SANJAY KISHAN KAUL

The petitioners, Private Secretaries (Grade‑II) serving in the Eastern Central Railway’s zonal offices, sought pay‑scale parity with their counterparts in the Central Secretariat Stenographers Service, Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers Service and the Central Administrative Tribunal. The dispute centered on wheth…

The appellant, a descendant of former zamindars, claimed possession of about five acres of land since 1930. The State Government, on behalf of the Union of India, filed a suit under Section 180 of the United Provinces Tenancy Act, 1939, for recovery of possession and damages, which was later dismissed for default. Duri…

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

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

The appellant, a landlord, obtained a consent decree in 2005 allowing eviction of the respondents, tenants, upon default of rent. After the tenants defaulted, the executing court on 12 February 2013 ordered execution of the decree. Four years later the tenants filed an application before the same executing court seekin…

The appellant was convicted under Section 376 IPC for allegedly raping his sister‑in‑law’s younger daughter, who was claimed to be a minor at the time. The prosecution’s case rested on the prosecutrix’s delayed testimony, a school register indicating a birth date of 04‑04‑1987, and a medical report that recorded her ag…

The case arose from an armed assault on Birbal Nath's uncle and aunt in a Rajasthan field, resulting in the uncle's death and injuries to the aunt, an injured eye‑witness. The trial court convicted the six accused under Sections 302, 307 and related offences, but the Rajasthan High Court acquitted them of the murder an…

C.K. Karunakar, an employee of State Bank of India, was interviewed for promotion in 1984. While the promotion process was pending, disciplinary proceedings were initiated, leading to a charge‑sheet and a penalty of censure in 1987, with the appeal dismissed in 1988. The promoting authority had placed his promotion rec…

The State of Karnataka granted agricultural land to members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with a non‑alienation clause prohibiting transfer for fifteen years. After the period, the appellant purchased the lands from the original grantees, claiming that prior government permission was not required. The As…

K. Suri Babu, a helper (workman) employed by Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad, was alleged to have submitted a forged Class VI certificate and disciplinary action was initiated under the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965 (CCA Rules). The respondent contended that, as a workman, disc…

Shree Aashraya Infra‑Con Ltd was placed under corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) and the appointed resolution professional, Hari Babu Thota, submitted a resolution plan drafted by the promoters and approved by the Committee of Creditors. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) dismissed the plan, holding t…

The appellant Chunthuram and co-accused Jagan Ram were convicted for the murder of Laxman under IPC sections 302 and 34. The Supreme Court examined the prosecution's evidence, finding that the recovered weapons were never forensic‑linked to the crime, the chemical analysis report was missing, and a shirt forensic repor…

The Suraz India Trust, chaired by Rajiv Daiya, filed a large number of public interest litigations that the Supreme Court deemed frivolous and ordered the Trust and its chairman to refrain from filing further petitions, imposing exemplary costs of Rs. 25 lakh. Daiya failed to pay the costs, repeatedly sought modificati…

The appellant Amit Shrivas claimed a compassionate appointment after his father, a work‑charged driver, died in service; the father had become a permanent employee after 15 years but was still paid from the contingency fund. The 2008 Madhya Pradesh policy excluded work‑charged/contingency employees from compassionate a…

The case concerned a partition deed dated 31‑January‑1970 in which a Hindu undivided family allotted agricultural land to two minor daughters of Vithaldas Jagannath Khatri. The State of Maharashtra challenged the exclusion of that land from the surplus‑land calculation under the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling …

The appellant Sonu @ Sunil was convicted along with four others for the robbery and murder of Bharosilal in September 2008, based largely on circumstantial evidence, the recovery of a mobile phone from his possession, and the testimony of a witness (PW‑5) who claimed to have overheard a conspiracy. The prosecution alle…

Yatin Narendra Oza, a former designated Senior Advocate and President of the Gujarat High Court Bar Association, was stripped of his senior advocate gown after making repeated allegations against judges, which the Gujarat High Court deemed contemptuous. Oza filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the withdra…

The appellants, holders of mining leases in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, sought extension of their leases for periods during which mining was prohibited by orders of the National Green Tribunal and subsequent state notifications. The State argued that neither the Uttar Pradesh Mining Minerals (Concession) Rules, 1963 nor …

The Union of India challenged a High Court order that quashed an FIR registered under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for the alleged sale of unlicensed drugs, holding that prosecution for offences under Chapter IV of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 must be initiated only by persons named in Section 32 of the A…

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

The State of Kerala appointed Leesamma Joseph on compassionate grounds despite her 55% locomotor disability and later denied her promotion benefits under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. The respondent claimed that sections 32, 33 and 47 of the 1995 Act guarantee reservation in promotion for persons with disabi…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the High Court's acquittal of Phoolchand Rathore, who had been convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his wife under sections 302 and 201 IPC. The prosecution's case rested on alleged motive (a dispute over jewellery), a disclosure statement and recovery of blood…

The case concerned the murder of Hari Shankar whose body was found in an apartment rented by the appellant Santosh @ Bhure. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence – tenancy of the flat, the presence of blood, a suicide letter allegedly written by co‑accused Neeraj, and recovery of a knife and blood‑stained c…

The Supreme Court examined proceedings initiated by the Forward Markets Commission (later merged with SEBI) against Neptune Overseas Ltd (NOL) and its director Kailash Ramkishan Gupta for alleged trading irregularities. A detailed show‑cause notice dated 21 June 2011 was served only on Gupta, and the respondents argued…

