MADAN B LOKUR

The appellant Durga Burman (Roy) was charged with the murder of Manorama Devi by strangulation and the theft of a wrist‑watch and cash, together with co‑accused Ranjit Roy. The trial court convicted both under IPC ss.302, 380 and 34; the High Court acquitted Ranjit Roy but upheld Durga Roy's conviction. On appeal, the …

The petitioners, who had been appointed to Class III/IV posts in Bihar's health department by the Civil Surgeon‑cum‑Chief Medical Officer, challenged their termination and sought regularisation of their service. The State Government, after discovering that many such appointments were made on forged documents and withou…

The petition, filed by Dr. S. Rajaseekaran, an orthopaedic surgeon, sought enforcement of road‑safety norms and better treatment of accident victims under Article 32 of the Constitution. The Court had earlier constituted a Committee on Road Safety, which submitted recommendations that the Union and State governments ha…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of Thakur Singh, who was convicted by a trial court for murdering his wife Dhapu Kunwar inside a locked room. The prosecution proved that the wife died of asphyxia and that Singh had confined himself, his wife and child in the room, which was later forced open. The High Cou…

The respondent, K.V. Abdul Khader, was Chairperson of the Kerala State Wakf Board and was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly. The appellant, Ashraf Kokkurr, filed an election petition alleging that the respondent was disqualified under Article 191(1)(a) of the Constitution because he held an office of profit. T…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) auctioned a 14.3‑hectare parcel of land for residential development on an "as is where is" basis, and Kenneth Builders & Developers Ltd. (the builder) paid the full bid amount and obtained possession. The development agreement required the builder to secure all statutory clearances…

M.C. Mehta filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a ban on the sale and registration of commercial vehicles that do not meet Bharat Stage‑IV (BS‑IV) emission standards from 1 April 2017, arguing that such vehicles pose a serious health hazard. The manufacturers contended that they were entitled to sell the exis…

Marie‑Emmanuelle Verhoeven, a French national, was arrested in India on a provisional basis under Section 34‑B of the Extradition Act, 1962 following a request from the Chilean Embassy for her extradition in connection with the 1991 assassination of a Chilean senator. The petitioner challenged the legality of her arres…

The petitioner, a physically disabled Scheduled Caste officer, claimed that he was denied his statutory 3% reservation under Section 33 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 in the short‑listing process for selection to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) under the Appointment by Selection Regulations, 1997. H…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition under Article 32 seeking implementation of various protective measures for children under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of Children Act, 2015. The Court noted that the Ministry of Women and Child Development was still preparing a Standard Operating Procedure (S…

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

The State of Odisha appealed against a judgment that held the tribe "Kulis" listed in the Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Act, 1976, includes members of the "Kuli" community. The issue was whether the term "Kulis" was a distinct tribe or merely the plural of "Kuli", which had earlier been listed as a Scheduled Caste…

The case concerned the liability for demurrage and detention charges on ten consignments of cold‑rolled coils imported by M/s Imler International and M/s Shri Lakshmi Steels. The goods were detained by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs on suspicion of mis‑declaration, leading the Mumbai Port Tru…

Haffkine Bio‑Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd., a Maharashtra government undertaking, issued a tender for bulk polio vaccine drugs which was awarded to Bionet despite the technical bid of Nirlac not being opened in the presence of its representatives, violating Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) guidelines. The High Cour…

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

The appellant Indian Machinery Co. filed a second complaint before the District Forum under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 after its first complaint was dismissed for default. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held the second complaint non‑maintainable, invoking a rule analogous to Order IX Rule 9(…

The case concerned Excise and Taxation Officers (ETOs) who had been granted retrospective promotions to dates earlier than their actual appointments, thereby gaining seniority over directly recruited officers. The petitioners (direct recruits) challenged the validity of these retrospective promotions, arguing that the …

The Greater Bombay Co‑operative Bank attached a flat owned by guarantors Shri Dhillon P. Shah and Smt. Shivangi Shah to recover a cash‑credit default. After the guarantor's death, respondent No.1, Nagraj Ganeshamal Jain, claimed he had purchased the flat under an alleged agreement to sell dated 04‑10‑1995 and sought me…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ petition under Article 32 concerning the inhuman conditions prevailing in Indian prisons. The petition highlighted overcrowding, unnatural deaths, inadequate and untrained staff, and the lack of implementation of various prison‑related guidelines. Recognising the vio…

