire broke out on 10 April 2006 at the India Brand Consumer Show in Meerut, killing 65 people and injuring 161. The victims filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking compensation from the event organizers (Mrinal Events and Expositions) and the State of Uttar Pradesh, alleging negligence and violation of the rig…

The appellant, a colour‑blind candidate, was denied admission to the Diploma in Film Editing at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) on the ground of his visual deficiency. The Supreme Court, recalling its earlier order that the appellant must undergo the selection process de novo, constituted an expert co…

Wipro Finance Ltd. borrowed a foreign‑currency loan to finance its leasing and hire‑purchase business and incurred a loss due to exchange‑rate fluctuations while repaying the loan. The company claimed a deduction for this loss under section 37 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and also sought to treat a sum previously capit…

The appellant, a software developer, was employed by Shree Infosoft Private Limited under a contract that included a clause on overseas deputation, obligating repayment of costs if she failed to serve a specified period after such deputation. She was sent to the United States for a business meeting in August‑September …

The borrowers Vishwa Bharati Vidya Mandir and St. Ann’s Education Society obtained large loans from Saraswat Co‑operative Bank, which were classified as NPA in 2013. The bank issued a notice under Section 13(2) of the SARFAESI Act and later assigned the NPA account to Phoenix ARC Private Ltd. After the borrowers failed…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition filed by Lawyers Voice, an NGO, seeking judicial intervention after the Prime Minister's convoy was stalled for about 20 minutes on a flyover in Firozpur on 5 January 2022, alleging a serious breach of security. The Court heard counsel for the petitioner, the Solicitor Gene…

The appellant, owner of land in the Mount Abu Eco‑sensitive Zone (ESZ), challenged the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order directing the State of Rajasthan to modify its Zonal Master Plan 2030 (ZMP 2030) to prohibit construction on his parcel. The NGT had relied on an Expert Committee report that deemed the land unsu…

The appellant, a 55‑year‑old mother‑in‑law, was granted regular bail by the First Additional Sessions Judge in a dowry‑related murder case, despite earlier allegations that she was absconding. The High Court, exercising suo motu powers under Section 439(2) of the CrPC, cancelled that bail, contending that the trial cou…

The petitioners, promoted to Assistant Consolidation Officers (ACOs) in 1997, claimed seniority over direct recruits appointed in the same recruitment year, invoking Rule 8(3) of the Uttar Pradesh Government Servants Seniority Rules, 1991. The State and direct recruits argued that seniority should be based on the vacan…

The appellants were convicted for rioting, destruction of public property and related offences based largely on the testimony of eyewitnesses identified through two Test Identification Parades (TIPs). The witnesses had earlier seen the accused while they were in police custody, and the TIPs were conducted after a signi…

Istkar, a daily‑wage worker, was required to furnish a personal bond of Rs 5,00,000 under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to keep the peace during Panchayat elections. After alleged obstruction of officials and illegal construction, the Sub‑Divisional Magistrate forfeited the bond ex parte, directi…

After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, a One‑Man Committee headed by Justice D.M. Dharmadhikari prepared a final report allocating 655 power‑utility employees from each state and the Supreme Court approved it on 7 December 2020. Eighty‑four former Andhra Pradesh power‑utility employees were relieved by their employer…

The Supreme Court examined whether the West Bengal government could re‑appoint the Vice‑Chancellor of Calcutta University under the Calcutta University Act, 1979. The High Court had set aside the State’s re‑appointment order, holding that only the Chancellor could appoint or re‑appoint the VC and that Section 60 could …

The appellants, directors of Cachet Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd., were charged under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 for manufacturing a sub‑standard drug (Hemfer syrup) and were summoned as accused under sections 16, 18 and 34. They challenged the summons, a criminal revision and a writ petition, arguing that mere dire…

M/S. M.S.P.L. Limited and its wholly‑owned subsidiary sought to set up an iron‑ore palletisation plant and an integrated steel plant in Karnataka. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board, under the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Act, 1966, acquired 1,034 acres of land after obtaining approvals from the…

The appellant alleged that the respondent had borrowed Rs.20 lakh and issued a cheque for the full amount, which was later dishonoured for insufficient funds. The respondent had, however, made part‑payments of Rs.4,09,315 before the cheque was presented for encashment, reducing the outstanding debt at the time of matur…

The dispute concerned the seniority of four appellants (SMT. Imlikokla Longchar & Ors.) and respondent K in the cadre of Senior Lecturer under the Nagaland State Council on Educational Training Service Rules, 2003. K claimed that the appellants, who were promoted on an officiating basis before her regularisation, shoul…

Vijay Rajmohan, a Central Secretariat Service officer, was alleged to have amassed disproportionate assets and was investigated by the CBI, which sought sanction for prosecution under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). The DoPT consulted the Central Vigi…

Ram Niwas was convicted by the Sessions Court and the High Court for the murder of Dalip Singh under Sections 302 and 201 IPC, based primarily on an alleged extra‑judicial confession to two witnesses and the recovery of ash from his memorandum. The defence argued that the dead body could not be positively identified, t…

The Union of India appealed against a High Court award that compensated the entire land owned by Sagar Maize Products Ltd. at Rs.19 per square foot for land acquired for a railway line, while the company sought enhancement to Rs.40 per square foot. The Supreme Court examined the methodology used by the Reference Court …

The case concerns a dispute over the shebait (hereditary managerial) rights of the Chitai Golu Devta Temple in Almora. Respondent No.1 filed a public interest litigation seeking a court‑ordered trust or society to manage the temple. The Uttarakhand High Court disposed of the PIL without hearing the appellant, Sandhya P…

The Armed Forces Ex Officers Multi Services Cooperative Society (the appellant) terminated the services of 55 driver‑employees, members of the Rastriya Mazdoor Sangh (INTUC), claiming a closure of its transport business after a brief illegal strike in 2007. The employees were offered re‑employment on fresh terms, which…

The appeal concerned a suit for partition of two villages' lands claimed to be ancestral property of a Hindu Undivided Family descended from Balaji. The plaintiff, Geetabai (deceased), alleged that the lands at Pirangut and Lavale were purchased by the HUF, while the defendants contended that the land at Nande was boug…