The State of Uttar Pradesh issued Government Orders in 2010 and 2011 directing that Class IV posts in aided schools be filled only through outsourcing, abolishing permanent recruitment. Regulation 101 under the Intermediate Education Act, 1921 was subsequently amended to give effect to this policy. Several aided instit…

The respondent, a supervisor at New Victoria Mills, applied for the Modified Voluntary Retirement Scheme (MVRS) by submitting a resignation on 12 July 2002. He later requested that his resignation be kept suspended until his provident fund dues were cleared, but the employer accepted his resignation on 28 May 2003, sim…

The legal heirs of the late S.V. Srinivasulu Naidu claimed that Union of India had illegally grabbed 7,128.5 sq. yards of land that their father had purchased, relying on a prior suit where the plaintiffs were declared owners of 4,971.5 sq. yards. The Union appealed the Tribunal's order under the Andhra Pradesh Land Gr…

The dispute involved the legal heirs of two deceased brothers over eight acres of agricultural land that had been leased in 1944 and later deemed purchased by tenants under Section 32 of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948. A certificate under Section 32M was issued in 1967 in favour of the younger brot…

The appellant, a 23‑year‑old software engineer, was injured in a bus‑accident caused by the negligent driving of a State Express Transport Corporation bus, sustaining a permanent disability of 31.1%. She filed a claim under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) award…

The Supreme Court reviewed a criminal appeal filed by Dr. U.N. Bora, ex‑CEO, and others against a Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court that had found them guilty of civil contempt for allegedly wilfully disobeying an order upholding Section 21 of the Assam Agricultural Produce Market Act, 1972. The appellants conte…

V. Sukumaran, who had worked for over seven years as a Casual Labour Roll (CLR) employee in the Kerala Fisheries Department, later entered government service through a regular recruitment process and retired as an Upper Division Clerk. He claimed that his CLR service should be counted as qualifying service for pension …

The plaintiff, A. Krishnappa, sued the defendant’s wife, Smt. Narasamma, for possession of a schedule property, claiming full ownership and seeking removal of a temporary structure. The defendant relied on an unregistered sale agreement dated 10‑10‑1976 and a General Power of Attorney dated 08‑08‑1988 to assert title, …

The incident occurred on 17 March 1997 at a tea stall in Kalia Hotel where the deceased, Keramat Ali, was allegedly attacked by a group of nine accused. The trial court acquitted accused No.9 (Samsul Haque) and accused Nos.2 and 3 (Abdul Rashid and Imdadul Islam) citing lack of incriminating evidence, while convicting …

The deceased was attacked with weapons by his relatives while returning from work, resulting in his death. The trial court acquitted accused A‑2 to A‑6, but the High Court convicted A‑2 to A‑5 under s.302 read with s.149 IPC, finding the witnesses’ testimony credible despite minor inconsistencies. The appellants challe…

Joydeep Majumdar, an Army officer, filed for divorce on the ground of mental cruelty, alleging that his wife, Bharti Jaiswal Majumdar, repeatedly made defamatory complaints to his superiors, the State Women Commission, and on public platforms, which damaged his career and reputation. The Family Court granted the divorc…

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

The case concerned two acres of land that had been granted free of cost to a member of the Adi Karnataka Scheduled Caste in 1941. The grantee’s grandson (respondent No.4) claimed that the subsequent sale of the land to the appellant in 1971 violated Rule 43(8) of the Mysore Land Revenue Code and the Karnataka Scheduled…

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

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

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

The Supreme Court examined whether two US‑incorporated companies, eFunds Corp. and eFunds IT Solutions Inc., had a permanent establishment (PE) in India under the India‑US Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). The Revenue argued that a fixed place of business, a service PE, and an agency PE existed through the In…

The appellant, Lala @ Anurag Prakash Aasre, was convicted for murder, unlawful assembly and related offences after a group assault with sharp weapons that resulted in the death of Balu Mandpe and injuries to several witnesses. The key dispute was that the appellant’s name was absent from the FIR, though he was identifi…

The case concerned the interpretation of the Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, De‑notified Tribes, Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Act, 2000 and the related 2003 and 2012 Rules. The petitioner challenged th…

The State of Rajasthan sought to appoint Love Kush Meena as a constable, but the recruitment advertisement disqualified candidates who were not honourably acquitted of offences involving moral turpitude or violence. Meena had been acquitted in a case under IPC sections 302, 323, 341 and 34 on the basis of benefit of do…

The appellant, Talat Sanvi, was granted anticipatory bail by the High Court on the condition that he deposit interim victim compensation. The appellant challenged this condition, arguing that it contravenes Section 357 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The Supreme Court examined the provisions of Section 357, no…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 45(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, which imposes two additional conditions for granting bail when the offence involves a scheduled offence punishable with imprisonment of more than three years under Part A of the Schedule. The Court h…

The plaintiff Beli Ram, owner of a truck, employed a driver who had been driving with an expired licence for nearly three years. The driver suffered a road accident resulting in 20% permanent disability and claimed compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923. The High Court held the insurer not liable and p…

Indra Devi alleged that a fraudulent land transaction involving a forged lease was carried out in collusion with municipal officials, including a clerk (Respondent No.2) who was not named in the FIR. Respondent No.2 sought protection under Section 197 of the CrPC, claiming his actions were performed in the discharge of…

