V GOPALA GOWDA

The Supreme Court examined the acquisition of about 1,000 acres of land in Singur, West Bengal for Tata Motors' small‑car project. The Court held that the acquisition was made at the instance of a private company, not for a public purpose, and that the State failed to follow the mandatory procedures under Part VII of t…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Interest on Delayed Payments to Small Scale and Ancillary Industrial Undertakings Act, 1993 (the 1993 Act) applies retrospectively to supply orders placed before its commencement on 23‑09‑1992. The Court held that the Act is prospective, its liability arising only after the buyer …

The State of Karnataka acquired agricultural land for industrial development under the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Act, 1966, and transferred it to the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), which later allotted the land to Ultra Tech Cement Ltd on a lease basis. The landowners sought compensati…

The SaveLife Foundation filed a public‑interest writ petition seeking a legal framework to protect by‑standers who assist victims of road accidents, arguing that fear of police harassment deters timely help. The Supreme Court examined whether it could, under Articles 32, 141 and 142 of the Constitution, issue binding g…

The deceased respondent Gurappa filed a suit in 1984 (O.S. No. 255) for declaration of title which was dismissed for lack of proper parties and proof of possession. He later filed another suit in 1993 (O.S. No. 39) seeking declaration of title, possession, injunction and correction of revenue records. The Municipal Cou…

The plaintiff sought specific performance of a 1983 agreement of sale and a permanent injunction, but the agreement had been terminated by a notice on 28‑03‑1985 after the plaintiff failed to pay the balance consideration and obtain required permissions within the stipulated five‑month period (extendable by two months)…

The appellants, landowners in five villages of Raipur district, challenged the Kamal Vihar Township Development Scheme (KVTDS) prepared by the Raipur Development Authority (RDA) under the Madhya Pradesh Nagar Thatha Gram Nivesh Adhiniyam, 1973. They alleged that the scheme was formulated without the required zonal plan…

The appellant, Ariane Orgachem Pvt. Ltd., took over the Wyeth Ltd. pharmaceutical factory and its workers under s.25FF of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. It later introduced a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) which 45 of the 143 workers accepted. The Wyeth Employees Union later demanded reinstatement of those worke…

The Supreme Court examined whether casual workers employed by Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd. on race days fell within the definition of "employee" under Section 2(9) of the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948, and consequently whether the club was liable to pay ESI contributions from the 1978-79 period. Relying on…

The appellants, senior divisional commercial managers of South Central Railway, challenged the renewal of licences granted to pre‑existing caterers under the 2010 Catering Policy, arguing that the policy applied only to licences issued after its commencement. The respondents, a welfare association of caterers, contende…

The Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) leased industrial plots to several companies under licence agreements and lease deeds that contained clauses prohibiting any transfer, assignment or alteration of the lessee's interest without the lessor's written consent. The lessees later changed the…

The appellants Suresh and others were convicted for kidnapping and murdering Devender Chopra and his son Abhishek, and for concealing evidence, under IPC sections 302, 34, 364-A, 201 and 120-B. The Supreme Court held that the prosecution evidence, including the recovery of the victims' bodies and belongings at the accu…

The case concerned the abduction and murder of former MLA M.K. Balan. The prosecution’s case against appellants A‑3 (Manickam), A‑4 (Somasundaram) and A‑15 (Bomb Selvam) relied primarily on the testimony of two alleged accomplices, PW‑10 and PW‑11, supported by peripheral witnesses and documentary evidence. The trial c…

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) bought 17% NPCL bonds from Andhra Bank Financial Services Ltd (ABFSL) and later discovered that the bonds had been misappropriated by broker Hiten P. Dalal and Canara Bank Mutual Fund (CMF). SCB filed a suit for conversion and amended it to implead Dalal and CMF, but the Special Court held…

The case involved an altercation in 1994 where the complainant Jagdish and his sons were cutting reeds on land also claimed by the accused Jage Ram and his sons. During the fight, the second accused Rajbir (Raju) delivered a pharsi blow to the head of the son Sukhbir, causing grievous injuries that required emergency s…