The appellants, Wyeth Limited and others, challenged an FIR and charge‑sheet that were registered on the basis of a private complaint filed by the second respondent, a former carrying and forwarding agent. The complaint alleged commercial disputes over a warehousing agreement but, on a careful reading, did not disclose…

The appellant, a civil engineer, invested money with the respondents based on a profit‑sharing agreement, but the respondents failed to repay and issued a cheque that later bounced. The appellant filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, and subsequently the respondents sought to quash the …

The appellant, a physically disabled senior teacher appointed in 1993, was posted 550 km from his residence. After a 2000 circular directing that disabled employees be posted near their chosen place, he was transferred to his home district, but his state‑level seniority was later downgraded, affecting his promotion pro…

Vikas Singh, the owner of a residential plot in Delhi, obtained a building plan sanction in July 2013 for a 15‑metre structure including a stilt. After the Delhi Master Plan was amended in September 2013 to allow buildings up to 17.5 metres with stilt parking and to treat such structures as non‑high‑rise, Singh applied…

The Supreme Court addressed a series of applications concerning bail procedures, directing that any non‑compliance with Sections 41 and 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) automatically entitles the accused to bail. It emphasized that courts must verify compliance with these sections before authorising detenti…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by four accused (A‑1, A‑4 to A‑6) who were convicted for conspiring to wage war against the Government of India under IPC s.121A, along with offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908 and the Arms Act, 1959. The prosecution relied on recovered explosives, arms, inflammatory lit…

The appellant claimed that 26 pieces of suit jewellery kept in the temple's Kudavarai were his personal inheritance as the adopted son of Muthuthandapani Chettiar and sought exclusive possession. The respondent temple argued that the jewellery had been donated by the ancestors of Muthuthandapani as a specific endowment…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL) challenging tariff determinations made by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) under the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008. The key disputes involved t…

The plaintiff filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement and, together with defendants 1 and 2, applied under Order XXIII Rule 3 of the CPC for a consent decree, stating that the dispute was settled and the full consideration had been paid. The trial court referred the matter to a Lok Adalat, which, befo…

Abu Salem Abdul Kayyum Ansari, a convicted terrorist, was arrested in Portugal on a fake passport, sentenced there and later extradited to India after the Government of India gave a solemn sovereign assurance that he would not face the death penalty or imprisonment beyond 25 years. The appellant challenged the Indian c…

The deceased was found dead on 30 May 2011 and an FIR was lodged; the father (PW‑1) and brother (PW‑2) of the deceased gave statements that eventually pointed suspicion at the appellant, a friend of the deceased. A firearm and related items were recovered under Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act, but the recovery wa…

The appellants A1 and A3 were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the murder of a man in a liquor‑store queue, based primarily on the testimony of a single eye‑witness (PW3) and the prosecution’s claim of a common intention. Both the trial court and the Delhi High Court relied on an adverse …

The appellants, family members of a homemaker who died in a road accident, claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded compensation based on one‑third of the husband’s income, following Arun Kumar Agrawal’s precedent, while the High Court reduced the award by usin…

The Karnataka government acquired land under the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Act, 1966 (KIAD Act) for industrial development, and the original owners were compensated. After acquisition, Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) was allotted the land by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (…

The Supreme Court heard a suo moto contempt petition against Perry Kansagra, a Kenyan citizen of Indian origin who had obtained custody of his son Aditya through Indian courts based on undertakings to submit to the jurisdiction of Indian courts and to comply with court orders, including obtaining a "mirror order" from …

Mohamed Ali sued for specific performance of a sale agreement. The trial court passed an ex‑parte judgment and decree in 2012. The defendants filed applications to set aside the decree after delays of 1,522 days (defendant 1) and 2,345 days (defendants 2‑4); the trial court refused to condone these delays. The defendan…

The respondent approached HCMI Education to secure admission to an MBBS programme in the Philippines for the 2007-2008 academic year. After admission was obtained, the Philippine Commission on Higher Education abolished the MBBS programme effective 2008-2009 and offered an alternative BS Biology course, which the respo…

The State of West Bengal appealed against the Calcutta High Court’s order granting bail to Rakesh Singh, who was accused under Sections 21(b), 29 and 27A of the NDPS Act for allegedly financing the procurement of cocaine and planting it in a motorcar to frame two occupants. The Supreme Court examined the credibility of…

The Supreme Court heard contempt petitions filed by State Bank of India and other banks against Dr. Vijay Mallya for willfully disobeying High Court of Karnataka orders that restrained him from transferring or alienating assets, including the disbursement of US$40 million to trusts for his children. The Court found Mal…

Asha Rani Gupta, the plaintiff‑lessor, filed an eviction suit against Sri Vineet Kumar, the defendant‑lessee, for non‑payment of rent and damages. The trial court struck off the defendant’s defence under Order XV Rule 5 of the CPC for failing to deposit the admitted rent, a decision affirmed by the revisional court. Th…

HSBC PI Holdings (Mauritius) Ltd. invested USD 60 million in Avitel, a company owned by the respondents. The Supreme Court, affirming a 2014 order, directed the respondents to maintain a USD 60 million balance in a Corporation Bank account. The respondents failed to comply, repeatedly sought exemption, and claimed lack…

Utpal Trehan bought a flat from DLF Home Developers Ltd. under an Apartment Buyers’ Agreement that stipulated possession within 36 months and required payment of maintenance charges to a "maintenance agency". Possession was delayed due to lack of regulatory clearance, and the builder later demanded an additional Rs 9 l…

The Supreme Court examined whether the definition of “consulting engineer” in Section 65(31) of the Finance Act, 1994, before its 2005 amendment, covered a body corporate. The CESTAT had held that it did not, thereby exempting M/s Sepco Electric Power Construction Corp. from service tax. Relying on a 1997 circular and …

M/s D.L. Steels imported two consignments of dried pomegranate seeds (anardana) from Pakistan and classified them under heading 1209.99.90 of the Customs Tariff, attracting 5% duty. The Customs authorities re‑classified the goods under heading 0813.40.90, imposing a 30% duty, leading to differential duty, penalty and i…