South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (SECL) floated a tender for hiring excavation equipment and awarded the contract to M/s S. Kumar’s Associates AKM (JV) through a Letter of Intent (LoI). The LoI required the successful bidder to deposit a performance security of 5% of the contract value within 28 days and to sign an Integr…

The State of Uttarakhand appealed the acquittal of Girish Singh and Jodh Singh, who were charged under Sections 304B r/w 34 and 306 r/w 34 of the IPC for the alleged dowry death of Ishwari Devi, who committed suicide by burning within seven years of marriage. The High Court convicted them, relying on unproduced letters…

The appellants, Nagji Odhavji Kumbhar and another, were convicted under Sections 302 and 324 IPC for the murder of Bhura Govind and Lakha Arjan on 1 July 1987. They claimed they acted in private defence and that the incident occurred in the spur of the moment, seeking a reduction of the charge to Section 304 IPC. The S…

The Enforcement Directorate appealed a Bombay High Court order that granted default bail to respondents arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The crux of the dispute was whether the day of remand should be counted when calculating the 60‑day (or 90‑day) period prescribed under Section 167(2)(a)(i…

The case arose from a land‑dispute over a pathway between the prime accused Surjaram and the deceased Ladduram, which escalated into a violent clash on 18‑07‑1989 resulting in two deaths and several injuries. The trial courts and the High Court delivered mixed judgments, convicting some accused under Section 302 r.w. S…

The Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board advertised a post of PGT (English) Female with a provision for five‑year age relaxation for government servants and departmental candidates. Seema Kapoor, a primary teacher employed by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, applied after exceeding the age limit and claimed…

The case involved a violent clash between members of two political parties in Kerala, resulting in the murder of a CPI(M) member. Sixteen accused were charged, but the trial court acquitted A-10 to A-16 while convicting five others. The High Court upheld the convictions but reversed the acquittals of A-10 to A-13, rely…

The appellant, a regular importer of electric decorative lighting (M/s. Diyas Mantra Lighting Private Ltd. and its directors), was issued a show‑cause notice under s.28 of the Customs Act, 1962 alleging non‑declaration of brand names and undervaluation of imports from a related party in the UK. The assessing authority …

The appellant, a Scale II officer of Bank of India, was penalised with removal from service for sanctioning and recommending loans that turned into non‑performing assets, causing a loss of Rs 70.32 lakhs. He contended that two other officers involved in similar misconduct were punished with compulsory retirement and so…

An FIR was lodged against Sarpanch Sardar Meena alleging house trespass, indiscriminate firing and injuries to the complainant. The High Court granted him bail, and a preliminary enquiry under Section 38(1) of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, read with Rule 22(2) of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Rules, 1996, led …

Pawan Kumar was convicted of murder and attempt to murder (IPC ss.302, 307 read with s.34) and sentenced to life imprisonment and seven years rigorous imprisonment. He contended that he was a juvenile at the time of the offence (01‑12‑1995) and sought the benefit of the Juvenile Justice Act. The trial court and High Co…

The appellants, Vaishno Devi Construction and others, claimed to be assignees of a decree holder (the late S.N. Kanungo) and sought execution of arbitration awards turned into decrees under Order XXI Rule 16 of the CPC. The dispute turned on whether the Explanation added to Order XXI Rule 16 by the 1976 Amendment Act, …

The appeal concerned the taxability of pan masala containing tobacco (gutka) under the Delhi Sales Tax Act, 1975, the U.P. Trade Tax Act, 1948 and the Tamil Nadu General Sales Tax Act, 1959. The central issue was whether the specific entry introducing "Pan Masala and Gutka" in the rate schedule overrode the general exe…

The Supreme Court examined whether orders of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) are amenable to writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution. The Union of India contended that Section 14 of the AFT Act and Article 227(4) barred High Courts from exercising such jurisdiction, relying on the decision in Union of I…

In March 1994 a group of caste Hindus attacked the hut of Murugaiyan, the father‑in‑law of PW1, setting it alight and assaulting him with sickles, resulting in his death. The prosecution relied on the testimony of PW1, PW2, PW3 and PW5, along with medical evidence, to identify twenty‑four accused; the trial court convi…

Paul was married to Jessy and was accused of cruelty and of causing her death. The trial court initially acquitted him, but the Kerala High Court set aside the acquittal, remanded the case for further examination under Section 313 Cr.PC, and the trial court subsequently convicted him under Section 302 IPC, sentencing h…

The Supreme Court, hearing a public‑interest writ petition filed by Lok Prahari, addressed the chronic backlog of about 57 lakh cases and the roughly 40% vacancy rate in High Courts. It held that the dormant constitutional provision under Article 224A can be invoked to appoint retired judges as ad‑hoc judges to clear o…

Advocate-on-Record Siddharth Rajkumar Murarka filed a writ petition seeking to use the style "Law Chambers of Siddharth Murarka, Sole Proprietor Siddharth Rajkumar Murarka" on his letterhead and Vakalatnama, arguing that such a designation is permissible and that other High Courts allow it. The petition raised two ques…

The appellant, Jayantilal Verma, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for the strangulation death of his wife, Sahodara Bai, whose body was found in their matrimonial home. The prosecution's case rested primarily on the testimony of the step‑brother (PW‑1) and the post‑mortem report indicating homicidal asphyxia. Althou…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, examined lapses in the care of COVID-19 patients in government and private hospitals across Delhi and other states. It noted that the Union and State affidavits did not provide a mechanism for continuous supervision or remedial action. The Court therefore directed the Ministry of Hea…