M/s Magnum Promoters Ltd., the owner of land in Delhi, challenged acquisition notifications issued under the repealed Land Acquisition Act, 1894, arguing that no physical possession was taken and compensation was not paid, invoking Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Re…

Workmen employed as safai kamdars by Umralagram Gram Panchayat were classified as daily‑wage workers despite having served for periods ranging from five to eighteen years and performing the same duties and hours as permanent employees. They raised an industrial dispute seeking permanency and associated benefits. The La…

Sultan Singh was married to Lavjeet Kaur, who died from severe burn injuries within four years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the accused and his mother set the fire after the husband demanded Rs 30,000 as dowry, a demand that was repeatedly made up to the time of death. The defence claimed the death was acc…

Amal Kumar Jha, the doctor-in-charge of a Primary Health Centre, was charged under IPC 304A for the death of a patient after he allegedly refused to provide a government jeep to transfer her to a district hospital. He sought discharge of the criminal proceedings under Section 197 of the CrPC, arguing that the omission …

Charan Singh, a tube‑well operator in the Uttar Pradesh Fisheries Department, was terminated in August 1975 on the ground that he was a temporary employee and was given one month's wages in lieu of notice. He contended that he was a permanent workman and that the termination violated the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Disput…

The appellant, a minor daughter, along with her two sisters sued their mother (the natural guardian) to declare a sale deed of their father's ancestral land null and void. After the father's death, the mother sold the entire property to a third party, claiming the proceeds were used for the daughters' maintenance, educ…

The case concerned Sukh Ram, a Gram Sewak, who was alleged to have forged loan applications and misappropriated government funds between 1983 and 1986. During the investigation, an executive magistrate obtained specimen signatures of two witnesses, which were later compared by a handwriting expert who testified that th…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the High Court's order quashing an FIR registered under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC against Assistant Sub‑Inspector Rajveer Singh and others for allegedly shooting and beating a complainant. Rajveer Singh had filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash…

The appellants, police officers, challenged the prosecution for alleged fake encounters and custodial deaths, arguing that under Section 6 of the Punjab Disturbed Areas Act, 1983 (as amended 1989) and Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, prior sanction from the Central Government was required. The Court…

The Supreme Court, hearing Special Leave Petition (Cr.) No. 5073 of 2011 filed by the State of Karnataka against Shivanna, observed the persistent incidence of rape and the inadequacy of existing procedural mechanisms. It noted the absence of a fast‑track procedure for rape cases despite the existence of Fast‑Track Cou…

The father of the deceased, Anand Singh, witnessed his son Partap being beaten to death with lathis and swords by several accused persons on 4 July 2003 and lodged an FIR the next morning. The accused argued that the FIR was delayed, they were falsely implicated, and that two witnesses named in the FIR were not examine…

Mackinnon Mackenzie & Co. Ltd. retrenched about 98 workmen by serving a notice on 27 July 1992, claiming closure of its clearing and forwarding department due to severe financial losses. The workmen’s union challenged the retrenchment, alleging non‑compliance with the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947: no one‑month notice …

The appellant, a judicial officer, was dismissed following an enquiry under the Gujarat Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1971. He challenged the dismissal in a Special Civil Application, and the High Court set aside the enquiry report and his dismissal. The respondent (the High Court) appealed, arguing that the trial co…

Hakumat Rai, a commission agent at Phool Mandi, Darya Ganj, sought an alternative shop after the market was de‑notified in 1998. Despite numerous representations from 1985 onward, he was never allotted a shop. The Delhi High Court ordered that he be given a shop in Gazipur Mandi and a Category ‘B’ licence. On appeal, t…