The Supreme Court examined a petition by environmental activist M.C. Mehta seeking to prohibit the sale of Bharat Stage‑IV (BS‑IV) compliant vehicles after 31 March 2020, arguing that the government’s sub‑rule 21 of Rule 115 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, which allowed registration of such vehicles until Jun…

The appellant, a village Talati, was accused of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.250 from a complainant seeking official documents. During an anti‑corruption raid, anthracene powder tests on the accused's pocket and the recovered currency notes corroborated the demand and acceptance. The trial court convicted him …

The Supreme Court was hearing the consequence proceedings arising from its earlier judgment that the allocation of coal blocks by the Screening Committee and the Government dispensation route was arbitrary and illegal. The Union of India submitted affidavits showing that 40 blocks were already producing coal and six we…

The Union of India filed a series of appeals concerning the same issue after earlier appeals had been dismissed by the Supreme Court, notably in Union of India v. Balbir Singh Turn. Despite the existence of the National Litigation Policy 2010, which urges the government to act as an efficient and responsible litigant, …

The petition challenged a no‑confidence motion against the Pramukh of a Kshettra Panchayat on the ground that 13 of the 39 signatories had not taken the oath of office and therefore could not be counted, reducing the support to less than half of the 63 elected members. The Supreme Court examined the statutory definitio…

Dr. T.P. Senkumar, the State Police Chief of Kerala, was transferred before completing the two‑year minimum tenure mandated by Section 97 of the Kerala Police Act, 2011 on the ground of "serious public dissatisfaction" with police efficiency following the Puttingal Temple tragedy and the Jisha murder case. The State Go…

Manoj Kumar Sharma, a serving Flying Officer, was accused of dowry‑related offences after his wife’s death was initially investigated as a suicide under Section 174 of the CrPC and closed with no foul play. Five years later, the deceased’s brother filed an FIR alleging murder, dowry cruelty and IPC sections 304B, 498A …

Kripa Nano Singh was appointed as a political science teacher in February 1986 and was required to join within 21 days. The headmaster refused his posting due to lack of vacancy, and Singh did not seek alternative posting, remaining unjoined for five years until a new posting in July 1991. After ten years of service, h…

The appellant, Sukhdev Singh, a Deputy Director of Training, had consistently received "Outstanding" or "Very Good" remarks in his Annual Confidential Reports (ACR) but was downgraded to "Good" for the years 2000‑2001 and 2001‑2002. He contended that the downgrade, being an adverse entry, should have been communicated …

M/s Universal Cylinders Ltd., a manufacturer of LPG cylinders, supplied cylinders to government-owned oil companies at a provisional price of Rs.682 per unit as per a purchase order that stipulated the final price would be fixed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG). The MoP&NG later revised the price t…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition filed by Common Cause and others under Article 32, alleging that the then Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Shri Ranjit Sinha, had abused his authority by meeting accused persons in the coal block allocation cases without the presence of investigating officer…

The petitioner, Rishabh Choudhary, was admitted to the MBBS course of C.M. Medical College, Chhattisgarh, after clearing a college‑conducted exam (CGMAT‑2016) and subsequent counseling. The admission occurred after the Supreme Court, on 11 April 2016, recalled its 2013 judgment and revived the Medical Council of India …

The Supreme Court examined a dispute arising from the sealing of an illegal dairy in Gokalpur, Delhi, which was ordered by the Veterinary Services Department of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. The seal was broken by elected Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari, leading…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal against an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that directed State Governments to reconsider the appointments of chairpersons and members of State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and to lay down guidelines for such appointments. The Court held that under the National Green T…

Amin Merchant imported eight consignments of goods classified under Customs Tariff sub‑heading 2208.10 and paid duty at the rate of Rs 300 per litre or 400% whichever was higher, as prescribed in the Finance Act. He contended that the Finance Minister’s budget proposals for 1993‑94 and 1994‑95 required a lower duty (85…

The appellant, a former Railway Train Examiner who retired in 1991, claimed that his pension should be calculated on the revised pay scale of Rs.5000-8000 (Junior Engineer Grade‑II) rather than the replacement scale of Rs.4500-7000 applicable to the Train Examiner post. The dispute centered on two Government Office Mem…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of several notifications issued by the Central Government under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995 (DPCO 1995) that prescribed norms for conversion cost, packing charges and process loss, and fixed retail or ceiling prices of drug formulations. The Court held that the 1999 no…