The respondent, a clerk‑cum‑cashier of Indian Overseas Bank, was dismissed after a departmental inquiry found him guilty of multiple charges including forging his sister‑in‑law's signature to open a joint account and withdraw a demand draft. The Industrial Tribunal upheld the dismissal, but the Allahabad High Court set…

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) received a complaint alleging that four private firms colluded in the tendering process for Mizoram state lottery distributors, resulting in bid‑rigging and an appreciable adverse effect on competition. The CCI found prima facie evidence of cartelisation among the private bidde…

The appellant, BAJRANGA (deceased) represented by legal heirs, challenged the State of Madhya Pradesh's declaration of his agricultural land as surplus under the Madhya Pradesh Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings Act, 1960. He argued that a portion of the land had been decreed in favour of his mother‑in‑law, Jenobai, in a…

The appellants, aged 19 and 20, were convicted under Section 397 IPC for grievous hurt and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment. While the State argued that the mandatory minimum sentence could not be reduced, the appellants sought release on probation under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, citing their…

The plaintiff, Venigalla Koteswaramma, filed a suit for partition of her step‑mother Annapurnamma's properties, alleging that her siblings were co‑sharers and that defendant 4 had fraudulently obtained thumb impressions to execute a sale agreement and a will. The trial court held that both the alleged will (Ex. B‑9) an…

The respondent, a tenant, stopped paying rent in February 2005 and was served a notice to vacate in October 2013, after which the landlord filed an eviction suit. The tenant filed an application under Sections 7(1) and 7(2) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1997, but the trial court rejected it because it was fi…

The case involves a double murder in which accused Prabhunath Singh, a sitting MP, was originally acquitted along with other co‑accused. The Supreme Court, on appeal, took judicial notice of the Patna High Court's Habeas Corpus judgment, treating it as a public document, and considered the accused's subsequent conduct …

The Supreme Court examined the scope of Section 29A(h) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, which bars persons who have executed an enforceable guarantee that has been invoked by a creditor from being a resolution applicant. The Court held that the disqualification arises when the guarantee is invoked, applies …

Munish Kakkar filed a petition for divorce under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging cruelty, extra‑marital affairs, and a child out of wedlock, after a marriage that had effectively collapsed with the parties living apart for over sixteen years. The trial court granted a decree of divorce, which the …

The appellants purchased land from a raiyat and the respondent, a contiguous raiyat, claimed a pre‑emptive right under Sections 8 and 9 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955, alleging that the sale consideration was inflated. The respondent filed an application with only a partial deposit (the alleged actual consid…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over a government tender for polyester hologram excise labels, where two unsuccessful bidders, Kumbhat Holographics and Alpha Lasertek India LLP, alleged that the tender specifications were tailored to favour the successful bidders, UFLEX Ltd. and Montage Enterprises. The Court held…

The case concerned thirty‑one former IFCI employees who had taken voluntary retirement under the VRS‑2008 scheme and later claimed enhanced pension benefits based on RBI pay‑scale revisions that were applied retrospectively to periods when they were still employees. The employees argued that a clarification in the earl…

The case concerned a Will executed by the deceased Rajendra Singh in favour of Sarjug Singh, which the objectors claimed had been revoked by a registered cancellation deed dated 02‑02‑1963. The trial court held the Will was revoked, but the Patna High Court reversed that finding, granting probate to the applicant, rely…

The case involves a property dispute between the branch of Lakshmiah Naidu (respondents) and legatees under a Will (appellants) of Rangaswami Naidu, who died on 01.06.1955 before the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. The appellants claimed that Rangaswami Naidu had severed the joint family status through a newspaper notice a…

The appellant, elected as a member of the Zilla Parishad in Dhule, was disqualified after his son was awarded a road‑repair contract by the Gram Panchayat, a contract that was sanctioned and funded by the Zilla Parishad. Respondent No.3 filed an application under Sections 16(1)(i) and 40 of the Maharashtra Zilla Parish…

The State Government of Bihar issued a Departmental Order (D.O.) on 28 July 1981 to merge the pay scales of Lower Division and Upper Division Assistants/Clerks in Patna University, later extending the scheme to other universities. Subsequent communications in 1982, 1989 and 1990 led the Vice‑Chancellor of Ranchi Univer…

The dispute concerned a 0.08‑cent portion of a 120‑acre land parcel in Chengalpattu, where the appellant Seethakathi Trust claimed title based on a series of registered sale deeds dating back to 1963, while the respondent Krishnaveni sought specific performance of an earlier agreement and claimed possession of the same…

The petitioners, practising advocates, filed a writ under Article 32 challenging the constitutional validity of Sections 16 and 23(5) of the Advocates Act, 1961 and Rule 2 of Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, alleging that the designation of senior advocates creates an unlawful class violating Articles 14, 19 …

John D’ Souza, a former bus conductor, was dismissed by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation after a domestic enquiry that found him guilty of absenteeism. While an industrial dispute concerning his dismissal was pending before the Labour Court, the corporation sought permission to effectuate the dismissal under …

Chaman Lal purchased land in 1949 and executed a gift deed in 1958 in favour of his step‑mother, Gurdev Kaur. The dispute arose when Chaman Lal filed a partition suit in 1987 claiming that only half of the land had been gifted. The trial court and the first appellate court ordered a half‑share partition, but the Punjab…

Workmen filed a civil suit in 2005 seeking a declaration and permanent injunction against a fine imposed by Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation. The corporation moved an application under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC to dismiss the suit and refer the matter to the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The application a…

