| CRIMINAL - Kerala HC: Failure To Record Victim's Intellectual Disability isn't Fatal if Competent to Testify |
| Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:12:30 IST |
| Kerala HC held that investigating officer's failure to note victim's intellectual disability during investigation does not invalidate the prosecution if the court finds the victim competent to testify and capable of giving rational answers, while hearing appeal against rape conviction u/s 376 IPC. |
| CIVIL - Kerala HC: Intra-Court Appeal Maintainable Against Ex Parte Ad Interim Orders Affecting Remedies |
| Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:12:19 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that an intra-court appeal under Section 5 of the Kerala High Court Act, 1958 is maintainable against an ex parte ad interim order or any order affecting a party's right to pursue a statutory remedy, while deciding a reference made by a Single Judge and a related writ appeal. |
| FAMILY - Chhattisgarh HC: Scheduled Tribe Persons Can Voluntarily Choose to be Governed by Hindu Marriage Act |
| Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:12:08 IST |
| Chhattisgarh HC held that a Scheduled Tribe person who voluntarily adopts Hindu customs and traditions and submits to the jurisdiction of courts under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 cannot be denied its protection merely because Section 2(2) excludes the Act's automatic application to ST communities. |
| CRIMINAL - P&H HC Quashes Case over Allegations Against Judge, Orders Police Awareness on S.215 BNSS |
| Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:11:57 IST |
| Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed criminal proceedings against a man accused of making false allegations against a judicial officer, holding that the prosecution violated the mandatory procedural safeguards under Section 195 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. |
| CRIMINAL - Orissa HC: 60-Day Disposal of DV Act Plea May Not be Practical but Long Adjournments Must be Avoided |
| Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:41:45 IST |
| Orissa HC observed that although it may not always be practical for a Magistrate to decide an application u/s 12(1) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act within the statutory 60-day period, courts must avoid granting unnecessary or prolonged adjournments to the parties. |
| TENANCY - Gujarat HC: Judicial Fixation of Standard Rent Inapplicable to New Construction After 2001 Amendment |
| Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:41:34 IST |
| Gujarat HC held that tenants cannot seek fixation of standard rent under Section 11(3) of the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act for premises constructed after the 2001 amendment, and accordingly dismissed a batch of appeals filed by tenants of Jetpur Swaminarayan Trust. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - Kerala HC: Siblings Cannot Claim Compensation for 'Loss of Love' in Motor Accident Death Cases |
| Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:41:24 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that siblings of a deceased accident victim are not entitled to separate compensation for "loss of love and affection" in motor accident claims, and restricted consortium compensation to the mother while partly modifying the MACT award in a 2014 road accident case. |
| CRIMINAL - Calcutta HC Reduces Man's Sentence, Holding Bamboo Stick or Rod Not A Weapon Likely To Cause Death |
| Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:41:14 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that although a fracture constitutes "grievous hurt" under the IPC, assault with a bamboo stick or rod does not automatically amount to use of a dangerous weapon under Section 326. The Court altered the conviction of six persons to Section 325 IPC and reduced their sentence. |
| CRIMINAL - Punjab & Haryana HC Grants Bail to Woman in Double Murder Case Filed Two Years After Deaths |
| Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:24:04 IST |
| Punjab and Haryana High Court granted regular bail to a 39-year-old woman accused of conspiring to murder her husband and his alleged paramour's wife, citing delay in FIR, no postmortem, and lack of direct evidence. |
| CRIMINAL - Karnataka High Court Grants Three-Day Emergency Parole To Disabled Life Convict For Sister's Wedding |
| Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:23:54 IST |
| Karnataka High Court granted three-day emergency parole to a visually disabled life convict, sentenced for offences including kidnapping, to attend his sister's wedding, noting his 77% blindness and her locomotor disability. |
| PROPERTY - Madras High Court Directs Action Against District Collector For Ex-Parte Stance In Govt Land Case |
| Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:23:45 IST |
| Madras High Court has called for disciplinary action against the District Collector of Ramanathapuram for failing to appear in a case, leading to an ex parte order on government property, noting such lapses harm public interest. |
| CRIMINAL - Jharkhand HC Cautions Officers, Says Citing Proposed SLP in SC to Delay Compliance is 'In Bad Faith' |
| Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:23:34 IST |
| Jharkhand High Court held that seeking adjournment on the ground of filing a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court of India, particularly without urgent mentioning, reflects bad faith and amounts to non-compliance with its prior directions. |
| CONTEMPT OF COURT - Madras HC: Minister Regupathy Gave a Mischievous Political Twist to the Thiruparankundram Issue |
| Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:23:24 IST |
| Madras High Court observed that Tamil Nadu Minister for Minerals and Mines S. Regupathy gave a mischievous political spin to the Thiruparankundram issue by opposing the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the Deepathoon, while hearing a plea to implead him in a contempt case. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad High Court: Re-Recording a Victim's Statement is Allowed Only in Exceptional Cases |
| Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:53:09 IST |
| Allahabad High Court clarified that directions to re-record a victim's statement under Section 183 BNSS before a Magistrate can be issued only in exceptional circumstances, emphasizing that such measures are not routine and require compelling justification. |
| CIVIL - Bombay High Court: Presence of Cross or Jesus Statue Doesn't Make One Christian |
| Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:52:59 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that having a Holy Cross painting or Jesus statue at home does not prove conversion to Christianity, and quashed a District Caste Scrutiny Committee's order denying Stawan Wilson Sathe the "Mang or Matang" Scheduled Caste status. |
| CRIMINAL - Bombay High Court: Lack of Medical Opinion on Sexual Assault Not Fatal under POCSO Act |
| Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:52:48 IST |
| In a significant ruling, Bom HC held that under POCSO Act, absence of medical officer's opinion on sexual assault is not ground for acquittal. Upholding conviction u/s 376(2)(i) IPC & Sec 6 & 10 of POCSO, it rejected the claim that lack of medical findings or noted injuries weakened the prosecution. |
| SERVICE - Bombay High Court: State Cannot Deny Maternity Benefits As More Women Join Workforce |
| Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:52:38 IST |
| Observing that as more women join the workforce to achieve economic independence, authorities cannot deny maternity leave and compromise their caregiving role, the Bombay HC directed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to promptly grant and pay maternity benefits to a doctor serving at KEM Hospital. |
| COMMERCIAL - SC: Failure to Pay Balance Within 15 Days Voids Auction under Maharashtra Co-Operative Rules |
| Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:52:28 IST |
| SC held that auction under Maharashtra Co-operative Societies framework is void ab initio if full purchase price is not deposited within prescribed time. It upheld setting aside of sale, but ordered refund of bid amount with interest, noting purchaser should not suffer for Recovery Officer's lapse. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Failure to Recover Murder Weapon is Not Fatal if Other Evidence is Credible |
| Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:52:18 IST |
| SC upholds murder conviction saying credible & consistent eyewitness evidence suffices even without recovery of weapon. SC observed that "the absence of recovery of weapons of assault would not weaken the case of the prosecution in the presence of other evidence on record that is found reliable." |
| LIMITATION - SC: Limitation Begins When Accused Identity Becomes Known |
| Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:38:10 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled limitation under Section 469 CrPC starts when the accused's identity becomes known during investigation, not from initial complaint receipt, ensuring prosecutions remain valid despite delayed offender identification |