The Supreme Court examined a writ petition under Art. 32 challenging the failure of several State Governments and Union Territories to implement mandatory provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFS Act), including grievance redressal officers, State Food Commissions, social audits and vigilance committees.…

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

P. Holding Asia Singapore Ltd. and its holding company acquired 53.46% of Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Ltd. from the Bangur group for Rs. 523 per share, also paying an exclusivity fee and a non‑compete fee of about Rs. 277.95 crore. SEBI directed the acquirers to increase the public offer price by adding the non‑compete …

The Supreme Court heard a writ petition filed by the National Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Labour (NCC‑CL) seeking effective implementation of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 (BOCW Act) and the Building and Other Co…

The case concerns the cancellation of a dealership allotment for petroleum products. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) had prepared a panel of candidates for a SKO-LDO dealership, with Neelam Kumari as first and Sunita Kumari as second. Following a news report alleging political patronage in allotments nationwide, the gover…

The petitioners, SwaraJ Abhiyan (VI), challenged the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, alleging that the Central Government’s fixation of an ‘approved labour budget’ arbitrarily reduced funds to States, caused delays in wage payments and denied compensation, and that so…

The appellants, claiming ownership of about 500 square yards of land in Survey No.87, Hyderabad, filed several civil suits after the Andhra Pradesh Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 1982 came into force, alleging encroachment by the respondents. All those civil suits were dismissed, after which the appellants approached…

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

Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) issued a Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) that required earnest money to be furnished by an irrevocable bank guarantee in a specific format. The joint‑venture consortium (JVC) submitted a bank guarantee in a different format and CCL rejected its bid as non‑responsive. JVC challenged the rej…

The Union introduced a Limited Competitive Examination (LCE) in 2012 to recruit officers to the Indian Police Service (IPS) but never declared the results. In 2018 the Union decided to scrap the LCE, prompting candidates who had appeared for the exam to seek declaration of results and appointment. The Supreme Court hel…

The Supreme Court heard a batch of writ petitions filed by the Supreme Court Advocates‑on‑Record Association seeking reforms in the collegium system for appointing judges to the higher judiciary. Various stakeholders, including senior counsel and the Bar Council of India, submitted suggestions on transparency, eligibil…

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

The case involved the murder and kidnapping of Jaswinder Kaur (Jassi) and the assault on her husband Sukhwinder Singh. The prosecution alleged that Ashwani Kumar, Anil Kumar, Joginder Singh, and others conspired to kill Jassi because her marriage was opposed by her family. The trial court convicted seven accused, inclu…

The Mahant of a temple (appellant) owned a portion of Plot No. 212/2, while Deoki Devi (respondent) owned Plot No. 319. During consolidation proceedings the appellant was allotted land in Plots 212/2, 215 and 216, and a front portion of Plot 212/2 was designated as bachat land for the Gaon Sabha. Bansi Ballabh, owner o…

The petitioner obtained an interim injunction restraining the respondent from constructing on disputed Plot No. 212/2. Despite the order, the respondent erected a structure, leading to a contempt petition in 2010, after which she demolished the building and gave an undertaking not to rebuild. In 2017 a second contempt …

The appellant vendors entered into an agreement to sell land to the respondent purchaser in 1986, with a clause requiring the vendors to obtain a no‑objection certificate and an income‑tax clearance certificate before execution. The purchaser paid an advance but failed to deposit the balance consideration, and the vend…

The State of Himachal Pradesh sought permission to carry out silvicultural felling of Chil Pine, Khair and broad‑leaved forests up to 1,500 metres above sea level, arguing that limited felling is necessary for regeneration. The Supreme Court had earlier, by its 12‑December‑1996 and 14‑February‑2000 orders, imposed a bl…

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

Centrotrade Minerals & Metal Inc. and Hindustan Copper Ltd. entered into a contract containing Clause 14, which provided for a two‑tier arbitration: first before the Indian Council of Arbitration and, if dissatisfied, a second "appeal" arbitration in London under ICC rules. A dispute arose; the Indian arbitrator gave a…

Shyam Vithalrao Devkatta filed a criminal complaint under Section 63 of the Copyright Act, 1957 alleging that the film "Desi Boyz" infringed the copyright in the title of his story synopsis "Desi Boys". The accused filed applications under Section 482 of the CrPC to quash the complaint; the Bombay High Court dismissed …