The appellants were recruited to the post of Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) by nomination in 2014, underwent training and were appointed in 2016, while the respondents were promoted to ACF in 2014 without undergoing the training. The appellants sought declaration that their appointment and service should be coun…

The Tourism Finance Corporation of India advanced a Rs 30 crore loan to Rainbow Papers Ltd, whose Managing Director Ajay Kumar Goenka signed a post‑dated cheque that was later dishonoured. A demand notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act was issued and a criminal complaint was filed against the compa…

The Supreme Court examined whether a government employee convicted of corruption, with a criminal appeal pending, is entitled to his death‑cum‑retirement gratuity (DCRG) under the Kerala Service Rules. The Court held that Rule 3A cannot be read in isolation; it must be read together with Rule 3, Note 2 and Ruling 3, wh…

An FIR was lodged against Fakhrey Alam under several IPC sections, the Arms Act and Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The police filed a charge sheet for the IPC and Arms offences within the 180‑day period but delayed the UAPA charge sheet beyond that period, filing it after 211 days. The a…

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) sought relief on the basis of a letter dated 24 May 2011 between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority, alleging it affected the computation of the Hypothetical Regulatory Asset Base (HRAB). The Sup…

The case arose from a 2000 incident in which several accused were convicted of murder and related offences. The trial court framed charges alleging that the victim, Harpal Singh, was killed by bullet injuries from accused No.2, although the evidence showed he died from injuries inflicted by sharp weapons wielded by acc…

The Supreme Court entertained a review application filed by the Union of India seeking correction of two sentences in paragraph 25 of its 14‑December‑2018 judgment on the Rafale fighter‑jet procurement, and also considered the petitioners' claim that the Court had failed to order registration of an FIR and CBI investig…

The case concerned promotion of Junior Engineers (JEs) in the Uttarakhand Irrigation Department to Assistant Engineer (AE) posts, where 7.33% of promotion vacancies were earmarked for JEs holding a degree with only three years of service, while diploma‑holding JEs required ten years. Diploma‑holders challenged the acce…

The Supreme Court entertained Civil Appeal No. 877 of 2018 filed by Ashok Kumar and others against the State of Jharkhand concerning the payment of differential mandatory benefits, including increments, under the Jharkhand Judicial Service (Recruitment) Rules, 2004. The Court had earlier, on 11 May 2018, issued directi…

The Supreme Court considered curative petitions filed by the Union of India seeking to increase the US$470 million settlement awarded in 1989 for the Bhopal gas disaster. The Union claimed errors in victim counts, inflation, and additional environmental and rehabilitation costs, arguing that the original settlement was…

In a 2019 Lok Sabha election for the Hassan constituency, the appellant A. Manju, who finished second, filed an election petition under Section 81 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 alleging that the elected candidate, Prajwal Revanna, had committed corrupt practices by filing a false affidavit and concealing ma…

The case concerns the murder of a police officer for which two accused were acquitted by the trial court. The High Court reversed the acquittal and convicted them for life, relying on the testimony of police witnesses and a purported dying declaration. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the scope of appellate review…

The Supreme Court considered a suit filed in 1974 by a co‑sharer seeking to enforce his pre‑emptive right over a sale of a property in Ajmer. The property had previously been transferred in 1945, 1946 and on 5 Nov 1966, the latter after the Rajasthan Pre‑Emption Act, 1966 came into force. The issue was whether the one‑…

The appeal arose from an order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that, on the basis that the corporate debtor Springfield Shelters Pvt. Ltd. was an MSME, the promoter need not compete with other resolution applicants to regain control of the debtor. The Resolution Professional, acting under the Ins…

The appellant, a son, and his father were drinking together when a quarrel erupted on the night of 26-27 July 2010. The son attacked his father with a piece of Nagar wood, inflicting eleven severe injuries to the head, neck, chest and abdomen, leading to the father's death. He was convicted of murder under Section 302 …

The appellant and respondent were married in 2002 but the marriage was never consummated and the parties lived apart for almost two decades. The appellant filed for divorce on the ground of cruelty; the trial court granted a decree on the basis of irretrievable breakdown, which was later set aside by the appellate cour…

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

The Supreme Court examined a dispute between Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (the appellant) and wind power developers over a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) executed on 29‑03‑2012 under the REC Regulations, 2010. The respondents sought to have the tariff in the PPA revised after the Central Electricity Regulatory Commissi…

The petition challenged the increase in seats of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Legislative Assembly and the constitution of a Delimitation Commission under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 and the Delimitation Act, 2002. The Court held that Article 170, which governs State legislatures, does not a…

The Himachal Pradesh government imposed a special road tax under s.3A(3) of the Himachal Pradesh Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1972 on transport vehicles operating without a valid permit. The High Court struck down this provision, holding it to be a penalty and ultra‑vires the State’s legislative competence under List I…

The appellants, owners of three shop rooms, filed an eviction petition against the respondents for non‑payment of rent and unauthorised sub‑letting of one of the rooms. The trial court granted eviction for all three rooms, but the appellate authority limited eviction to two rooms, and the High Court further limited it …

The case concerned the eligibility of candidates holding a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree for the post of Assistant Professor (Education) in Uttar Pradesh universities. The Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Service Selection Commission (UPHESSC) initially rejected an M.Ed. holder, but later issued a corrigendum accept…