The assessee, Wipro Ltd., filed its original return for AY 2001-02 claiming exemption under Section 10B of the Income Tax Act and stating that no loss would be carried forward. Later it submitted a declaration to the Assessing Officer opting out of the Section 10B benefit and filed a revised return claiming carry‑forwa…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) appealed a trial court decree that declared land acquisition notifications void and restrained DDA from dispossessing co‑owners of the land. The High Court dismissed the appeal as abated because several respondents had died and their legal representatives were not brought on record…

The Supreme Court examined two appeals filed by SEBI against Sunil Krishna Khaitan and others and Madhuri S. Pitti, challenging SEBI's show‑cause notices and directions under the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 1997. The Court clarified that the term “acquirer” in Regulation 10 inclu…

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) appealed against a Bombay High Court order that had increased compensation for land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act from Rs.21 per sq. ft. to Rs.174 per sq. ft., relying on the Ready Reckoner rates. BSNL argued that the Ready Reckoner, prepared for stamp‑duty purposes, cannot…

The State of Uttar Pradesh and the original informant appealed against a judgment of the Allahabad High Court that, invoking Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code, quashed the criminal proceedings arising from FIRs (Cr. No. 260/2018 and 227/2019) alleging disappearance of trucks loaded with beer and offences under…

The State of Gujarat appealed a High Court judgment that the product Kadiprol, sold in 100‑gram sachets and mixed with poultry feed, should be classified as "poultry feed" under Entry 25 of Schedule I of the Gujarat Sales Tax Act, 1969, rather than as a "drug and medicine" under Entry 26(1) of Schedule II Part A. The D…

The Union of India moved several transfer petitions under Article 139A of the Constitution seeking to shift more than 140 writ petitions, pending in 18 High Courts, that challenge the constitutional validity of the Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Act, 2015. The petitions argued that the amendments – which raised salary th…

The dispute arose from an auction sale of two immovable properties attached under a recovery certificate issued by IndusInd Bank. The judgment debtor (borrower) filed an application under Rule 60 of the Second Schedule of the Income Tax Act, 1961, depositing the amount specified in the sale proclamation along with pena…

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) entered into an EPC contract with Transstroy (India) Limited, which was later terminated by NHAI for alleged breaches. The contractor invoked the arbitration clause, filing a claim, while NHAI reserved its right to claim damages and filed a counter‑claim under Section 23(2…

The appellant, Hajabhai Rajashibhai Odedara, together with his co‑accused Jagrutiben, conspired to kill members of Jagrutiben’s family to facilitate their marriage. They strangulated Jagrutiben’s mother Simbhiben and brother Mukesh, and attempted to kill another brother Rajdeep, who survived and became the sole eye‑wit…

The respondent, a management trainee at Bhilai Steel Plant, had joined a Scheduled Tribe (ST) reserved post on the basis of a caste certificate that was later cancelled by a high‑level Caste Scrutiny Committee, which found him to belong to the OBC Halba/Koshti community. The employer terminated his service, but the Chh…

The Talli Gram Panchayat challenged an environmental clearance granted to Ultratech Cement Ltd for limestone mining in ecologically sensitive areas, filing applications for recall of a single‑member bench order and for condonation of delay. The Ministry of Environment amended the NGT Rules 2011 to permit single‑member …

The appellant, a branch manager of United Insurance Company, issued a cover note for a vehicle without collecting the premium, relying on the insured's assurance of payment, and later issued a second cover note without cancelling the first, resulting in a loss to the insurer. The disciplinary authority charged him with…

The mother of two children filed a complaint alleging that her son Rahul murdered her daughter Kavita and son Gaurang. The trial court convicted Rahul under Section 302 IPC, sentencing him to life imprisonment. On appeal, the High Court acquitted him, holding that the prosecution failed to establish a complete chain of…

The appellants Amrik Singh and Subhash Chander were convicted of murder and robbery under IPC s.302 r/w s.34 and s.392 based primarily on the eye‑witness PW1’s identification of them in the courtroom and the recovery of Rs.1 lakh each from them. No Test Identification Parade (TIP) had been conducted, and the FIR did no…

The appellant Virendra was convicted for the murder of Main Babu, allegedly committed over a property dispute, along with co-accused Suresh; Baijnath, the third accused, died during trial. The prosecution's case hinged on the testimony of a star eyewitness, PW15, who claimed to have seen Suresh firing the weapon, and o…

The plaintiff filed a suit for declaration and title, and the original defendants 2 and 3 failed to file a written statement despite several extensions, leading the trial court to pass an ex‑parte decree. The defendants applied under Order IX Rule 13 of the CPC to set aside the decree; the trial court dismissed the app…

The State of Nagaland appealed against a High Court order that directed the regularization of a deceased work‑charge employee’s services one day before his death, thereby entitling his widow to a family pension. The employee died in 2005 and never applied for regularization during his lifetime; his widow filed a writ p…

The appellant, a daily-wage Technical Assistant Grade‑II at Cochin University, applied for a regular Technical Assistant post but was placed low in the merit list because the Selection Committee gave him fewer marks for experience, ignoring his prior service as a daily wager. He challenged the Committee's decision, als…

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) challenged arbitral awards that enhanced compensation for land acquired under the National Highways Act, arguing that the arbitrator improperly relied on post‑acquisition guideline values and failed to give sufficient reasons, violating Sections 28(2) and 31(3) of the Arb…

The plaintiff filed a suit for settlement of accounts against the defendant and applied for a Chartered Accountant to be appointed as a panch/commissioner to audit the accounts. The trial court appointed the CA, who submitted a report indicating amounts due, and treated the appointment as an arbitration reference under…

The State of Rajasthan recruited constables and the petitioner, Chetan Jeff, applied claiming no criminal antecedents, while a pending FIR under Sections 143, 341 and 336 IPC existed. The recruitment authority rejected his candidature for suppressing this material fact and making a false declaration. The petitioner cha…

The Union, exercising powers under Section 87 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, issued a notification on 13 April 2018 extending the Punjab (Regulation of Fees of Unaided Educational Institutions) Act, 2016 to the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The notification inserted a third proviso requiring unaided schools t…