The Supreme Court examined the claims of M/s. Mangalore Ganesh Beedi Works (the assessee) for deductions under the Income‑Tax Act. It held that legal expenses incurred after the business was taken over by an Association of Persons were incurred for protecting the going‑concern and therefore deductible under section 37.…

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

The Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (NMRCL) invited bids for a viaduct and disqualified the joint venture GYT‑TPL on the ground that its experience on an inter‑city high‑speed railway in China did not satisfy the tender’s requirement of experience in "metro civil construction work" with a minimum contract value of I…

The Supreme Court examined whether a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) appointed under s.24(8) CrPC to conduct the trial of a corruption case transferred from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka could continue to represent the prosecution in the appeals before the Karnataka High Court. The Court considered the scope of s.301(1) CrPC…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the 1998 amendments to the Karnataka Money Lenders Act and Karnataka Pawn Brokers Act that barred payment of interest on security deposits required of licence‑holders. The Court held that the provisions themselves (sections 7‑A, 7‑B of the Money Lenders Act and 4‑A, 4…

The appellant UCO Bank alleged that its former employee Rajendra Shankar Shukla, while in charge of an extension counter, issued a Rs.3 lakh cheque without sufficient funds in 1991, leading to a charge sheet issued only in 1998. Shukla superannuated in January 1999, but disciplinary proceedings continued and he was dis…

The petitioners, led by MLA Bhupesh Baghel, sought interlocutory relief to stop non‑forest activities, including mining, by licensee Anil Lunia in Chhattisgarh forests, to initiate criminal prosecution, order a CBI enquiry, recover compensation and enforce afforestation. The Supreme Court constituted a Central Empowere…

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest writ filed by health‑rights activist Devika Biswas after a 2012 sterilisation camp in Bihar resulted in unsafe, unsanitary procedures and several deaths. The petition sought directions to ensure that sterilisation, a component of the national population‑control programme, is ca…

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

The Supreme Court examined an interlocutory application by Common Cause seeking to bar CBI Director Ranjit Sinha from interfering in coal‑block allocation investigations and to order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged abuse of authority. The Director had retired, rendering the recusal request moot, but…

Dr. Ashwani Kumar filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking enforcement of elderly persons' rights to adequate pension, shelter, geriatric care and effective implementation of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. The Court examined whether Article 21 of the Constitution, together w…

The Court considered an interlocutory application filed under Article 32 seeking that prisoners sentenced to death be treated on par with other convicts and that solitary confinement be struck down. It examined when a convict becomes a ‘death‑row prisoner’, holding that the status arises only when the death sentence is…

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

The private respondents, owners of a plot of land attached to satisfy labour court dues, had the land auctioned; Pravesh Kumar Sachdeva was the highest bidder. Under Rule 285‑I of the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Rules, objections to the auction could be filed within thirty days. Only Alok Mitra f…

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

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

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest writ petition filed by Swaraj Abhiyan seeking comprehensive food‑security measures for persons affected by drought, including provision of food grains, dal, edible oil and enhanced mid‑day meals. The petitioners argued that the non‑implementation of the National Food Security A…

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest petition filed by SwaraJ Abhiyan seeking proper implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA). The petitioners alleged that the Union and State governments imposed an informal cap on the labour budget, delayed release of wage and m…

Swaraj Abhiyan filed a public‑interest writ petition seeking higher monetary relief for crop loss, effective management of fodder banks and loan restructuring for farmers affected by drought. The Union of India contended that the relief amounts and related schemes are governed by the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and e…

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

The appellant was convicted of murdering six members of a family and sentenced to death by the trial court, a sentence confirmed by the High Court and upheld by the Supreme Court. On review, the Supreme Court examined whether the appellant's severe socio‑economic deprivation, lack of adequate legal representation, and …

The appellant was convicted of raping and murdering a three‑year‑old girl and was sentenced to death, a sentence confirmed by the High Court and upheld by the Supreme Court. The appellant filed review petitions, which were initially dismissed but later restored after the Supreme Court’s decision in Mohd. Arif alias Ash…

The Supreme Court examined the legality of Sarda Mines Private Limited’s (SMPL) mining operations after it received a permission on 13 July 1999 to extract 1.4 LTPA of mineral iron ore and an environmental clearance on 22 September 2004 for expanding production of iron ore (lump) to 4.0 MTPA. The Court held that the 20…