The case concerned the murder of Devinder Singh, who was allegedly attacked by three accused wielding hockey sticks and a knife. The prosecution’s case rested primarily on the testimony of Parminder Singh (PW‑1), a brother of the deceased, while the other two eye‑witnesses turned hostile. The Supreme Court examined the…

The Supreme Court examined whether three entities – Shree Vishal Printers Ltd (SVPL), Times Publishing House Ltd (TPHL) and Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd (BCCL) Jaipur – could claim exemption from the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 under Section 16(1)(d). The Court applied the functional…

The case involved 90 non‑management workers (NMRs) of the Rengali Hydro Electric Project who claimed that they were forced to sign applications for a Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) through fraud and undue influence, and consequently were denied reinstatement. The Labour Court held that the VSS was thrust upon them a…

The State of Rajasthan advertised recruitment for Teacher Grade III (Level I & II) in 2013, requiring candidates to possess the prescribed qualifications as on the last date of application. Respondent Trilok Ram, who was still completing the mandatory B.S.T.C. qualification, applied based on a High Court order and late…

The Supreme Court revisited the guidelines it had laid down in 2017 for the designation of Senior Advocates under Section 16 of the Advocates Act, 1961. It held that voting by secret ballot should be an exception rather than the rule and that the reasons for resorting to such a vote must be recorded. The Court refined …

The appellant alleged that the respondents forged a personal recognizance bond and a surety bond before they were filed as evidence in a criminal case pending before a Judicial Magistrate. The lower courts dismissed the appellant's complaint and the revisional court directed a preliminary enquiry under Section 340 of t…

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…

The accused Chandru @ Chandrasekaran and Siva were convicted of murder (s.302 r/w s.120B) based solely on circumstantial evidence and a private complaint filed four years after the death. The Supreme Court examined the reliability of the complainants' statements, the delay in filing the private complaint, the lack of a…

RPS Infrastructure Ltd entered into a development agreement with KST Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, which later led to an arbitral award in favour of RPS in 2016. While the award was under challenge under Section 34 of the Arbitration Act, a corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) was initiated against KST Infrastructu…

The CBI registered a case against Dr. R.R. Kishore for alleged bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, but conducted the investigation without the prior approval of the Central Government required by Section 6A(1) of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. The Delhi High Court allowed the trial …

The National Co‑operative Development Corporation (NCDC) earned interest on surplus funds held in its statutory fund and used that interest to make non‑refundable grants to state and national cooperative societies. The Assessing Officer disallowed the grants as capital expenditure, but the Commissioner of Income Tax (A…

The landlord (Ravi Khandelwal) filed an eviction suit in 1985 against the tenant (M/s Taluka Stores) for a shop in Jaipur. The suit was dismissed by the trial court in 2002 for violating Section 14(3) of the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1950, which bars eviction suits within five years of lett…

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 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…

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 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 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 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…

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). …

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

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

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by the Government of India challenging the recognition of a service association formed by ISRO drivers. The respondents sought recognition under the Central Civil Services (Recognition of Service Association) Rules, 1993, claiming that drivers constitute a "distinct category" of gov…

The appellant filed a regular second appeal alleging that the appeal was decided without framing a substantial question of law, relying on decisions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether, under Section 100 of the Code of Civil Procedure as amended by the 1976 Amendment Act…

Lakshmi Chandra, a daily‑wage employee of the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, sought regularisation and payment of the minimum pay scale as mandated by earlier Supreme Court judgments. The Department denied his eligibility and issued an order on 19‑Nov‑2008. Chandra filed a contempt application (C‑1632/2009) alleging …

The Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community sought a mandamus directing the State of Maharashtra to enforce the Bombay Protection of Ex‑communication Act, 1949, challenging the Supreme Court's earlier decision in Sardar Syedna which held the Act void for violating Article 26(b). The Act had been repealed by the Mahara…

The Supreme Court considered a civil appeal by the Bar Council of India against Bonnie Foi Law College concerning the validity of the Bar Council's power to prescribe pre‑enrolment training and examinations under the Advocates Act, 1961. The Court examined three questions referred by a three‑Judge Bench: (1) whether th…

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

The appellant IFCI Ltd. had subscribed to Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCDs) issued by ICTL, a special purpose vehicle of IVRCL, for financing a highway concession project. When ICTL defaulted, the CCDs were treated as equity under the project’s concession agreement and the Resolution Professional rejected IFCI…

The dispute concerned the recovery of deductions from monthly tariff, specifically the cost of washing coal and the gross calorific value (GCV) under a power purchase agreement between Nabha Power Limited and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). The Supreme Court had earlier, on 5 October 2017, ordered PSPCL…

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

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

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

The appellant, Vishnu Kumar Tiwari, challenged the High Court's order that set aside the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s acceptance of a police final report (s.173 CrPC) exonerating the accused of dowry‑related offences. The complainant had filed a protest petition against the final report, which the High Court held was no…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, examined the plight of migrant labourers stranded during the COVID-19 lockdown and the measures taken by the Central and State governments. While acknowledging the large number of Shramik trains and bus services already deployed, the Court noted lapses in registration, supervision, a…

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…

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

The wife (Respondent No.2) filed a criminal complaint alleging dowry harassment, cruelty and forced abortion against her husband’s parents and in‑laws under IPC sections 498‑A and 34 and the Dowry Prohibition Act. The appellants moved to quash the FIR under CrPC s.482, arguing that the wife had lived abroad for most of…