The appellant filed a suit for specific performance of an agreement to sell dated 12‑04‑2005, alleging payment of a substantial advance consideration and that the vendor (defendant No.1) had admitted both the execution of the agreement and receipt of the money. The vendor’s attorney (defendant No.2) later executed two …

The Karnataka Ayurveda Medical College sought Central Government permission to start postgraduate (PG) courses for the 2014‑15 academic year and later applied for the 2018‑19 session. The Union of India rejected the PG permission for 2018‑19 on grounds of lacking a central research laboratory and animal house, while gr…

Jahir Hak was arrested in May 2014 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 for a range of serious offences and has been in custody for nearly eight years as an under‑trial prisoner. The High Court rejected his application for bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, prompting an appeal to …

The appellant, Jeetu Khatik, was convicted by a trial court for kidnapping a nine‑year‑old girl and outraging her modesty, under IPC sections 363 and 354 and POCSO Act section 8, and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment to run concurrently. He applied for suspension of the execution of his sentence during the pen…

The deceased was a sugarcane‑cutting labourer who died from a snake bite while employed by a contractor supplying a sugar factory. His heirs claimed compensation under the Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923 and the Commissioner awarded Rs 306,180 with simple interest at 12% per annum from the date of the accident (29‑No…

Umesh Kumar Pahwa, a branch officer of Uttarakhand Gramin Bank, was accused of demanding a bribe from a borrower and reducing the loan amount from Rs.1,50,000 to Rs.75,000. A departmental inquiry found him guilty of ten charges and ordered his removal from service, which was upheld by the High Court. Pahwa challenged t…

The appellant Jaina Construction Company insured a Tata Aiwa truck with Oriental Insurance Company, which was stolen on 04‑11‑2007. The appellant lodged an FIR the next day, but informed the insurer of the theft only after five months, prompting the insurer to repudiate the claim on the ground of delayed notice under C…

In 2006 a married woman self‑immolated after allegedly being subjected to cruelty by her mother‑in‑law over jewelry, while her husband was abroad. A complaint under Sections 498A and 306 IPC led to the conviction of the mother‑in‑law, her husband, sister‑in‑law and father‑in‑law, with the mother‑in‑law receiving one ye…

The Supreme Court entertained a miscellaneous application seeking implementation of guidelines for recording evidence of vulnerable witnesses in criminal matters, following earlier pronouncements in Sakshi and Bandu @ Daulat. The Court examined the need for special centres to provide a barrier‑free environment for vuln…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed the High Court's judgment that set aside the convictions of Jogendra (husband) and Badri Prasad (father‑in‑law) under Sections 304‑B and 498‑A of the IPC for the death of their wife/ daughter‑in‑law Geeta Bai, who immolated herself while five months pregnant. The trial court had con…

Haryana Tourism Ltd invited tenders for supplying aerated drinks and accepted a bid from M/s Kandhari Beverages Ltd, which was to pay Rs.20 lakh for brand promotion. A dispute arose over the amount spent on promotional activities, leading to termination of the contract and referral to a sole arbitrator, who awarded Rs.…

The appellant, a co‑operative housing society, booked flats from the respondent builder in 1993 and took possession in 1997, but the builder never obtained the required occupancy certificate. Because of this omission, the flat owners had to pay substantially higher property tax and water charges and could not obtain re…

Shaikh Istiaq Ahmed was convicted in Mauritius for possession of heroin and sentenced to 26 years. He was transferred to India under the Repatriation of Prisoners Act, 2003 and sought to have his sentence reduced to 10 years, the maximum punishable term under Section 21(b) of the NDNDPS Act, invoking Section 13(6) of t…

The dispute concerned a 3.25‑cent plot allotted in 2000 by the Jayanagar Housing Welfare Society, a cooperative society, to a member (defendant No.2, M. V. Ramana). Former office‑bearers of the society, a welfare association and a couple of shop owners (plaintiffs) claimed the plot was earmarked as a parking area in th…

The Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank introduced a pension scheme for its employees in 1989, which was later withdrawn by deleting Rule 15(ii) of the 1978 service rules in 2014 with retrospective effect. Retired employees who had opted for the scheme and were receiving pensions challenged the amend…

The State of Uttarakhand issued an opinion refusing to grant recognition to new B.Ed. colleges and seeking cancellation of recognition for Nalanda College of Education, citing that approximately 13,000 B.Ed. graduates per year far exceed the state's requirement of 2,500 teachers, leading to potential unemployment. The …

The appellant sought a review of a High Court order and filed a miscellaneous application requesting that the review be heard by Justice G.S. Patel, who had earlier decided the matter. The respondent opposed, arguing that under Chapter XXX Rule 3(1) of the Bombay High Court Rules, the review should be placed before the…

The Supreme Court considered two related disputes where the Registrar of Assurances, invoking Section 47A of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, demanded additional stamp duty on properties sold by court‑ordered public auctions – one arising from a partition suit and the other from a company liquidation. In both cases the sale…

The Mahatma Gandhi University denied Rincymol Mathew the benefits of the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) on the ground that her initial appointment as Lecturer in 1998 was to a temporary post not duly sanctioned under the university statutes. The respondent filed a writ petition, and the Single Judge of the Kerala High…

The appellant, Prof. Narendra Singh Bhandari, was appointed Vice‑Chancellor of Soban Singh Jeena University in August 2020. The appointment was challenged on the ground that he did not satisfy the statutory requirement of a minimum of ten years of teaching experience as a professor and that the selection process did no…

Bank of Rajasthan Ltd. (now part of ICICI Bank) granted a term loan and overdraft facility to VCK Shares & Stock Broking Services Ltd., which defaulted. The bank sought recovery of the debt before the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT) under the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (RDB Act). …

M/s Bawa Paulins Pvt. Ltd., the appellant, exported 234 packages of messenger bags to County Seat Stores, USA, under a Free on Board (FOB) contract and an irrevocable Letter of Credit (LC) opened by the consignee’s bank. The forwarding agents (respondents 1‑3) issued a Forwarder Cargo Receipt (FCR) that incorrectly lis…