Petitioners, police personnel of Manipur Police, filed writ petitions under Article 32 seeking a mandamus to quash oral observations made by the Supreme Court on 30 July 2018 in the EEVFAM case and to obtain the bench's recusal, alleging that those observations would prejudice the investigations and trial. The Court ex…

The deceased employee died in a motor vehicle accident and his family claimed compensation under Section 168 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal awarded Rs 40,90,000, but the insurer argued that the monthly Rs 50,082 received by the family under the Employees Family Benefit (EFB) Scheme …

The appellant, the legal representative of the deceased victim Mallikarjun Kodagali, challenged the acquittal of the accused in a 2009 assault case, arguing that the proviso to Section 372 of the CrPC gave the victim a right to appeal because the acquittal order was passed after the amendment's effective date of 31‑Dec…

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

The Working Friends Cooperative House Building Society challenged the compulsory acquisition of its 14.90 acres of land by the State of Punjab under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, where an award of Rs 35,52,528 was made in 1995 but never paid to the society and was only deposited in the State Treasury. After the Right…

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

The Supreme Court heard an appeal by the Medical Council of India against JSS Medical College for flouting its earlier 2012 order. The college had allowed students to continue their MBBS studies despite being directed to halt admissions. The Court allowed the current batch, who had completed four years, to finish their…

The Supreme Court addressed the protection of identity of victims of sexual offences, both adult and child, under IPC s.228A, CrPC s.327 and the POCSO Act. It held that no person may publish the victim's name or any detail that could lead to identification, and FIRs relating to such offences must not be placed in the p…

The Supreme Court examined a long‑running recruitment examination for Trained Graduate Teachers in Uttar Pradesh, where over 36,000 candidates sat for a written test in 2009 and subsequent interview. Unsuccessful candidates sought re‑evaluation of answer sheets alleging errors in the key answers, leading a Single Judge…

The Supreme Court examined whether Exception 2 to Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, which exempts a husband from rape liability when his wife is aged 15‑18, violates the Constitution and conflicts with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Court held that the exemption creates an arbitrar…

The Supreme Court examined whether land in Kant Enclave, notified under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLP) on 18 August 1992, should be treated as forest land and thus subject to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. It held that the notification unequivocally designates the area as forest, rendering any constructio…

The petitioner, Mis. Sunder Marketing Associates, entered into a joint venture (JV) with KJSL and won the highest bid for a mining lease in Haryana. After the JV was granted the lease, the partner KJSL sought to rescind the contract while the petitioner wished to continue, leading the State Government to transfer the l…

The dispute concerned a plot of land used as 'Abadi' that had been declared 'Chakout', i.e., outside the Uttar Pradesh consolidation scheme. Four brothers were co‑tenure holders; one brother sold his one‑fourth share to the respondents. The remaining brothers sued for injunction, arguing that under Section 5(c)(ii) of …

The private respondents, serving in the ministerial cadre of the Border Security Force (BSF), sought implementation of a 2000 decision that created 26 Assistant Commandant and 8 Deputy Commandant posts for their cadre after the abolition of a 10% promotion quota. The Union of India argued that a later 2003 cadre review…

The Environment and Consumer Protection Foundation filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking directions for the Union of India and the State of Uttar Pradesh to rehabilitate widows living in Vrindavan, citing a newspaper article that highlighted their deplorable conditions. The Court noted that widows constitute a…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ petition filed by Swaraaj Abhiyan seeking a declaration of drought in parts of Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana and relief for affected persons. The petition highlighted that the three states had either not declared drought or had delayed declaration despite evidence of ra…

The Supreme Court examined whether the admissions of the second batch of MBBS students by Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute in the 2009‑10 academic year were lawful. The Institute admitted the students despite explicit directions from the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Ministry of Health & Family We…

Sciemed Overseas Inc. was awarded a contract for a medical oxygen system by the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, which BOC India challenged. During the pendency of the litigation, Sciemed filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court claiming the work was near completion, a claim later found to be false. The High …

The respondents, who were Functional Managers in the erstwhile State of Bihar, were recommended for promotion to General Manager/Deputy Director by a Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) on 15 February 1999. After the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000 bifurcated Bihar and created the State of Jharkhand, the respondents …