The plaintiffs entered into a written agreement of sale on 2 July 1973 for a property, with performance fixed for 2 December 1973. The defendants sought extensions, the last of which expired on 1 February 1977. The plaintiffs filed a suit for specific performance on 29 April 1994, and the defendants moved to dismiss it…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) appealed against a Delhi High Court order that directed conversion of a leasehold plot to freehold in favour of Gaurav Kukreja. The plot was originally held under a perpetual sub‑lease and was subject to an agreement to sell and a General Power of Attorney executed in favour of the…

The appellant, a poultry labourer, was injured in a motor vehicle collision on 18 November 2009, sustaining multiple rib fractures and a 25% permanent disability. He claimed Rs 5,00,000 compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, but the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded only Rs 25,300 with 7.5% interest, a d…

The appellant, Nanjappan, entered into a 1987 sale agreement to sell his sole property for Rs 45,000, receiving an advance of Rs 25,000, with the balance to be paid within 2½ years. The time for execution was extended repeatedly, ultimately spanning eight years, and the respondents paid a total advance of Rs 42,500. Th…

S.P.S. Rathore, a senior police officer, was convicted under Section 354 IPC for molesting a minor girl, Ruchika, after she was forced into his office and embraced against her will. The prosecution relied primarily on the testimony of a single eye‑witness, PW‑13 (Aradhana), whose account was corroborated by other witne…

The appellants, small‑scale shopkeepers near the Shirdi Sai Baba shrine, had a 1979 compromise decree granting them rehabilitation on their occupied plots. Subsequent town‑planning, development‑plan and highway‑control‑line notifications rendered the decree practically impossible to execute, prompting the Nagar Panchay…

Pooja Pal, the widow of slain MLA Raju Pal, alleged that the state police and administration were complicit or indifferent in the murder of her husband and sought a fresh investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The High Court dismissed her writ petition, but the Supreme Court held that when an inves…

Daljit Singh Grewal, a District Commander in the Punjab Home Guards, sought promotion to Battalion Commander but was denied due to adverse entries in his Annual Confidential Reports (ACR) that downgraded his performance. He filed multiple representations, a civil suit (which was decreed in his favour) and a writ petiti…

The Madhya Pradesh Housing and Infrastructure Development Board advertised a housing scheme in 2007 stating that the prices were provisional and the final price would be fixed after completion. The Board later fixed a final price of Rs.30,000 per square metre, substantially higher than the provisional cost of Rs.16,500…

Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd. owned land in Vikhroli that was reserved in the 1991 Development Plan for acquisition by the Ministry of Railways to lay additional tracks. The reservation required acquisition within ten years or, failing that, the landowner could serve a notice and, if no acquisition commenced wi…

The appellant, a resident of a building in Hauz Khas, challenged the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s issuance of a Regularisation Certificate that allowed the owners of a pathological laboratory to operate on multiple floors of the residential building. The High Court dismissed the writ petition, holding it was a priv…

The appellant, a tenant, challenged the Bank of India's attempt to take possession of a mortgaged premises under the SARFAESI Act after the landlord defaulted on a loan. The Court examined whether Section 35 of the SARFAESI Act, a non obstante clause, could override the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999 and allow the …

The appellants, Manik Taneja and his wife, posted comments on the Bangalore Traffic Police Facebook page alleging harassment by a police inspector after a road accident. The inspector filed an FIR under Sections 353 and 506 of the IPC. The appellants sought quashing of the FIR under Section 482 of the CrPC, but the Kar…

The plaintiffs owned a parcel of land (A schedule) that had been earmarked for a road but no road was ever constructed. They sold portions of the land to the first defendant, who later transferred it to the second and third defendants, who subsequently encroached on a portion of the A schedule land (B schedule). The tr…

The case concerned an alleged illegal transfer of a government plot by senior officials of ICMR and ICPO, who were accused of criminal conspiracy and obtaining undue pecuniary advantage under Section 120B IPC and Sections 13(1)(d) & 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The CBI filed a charge‑sheet and the S…

The Rajkot District Cooperative Bank Ltd. and other specified cooperative societies challenged the delimitation of constituencies for elections to their managing committees under Gujarat Specified Co‑operative Societies Election to Committee Rules, 1982, specifically Rule 3‑A sub‑rules (8) and (9). They argued that the…