| PROPERTY - SC: Clear Deed Terms Cannot Be Altered Later |
| Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:37:59 IST |
| Supreme Court held that when a deed's terms are clear and unambiguous, courts cannot reinterpret its nature based on parties' later conduct; interpretation must rely strictly on the document's text and context |
| INSOLVENCY - SC: Parallel Insolvency Proceedings Allowed Against Debtor And Guarantor |
| Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:37:48 IST |
| Supreme Court held that insolvency proceedings can simultaneously continue against the principal debtor and corporate guarantor for the same debt, as their liability is coextensive and remedies are concurrent |
| CONSTITUTION - SC: Supreme Court Orders Expansion And Reform Of Open Prisons |
| Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:37:38 IST |
| Supreme Court directed nationwide expansion and reform of open prisons, emphasizing rehabilitation, equality, dignity, and reintegration, and mandating uniform standards, eligibility reforms, gender inclusion, and institutional monitoring |
| EXCISE - Calcutta HC: Discriminatory Excise Rule Modified To Ensure Equality |
| Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:37:23 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held discriminatory excise rules treating private and public limited companies differently violate equality, and read up the provision to extend exemption for management changes equally |
| FAMILY - Orissa High Court: Writ Courts Can't Decide Child Custody Unless It's Illegally Retained |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:54:43 IST |
| Orissa High Court held that writ courts should not decide child custody disputes via habeas corpus petitions unless custody is illegally retained and must refer complex cases requiring detailed inquiry to the competent Civil Court for proper adjudication. |
| CRIMINAL - Madras High Court: Every Prisoner Has the Right to Periodic Medical Checkups under Article 21 |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:54:32 IST |
| The court observed that "We hold that every prisoner has a right to have a periodical medical check up which would fall within the scope of Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Such check ups alone will indicate who is suffering from what condition,". |
| PROPERTY - Cal HC: Deity's Title Cannot be Challenged by Adverse Possession Claims Against its Sebait/Manager |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:54:23 IST |
| Calcutta High Court reaffirmed that property vested in a deity enjoys strong legal protection, and adverse possession claims fail unless hostile title is clearly asserted. Permissive occupation cannot create ownership without denying the deity's title. |
| CRIMINAL - Calcutta HC: Cruelty Claims, Late Medical Certificates Can't Justify Attempt-To-Homicide Charges |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:54:13 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that mere omnibus allegations and belated medical certificates cannot justify attempt-to-culpable-homicide charges, partly allowed a criminal revision, and discharged the mother- and sister-in-law under Section 308 IPC, citing abuse of process. |
| DEFENCE - Delhi High Court: Wards of Disabled Soldiers in Service Not Eligible For Priority-II Reservation |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:54:02 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that wards of armed forces personnel disabled in action but retained in service aren't eligible for Priority-II reservation under the Defence quota, which is meant only for wards of personnel discharged due to service-related disability. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Document isn't Forged Just Because it's Not Found in Public Office Records |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:53:52 IST |
| SC observed that"…merely because a document is not traceable in the records after several years of its issuance, it cannot be said that the document is forged.", "a document would be considered forged document only when the allegations are to the effect that it is a false document u/s 464 IPC." |
| SALES TAX/VAT - Supreme Court: Rooh Afza Taxable at 4% As Fruit Drink Under UP VAT Act |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:53:41 IST |
| Supreme Court held that "Sharbat Rooh Afza" is classifiable as a fruit drink/processed fruit product under the UP VAT Act, taxable at 4%. It set aside the Allahabad High Court ruling that had placed it under the residuary entry attracting 12.5% tax. |
| SERVICE - SC: Compassionate Aid to Govt Employee's Family Deductible From Motor Accident Compensation |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:53:31 IST |
| Supreme Court has reaffirmed that compassionate assistance received by a dependent of a deceased employee must be deducted from compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act. Referring to the 2006 Haryana Rules, it allowed Reliance General Insurance's appeal and set aside the High Court ruling. |
| ELECTION - SC: Submission of Maadhyamik Admit Card Along With Class X Pass Certificate For Verification |
| Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:53:20 IST |
| Supreme Court said the Maadhyamik (Class 10) admit card issued by the West Bengal State Board must be submitted with the pass certificate to verify age and parentage during West Bengal's SIR. It also ordered pending documents be given to presiding judicial officers by 5 PM tomorrow. |
| SERVICE - Madras HC: Doctors Aren't Regular Staff; Hospitals Cannot Stop Them From Joining Other Hospitals |
| Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:29:36 IST |
| Madras High Court observed that doctors cannot be treated as regular employees and hospitals cannot restrain them from joining other hospitals after resignation, noting that doctors provide essential services without which hospitals cannot function. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Merely Breaking Up a Relationship Does Not Amount to Instigation For Abetment of Suicide |
| Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:29:26 IST |
| The court said that "Though, broken relationship and heartbreaks have become common these days, mere breaking-up of relationship may not per se constitute instigation so as to make it to be a case of abetment under Section 108 BNS (corresponding Section 306 IPC),". |
| SERVICE - Gujarat HC: Unregistered Nikahnama or Missing Records Cannot Bar a Widow From Claiming Pension |
| Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:29:16 IST |
| Gujarat High Court held that denying a widow's pension due to an unregistered nikahnama, absence of marriage photos, or missing service record entries is unjust, and directed the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to grant her pension as the legally wedded wife. |
| INSOLVENCY - Supreme Court: Mere Pendency of Restructuring Arrangements Cannot Stall the CIRP under IBC |
| Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:29:05 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the mere existence of a restructuring arrangement for a debt-laden corporate debtor does not bar initiation of CIRP under the IBC, and set aside the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal order that had rejected a Section 7 application on this ground. |
| CUSTOMS - Supreme Court: Voluntary Confession Qualifies as Substantive Evidence under the Customs Act |
| Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:28:55 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a person can be convicted under the Customs Act based on voluntary confessional statements under Section 108, upholding the conviction of two individuals in Gujarat for smuggling 777 wrist watches and 879 straps, even without direct possession of the goods. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Once Unlawful Assembly is Proved U/S 149 IPC, Individual Role in Fatal Injury is Irrelevant |
| Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:28:45 IST |
| SC held that once unlawful assembly is proved, individual identification of the person causing the fatal injury is immaterial, making all members vicariously liable, and set aside the MP HC ruling that reduced the conviction from murder to culpable homicide for want of such identification. |
| INSOLVENCY - SC: Defunct Scheme under the Companies Act Cannot Stall the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process |
| Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:28:33 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a defunct Companies Act scheme cannot stall CIRP under the IBC, and set aside the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal order that had kept Section 7 proceedings in abeyance merely because the scheme was pending before the High Court. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Detailed Appreciation of Evidence is Not Allowed at the Bail Stage |
| Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:28:24 IST |
| Supreme Court reiterated that courts must not undertake a detailed appreciation of evidence while deciding bail pleas, and set aside the Bombay High Court Aurangabad Bench order granting bail in an SC/ST Act murder case, holding it wrongly assessed medical evidence at the pre-trial stage. |