The appellants, who joined the Puducherry Electricity Department as Junior Engineers with engineering degrees, challenged the promotion of diploma‑holding engineers who obtained a degree during service and were immediately promoted under the degree quota. The issue was whether service rendered before acquiring the degr…

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 National Insurance Company Ltd. (appellant) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar (respondent No.1) to provide group insurance for election workers in 2000. A constable died of sun stroke while on election duty, and his wife (respondent No.2) filed a claim for Rs.10 la…

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas allocated natural gas to Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd. (IPCL) on the condition that IPCL lay its own pipelines. IPCL entered into a gas‑supply contract with GAIL (India) Ltd., a public sector undertaking, which contained clauses charging IPCL for "loss of transportatio…

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

Jagdish Raj, a clerk-cum-shroff of Indian Bank, died on 15 January 2004 leaving behind a wife (who was already employed) and three minor children. The family applied for compassionate appointment for the son on 24 January 2004, which had to be considered under the scheme in force on the date of death – the 4 April 1979…

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Government of India issued orders on 23 October 2018 divesting Director Alok Kumar Verma of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of his powers, functions and supervisory role. The Director challenged the legality of these orders, arguing that under Section 4B(2) of th…

The State of Uttarakhand appealed the High Court's acquittal of five accused persons charged with murder and offences under sections 147, 148, 149 and 302 IPC. The prosecution alleged that the accused, armed with pistols and sharp‑edged weapons, ambushed the deceased while he was on a tractor, shot him and assaulted hi…

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

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

The petitioners challenged the occupation of the Kalindi Kunj‑Shaheen Bagh stretch, including the Okhla underpass, by protesters opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, arguing that it violated their right to protest under Articles 19(1)(a) and (b). The Delhi High Court dismissed the writ without specific directions, p…

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

The appellant Bhagwan was convicted for murdering his wife by setting her ablaze after pouring kerosene, while his two sons also suffered burns. The prosecution's case hinged on the victim's dying declaration, recorded by a Naib Tehsildar, and a medical officer's certificate that she was conscious throughout. The defen…

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

The State of Uttarakhand, relying on its own 2006 Rules, applied the Central Government's revised pay scale only to teaching faculty (Lecturers) and not to Registrars, who are administrative officers under the Uttar Pradesh State Universities Act, 1973. Sudhir Budakoti, appointed Registrar, filed a writ petition seekin…

The landlord filed an eviction petition under s.14(1)(e) read with s.25B of the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958. The tenant sought leave to defend under s.25B(5); the Rent Controller denied the application, finding the landlord's bona‑fide need satisfied and the tenant's contentions unsubstantiated. The tenant then approa…

The case involved the murder of a man at a dhaba in Jalandhar, where four accused (A1‑A4) were convicted under Section 304 Part I IPC. The father of the deceased (PW6) initially did not allege that A3 and A4 instigated the shooting, but later, in a supplementary statement under Section 161 CrPC, claimed they did. The t…

The case involved a partnership firm (AMC) whose reconstitution in 2009 led the Director of Mines and Geology of Karnataka (the appellant) to issue Mineral Dispatch Permits (MDPs) to the new partners. The Central Bureau of Investigation alleged that the appellant acted without the prior State Government sanction requir…

The case concerned a senior citizen, Ramti Devi (respondent No.1), who had executed a release deed on 14 November 2008 transferring a portion of her land to her daughters, including the appellant Sudesh Chhikra. She later filed a petition under Section 23 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Ac…

The appellant, Javed Abdul Rajjaq Shaikh, was accused of murdering his wife by throttling her after demanding half tola gold, money and a dress. The trial court convicted him and three co‑accused under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC and also under Section 498A. The High Court acquitted the co‑accused and c…

The appellants, who were Telephone Operators in the Delhi Fire Service, were reorganised as Radio Telephone Operators (RTOs) with a higher pay scale, a requirement of at least five years of service and a specialised training programme. They claimed that this conversion was merely a re‑description of posts and that, the…

The case involved seven accused who entered the under‑construction house of the deceased, armed with deadly weapons, and assaulted him, resulting in his death and injuries to two witnesses. The trial court convicted six of the accused under Sections 148, 302, 307, 325 read with Section 149 and Section 449 of the Indian…

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

Nirval Singh applied for a compassionate appointment after his father's death, relying on a policy dated 21‑11‑2002 that was in force at the time of his application. The employer, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd., suspended the policy pending a new one, which came into effect on 23‑11‑2004 and offered Singh a solati…

The appellants, a group of builders, entered into a sale agreement to construct a villa for the respondent, a home‑buyer, but failed to deliver possession and subsequently terminated the agreement. The buyer filed a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 before the District Consumer Forum, while the builders…

Nabha Power Ltd (NPL) entered into a 25‑year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) for a 1200 MW plant under a fuel‑specific, pre‑identified site procurement route. The PPA’s energy‑charge formula required the cost of purchasing, transporting and unloading coal "to and at the pr…

The victim, the brother and legal heir of a deceased murder victim, challenged the trial court's acquittal of the accused under Sections 452, 302/34 IPC. The State sought leave to appeal under Section 372 read with Section 378 of the CrPC, which was denied. The victim filed an appeal under the proviso to Section 372 (i…

The Tamil Nadu Government issued a notification for 356 Post‑Graduate Assistant posts in Chemistry, reserving 117 seats for MBC/DNC candidates (74 backlog and 43 current vacancies). The provisional selection list omitted several meritorious MBC/DNC applicants, who alleged that they were placed in backlog vacancies inst…