The complainant, a society treasurer, alleged that the appellant, N.S. Madhanagopal, hurled unparliamentary words during a dispute over waste‑water flow, and claimed offences under IPC sections 294(b) (obscene words) and 341 (wrongful restraint). The High Court refused to quash the proceedings, but the Supreme Court ex…

Gali Janardhan Reddy, accused of several serious offences under the IPC, Indian Forest Act and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, was granted bail by the Supreme Court in 2015 with a condition that he not visit Bellary (Karnataka) and Ananthapuram and Cuddapah (Andhra Pradesh). He later applied to…

The appellants were convicted for murder, attempted murder and rioting under Sections 302, 307 and 148 of the IPC based primarily on the testimonies of two relatives of the deceased, one an alleged eye‑witness (PW‑1) and the other an injured witness (PW‑2). The Supreme Court examined the credibility of these witnesses,…

The Union of India appealed against orders of the Central Administrative Tribunal and the High Courts that had directed a separate zone of consideration for promotion of Scheduled Tribe candidates to the post of Superintendent in the Customs and Central Excise Commissionerate. The applicants argued that a special drive…

The project proponent obtained Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate for a cold‑rolled stainless steel unit in Gujarat, but the National Green Tribunal (NGT) was approached alleging violation of the 2006 Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification which required prior environmental clearance (EC) for such se…

The appellants (A‑1 and A‑2) were convicted by the Karnataka High Court for murder under Section 302 IPC, overturning their acquittal by the Sessions Court, while the other 20 accused remained acquitted. The prosecution alleged that 22 persons formed an unlawful assembly, armed with deadly weapons, trespassed into the …

The deceased was killed in a motor accident when a car collided with his motorcycle; his wife filed a claim under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.8,90,000. The insurer appealed, and the High Court set aside the award, doubting the claimant's statements and t…

Mehmood Pracha, appearing as counsel before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), was charged with criminal contempt under Section 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 for allegedly demanding a camera‑held hearing to make undisclosed allegations against the Chairman. The Tribunal framed the charge on 10‑02‑2020,…

The petitioners, who had participated in all rounds of NEET‑PG 2021 counselling, sought a Special Stray Round to fill 1,456 vacant seats (mostly non‑clinical) that remained after eight to nine rounds of counselling. The respondents, the Medical Counselling Committee and the Union of India, declined, citing the need to …

The State of Goa issued a notification on 23/24 May 2016 fixing minimum wages, including a basic rate and a special allowance, after consulting the Minimum Wage Advisory Board and following the procedure prescribed under Sections 4 and 5 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. Subsequently, an Errata Notification dated 14 July…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over the appointment of Reshma Sultana as a full‑time Urdu Lecturer in a Karnataka college. The High Court Single Judge had quashed her appointment, finding the entire 2007 selection process tainted by fraud, collusion and manipulation, and had directed the college to forward docume…

The original complainant lodged a complaint against her husband, Kamalesh Mulchand Jain, alleging that he cheated her and took 2 kg of gold jewellery, leading to an FIR under Section 420 of the IPC. During investigation, the gold jewellery was found in the possession of the husband’s wife, Rekha Jain, who was also char…

The appellant, Veena Singh, alleged that she was forced to sign a sale deed for land and that the deed was fraudulent, undervalued and included her residential house. The Sub‑Registrar refused registration under Section 35(3)(a) of the Registration Act because the appellant denied execution of the deed, although she ad…

The petition challenged the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Act, 1956, the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Raj Avam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam, 1993 and the Madhya Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1961, alleging they unduly restricted the State Election Commission’s power to notify election progr…

The Supreme Court examined appeals filed by M/s Aravali Power Co. Pvt. Ltd. challenging National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders that imposed environmental compensation on thermal power plants for non‑compliance with earlier Ministry of Environment notifications on fly‑ash utilization. The NGT had based its orders on the 1…

The Supreme Court examined whether Non‑Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) regulated under Chapter III‑B of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 are also subject to the Kerala Money Lenders Act, 1958 and the Gujarat Money Lenders Act, 2011. The NBFCs argued that the RBI Act, especially after its 1997 amendment, constitu…

The University of Delhi issued a 1987 notification deeming all employees who were CPF beneficiaries on 1 January 1986 to "come over" to the General Provident Fund (GPF) unless they opted to stay in CPF before a cut‑off date of 30 September 1987. While 2,611 employees opted to remain in CPF and a further 626 exercised t…

The petitioners, inspectors under the Central Excise and Customs cadre, challenged a circular dated 20 September 2018 that barred Inter‑Commissionerate Transfers (ICTs) after the 2016 Recruitment Rules came into force, alleging violations of Articles 14, 15, 16 and 21 of the Constitution and the Rights of Persons with …

The Chandigarh Administration issued a notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 to acquire about 63.70 acres of land for defence security forces, and the Land Acquisition Officer initially valued the land at Rs 6,87,837 per acre. The Reference Court enhanced this valuation to Rs 9,65,000 per acre,…

The State of Rajasthan issued a notification on 12 August 2014 converting Gram Panchayat Roopbas into a Municipal Board under the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009. The Rajasthan High Court set aside the notification, holding that it was ultra vires because no separate public notification under Article 243Q(2) of the …

The plaintiffs filed a suit seeking declaration of title and injunction based on a will dated 19 April 1998 of the deceased Sucha Singh. The trial court upheld the will, but the first appellate court reversed, finding the will forged and upholding a later will executed by the mother. The plaintiffs then filed a second …

The appellant, the State of Haryana, challenged the High Court's order granting bail to Mahesh Kumar, accused of murder under Section 302 IPC, on the ground that the High Court failed to provide cogent reasons despite two prior bail rejections by the Trial Court. The Supreme Court examined the principles governing bail…

The Urban Infrastructure Real Estate Fund (U.I.R.E.F) obtained an arbitral award of Rs 78.33 crore against Dharmesh S. Jain and others, which the Bombay High Court stayed on the condition that the respondents deposit 50% of the amount. The High Court’s order dated 08‑08‑2019 was later extended twice by the Supreme Cour…