| SERVICE - P&H HC: Full-Time Law Officers Aren't Contractual and Are Entitled to Medical Benefits and Leaves |
| Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:39:38 IST |
| Punjab and Haryana High Court held that Assistant and Deputy Advocate Generals in Haryana are entitled to medical reimbursement, earned leave, and Leave Travel Concession, ruling that core service benefits cannot be denied merely due to their contractual designation. |
| LAND ACQUISITION - J&K & L High Court: Fair Compensation to Land Losers Must Reflect Road Access And Location Benefits |
| Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:39:29 IST |
| High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh held that land acquisition compensation must reflect ground realities, ensuring justice by considering road access, locational advantages, and surrounding development when awarding fair compensation to land losers. |
| CONSTITUTION - Allahabad HC: Right To Choose Partner is Constitutional; UP Law Doesn't Bar Interfaith Unions |
| Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:39:20 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 does not prohibit interfaith relationships, whether live-in or marital, while hearing petitions concerning inter-religion couples. |
| CRIMINAL - Karnataka High Court: No Corruption Case Without Proof Of Bribe Demand Or Acceptance |
| Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:39:09 IST |
| Karnataka High Court reiterated that both demand and acceptance of a bribe are required to invoke an offence under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and quashed an FIR against a police sub-inspector allegedly seeking Rs. 1 lakh to close a case. |
| LABOUR & INDUSTRIAL - Supreme Court: Insurer Not Liable For Penalty on Employer Over Delayed Compensation |
| Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:39:00 IST |
| Supreme Court held that an employer's liability to pay a penalty for delayed compensation cannot be shifted to the insurer, and set aside the Delhi High Court order that fastened such liability on New India Assurance Co. Ltd. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Illegality in a Search Does Not Invalidate the Evidence Collected |
| Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:38:50 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that "While the search may be illegal, the materials or evidence gathered or collected in the course of such search can still be acted or relied upon subject to the rule of relevancy and the test of admissibility." |
| CONSUMER - Supreme Court: Landowners Are Not Liable For Delays Caused by Developers |
| Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:38:39 IST |
| SC held that a landowner does not become liable for construction delays merely by authorizing a developer to build, obtain approvals, and sell flats, and it dismissed a homebuyer's appeal while upholding the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruling absolving the landowners. |
| LAW OF EVIDENCE - SC: S.27 Indian Evidence Act Discovery is Formidable Link in Circumstantial Evidence Chain |
| Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:53:12 IST |
| Supreme Court upheld a conviction in a ransom murder case based solely on circumstantial evidence, holding that the accused's disclosure statements under Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act decisively completed the chain linking him to the crime. |
| PROPERTY - Supreme Court: Homebuyer Cannot be Forced to Take Possession Without Occupancy Certificate |
| Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:53:02 IST |
| Supreme Court held that forcing homebuyers to take possession without an Occupancy Certificate is a statutory service deficiency, entitling them to compensation. The court observed that "Obtaining such certificate is a statutory pre-condition integral to lawful delivery of possession." |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Chapter IV Offences under Drugs and Cosmetics Act Triable Only by Sessions Court |
| Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:52:50 IST |
| Supreme Court held that "Now, Sec 32(2) specifically provides that no Court inferior to that of Court of Session shall try offence punishable under Chapter IV. Thus, it can be said that for the offences punishable under Chapter IV, the Court inferior to the Court of Session shall not try such offences" |
| ARBITRATION - SC: Drafting Confusing Arbitration Clauses Causing Unnecessary Litigation is Professional Misconduct |
| Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:52:39 IST |
| Supreme Court criticised law firms for drafting confusing arbitration clauses that spur avoidable litigation in overburdened courts, observing that such practice amounts to professional misconduct while addressing a conflict between jurisdiction and arbitration clauses. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Kerala HC: Labour Court Can Extend Time to Comply With Award Even After Enforceability under ID Act |
| Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:52:29 IST |
| Kerala High Court recently held that a Labour Court can extend the time for compliance with its awards under Section 17A of the Industrial Disputes Act even after they become enforceable, noting it does not become functus officio merely because 30 days have passed since publication. |
| FAMILY - MP HC: Wife's Convenience Not Paramount; VC Facility or Commute Compensation Allowed |
| Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:52:18 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court held that a wife's convenience is no longer the sole or paramount factor in transfer petitions, noting alternatives like video conferencing or travel compensation can be provided in matrimonial disputes. |
| TRUSTS AND SOCIETIES - Madras High Court: State Temple Festivals Must Not Perpetuate Caste, Aim to Annihilate it |
| Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:06:11 IST |
| Madras High Court observed that state-conducted temple festivals cannot perpetuate caste, noting that India's republic aims for equality, and authorities must strive to annihilate caste. Using caste names in invitations for such festivals is impermissible under this principle. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - Calcutta High Court: FIR Delay Not Fatal; Insurer Must Prove Policy Breach for Recovery |
| Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:06:00 IST |
| Calcutta HC held that families of accident victims, preoccupied with treatment and last rites, may delay filing an FIR, which cannot defeat a genuine motor accident claim, and ruled that an insurer cannot seek "pay and recovery" without proving a policy breach after proper enquiry and hearing. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta High Court: Transfer to Commercial Court No Bar to Counterclaim with Leave |
| Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:05:48 IST |
| Calcutta HC held that under the Code of Civil Procedure, a defendant may file an additional written statement or counterclaim with the court's leave, even after submitting an earlier statement, and upheld the Commercial Court's acceptance of a fresh statement with counterclaim post-transfer. |
| CIVIL - Gujarat High Court: Conditional Sale Mortgage Differs From Sale with Repurchase |
| Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:05:38 IST |
| Emphasizing the distinction between mortgage by conditional sale and sale with a condition to repurchase, Gujarat HC reiterated that where a transaction creates a debtor-creditor relationship and preserves the mortgagor's right of redemption, it must be construed as a mortgage by conditional sale. |
| LAND ACQUISITION - Bombay HC: Land Reservation Lapses if No Acquisition Within 24 Months of Purchase Notice |
| Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:05:28 IST |
| Bombay HC held that under Section 127(1) of the MRTP Act, 1966, if acquisition steps are not initiated within 24 months of a valid purchase notice, the reserved land is deemed released by statutory fiction, and the Planning Authority cannot avoid this consequence by raising technical objections. |
| CIVIL - J&K&L High Court: Illegal Occupation of Shamilat Land Cannot Become Legal Right |
| Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:05:17 IST |
| Reaffirming that unlawful occupation of common village land cannot crystallise into a legal right, even if permanent structures have been erected, J&K&L HC held that prohibition against encroachment on Shamilat/Kahcharai land existed well before the 2020 amendment to Sec 133(2) of Land Revenue Act. |
| FAMILY - Calcutta HC: Economic Abuse Enables DV Case at Current Residence |
| Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:09:01 IST |
| Calcutta HC has held that under the Domestic Violence (DV) Act, a court has jurisdiction where the aggrieved person temporarily resides or where a cause of action arises. "Economic abuse" is considered a continuous cause of action, justifying the case filing where the victim currently lives |
| CRIMINAL - Bom.HC: Courts have no Discretion to Award Lesser Sentence When Law Prescribes Minimum Punishment |
| Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:08:51 IST |
| Bombay High Court while drawing a distinction between enhancement of sentence" and "imposition of minimum statutory punishment stated that where legislature prescribes mandatory minimum punishment for an offence Court has no discretion to award a lesser punishment |
| FAMILY - Bombay HC: Single Mother Recognized as Complete Parent for Child's Identity |
| Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:08:41 IST |
| Bombay High Court has held that school records must reflect a child's true social identity. A minor raised exclusively by a single mother may adopt her name and caste, with authorities required to permit corrections accordingly, ensuring dignity and welfare |
| CIVIL - Delhi HC: Omnibus PIL rejected over Missing Persons Case |
| Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:08:31 IST |
| Courts cannot issue general directions on policing without specific facts. Omnibus PILs lacking concrete instances or refusal of FIR registration are not maintainable |
| CRIMINAL - Del HC : More Judicial Appointments Required for MCOCA Cases |
| Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:08:19 IST |
| Delhi High Court while dismissing an appeal filed by women challenging denial of default bail in a MCOCA case stated that it would do well for High Court on administrative side to consider the feasibility of appointing additional judge(s) to Special Court |
| EDUCATION - SC: Bona Fide Degrees Protected After Law Declared Ultra Vires |
| Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:08:08 IST |
| Degrees obtained bona fide under a law later declared unconstitutional remain valid. Students cannot be penalized or deprived of benefits if they were not at fault and obtained qualifications before invalidation |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Criminal History Crucial in Bail Decisions |
| Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:43:35 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the Allahabad High Court's bail order granted to habitual offender accused of large-scale financial fraud. Held, criminal antecedents, risk of absconding, and societal danger were ignored, emphasizing that bail must not be granted mechanically in serious economic offences |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Lenient Sentence for Brutal Attack Set Aside |
| Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:43:25 IST |
| SC held Madras HC acted in "complete defiance of the law" by reducing sentence for accused who caused "multiple life-threatening stab injuries". Held undue sympathy is totally unwarranted; it ruled compensation is "restitutory" and restored RI, upholding proportional punishment for grave offences |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Section 27 Disclosure Outside Custody Inadmissible Evidence |
| Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:43:15 IST |
| SC held disclosure statements made outside police custody are inadmissible under Section 27 of the Evidence Act, and such evidence, at best, is a "weak piece of evidence" insufficient to sustain conviction |
| CRIMINAL - SC: In Cases of Mutual Suicide Pact Surviving Partner Liable for Abetment |
| Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:43:03 IST |
| Supreme Court while upholding conviction for abetment clarified that abetment under Section 107 IPC is not confined to physically supplying means of suicide. Participating in suicide pact involves mutual encouragement and reciprocal commitment to die |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Failed Relationship Cannot Be Criminalized as Rape |
| Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:42:54 IST |
| Delhi HC held consent cannot be retrospectively withdrawn after a consensual relationship ends. It ruled criminal law cannot punish failed relationships or personal vendettas, and upheld discharge, finding the woman knowingly maintained an 11-year relationship with full awareness of circumstances |
| CRIMINAL - Bom HC: Summons Served through Mobiles are Valid under Sec 70(3) BNSS |
| Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:42:44 IST |
| Bombay High Court has held that under Section 70(3) of BNSS are valid since purpose of service is to put the other party to notice and to give him a copy of the papers. The mode is surely irrelevant |
| BANKING - Kerala HC: Petitioner's Identity Must be Verified Via SHO in Cases of Bank Account Defreezing |
| Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:21:00 IST |
| Kerala High Court ruled that no writ petition or similar plea for defreezing bank accounts shall be entertained unless the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) is made a party respondent, ensuring proper verification of the petitioner's identity. |
| GOODS AND SERVICES TAX - Allahabad HC: CGST Arrest Memo Must Include Grounds as Annexure; Reasons to Believe Not Needed |
| Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:20:50 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that under Section 69 of the CGST Act, 2017, the Commissioner's "reasons to believe" need not be provided to the accused, but the "grounds of arrest" must be mandatorily furnished as an annexure to the arrest memo. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad High Court: Magistrate Must Consider Closure Report Even After Taking Cognizance |
| Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:20:40 IST |
| Allahabad High Court observed that a Magistrate is legally obligated to consider and decide upon a Final Report (closure report) filed by the police, even if cognizance of the offence has already been taken earlier on the basis of a charge sheet. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Illegal Change of Land Use under Punjab Act Cannot be Legalised Later |
| Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:20:31 IST |
| SC observed that a 'Change of Land Use' permission granted under the Punjab Regional Town Planning and Development Act without legal authority on the date of issuance cannot be validated later through ex post facto approval, unless the statute expressly permits such retrospective regularisation. |
| SERVICE - SC: Casual Workers Can't be Denied Regularisation if Similar Daily Wagers were Regularised |
| Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:20:21 IST |
| Applying the principle of parity, the Supreme Court regularised the services of four sweepers, holding that once regularisation has been granted to similarly situated employees, others in the same position cannot be denied equal treatment or discriminated against. |
| INSOLVENCY - SC: Bank's Internal Classification of Debt as NPA Does Not Determine Limitation under the IBC |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:27:23 IST |
| SC clarified that a bank's internal classification of a loan as an NPA for accounting or provisioning purposes does not by itself trigger the limitation period under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, particularly when the debt is later restructured and acknowledged through fresh agreements. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Police Failure to Invoke IPC Provisions Led to Contractor's Acquittal in Cement Stockpiling Case |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:27:14 IST |
| SC set aside the contractor's conviction for allegedly stockpiling cement meant for public works project holding that police failed to invoke relevant IPC provisions and that in the absence of any statutory control over cement at the time conviction under Essential Commodities Act was unsustainable. |
| INSOLVENCY - SC: Telecom Spectrum is a Community Resource and its Ownership Cannot be Decided under the IBC |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:27:04 IST |
| Supreme Court of India held that ownership and control of telecom spectrum cannot be determined under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, as spectrum is a constitutional material resource of the community that must be managed to serve and secure the common good for citizens. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Post-Award Property Purchasers Cannot Resist Execution of an Arbitral Award |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:26:55 IST |
| Supreme Court of India reaffirmed that a transferee who purchases property from a judgment-debtor during the pendency of proceedings has no locus standi to resist or object to the execution of a decree passed in favour of the judgment-creditor. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: District Cricket Bodies Must Adopt Good Governance Voluntarily, Not Follow BCCI Rules |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:26:46 IST |
| Supreme Court encouraged district cricket associations to voluntarily adopt good governance, promoting transparency in player selection, professionalism in administration, and measures to eliminate conflicts of interest. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Absconding Accused Cannot Claim Anticipatory Bail Solely Because a Co-Accused Was Acquitted |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:26:36 IST |