Three accused were tried for the murder of Firozbhai under Sections 302, 120(8), 201 of the IPC and Section 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act. The trial court acquitted them, finding that the prosecution's circumstantial case did not establish a homicidal death and that the injury could have been accidental. The Gujarat High Co…

The original applicant, Goel Ganga Developers, alleged that the project proponent had constructed beyond the limits of the Environmental Clearance (EC) and municipal regulations, prompting the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to order payment of environmental compensation. The proponent filed a review application which wa…

The dispute concerned the title to the Beaulieu estate in Bengaluru, originally conveyed in 1900 to the Dewan of Mysore on behalf of the First Princess of Mysore. Over the ensuing century, portions of the estate were acquired by the State and later transferred to private owners, including the appellant. In 2004 the Kar…

The parties entered into a written construction contract on 06‑06‑2009 containing an arbitration clause. Disputes over construction quality led to a meeting where the contract was terminated by mutual consent and an oral agreement was made with the husband of the original contractor to supervise the work, under which h…

The Supreme Court, hearing a writ petition filed by acid‑attack victims, examined the implementation of its earlier directions in Laxmi v. Union of India (2014) requiring a minimum compensation of Rs.3 lakh per victim and full medical assistance. The Court noted that several states and Union Territories had not fixed t…

Appellant I.C. Sharma bought a householder insurance policy from Oriental Insurance, initially an “as‑per‑list” policy which later was replaced by a consolidated‑amount policy. After a burglary, he claimed loss of various items; the insurer contended that many items were not insured and that the claim should be rejecte…

The National Institute of Medical Sciences University (NIMS) claimed that the State of Rajasthan had failed to respond to its repeated representations for the allotment of Khasra No. 526 and, relying on this silence, constructed extensive buildings on the land. The State, invoking the Jaipur Development Authority Act, …

Sampurna Behura filed a public‑interest writ petition under Article 32 seeking the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Acts of 2000 and 2015, alleging that many states had failed to establish or properly staff Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, Special Juvenile Polic…

The Union of India appealed against the Armed Forces Tribunal's decision that retired Army personnel below officer rank (PBORs) who retired between 1 January 2006 and 31 August 2008 were entitled to the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) benefit from 1 January 2006. The respondents argued that MACP, being part …

Aftaruddin, an under‑raiyat, allegedly executed a sale deed on 11‑Jan‑1971 transferring his suit land to Mamataj Begam, the daughter of the raiyat Sayed Jama Kazi. The deed described Aftaruddin as a raiyat, apparently to evade the prohibition under Section 108 of the Tripura Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960 whic…

Manjeet Singh purchased a second‑hand Tata open truck on hire‑purchase and insured it for Rs 7,28,000. While being driven, the driver gave a lift to three stranded passengers on a cold night; the passengers later assaulted the driver, tied him up and stole the vehicle. The insurer denied the claim, alleging a breach of…

The petitioners, ex‑servicemen and their families, were allocated shops in defence colonies on leases of 11 months, renewable annually, but a 2007 policy limited lease renewal to a maximum of five years. Their leases were cancelled after exceeding this period and they challenged the non‑renewal, alleging that a draft g…

Vijay Singh, a co‑sharer, filed a pre‑emption suit against Shanti Devi after a sale of jointly owned land. An ex‑parte decree was passed in his favour in 1990, but the decree was later set aside on the ground that the defendant had not been properly served. The amendment to Section 15 of the Punjab Pre‑emption Act, 191…

Narayanappa filed a Form‑7 application in 1974 seeking occupancy rights over Survey No. 93, which the Karnataka Land Reforms Tribunal rejected in 1981 on the ground that he was not a tenant. After the statutory cut‑off date of 30 June 1979, he later applied to amend the same Form‑7 to claim a different parcel of land (…

The petitioners, comprising the Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association and a human‑rights trust, alleged that the Manipur police and Union armed forces carried out fake encounters and extra‑judicial killings of civilians, many of whom were in custody, and that no FIRs were registered. They sought, under A…

The Supreme Court entertained Writ Petition (Civil) No. 406 of 2013, which highlighted inhuman conditions in 1,382 Indian prisons, including severe overcrowding, staff vacancies, lack of SOP for Under‑Trial Review Committees, and special concerns for women prisoners and open prisons. The Court noted a draft Standard Op…