Essar Steel Ltd. and other off‑takers had long‑term contracts to purchase regasified LNG (RLNG) at a fixed price. In 2007 the Union Government issued a policy directive to pool RLNG prices and apply a uniform, non‑discriminatory price to all long‑term contracts, which raised the price for the appellants. The appellants…

The Rajasthan Public Service Commission advertised separate recruitment processes for Physical Training Instructor Grade‑II and Grade‑III posts, specifying distinct educational qualifications. After the examination, the State Government issued a clarification treating B.P.Ed. and D.P.Ed. qualifications as equivalent or…

The appellant was apprehended on suspicion of possessing one kilogram of opium and, after opting for a search before a Gazetted Officer, was searched and the narcotic was recovered. The investigation was initiated by Sub‑Inspector Satbir Singh, who also lodged the complaint, leading the appellant to argue that the inve…

The case concerned a dispute over the partition of family property involving the appellants Baburao Marutrao Mane and his daughter Lata and the respondent Ramchandra Balasaheb Mane, an adopted son. The trial court and successive appellate courts held that no partition had been effected, so succession did not open at th…

Sudarshan Rajpoot, a driver employed permanently by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, suffered grievous injuries in a vehicle accident caused by a mechanical defect. The corporation struck his name off the contract roll, alleging negligent driving, and terminated his services without complying with st…

The appellant, a former president of the Poona Employees Union, sought cancellation of the union's registration certificate alleging fraud or mistake, filing a petition under Section 10 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926. The Additional Registrar cancelled the certificate, the Industrial Court set aside that cancellation, a…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 required the assets and liabilities of the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSC) to be divided between the successor states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and whether the freezing of APSC’s bank accounts by banks on Telan…

The case concerned workmen of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) who had been employed as temporary, badli and part‑time staff after 20 May 1985 and sought absorption as regular employees. Earlier awards of the National Industrial Tribunal (NIT) by Justice R.D. Tulpule (1986) and clarified by Justice S.M. Jamdar…

The appellant, Jakir Hussein, a professional driver, suffered grievous injuries to his right arm in a collision caused by the negligent driving of Sabir, rendering him permanently disabled and unable to earn a livelihood as a driver. The claim petition under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 sought compensati…

The case concerns the murder of Satnam Singh in Ludhiana in 2002. Seven persons were charged; two (Charanjit Singh and Surjit Singh) were convicted under Section 302 IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act, while five others were acquitted by the High Court. The State appealed the acquittals and the two convicted appealed t…

International Amusement Ltd (operator of "Appu Ghar") held a licence from the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) to occupy land in Pragati Maidan. Clause 28 of the licence agreement provided that any dispute would be referred to arbitration by the Chairman of ITPO or his nominee. After the licence expired, ITPO …

A four‑year‑old boy was electrocuted when a live wire fell on his roof, resulting in triple amputation and 100% permanent disability. The parents sued Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. under Section 68 of the Electricity Act, 2003 for compensation. The Single Judge of the High Court awarded Rs 60 lakhs, directing R…

Pawan Kumaragarwala, a bank officer, was charged with misconduct for allegedly influencing a loan application and helping a borrower obtain a second loan from another SBI branch without disclosing an existing loan. A disciplinary enquiry found several charges proved and imposed dismissal. The High Court Single Judge se…

The plaintiff, son of Guramma and the first defendant, claimed ownership of a property originally purchased by his mother and later mutated in his name after her death, asserting that the first defendant had relinquished his half‑share. The first defendant, who later remarried, contested this, arguing that mutation doe…

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) appointed security workmen through contractors, a cooperative society and later by direct memorandum, without following its recruitment rules. The workmen claimed regularisation after completing more than 240 days of service, alleging an unfair labour practice. The Industrial …