| Supreme Court held that an absconding accused who deliberately evades trial cannot invoke the principle of parity to seek anticipatory bail merely because a co-accused has been acquitted in the proceedings. |
| SERVICE - Allahabad HC: GST, Incentives, 0r Festival Advances Cannot be Deducted From Employee's Retiral Dues |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:26:27 IST |
| Allahabad High Court expressed shock at deductions made from an employee's retiral dues, stating there is no provision to deduct "Protsahan Agrim," "Tyohar Agrim," or GST from the Corporation employee's retirement payments. |
| SERVICE - Kerala HC: Transfer Order Pending Disciplinary Proceedings Cannot be Disguised as Punishment |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:26:17 IST |
| Ker HC held that transfer order issued in contemplation of disciplinary proceedings must be justified and cannot operate as disguised punishment, setting aside the transfer of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation employee over union journal article on the Corporation's finances and policy issues. |
| CIVIL - J&K&L HC: Undenied Pleadings are Deemed Admitted by Implication under the CPC |
| Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:26:07 IST |
| Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court held that when a respondent fails to specifically deny material facts stated in a plaint or writ petition, such undisputed pleadings are deemed admitted by implication under Order VIII Rules 3 and 5 of the Code of Civil Procedure. |
| SERVICE - Supreme Court Grants Full Disability Pension Arrears to Veterans |
| Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:32:41 IST |
| Supreme Court held that ex-servicemen are entitled to full arrears of disability pension, including broad banding, from 01.01.1996 or 01.01.2006, as applicable. It ruled that such arrears cannot be restricted to three years prior to filing claims, rejecting limitation objections |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Bureaucratic Delay No Excuse |
| Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:32:31 IST |
| Supreme Court dismissed State of Odisha's special leave petition as time-barred, refusing to condone prolonged and unexplained delays in challenging a grant-in-aid order under the Odisha Education Act, 1969 |
| CIVIL - Bombay HC: Clarifies Procedure for Executing Foreign Decrees |
| Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:32:22 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that while executing a foreign decree from a reciprocating territory under Section 44A CPC, courts need not routinely frame issues or record oral evidence to examine objections under Section 13 |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: High Courts Must Independently Assess SC/ST Act Charges in Section 14A Appeals |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:04:47 IST |
| Supreme Court has criticized the Madhya Pradesh High Court for allowing criminal proceedings under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to continue despite the absence of essential ingredients of the offence, including any allegation of intentional caste-based insult or intimidation. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court Holds CrPC Principles on Discharge and Framing of Charges Continue under BNSS |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:04:37 IST |
| SC has observed that the substantive legal principles governing discharge and framing of charges at the pre-trial stage under the CrPC remain unchanged under the BNSS, though the BNSS introduces a regulatory framework prescribing 60-day timelines for filing discharge pleas and framing charges. |
| SERVICE - SC: Central Government Employees under CCS Rules are Not Covered by the Payment of Gratuity Act |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:04:07 IST |
| Supreme Court has held that retired employees of the Heavy Water Plant, Tuticorin, under the Department of Atomic Energy, are not entitled to gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, as they are Central Government servants governed by the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972. |
| SERVICE - Supreme Court: High Courts Cannot Re-Examine Answer Keys Even in Judicial Service Exams |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:03:58 IST |
| Supreme Court has directed the Jharkhand High Court to constitute an expert committee to re-examine the correctness of three questions in the State Civil Judges (Junior Division) examination, while partly setting aside the High Court's order that had declared certain answer keys to be incorrect. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Silence During Investigation Does Not Ipso Facto Mean Non-Cooperation to Deny Bail |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:03:48 IST |
| Supreme Court has observed that bail cannot be denied merely because an accused refuses to answer questions from the investigating officer, as such refusal cannot be automatically construed as non-cooperation with the investigation. |
| NARCOTICS - Kerala High Court: Arrest Grounds Need Not Mention Contraband Quantity When No Seizure is Made |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:03:39 IST |
| Kerala High Court has held that while informing the grounds of arrest is mandatory, specifying the quantity of contraband seized is required only for accused from whose possession the contraband was actually recovered, and not for those from whom no seizure was made. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Delhi High Court: State Gratuity Authorities Lack Jurisdiction over Multi-State Establishments |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:03:30 IST |
| Delhi High Court has held that State-appointed authorities under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 do not have jurisdiction to decide gratuity claims for establishments with branches in multiple states, as the Central Government serves as the "appropriate government" in such cases under the Act. |
| SERVICE - Delhi High Court: Tweeting Corruption Allegations Against Employer Can Constitute Misconduct |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:03:20 IST |
| Delhi High Court has held that tweeting or publicly sharing allegations of corruption against an employer can constitute misconduct under applicable service rules, as such actions may violate the standards of conduct expected from employees in their professional capacity. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad HC: Caste by Birth Remains Unchanged Despite Conversion or Inter-Caste Marriage |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:03:11 IST |
| Allahabad High Court has observed that a person's caste determined at birth remains unchanged even if they convert to another religion, and that a woman's caste does not change upon marriage, emphasizing that caste is a fixed attribute under law regardless of personal or religious changes. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Delhi HC: Workman Cannot Claim Section 17(B) of the ID Act Wages after Reaching Superannuation Age |
| Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:03:01 IST |
| Delhi HC has held that a workman is not entitled to Section 17(B) wages under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, after reaching superannuation, as the provision applies only while the employer-employee relationship exists, covering full last-drawn wages during appeals against reinstatement awards. |
| CIVIL - Madras HC: Individuals Facing Criminal Trial Must Get Court Permission Even to Renew Passports |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:16:58 IST |
| Madras High Court Full Bench held that passport renewal or reissue must be treated like a fresh issue, requiring prior court permission if a criminal case is pending, ensuring that individuals facing trial cannot bypass judicial oversight when seeking travel documents. |
| SERVICE - Patna HC: PwD Recruitment Must Comply With RPwD Act; Executive Resolutions Cannot Override the Law |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:16:49 IST |
| Patna High Court held that recruitment to posts reserved for persons with disabilities must strictly follow Section 34(2) of the RPwD Act, 2016, and that executive resolutions or notifications inconsistent with the Act cannot confer any enforceable rights on candidates. |
| LAND ACQUISITION - Calcutta HC: Land Acquisition For Industrial Park is Public Purpose; Leasing to Industry is Valid |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:16:39 IST |
| Calcutta HC held that land acquired for "employment generation and socio-economic development" for an industrial park constitutes a valid public purpose under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and cannot be challenged as private acquisition merely because it is later leased to an industrial unit. |
| FAMILY - Del HC: Woman Cannot Demand Re-Entry to Abandoned Matrimonial Home if Alternate Accommodation Exists |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:16:30 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that under the DV Act, 2005, an aggrieved woman does not have an absolute right to reside in a matrimonial home she abandoned when suitable alternate accommodation is available, as the Act does not guarantee indefeasible entitlement to a specific property. |