The appellants, direct recruits selected as Assistant Engineers by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, challenged the seniority accorded to compassionate appointees in the 1 January 2004 seniority list, arguing that such appointments to Class II posts violated Articles 14 and 16 and the Nagpal judgment which rest…

Bank of Baroda granted a term loan and cash credit facility to M/s Karwa Trading Company secured by two mortgaged properties. After the borrower defaulted, the bank invoked the SARFAESI Act, took symbolic possession, and issued a public auction notice. The borrower filed an application under Section 17 of the SARFAESI …

The respondents purchased land that had been subject to a Section 4 notification under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and objections were filed by the predecessor‑in‑title, Gajanand Mali. While the predecessor’s writ appeals challenging the Section 4 and Section 6 notifications (Writ Appeal No. 447 of 2009) were pendi…

Ms X, an Additional District & Sessions Judge, was transferred mid‑term from Gwalior to Sidhi after a complaint by the District & Sessions Judge, allegedly following sexual harassment. She sought an eight‑month extension to allow her daughter to complete Class 12, but her representations were rejected without following…

The legal heirs of V. Rajasekaran appealed against a compensation award of Rs.15,12,628 for his death in a motor vehicle accident. The Motor Accident Claim Tribunal had applied a split multiplier—3 up to the superannuation age and 8 thereafter—based on the deceased’s remaining years of service. The High Court affirmed …

Sharafat Ali, convicted under IPC sections 302 and 34 and sentenced to life imprisonment, applied for premature release after serving 17 years, 9 months and 26 days. The Uttar Pradesh government rejected his application on vague grounds of possible victim resentment and alleged extremist nature, without examining his p…

The Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, operates as an autonomous body with its own service rules that do not provide for pension benefits. The State of Maharashtra, in a 2005 policy decision, resolved that employees of aided institutes and auton…

The case involves the murder of Mukeshbhai, the husband of complainant Jayaben, who was brutally beaten and tied to a gate by five accused persons. The accused were identified in a Test Identification Parade, and the incident was captured on CCTV and a mobile phone. The High Court had released the principal accused, Te…

Hardev Singh, a sub‑lessee of land originally leased by the Government to Lala Khushi Ram and later inherited by Harikishan Lal (Respondent No.2), challenged the declaration of his 2.49‑acre parcel as surplus under the Uttar Pradesh Imposition of Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1960. The Prescribed Authority had dismisse…

The Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) filed Special Leave Petitions seeking cancellation of bail granted by the Karnataka High Court to several accused in NDNDPS cases involving large drug seizures. The High Court had released the accused on bail, largely relying on confessional statements recorded under Section 67 of the …

The appellant, a skilled labourer, suffered spinal and multiple fractures when a centering plate collapsed during construction work, rendering her unable to lift heavy weights. She claimed compensation under the Employees' Compensation Act, 1923, seeking Rs.20 lakh, but the Commissioner assessed her disability at 20% o…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had taken possession of land on 26 November 2012 and handed it over to itself under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. A subsequent purchaser filed a writ petition claiming that the acquisition proceedings had lapsed under Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparen…

The Land Acquisition Collector appealed a Delhi High Court order that declared the acquisition of land (possession taken on 16‑03‑2004) to have 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 p…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had taken possession of land on 19‑01‑2006 under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, but had not paid compensation to the owners. The Delhi High Court held that the acquisition had "deemed to have lapsed" under sub‑section (2) of Section 24 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transpa…

The dependents of two deceased motor‑vehicle accident victims filed claim petitions under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, seeking compensation. The Motor Accident Claim Tribunal awarded compensation based on the deceased's salary certificate, pay slip and testimony of the wife and co‑workers, applying a mu…

The appellant, a scrap dealer, was injured in a bus accident caused by the negligent driving of the respondent. He suffered a permanent disability of 70% including amputation of his right lower limb and claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 15,76,465, which the…

The appellant, Kamla Neti, a daughter of a coparcener belonging to a Scheduled Tribe, claimed a one‑fifth share of compensation awarded for land acquired by the State, invoking the survivorship right under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. The Reference Court and the Orissa High Court rejected her claim on the ground tha…

The State acquired land in Karimnagar district for the excavation of coal by Singareni Collieries. The Land Acquisition Officer fixed a low market value; the Reference Court later fixed a higher market value of Rs 1,23,000 per acre and awarded Rs 15,000 per acre for sub‑soil mineral rights. The High Court, however, ded…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had taken possession of land in 2005 for a public development project, but compensation to the recorded owners was not paid. The original writ petitioner, who claimed rights under an agreement to sell dated 9 May 2005, filed a writ petition seeking a declaration that the acquisitio…

The appellant, Ravi Namboothiri, was elected councilor of Ward No.5 of Annamanada Gram Panchayat in 2015. After his election, the respondent filed an election petition alleging that the appellant had failed to disclose a past conviction under the Kerala Police Act (Section 38 read with Section 52) in Form 2A, thereby f…

The appellant, Texco Marketing Pvt. Ltd., bought a fire insurance policy from Tata AIG that excluded coverage for basement premises, yet the insured shop was located in a basement. After a fire, the insurer denied the claim relying on the exclusion clause. The State Consumer Commission held the insurer liable for defic…

Sumer Corporation (appellant) claimed title to a leasehold property in Worli, Mumbai, and was added as respondent No. 19 in a High Court revision of an eviction decree. The High Court, while staying the eviction order, directed the original lessee to deposit Rs 2,50,000 per month as mesne profit, calculating the amount…

A minor, Sukhdeep Kaur, filed a consumer complaint alleging medical negligence by Chandigarh Nursing Home after a wrong diagnosis and treatment caused severe rashes. The District Forum awarded Rs 1 lakh compensation, which the nursing home appealed to the State Commission; the State Commission dismissed the appeal. The…

The complainant appealed to the Supreme Court after the Karnataka High Court granted bail to accused Subrahmanya and Rajesh in a case involving conspiracy to murder, murder, and illegal possession of arms (IPC ss.120B, 302, 201, 34; Arms Act s.27(3)). The appellant argued that the High Court failed to consider the seri…