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) detained eight aircraft leased by International Lease Finance Corp (ILFC) for non‑payment of landing, parking and housing charges amounting to over Rs 10 crore. The Delhi High Court ordered the release of the aircraft on the basis of minutes of a meeting held on 26 March 2013 invo…

VESA Holdings Ltd and its directors entered into a time‑bound settlement agreement with a former bank official who was to receive a consultancy fee for facilitating the settlement of a loan. The fee was to be paid in two instalments, the first upfront and the balance upon completion of the settlement, which was conditi…

The appellant, owner of two vehicles, claimed that United India Insurance Company should indemnify him for the death of his employee, Ramesh Lalmani Yadav, who was a cleaner and died while filling water in the radiator of a second vehicle on the employer's direction. The Labour Court held the owner jointly liable with …

The appellant Rajiv Singh was convicted under Sections 304B, 201 and 498A for the alleged murder of his wife Archana during a honeymoon train journey, based on a dead body found near the railway tracks. The Supreme Court examined whether the body was indeed Archana's, whether the prosecution proved a homicidal death, a…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over lands belonging to the Shri Jagannath Temple at Puri, which had been vested in the State Government by a 1974 notification under the Orissa Estate Abolition Act, 1951 (OEA Act). The Temple Managing Committee claimed that the lands were vested in it under the special Sri Jaganna…

The Supreme Court examined whether Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL), a statutory corporation that had acquired the assets and liabilities of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), could invoke Article 112 of the Limitation Act, 1963, which grants a thirty‑year limitation period for suits by the Central Government.…

The appellant Munna was convicted under Sections 376 and 450 IPC for allegedly raping the prosecutrix at knife point, based primarily on the testimonies of the prosecutrix, her husband (PW‑2) and a village Kotwar (PW‑3). The High Court upheld the conviction, but the Supreme Court examined whether the prosecutrix's test…

The Supreme Court examined the acquisition of agricultural lands by the Karnataka State Government for Trinity House Building Co‑operative Society, which had hired a middleman, M/s Srinivasa Enterprises, to secure the acquisition in its favour. The Court found that no housing scheme had been framed or approved by the G…

The wife filed a petition for judicial separation and custody under Section 10 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The husband contested the petition’s maintainability, arguing that both parties, being Swedish citizens domiciled in Australia, were outside the Act’s territorial scope. The Supreme Court examined the extent …

The case involved the smuggling of 184 gold biscuits concealed in meal trolleys of a Lufthansa flight, discovered by customs officers in 1996. Co‑accused Varyam Singh and Ranbir Singh named Pramod Kumar Dhamiya as an investor and participant in the smuggling, but the respondent evaded arrest and was declared a proclaim…

The case concerned a parcel of Thalavari Inam agricultural land in Kolar district that was sold by the original Inam holders, Muni Papanna and his father, to Nadumpalli Muneppa on 13 May 1971. The land was later re‑granted to the original holder Muni Papanna on 31 March 1982 under the Karnataka Village Offices Act, 196…

The Raunaq Education Foundation was allotted 76 acres of forest land by the State of Haryana in 1972 for establishing an educational complex, subject to conditions of timely construction. The foundation failed to develop the school for decades, prompting the Gram Panchayat to seek return of the land, leading to a resum…

The State of Karnataka appealed the acquittal of Smt. Suvarnamma and her husband Manjunath for the dowry‑related death of the bride, Soumya, who died from severe burn injuries within seven years of marriage. The prosecution proved that the accused had harassed the victim for dowry and that the mother‑in‑law poured kero…

The appellants, Periyar & Pareekanni Rubbers Ltd., challenged a Kerala High Court order that limited interest on solatium to the period after 19 September 2001, the date of the Sunder judgment. The land had been acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and the Reference Court had awarded enhanced compensation incl…

Kirpal Kaur filed a partition suit seeking her late husband's share in a Delhi building (schedule ‘B’ property). The trial court and the Delhi High Court held the property to be self‑acquired by her father‑in‑law and denied her any share. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the evidence, including the father‑in‑law’s…