The appellants, Geomysore Services and Deccan Gold Exploration, were granted reconnaissance permits (RPs) for gold mining areas in Karnataka and subsequently applied for prospecting licences (PLs). The Karnataka State Government, on behalf of Hutti Gold Mines Ltd., sought to reserve the same areas under Section 17A(2) …

The case concerned the seniority of direct‑recruit officers of the Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) vis‑à‑vis promotee officers. The direct recruit, R.K. Kushwaha, argued that his seniority should be fixed from the date of the requisition (23‑Oct‑2007) under the principle laid down in N.R. Parmar, whi…

The Rajasthan State Electricity Board (RSEB) introduced a Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) scheme and, later, a Pension and General Provident Fund (GPF) scheme in 1988, requiring employees to choose between them within 90 days. Over the next eight years RSEB issued a series of notices extending the window for switchin…

Hindustan Safety Glass Works Ltd. suffered flood damage in August 1992 and lodged insurance claims of about Rs 52 lakhs under two policies with National Insurance Co. Ltd. The insurer appointed two surveyors, but the surveys took more than two years and the insurer ultimately repudiated the claim in May 2001. The insur…

The Supreme Court examined the State of Goa's grant of second renewals of mining leases after illegal mining was uncovered. It held that the earlier *Goa Foundation* judgment required the State to grant fresh mining leases, not renewals, and that the High Court erred in directing execution of lease deeds under Section …

Jagdish Lal Gambhir, an Assistant General Manager of Hindustan Commercial Bank, was transferred to Punjab National Bank (PNB) after the banks' amalgamation and placed as a Scale‑III officer. PNB later issued a charge‑sheet alleging irregular loan sanctions and initiated disciplinary proceedings, ultimately dismissing h…

The Medical Council of India (MCI) inspected Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) after it sought to admit an additional 50 MBBS students for the 2015-16 academic year. The inspection uncovered serious deficiencies, and the MCI recommended that the Central Government deny the extra seats. The Central Government…

The deceased, a haemophiliac road‑accident victim, was admitted to Irvin Hospital. On 5 September 1997, after developing abdominal pain, the Emergency Medical Officer called Dr. Jayshree Ingole, the surgeon on call, who examined the patient, ordered a physician to be summoned and then left the hospital at about 11 p.m.…

The appellant was charged under Sections 419, 420, 406 and 506 of the IPC and Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for cheating a complainant of over Rs. 37 lakh. During a seven‑month investigation he was never arrested, and when he sought to quash the FIR the High Court granted him time to appear before the t…

The State of Karnataka issued a recruitment notification for Hindi Language Assistant requiring a Bachelor’s degree with Hindi as a major and a B.Ed degree with Hindi as the teaching method. Respondent No.1 possessed the former but not the latter and was therefore not selected. He challenged the decision before the Kar…

The dispute concerned 52 kanals of land owned by Bhagwana, of which 20 kanals were self‑acquired and 32 kanals were ancestral. Bhagwana, by a consent decree dated 24 November 1980, transferred the entire property to his nephew Ram Singh, acknowledging a family settlement for the ancestral portion. The daughters of Bhag…

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest writ petition alleging systematic sexual abuse of children in orphanages in Tamil Nadu and the broader failure of the State to protect children in need of care and protection. The Court examined the scope of the term "child in need of care and protection" under Section 2(14) of…

The plaintiffs, children of a deceased father, filed a partition suit in 1989 seeking to set aside two sale deeds executed by their mother, the natural guardian, in 1982 and 1988. The mother had sold the ancestral property without court permission, allegedly in contravention of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, …

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) built ten residential buildings and leased the land to the Central Bank of India for 90 years, with the bank allocating the flats to its Class III and IV employees at its absolute discretion, not as a condition of service. The bank later decided to redevelo…

The Supreme Court entertained Writ Petition (Civil) No. 406 of 2013 concerning inhuman conditions in 1,382 Indian prisons. Relying on earlier decisions, the Court affirmed that prisoners are persons entitled to fundamental rights, including dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. It examined the persistent proble…

The respondents filed a suit under Section 92 of the Code of Civil Procedure seeking removal of the trustees of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, alleging that the trustees failed to act against an objectionable biography of Sri Aurobindo. The High Court held the suit within the ambit of Section 92 and refused to revoke …

Vidarbha Engineering, a lessee of three plots of land, entered into a collaboration agreement with Unitech to develop a commercial complex, whereby Unitech would construct the building, retain 78% of the built‑up area and transfer 22% to Vidarbha. The parties filed a statement under Section 269UC stating a consideratio…