A five‑year‑old boy lost his parents to COVID‑19. The paternal grandfather filed a writ of habeas corpus seeking custody of the child, who was then staying with his maternal aunt. The Gujarat High Court ordered custody to be transferred to the aunt, citing her younger age, income and larger family. On appeal, the Supre…

The appellant, a male descendant of the original founder trustee, sought declaration that he was entitled to the office of founder trustee of M/s. P.S. Govindaswamy Naidu & Sons’ Charities, asserting that he satisfied the residence requirement under the Scheme of Administration. The respondents contended that his U.S. …

Mihan India Ltd (MIL) invited global tenders for the up‑gradation, modernisation, operation and maintenance of Nagpur Airport. GMR Airports Ltd (GAL) emerged as the highest bidder after negotiating a higher revenue‑share and MIL issued a letter dated 07‑03‑2019 accepting the revised proposal, which GAL acknowledged. De…

The appellant filed a suit for specific performance of a sale deed of agricultural land, which was settled by a compromise decree requiring payment of the balance consideration within one month. The appellant delayed five days, applied for permission to pay the balance, which the trial court allowed, and the sale deed …

NIMS University and other petitioners filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a reduction in the eligibility percentile for admission to NEET Super Specialty courses and a mop‑up counselling round to fill 940 vacant seats. The Union of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and other respondents declined …

The Bank of Baroda had granted a loan to the partnership firm Global Packaging, which issued three cheques that were later dishonoured for insufficient funds. A complaint under Section 138 read with Section 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act was filed against the authorised signatory Simaiya Hariramani and his partn…

Bhola Kumhar was convicted under IPC section 376 and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and sentenced to 12 years rigorous imprisonment with a fine. The Chhattisgarh High Court reduced his term to 7 years rigorous imprisonment but the appellant remained in custody for over 10 years due to alleged default on the f…

The State of Madhya Pradesh prosecuted four accused for the murder of Munshilal, alleging they acted with a common intention to kill. The trial court convicted all under IPC s.302 read with s.34, but the High Court acquitted two accused (Ramjilal Sharma and Brijesh Sharma) on the ground that ocular evidence of them wie…

The appellant, Devadassan, was ordered by a Second Class Executive Magistrate to execute a bond under Sections 110 and 117 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to maintain good behaviour and peace. After the bond was executed, he was implicated in a murder case, thereby breaching the bond’s conditions. The magistra…

The case concerned the revocation of letters of administration granted to a brother of the deceased under a registered will dated 23‑08‑1991. Another brother filed an application for revocation, alleging that all legal heirs had not been impleaded in the proceedings. The Madurai Bench of the High Court held that a "jus…

The appellants, candidates belonging to the OBC category, applied for Elementary Trained Teacher (ETT) posts and sought to fill 595 unfilled SC/ST reserved vacancies by invoking a state policy letter that allowed interchangeability between SC/ST and OBC categories. The State argued that Section 7 of the Punjab Schedule…

The appeal concerned a partition suit filed by the sisters of the deceased R.M. Patil seeking one‑fifth shares in five properties alleged to be self‑acquired by him. The appellant argued that the suit should fail for non‑joinder of his uncle, for omission of certain properties, and on the ground of ouster, claiming he …

The case involves the murder of Parasnath Singh, who was shot by his son Udaibhan Singh (A‑1) after being urged to do so by his father Jaiprakash Narain Singh (A‑2). Three eye‑witnesses (PW‑1, PW‑2, PW‑4) testified that both accused were present at the pumping set, that A‑2 exhorted his son, and that A‑1 fired the weap…

The appellant, Pappu, lured a seven‑year‑old girl under the pretext of picking lychees, raped and murdered her, and later disclosed the location of her body to the police. He was convicted by the trial court and the High Court of offences under IPC sections 376, 302 and 201 and POCSO sections 5 and 6, and sentenced to …

The dispute arose from a property gifted to the plaintiff during minority, later revoked, and a development agreement executed with the developer. The plaintiff's father obtained a compromise decree in 2015 granting the plaintiff rights over the property. After attaining majority, the plaintiff filed a suit in 2018 see…

The arbitral award dated 14‑04‑2000 directed Nepa Ltd to pay Rs 14,49,300 to Manoj Kumar Agrawal with 18% interest from the award date. The High Court, on a stay order, required Nepa to deposit 50% of the amount (Rs 7,78,280) which the respondent withdrew on 08‑11‑2001 after giving a personal undertaking. The responden…

The appellant, a former Agricultural Officer, was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC for misappropriating funds during 1992-1994. He argued that the prosecution in the 2003 cases was barred by double jeopardy because he had already been tried, convicted, or acquitted in three earlier cases (1999) …

The consumer booked a new Tata car and paid the full price, but the dealer delivered a used vehicle that had been used as a demo‑test drive car. The consumer filed a complaint before the District Forum, which ordered the dealer to replace the used car with a new one and awarded a small amount for mental agony; the Stat…

The State of Haryana appealed the conviction of Anand Kindo and others for the pre‑planned murder of an elderly couple, Major General K.C. Dhingra and his wife, whom they were employed to look after. The accused brutally beat the sleeping victims with a hammer and a tava, disfiguring their faces, and later attempted to…

The case concerned a cash‑for‑job scam in the Tamil Nadu Metropolitan Transport Corporation where candidates allegedly paid money to secure appointments, implicating the Transport Minister, his brother and personal assistant. An FIR was filed for offences under IPC sections 405, 420 and 506(1); the final police report …

The case arose from the murder of an advocate, for which several accused were tried. During trial the prosecution sought the production of decoding registers of cellular companies to link the accused’s location with cell towers, and to summon the nodal officers as witnesses under Sections 91 and 311 of the CrPC. The tr…

S. Rajani, the appellant, owned a residential tenement and alleged that S. Smita, the first respondent, had constructed illegal rooms on an open vacant site in the same building, infringing Rajani's easements of light, air, privacy and water supply. Rajani filed a regular civil suit seeking removal of the unauthorized …

The respondent, an Anganwadi Karyakatri, sought age relaxation under the Uttar Pradesh Public Services (Relaxation of the Age limits for Recruitment) Rules, 1992 to be appointed as Mukhya Sevika, a post for which the upper age limit is 50 years. The Single Judge of the Allahabad High Court directed the State to conside…