The appellants, a group of journalists and media houses, were charged with defamation for publishing a news item that alleged the Additional Commissioner of Police, Rajiv Trivedi, facilitated the Sohrabuddin encounter. The second respondent obtained a previous sanction under Section 199(4)(b) of the Criminal Procedure …

The State of Kerala sanctioned new aided courses in private colleges on the condition that it would incur no additional financial commitment. The private college management appointed seven teachers for these courses under the Direct Payment Agreement, but the university rejected their appointments citing lack of vacanc…

Vijaya Ukarda Athor, daughter of a deceased municipal employee, applied for a compassionate appointment in 1997 as a minor and again in 1998 after attaining majority. She married in 2009, and the corporation appointed the deceased's illegitimate son in 2012, rejecting her claim on the ground that only unmarried daughte…

The appellant, a driver employed by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation since 1985, was charged in 1990 with securing his appointment by a false transfer certificate. An enquiry was initiated in 1992 but the report was only submitted in 2002, leading to a dismissal order in 2004. The appellant challenged the d…

The complainant, a government college lecturer, alleged that the accused, also a lecturer, borrowed Rs 14 lakhs in cash in 1997 and issued post‑dated cheques which were later dishonoured, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The trial court acquitted the accused, finding that the …

The State of Gujarat entered into a 20‑year mining lease with the respondents for bauxite extraction. The State later de‑reserved the mining area and sought Central Government permission to impose conditions, including the establishment of a captive plant, under Rule 27(3) of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960. When th…

The Supreme Court considered appeals by Hindustan Zinc Ltd. and other captive power generators challenging the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (RERC) Renewable Energy Obligation Regulations of 2007 and 2010, which require them to purchase a minimum quantum of electricity from renewable sources. The appell…

The appellant, a permanent driver at DAV Public School, was declared surplus and retrenched by the school’s Managing Committee in 2003. The school served a notice under Section 25F(a) of the Industrial Disputes Act but failed to send the statutory notice to the appropriate government authority under Section 25F(c) and …

The deceased Dnyaneshwar Patil was attacked by three accused over a field boundary dispute, sustaining fatal injuries; his brother intervened and was also assaulted. The trial court convicted the accused of murder under s.302 IPC read with s.34, but the High Court reduced the conviction to culpable homicide not amounti…

The appellant, Amarkant Rai, was appointed as a night guard on daily wages by the college principal in 1983, a position for which the principal lacked statutory authority under the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976. Although the university later decided to regularise employees who had served for more than a year, the …

The deceased H.S. Ravi, a 45‑year‑old self‑employed transport businessman, died in a road accident on 14‑12‑2006. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 7,85,000 as compensation. The Karnataka High Court enhanced the award to Rs 14,69,372 by averaging the deceased’s income over two assessment years and applying …

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) leased a plot to Balraj Virmani for 20 years with an option to renew for another 20 years. The lessee breached lease conditions, was served notice, and after the lease expired on 10‑08‑1968 the DDA issued a termination notice on 01‑09‑1972. The lessee later sold the property to M/s…

The case arose from the murder of Tamanna Khatoon, for which her husband Mukhtar filed an FIR against two accused. During investigation, witnesses under Section 164 of the CrPC alleged that Mukhtar himself killed his wife. The CJM took cognizance of the murder and related offences after reviewing the charge‑sheet and s…

The appellant, a landlord, obtained an eviction order and a decree for monthly compensation against the tenant (respondent No.1) under Section 13A(2) of the Bombay Rent Act, 1947. After possession was handed over, the tenant failed to pay the compensation and purportedly transferred the flat to her daughter (respondent…

The appellant, a permanent trustee of the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust, alleged that the other trustees and the deceased managing trustee misappropriated trust assets and were guilty of non‑feasance and mal‑feasance. An application under Section 41D of the Bombay Public Trust Act was filed before the Joint Cha…