The case concerned the absorption of a government employee (respondent No.1) who had been on deputation in the Ministry of Environment & Forests and was later absorbed on the condition that his seniority would be counted from the date of absorption, treating him as a fresh appointee. After the seniority list was issued…

The appellants, originally recruited as Data Entry Operators (DEOs) Grade B, challenged a notice that limited promotion to the post of Inspector to pre‑restructured categories, arguing that the 2001 cabinet‑approved cadre restructuring merged DEOs into the Senior Tax Assistant (STA) cadre and that their prior service s…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition under Article 32 seeking implementation of the Srikrishna Commission's recommendations on the 1992-93 Mumbai riots, including compensation for victims, tracing of missing persons, and police reforms. The Court observed that while the Commission's report is not binding, the …

The husband and wife were married in 1993 and have been living apart for more than 22 years. The husband filed a petition for divorce under Sections 13(1)(ia) and (ib) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging cruelty, and also sought dissolution on the ground of irretrievable breakdown, but the Family Court and the High Cou…

Jagbir Singh was convicted of murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and criminal intimidation (Sec. 506 IPC) for allegedly pouring kerosene on his wife and setting her ablaze. The victim gave three statements: two early statements (24‑01‑2008 and 25‑01‑2008) describing an accidental fire, and a later dying declaration on 27‑01‑2008 im…

P. Balasubrahmanayam, a Group‑B gazetted officer in the Department of Posts, was charged with nine offences, including bribery and procedural lapses. He challenged the charge memo on the ground that, because the allegations involved a vigilance angle, prior approval from the Central Vigilance Officer (CVO) as required …

The appellants Rajesh Yadav and others were convicted for murder and for violating the Arms Act, with the High Court acquitting them of the attempt to murder charge under Section 307 IPC but confirming life imprisonment under Section 25 of the Arms Act. The Supreme Court examined whether the testimonies of related eye‑…

The appeal concerned HDFC ERGO General Insurance Ltd. challenging directions of the Delhi High Court that required the insurer to provide a prosthetic limb with a lifetime warranty and to maintain it by periodic inquiries, as well as to keep a large interest‑bearing deposit to fund attendant wages for the permanently d…

The appellant, the State of Uttar Pradesh, challenged the High Court's order granting a compassionate appointment to Uttam Singh, whose father had served as a part‑time tubewell operator but was treated as a regular employee. The father had been appointed against a regular vacancy, served for 13 years, was transferred …

The Ludhiana Improvement Trust acquired land from several owners but failed to pay the compensation awarded by the Land Acquisition Tribunal. The owners filed execution proceedings, leading to the attachment and auction of the property to M/s. Jagan Singh & Co. for Rs. 22.65 lakhs in 1992. The Trust later sought to set…

The petitioners challenged the President's Constitution Orders 272 and 273 (5 August 2019) that made the entire Indian Constitution applicable to Jammu & Kashmir, arguing that the orders were unconstitutional. They sought a reference to a larger Bench, contending that two earlier Supreme Court judgments—Prem Nath Kaul …

The appellant, D.B. Basnett, claimed that the State of Sikkim had illegally occupied his 7.07‑acre land without complying with the procedural requirements of the Sikkim Land (Requisition and Acquisition) Act, 1977. The State contended that it had paid compensation of Rs.62,645 in 1980 and therefore possessed the land l…

A land dispute led to a mob assault on Abdul Wahab, resulting in his death. Thirty‑two persons were convicted under sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 201 and related provisions of the IPC. The appellant, Taijuddin, was alleged to have merely pointed out the house where the victim was hiding; he was present at the scene beca…

The case concerned a dispute between purchasers (Thota Sridhar Reddy & ors.) who claimed occupancy rights under the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) Abolition of Inams Act, 1955, and protected tenants (Mandala Ramulamma & ors.) who held a certificate of ownership under Section 38‑E of the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area)…

The case concerned the validity of caste certificates issued under a 30 July 2011 notification that created district‑level Caste Scrutiny Committees to verify certificates for local body elections. The High Court had quashed the notification, directing recovery and destruction of the certificates, but the order was sta…

The case concerns a murder that occurred in 1995, for which respondent No.2 was initially acquitted by the trial and High Courts but later convicted by the Supreme Court under Sections 302 and 307 of the IPC. The principal issue before the Court was the appropriate sentence, including whether the death penalty was warr…

The respondent purchased a mineral water bottling plant at an e‑auction conducted under the SARFAESI Act, where the sale notice expressly stated that the property was sold "as is where is, whatever there is and without recourse" and that the purchaser would bear all statutory dues, including electricity dues. After the…

The Constitution Bench examined the scope of Article 142(1) of the Constitution, holding that the Supreme Court may depart from statutory procedure and even substantive law to achieve "complete justice" provided the exercise is guided by fundamental public policy. It ruled that, in cases of settlement between parties, …

The appellants kidnapped a 14-year-old boy for ransom. The trial court and High Court convicted them under Section 364A IPC (kidnapping for ransom) with life imprisonment. The Supreme Court examined the ingredients of Section 364A, particularly the requirement of a threat to cause death or hurt. The Court found that th…

The case concerned a Will dated 15 April 1968 in which Tulsi Ram bequeathed half of his self‑acquired property to his second wife, Ram Devi, as a limited life interest, with the remainder to pass to his son, Jogi Ram, after her death. The question was whether Ram Devi’s interest became an absolute ownership under Secti…