| BANKING - Calcutta HC: Banks Must Provide Forensic Audit Report Before Calling an Account Fraudulent |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:16:21 IST |
| Calcutta HC held that a bank cannot classify a borrower's account as "fraud" without first providing the forensic audit report and documents relied upon in the show-cause notice, emphasizing that principles of natural justice cannot be bypassed in the name of expediency under RBI guidelines. |
| CONTRACT - Calcutta HC: Employee Can't be Stopped From Joining Rival Post-Resignation; Trade Secrets Protected |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:16:12 IST |
| Cal HC reiterated that post-employment non-compete clause restraining employee from joining a competitor after resignation is prima facie void u/s 27 of the Contract Act, but clarified that confidentiality and non-solicitation clauses protecting trade secrets & business interests remain enforceable. |
| CRIMINAL - MP HC: Pen-Drive Evidence Cannot be Introduced At a Late Trial Stage Without Proof or Relevance |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:16:02 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court held that belated electronic evidence must be clearly relevant to the charges and duly provable, refusing to accept a pen drive with the deceased patient's alleged voice recording in a forgery trial, as it concerned medical negligence and not the offences framed. |
| CIVIL - Cal HC: Once ED Attachment is Confirmed, Challenge Becomes Academic; PMLA Remedy Must be Pursued |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:15:50 IST |
| Calcutta High Court has held that once a provisional attachment under the PMLA is confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority and statutory appeals are pending before the Appellate Tribunal, a parallel writ petition challenging the attachment becomes academic and ought not to be entertained. |
| CIVIL - SC: Suit Alleging Coercion or Undue Influence Cannot be Rejected under Order VII Rule 11 CPC |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:15:40 IST |
| The court observed that "The grounds of coercion, undue influence and more importantly misrepresentation, resulting in an inequitable partition, cannot be peremptorily rejected while considering an application under Order VII, Rule 11 of the CPC." |
| LAND ACQUISITION - Supreme Court: Delay In Filing Appeals under Section 74 of 2013 Land Acquisition Act is Condonable |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:35:01 IST |
| In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court held that delays in filing appeals under Section 74 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 may be condoned by applying Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963. |
| CIVIL - Kerala High Court: Intentional Judicial Decisions Cannot be Altered as Clerical Errors under CPC |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:51 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that an intentional judicial determination cannot be modified as a clerical error or under inherent powers in Sections 151 or 152 of the CPC, and that the proper remedy against such decisions lies only through appeal or review. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta HC: Contempt Court Cannot Grant New Relief Beyond Original Order Once Compliance is Met |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:41 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that contempt jurisdiction is confined to ensuring compliance with court orders and cannot be used to grant fresh reliefs, ruling that once a writ direction is implemented, further changes to land records cannot be sought through contempt proceedings. |
| PROPERTY - Calcutta High Court: Partition Decree is Executable Only After Stamp Duty Payment |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:31 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that a final partition decree becomes executable only after payment of stamp duty, but clarified that the decree holder may deposit the full duty to avoid delay and later recover proportionate amounts from other co-sharers. |
| SERVICE - Kerala High Court: Disability Pension is Payable to Voluntary Dischargee For Service-Related Illness |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:20 IST |
| Kerala HC ruled that voluntary dischargee is entitled to disability pension if chronic condition was caused by military service, holding that service-related illness qualifies for pension even when discharge was voluntary, following dismissal of the petitioner's claim by the Armed Forces Tribunal. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta HC: Demolition Orders Cannot be Challenged under Article 226 if a Statutory Appeal Exists |
| Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:11 IST |
| Calcutta High Court, Port Blair Bench, held that a municipal demolition order cannot be directly challenged under Article 226 when an effective statutory appeal exists, noting that the competent authority issued a reasoned order after hearing all stakeholders. |
| CRIMINAL - Kerala HC: Orders Barring Disclosure of Witness Statements Must State Reasons For Each Witness |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:49 IST |
| Kerala HC clarified that under Section 44 of the UAPA, any order barring disclosure of witness statements must examine each witness individually and record reasons, while hearing a petition under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita challenging Special Court orders for NIA cases. |
| CRIMINAL - Gauhati HC: POCSO Probes Must be Child-Friendly, With Sensitized Investigators to Ensure Clear Truth |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:41 IST |
| Gauhati High Court emphasized that POCSO investigations must be child-friendly and sensitive, with counselling, support persons, and clear statements, warning that casual or defective probes can prejudice both justice and the accused, potentially leading to acquittals despite proven offences. |
| CRIMINAL - Calcutta HC: Accused Has No Right on Investigation Mode or Impleadment in Probe Writ |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:32 IST |
| Calcutta HC held that an accused has no right to be heard regarding the manner or mode of investigation and dismissed applications seeking impleadment in a writ petition, ruling that neither complainants in separate FIRs nor prospective accused can demand party status during the investigation stage. |
| EDUCATION - Kerala High Court: Universities Must Regulate Student Political Activities to Curb Campus Violence |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:22 IST |
| Kerala High Court directed all state universities to establish comprehensive regulations to control student political activities on campus, following petitions including a PIL after a student's death at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, to prevent violence and ensure safety. |
| CRIMINAL - Calcutta HC: Conviction under Essential Commodities Act Invalid if Stock Measured With a 'Stick' |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:13 IST |
| Calcutta High Court set aside a petrol pump operator's conviction under the Essential Commodities Act, ruling that a criminal conviction cannot rest on stock measured with a stick and unsupported by reliable witnesses, as the prosecution failed to prove violations beyond reasonable doubt. |
| LAW OF EVIDENCE - SC: Photocopies are Not Evidence Unless Conditions for Leading Secondary Evidence are Proved |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:04:05 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside a sale based on a photocopied Power of Attorney, holding that a photocopy is secondary evidence and inadmissible unless it satisfies Section 65 of the Evidence Act, which allows such evidence only when the original cannot be produced for valid reasons. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Special Court Cannot Order Confiscation While Appeal Against Attachment Confirmation is Pending |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:03:55 IST |
| In a key ruling on Section 8 of the PMLA, the Supreme Court held that when an appeal against confirmation of an attachment order is pending before the Appellate Tribunal, the Special Court has no jurisdiction to decide confiscation proceedings. |
| CIVIL - SC: Quasi-Judicial Authorities Cannot Exercise Review Powers Unless Expressly Granted By Statute |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:03:46 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that quasi-judicial authorities cannot exercise review powers without statutory authorization, setting aside a Calcutta High Court judgment and holding that vesting disputed land in favour of the respondent on a minister's instructions was impermissible. |
| TRUSTS AND SOCIETIES - SC: Statutory Authorities may Intervene When Housing Societies Delay Membership Decisions |
| Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:03:37 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that authorities may intervene in co-operative housing societies when they refuse to decide membership applications or keep them pending for long periods, while hearing a case on delayed membership for flat owners of a Mumbai society despite years of residence. |
| FAMILY - Del HC: Mother's Right to Education and Personal Growth Cannot be Restricted Due To Custody Disputes |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:21:21 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that a mother's right to personal growth, dignity, and higher education abroad is part of her Article 21 right to life and liberty, and cannot be restricted merely due to pending custody or visitation proceedings. |
| DEFENCE - Cal HC: Excessive Palm Sweating Alone Cannot Render Candidate Medically Unfit for CAPF Appointment |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:21:09 IST |
| Calcutta High Court ruled that palmar hyperhidrosis (excessive palm sweating) cannot alone disqualify a candidate from Central Armed Police Forces Constable (G.D.) recruitment. The court noted that authorities did not cite any medical guideline explicitly barring candidates for this condition. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: Consenting Adults can Choose Life Partners Without Societal or Parental Approval |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:59 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that consenting adults have the constitutional right to choose their life partners without needing societal or parental approval. The court emphasized that such decisions must be respected, upholding the sanctity of marriage based on mutual consent of adults. |
| CRIMINAL - P&H High Court: Anticipatory Bail on Settlement Can be Revoked if Compromise is Broken |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:49 IST |
| P&H High Court held that an accused cannot seek anticipatory bail based on a compromise and later back out. It recalled a 2022 bail order, stating that reneging on court undertakings misuses judicial leniency and breaches judicial trust, undermining the integrity of the process. |
| SERVICE - SC: State Government Employees Cannot Claim Dearness Allowance Twice a Year Unless Rules Allow |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:38 IST |
| While hearing West Bengal's challenge to directions on payment of Dearness Allowance under the 2009 Pay Revision Rules, the Supreme Court held that state government employees have no vested right to receive DA twice a year unless such payment is expressly provided under the rules. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Trial Courts Must Record that Free Legal Aid was Offered to Accused Before Witness Examination |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:28 IST |
| Supreme Court issued a significant direction to High Courts to instruct trial courts to inform accused persons of their right to free legal aid if they cannot afford a lawyer, and to formally record the accused's response to such an offer. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Properties Acquired by Karta are Presumed to be Joint Hindu Family Assets unless Proven Otherwise |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:16 IST |
| The court said that "Where acquisitions are made during the subsistence of the joint family, and where ancestral properties yielding income are shown to exist, properties acquired in the name of the Karta are ordinarily regarded as joint family properties unless the contrary is proved." |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Hard to Believe Married Woman Was Lured Into Sex by False Marriage Promise; Case Quashed |
| Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:20:06 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside criminal proceedings against a Chhattisgarh advocate accused of repeatedly raping a married colleague, ruling that the allegations based on a purported false promise of marriage did not warrant continuation of the case. |
| DEFENCE - Kerala HC: Disability Pension is Not Payable if the Condition is Unrelated to Military Service |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:21:01 IST |
| Kerala HC dismissed a writ challenging the Armed Forces Tribunal's denial of disability pension for Generalised Anxiety Disorder, holding that pension is not payable when medical evidence shows the condition is not attributable to or aggravated by military service under the 1982 Entitlement Rules. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Bombay HC: Storing Items in a Fridge isn't Manufacturing and Doesn't Make Premises a Factory |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:20:48 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that merely storing or preserving items in a refrigerator or cold storage does not amount to a "manufacturing process" and therefore does not classify the premises as a factory under the Factories Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Unproven Adultery Allegations Cannot be Used to Deny Interim Maintenance under the DV Act |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:20:32 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that unproven adultery allegations cannot bar a wife from interim maintenance under the Domestic Violence Act, noting that unlike Cr.P.C. Section 125(4), the DV Act has no provision denying reliefs solely on such allegations. |
| CONSUMER - SC: Merely Leasing an Apartment Does Not Bar a Flat Buyer's Consumer Complaint Against the Builder |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:20:16 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that merely leasing or renting a residential flat does not exclude the owner from the definition of "consumer" under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, unless it is shown that the dominant intention at the time of purchase was commercial in nature. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: High Court Cannot Reject a Plaint While Exercising Jurisdiction under Article 227 |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:20:01 IST |
| The court observed that "…once the specific provision under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC, is available, the High Court cannot exercise powers under Article 227 to reject or strike off the plaint." |
| FAMILY - Supreme Court: While a Child's Welfare is Paramount, It is Not the Sole Factor in Custody Disputes |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:19:47 IST |
| Supreme Court emphasised that child custody decisions cannot be based solely on welfare, holding that courts must also consider other relevant factors such as parental conduct, financial capacity, standard of living, and the child's comfort and education. |
| CONSTITUTION - SC: Under RTE Act, States Cannot Justify Low Teacher Pay by Citing Centre's Failure to Release Funds |
| Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:19:33 IST |
| Supreme Court has ruled that a State cannot justify paying teachers a meagre honorarium by citing the Centre's failure to release funds, holding that implementing the Right to Education Act is primarily the State's responsibility, which must pay teachers first and recover the Centre's share later. |
| CONSTITUTION - Chhattisgarh HC: Rape is an Affront to Womanhood and a Brutal Violation of The Right To Life |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:11:30 IST |
| While upholding a rape conviction, the Chhattisgarh High Court observed that rape is an affront to womanhood and a brazen violation of Article 21, infringing on dignity, bodily privacy, and personal liberty. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Not Named In FIR Doesn't Matter If Financial Links Show Active Role in NDPS Offence |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:11:21 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that an accused's absence from the FIR is not decisive for bail if investigations reveal financial transactions indicating active involvement and coordination in an offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Consensual Romance With Minor Nearing 18 May be Considered For Bail in POCSO Case |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:11:11 IST |
| Delhi High Court granted bail in a POCSO case, noting that while a minor's consent holds no legal value, the romantic nature of the relationship and the minor being close to 18 years are relevant factors to consider at the bail stage. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: Elective Surgery Does Not Bar Grant of Interim Bail on Medical Grounds |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:11:01 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that the non-emergency nature of a medical procedure alone cannot justify denial of interim bail, especially where ongoing pain requires timely surgery, while allowing an accused under MCOCA to seek bail to attend his mother's scheduled knee replacement. |
| CRIMINAL - Cal HC: Theft Claims and Public Humiliation Alone Don't Amount To Abetment of Suicide U/S 306 IPC |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:10:51 IST |