The appellants, owners of land in Delhi, were dispossessed following a series of notifications and a declaration under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (notifications of 1963, 1968 and 1983). The Supreme Court held that each later notification supersedes the earlier ones and that the 1983 notification and its declaration…

The Estate Officer of Chandigarh cancelled the allotment of a six‑acre campus site to Esys Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd. after discovering that the company had transferred a major portion of its shares to Esys Global Holdings, Dubai, and subsequently to Teledata Informatics Ltd., without obtaining the permission r…

The appellant, Krishna Hare Gaur, challenged the appointment of respondent No.1 as headmaster on the ground that the latter had used forged experience certificates, violating the U.P. Recognized Basic Schools Rules which require five years of teaching experience. The High Court initially dismissed the appellant's writ …

A boat operated by Ripple Aqua Sports under a licence from Vadodara Municipal Corporation was overloaded with 38 passengers (capacity 22) and capsized, killing 22. The victims filed a consumer complaint alleging deficiency in service. The State Consumer Commission and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission…

The husband Raj Kumar Rana married Rita Rathore in 1997, but they separated in February 1998 after the wife gave birth to a son and never returned to the marital home. The husband filed a divorce petition under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act on grounds of cruelty and desertion, which was dismissed by both the tri…

The case concerned a petition by the owners of a 12.286‑cent plot in Ernakulam district seeking to have the land re‑classified as dry land (‘purayidam’) in the Basic Tax Register (BTR) under the Kerala Land Tax Act, 1961. The High Court, relying on Section 18 of the Land Tax Act, directed the Tahsildar to correct the B…

The Uttarakhand Agricultural Produce Marketing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2011 levied a market fee and development cess on any agricultural produce arriving in a notified market area for sale, storage, processing, manufacturing or other commercial purposes. Gujarat Ambuja Exports Ltd and other manufacturers, who…

The appellants were convicted under IPC sections 302 and 34 for the murder of Ranjit Singh, allegedly attacked with lathis and tabbal by the accused amid a land dispute. The prosecution relied on eye‑witnesses PW3 Atmaram and PW4 Chaman Lal, whose testimonies were corroborated and supported by a post‑mortem report esta…

The appellant, accused No.1, was convicted along with five others for offences under Sections 147, 149 and 302 of the IPC for the murder of Kalua. The High Court upheld the conviction of the appellant and two others, but acquitted accused Nos.5 and 6 on the ground that no lathi injuries were found on the deceased and t…

The complainant purchased a Chevrolet Forester advertised as an SUV capable of off‑road travel, but the vehicle was a passenger car and not fit for the promised use, leading him to allege unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The District Forum, State Commission and National Consumer Disputes R…

The appellant Pankaj was convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC and Section 3 read with Section 25 of the Arms Act for allegedly shooting his brother-in-law Raj Kumar, who later died. The prosecution's case rested on the sole eye‑witness testimony of the victim's brother (PW‑8) and corroboration by…

The Union of India acquired two parcels of land in Punjab for a military cantonment under notifications of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (1989 and 1988). The Collector initially fixed compensation at Rs 2 lakhs per acre, which was later enhanced by the Reference Court and subsequently reduced by the Punjab & Haryana H…

The case concerned HCL Infosystem Ltd., a co‑accused in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam, where the sole public servant co‑accused had died before any charge was framed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PC Act). The issue was whether the Special Judge appointed under s.3(1) of the PC Act could …

The dispute arose in Biological E. Ltd. after the death of its promoter, when the widow (respondent No.1) and her three daughters were appointed directors. The widow challenged the validity of board meetings held on 9‑4‑2013, 10‑4‑2013 and 11‑4‑2013, the appointment of her daughters as directors and the continuance of …

The plaintiff, Padmakumari & ors., entered into an unregistered agreement to purchase 2.08 acres of land from defendants 1‑11, agreeing to pay the balance consideration of Rs 63,000 within nine months. The plaintiff failed to make this payment within the stipulated period, while defendants 12‑15 subsequently purchased …