The respondent, a dependent of a government servant who died in harness, was appointed on compassionate grounds to a Class III Junior Assistant post in Uttar Pradesh, subject to acquiring a computer proficiency certificate and a typing speed of 25 wpm within a year as per Rule 5(1) of the 2014 Rules. He obtained the co…

The appellant and his father opened a joint fixed deposit (FD) with HDFC Bank. After the FD matured, the appellant instructed the bank not to credit the proceeds to any individual account, but the bank credited the amount solely to his father's account, which the appellant claimed was a unilateral and unauthorized acti…

Augustan Textile Colours Ltd., a revived sick industrial unit, was granted sales‑tax/works‑contract‑tax exemption under a Government Order dated 20 March 2004 as part of a BIFR rehabilitation scheme. In 2006 the Kerala Government withdrew the exemption under Section 10(3) of the Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963. The …

The petitioners, a group of NGOs and individuals, challenged the 2020 amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, specifically sections 7, 12(1A), 12A and 17, alleging that the prohibition on transfer of foreign contributions, the requirement to open a single FCRA account with SBI, and the mandatory …

The Supreme Court heard petitions concerning the safety of the Mullaperiyar Dam after the enactment of the Dam Safety Act, 2021. The Court noted that the Act creates a multi‑tier institutional framework, including a National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) under s.8 with functions detailed in s.9. Since the regular NDSA is…

The State of Rajasthan appealed a High Court order that reduced the three‑year rigorous imprisonment awarded to Banwari Lal, convicted under Section 307 IPC for causing grievous injury to the head of the victim, to merely the 44 days he had already spent in custody. Banwari Lal had not contested his conviction but soug…

The case concerned the kidnapping for ransom of Dr. Shashi Kumar Sinha and his driver in February 2006. Six persons were convicted under IPC sections 364A (kidnapping for ransom) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved the existenc…

The Supreme Court considered two appeals filed by the Union of India against former and serving officers who sought promotion to Junior Administrative Grade‑I (JAG‑I) and the associated pay‑upgradation. The first appellant had voluntarily retired in 2010 and claimed that he was entitled to promotion and enhanced pay un…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) introduced the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme on 1 September 2008, superseding the earlier Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme under which certain employees claimed a second financial up‑gradation effective January 2009. The Delhi High Court, relying on Union…

The appellant, Nawabuddin, a neighbour, abducted a four‑year‑old girl, removed both their clothes, fondled her private parts and inserted his finger into her vagina; he was caught red‑handed and the victim later reported pain, irritation and swelling, corroborated by a medical examination. He was convicted by the trial…

The wife, Tarannum Akhtar, alleged dowry harassment and threatened termination of her pregnancy, filing an FIR on 1 April 2019 against her husband Md. Ikram and his in‑laws under Sections 341, 323, 379, 354, 498A read with Section 34 IPC. The in‑laws contended that the allegations against them were vague, general and o…

Rajmati Singh was appointed as an untrained assistant teacher in 1971 and was relieved in 1973 to undergo mandatory training, which she failed to complete, leading to the termination of her contractual employment in 1974. Over the next three decades she made repeated representations but never approached any judicial or…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the conviction of Gurbachan Singh for murder arising out of a land‑dispute in which Teja Singh was killed. The High Court had acquitted Singh of the murder charge, holding that he only struck the victim's feet with a lathi and therefore lacked common intention to cause death. The Supreme…

The appellant, Mohd. Abdullah Azam Khan, was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 2017, but the election petitioner challenged his eligibility on the ground that he was under 25 years of age at the time of filing his nomination. The dispute centered on conflicting birth dates shown in two birth certific…

The Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 amended Articles 15 and 16 of the Indian Constitution to empower the State to provide up to 10% reservation for 'economically weaker sections' (EWS) of citizens, excluding Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the non-creamy layer of Other Backward Classes.…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act’s amendment that shifted property tax assessment from rateable value to capital value, and the accompanying Capital Value Rules of 2010 and 2015. It held that the rules allowing the Commissioner to factor in future development potential (su…

The appellant P. Ponnusamy and eight co‑accused were convicted by a Sessions Court for offences under s.120B, 109, 341, 302 read with s.34 IPC, with some sentenced to death and others to life imprisonment. The Sessions Court referred the death‑penalty confirmations to the Madras High Court, which repeatedly adjourned t…

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) appealed against a Calcutta High Court order that had set aside the election of office‑bearers of its Eastern India Regional Council (EIRC). The Chairman of the EIRC was disqualified on 22‑12‑2021, creating a vacancy under Regulation 117(2) of the Company Secretaries…

The State of Jharkhand challenged two writ petitions filed by Shiv Shankar Sharma as public‑interest litigations (PILs) that sought a mandamus directing investigative agencies to probe alleged money‑laundering through shell companies and to prosecute the Chief Minister for a mining lease. The Supreme Court examined whe…

The State of Andhra Pradesh fixed the tuition fee for MBBS courses for the 2011‑13 period by GO dated 18‑06‑2011, but later issued a GO on 06‑09‑2017 raising the fee to Rs 24 lakhs per annum for the 2017‑2020 block without waiting for the report of the Andhra Pradesh Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (AFRC) as req…

The appellant Rahul and two co‑accused were convicted for kidnapping, rape and murder of a girl, and sentenced to death and other terms. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had established the identity of the accused and proved guilt beyond reasonable doubt. It found that no identification parade was con…

The Supreme Court had earlier intervened in the Amrapali Group real‑estate disputes, directing a reduction of interest on outstanding dues to Noida and Greater Noida Authorities to ease the burden on flat buyers. Subsequent orders dated 10‑06‑2020, 19‑08‑2020 and 25‑08‑2020 extended the same 8% interest relief to build…

The petitioners, led by Prem Mishra, claimed a 40% entitlement over a 'yellow' portion of land in the Amrapali Indore project based on a Memorandum of Understanding and sought release of attachment on their assets. The Debt Recovery Tribunal had attached both the 'green' (Amrapali) and 'yellow' (petitioners') areas, pr…