On 19 June 2004, Daud Khan allegedly shot Nand Singh at a restaurant in Nimbahera, Rajasthan, leading to Singh's death. The trial court convicted Khan under Section 302 IPC and Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act, but the High Court reduced the murder conviction to Section 304(1) IPC while upholding the Arms Act convicti…

The case concerned the rehabilitation of about 800 slum dwellers in Mumbai who owned the land through a cooperative society. Susme Builders (the appellant) and J.G. Developers (respondent No.4) each claimed to have the consent of at least 70% of the eligible slum dwellers required under the Development Control Regulati…

The Supreme Court examined a writ petition highlighting severe overcrowding in 1,382 Indian prisons, with occupancy exceeding 150% of permissible limits, and the failure of prison authorities to implement earlier court directions. The Court noted the absence of a juvenile custody manual under the Juvenile Justice (Care…

The appellants owned plots that were initially reserved for public purpose under a Draft Development Plan (1971) and later under Town Planning Scheme III (1976). After ten years elapsed from the final Development Plan coming into force, they served a notice under Section 127 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Plannin…

The Supreme Court examined a massive illegal mining scandal in Odisha involving 187 iron and manganese ore leases, many of which operated without environmental or forest clearances, exceeded mining plans, or violated statutory provisions. The Court rejected the lease‑holders' claim that the Justice M.B. Shah Commission…

The appellant Tularam was convicted of murder for stabbing Bhadri Lodhi with a spear during a sudden quarrel that escalated into a violent altercation. The key issue was whether Tularam had the intention to cause death or only knowledge that his act could likely cause death. The Supreme Court examined Exception 4 to Se…

The State of Kerala challenged the High Court's order striking down two guidelines it had issued for granting No Objection Certificates (NOC) for CBSE affiliation: a minimum land requirement of three acres and a minimum enrolment of 300 students. The Supreme Court examined whether these requirements were arbitrary and …

P. Sivanandi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police recruited in 1985, was considered for promotion to the Indian Police Service in 1994‑95. His Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) for 1992‑93 were initially missing but later found, and the ACR for the period 01‑Apr‑1993 to 15‑Jul‑1993 was written after the prescribed time …

Harjas Rai Makhija appealed to the Supreme Court alleging that the decree of 4 October 1999, which granted possession of a Bhopal plot to Pushparani Jain, was obtained by fraud because she allegedly concealed a Power of Attorney dated 30 April 1983. The Court held that fraud must be proved with evidence of intent to de…

The Supreme Court heard extensive arguments in State of Uttar Pradesh v. Jai Bir Singh (Civil Appeal No. 897 of 2002). The Court examined the correctness of the view expressed in Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa (1978) 2 SCC 213, which had been questioned in a prior reference order. Recognising the…

The appellants, irregularly appointed daily‑wage/contract workers of the State of Jharkhand, claimed regularisation under the Jharkhand Regularisation Rules, 2015 on the ground that they had rendered more than ten years of service. The High Court rejected their claim, holding that the cut‑off date of 10 April 2006 fixe…

Madina Begum filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement that lacked a fixed calendar date for completion. The respondents contended the suit was barred by the three‑year limitation under Article 54 of Schedule I of the Limitation Act, 1963. The Supreme Court held that where no specific date is fixed, the…

The Telangana Housing Board (APHB) acquired a large tract of land, including Survey No. 1009, for a housing scheme in 1968. The respondents later claimed that about 11 acres within Survey No. 1009 were not acquired and sought correction of a purported clerical error under Section 87 of the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Are…

Manohar Lal Sharma filed a writ petition challenging Press Notes that introduced a policy permitting up to 51 % foreign direct investment in multi‑brand retail trading, contending that the policy was unconstitutional and beyond the government’s authority. The Court examined the competence of the Central Government and …

The Paradip Port Trust invited bids for mechanisation of berths and awarded the contract to a consortium of JSW Infrastructure Ltd and South West Port Ltd. The second consortium objected, invoking a policy clause that barred a private operator already handling a specific cargo from bidding for the next berth for the sa…

Bhulabhai Bhikhabhai, the Karta of a joint Hindu family, died intestate in 1947 leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters. When the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulations) Act, 1976 came into force, only the surviving son, Balubhai, filed a declaration under Section 6(1) claiming the entire land; the daughters made no c…