The petitioner, Narendra Kumar Tripathi, was first appointed as Work Engineer in 1983 and later, on 12 June 1985, was appointed as Assistant Engineer on an ad hoc basis after a selection committee recommendation. The appointment continued until it was regularised on 14 December 1989 under the Uttar Pradesh Regularisati…

The State of Himachal Pradesh appealed the High Court's acquittal of Dr. Rajiv Jass, who was convicted by a trial court for murdering his pregnant wife by forcibly administering organophosphorus poison. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including multiple ante‑mortem injuries on the victim, the accused…

The appellant, a tenant of a premises in Trivandrum, held a licence to operate a hardware shop that was originally granted with the landlord's written consent in 2001. When the licence expired, the corporation refused renewal because the landlord did not provide fresh consent. The Tribunal for Local Self Government Ins…

The petitioners challenged the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Regulation 45‑B, which prescribes a formula for calculating the fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA) and excludes agricultural consumption until metering is completed. They argued that the regulation was ultra vires the Andhra Pradesh Electric…

The plaintiff purchased a property from Buchamma, the sole surviving sister of the deceased Balaiah, under a registered sale deed dated 25‑04‑1981. After the widow Yashoda's death, the plaintiff took possession, but Defendant No.3 (Sarojana) evicted him, claiming to be Yashoda's adopted daughter and thus an heir. The p…

The State of Madhya Pradesh ordered Mis. Ruchi Printers to print 37,07,726 copies of two booklets, with delivery deadlines of 8 February 2008 for the first half and 25 February 2008 for the balance. The State later extended the deadline to 31 March 2008 but expressly stated that no booklets would be accepted after that…

The plaintiffs, owners of a building, filed three eviction suits against the same tenant. The first two suits (2004) sought eviction on the ground of non‑use for several years, while the third suit (2010) sought eviction on the ground of non‑use for a continuous period of at least six months immediately before the suit…

The case involved the murder of Bibhishan Vithoba Khadle and injuries to six others during a politically motivated assault by a group of accused. The trial court acquitted all accused, rejecting eye‑witness testimony on the ground of contradictions, alleged interest, and procedural defects. The High Court reversed the …

The appellant Vijay Shankar was convicted under Sections 302 and 449 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Satish Kumar, based primarily on circumstantial evidence such as alleged motive, a 'last seen' testimony, an extra‑judicial confession, and the recovery of blood‑stained clothes and a knife. The prosecution’s…

The appellant family filed a claim for compensation after their 26‑year‑old son, a truck driver, died in an accident that occurred while he was attempting to stop an unmanned vehicle during the course of his employment. The Employees' Compensation Commissioner awarded Rs 10,75,253 with interest, but the High Court redu…

The Supreme Court considered an appeal by the husband and relatives of Smt. Jayvantiben Jitendra Trivedi, a 22‑year‑old housewife who died in a motor accident caused by the negligent driving of the respondent. The claimants sought enhancement of compensation beyond the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal award of Rs.2,24,0…

The Poona Employees Union (PEU) applied to the Industrial Court for recognition in place of the existing recognized union, Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS), claiming it had over 30% membership and a larger membership base during the relevant six‑month period. The Industrial Court, relying on the Investigating Officer's repo…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute where Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) terminated the LPG distributorship granted to ex‑servicemen respondents under a letter of allotment that referred to a "standard agreement" which was never supplied or executed. The Court held that, because the standard agreement was not concl…

The appellants' land was compulsorily acquired in 1981 for an Indian Army field firing range under the Rajasthan Land Acquisition Act, 1953, and although compensation was awarded, it was never fully paid. The State Government issued a series of policy circulars, culminating in the circular dated 13 December 2001, promi…

The appellants Mumtaz alias Muntyaz and Dilshad alias Pappu were convicted under Sections 302 and 34 IPC for setting fire to the victim Pawan Kumar, who later died of burn injuries. The prosecution relied on eyewitness testimony and a dying declaration recorded by a Sub‑Divisional Magistrate, which was endorsed by a do…