| Calcutta HC set aside convictions u/s 306/34 IPC, holding that while the deceased died by suicide, mere allegations of harassment or being labelled a thief were insufficient to prove abetment, as the prosecution failed to establish mens rea, instigation, or a direct act leading to the suicide. |
| CRIMINAL - Jharkhand HC: Regular Bail Plea During Interim Bail is Not Maintainable under Section 483 BNSS |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:10:42 IST |
| Jharkhand High Court held that an accused released on interim bail is not deemed to be in "custody" for seeking regular bail under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023, unless the accused is actually in judicial custody or has surrendered before the court. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Award Valid Even If Passed After Mandate Expiry When Court Extends Time |
| Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:10:32 IST |
| The court observed "we are of the opinion that provisions of the Act, particularly Section 29A, must not be interpreted to infer a threshold bar for application under Section 29A(5) for extension of the mandate of the arbitrator even when an award is passed, though after the expiry of the mandate." |
| CRIMINAL - P &H HC: Unfavourable Orders Cannot Justify Trial Transfer; Courts Must Prevent Forum Hunting |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:41:08 IST |
| Punjab & Haryana High Court held that judicial error is not the same as bias, and an unfavourable order, even if later overturned, does not automatically establish prejudice or justify transfer of trial, emphasizing the need to curb forum shopping and protect judicial integrity. |
| NARCOTICS - Delhi High Court: Co-Accused's Abscondence Can Be a Relevant Factor in Granting NDPS Bail |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:40:54 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that the abscondence of a co-accused is a relevant factor in considering bail under Section 37 of the NDPS Act, while hearing a bail plea of a foreign national accused in a case involving 256 grams of heroin, where one co-accused had jumped bail and was absconding. |
| NARCOTICS - Calcutta HC: Supplementary Chargesheet Filed Late in NDPS Trial is Valid if Based on Fresh Evidence |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:40:40 IST |
| Calcutta High Court dismissed a criminal revision petition challenging a late-stage supplementary chargesheet in an NDPS case, holding that under Section 173(8) CrPC, it is permissible if based on further investigation revealing fresh evidence, even near trial completion. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - MP High Court: Labour Laws are Beneficial, and Hyper-Technical Limitation Views Must be Avoided |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:40:27 IST |
| MP HC held that workmen's claims should not be dismissed on hyper-technical limitation grounds, especially when delays arose from COVID-19 or lack of legal awareness, emphasizing the beneficial nature of labour laws while dismissing Medicaps Limited's writ challenging the Industrial Court's remand. |
| FAMILY - Delhi HC: Unmarried Granddaughter's Limited Estate Can Become Absolute if Pre-Existing Right |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:40:15 IST |
| Delhi High Court recently held that the obligation to maintain an unmarried minor daughter of a pre-deceased son can constitute a pre-existing right, allowing her limited estate to enlarge into absolute ownership under Section 14(1) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Supreme Court: Temple Trust Does Not Qualify as an 'Industry' under the Industrial Disputes Act |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:39:59 IST |
| The court observed that "the respondent-Trust is a temple and as such, it would not fall within the four corners of the expression "industry"." The court upheld the termination of its accountant despite no formal inquiry and over twelve years of service. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Disputes are Not Arbitrable When the Arbitration Agreement is Alleged to be Forged |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:39:47 IST |
| The court observed "…in a case where plea is taken with regard to non-existence of an arbitration clause or agreement, the same would amount to serious allegation of fraud and would render the subject matter of an agreement non-arbitrable." |
| INSOLVENCY - Supreme Court: Single Insolvency Petition Maintainable Against Linked Corporate Entities |
| Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:39:32 IST |
| In a relief to homebuyers, the Supreme Court held that a single insolvency petition under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is maintainable against multiple corporate entities involved in a real estate project if they are intrinsically linked in its execution and marketing. |
| CRIMINAL - Punjab & Haryana High Court: ED Can Arrest Individuals Even if FIRs are Added to the ECIR Later |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:51:08 IST |
| Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed pleas by promoters of Ramprastha Promoters & Developers Pvt. Ltd. challenging their arrest and proceedings by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, holding that arrest is valid even if FIRs are later added to the ECIR. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta High Court: 18-Month Delay in Delivering a Judgment Alone is Not Sufficient to Set it Aside |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:59 IST |
| The court observed that "...although we are somewhat disappointed at the long delay of more than 18 months from the conclusion of the arguments to the delivery of the impugned judgment, we are unable to set aside the same solely on the ground of such delay". |
| FAMILY - Bombay HC: An Adopted Child's Caste is Considered the Same as That of the Adoptive Parents |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:45 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that an adopted child's caste is the same as that of the adoptive parents, quashing the Deputy Collector, Pune's order, in a case where a woman had legally adopted a boy in 2014 under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Dacoity Convicts U/S 395 IPC Cannot Claim Benefit under the Probation of Offenders Act |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:35 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that probation under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 is unavailable to persons convicted of dacoity under Section 395 IPC, since the offence carries punishment of life imprisonment and falls outside the scope of Section 4. |
| ENVIRONMENT - SC: Polluting Company's Turnover May Be Considered While Fixing Environmental Damage Compensation |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:26 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that a company's scale of operations, including turnover, production volume, or revenue, can be a decisive factor when assessing compensation for environmental damage. |
| LAW OF MEDICINE - Supreme Court: Patients Cannot Claim Unproven Medical Treatments as a Matter of Right |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:17 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that stem cell therapy for autism spectrum disorder cannot be claimed as a patient's right, disapproved its use as standard treatment, and held that doctors or clinics offering such unscientific therapy engage in medical malpractice. |
| SERVICE - SC: State Cannot Deny Regularisation to Long-Serving Contract Staff Appointed Through Due Process |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:50:08 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the State, as a model employer, cannot refuse regularisation to contract workers appointed through due process, and those given repeated yearly extensions can claim regularisation under the doctrine of legitimate expectation. |
| CONSTITUTION - SC: UGC Regulations Override State Law on Forming Search Committees For University VC Appointments |
| Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:49:58 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that forming a Search-cum-Selection Committee for appointing a University Vice-Chancellor falls under Parliament's exclusive authority, and any departure from the UGC Regulations, 2018 makes the appointment process invalid. |
| CIVIL - Ker HC: Bar Association is Not Employer & Cannot Form Internal Complaints Committee under POSH Act |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:13:37 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that the Kollam Bar Association could not constitute an Internal Complaints Committee, as doing so contravened the purpose and requirements of the POSH Act, 2013, since a Bar Association is not an employer under the law. |
| SERVICE - MP HC: Spouse's Income Cannot Be Clubbed With Public Servant's for Disproportionate Assets Case |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:13:27 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court quashed a sanction order under the Prevention of Corruption Act, holding that a public servant's spouse's independent income as an advocate cannot be included in his income to prosecute him for alleged disproportionate assets. |
| CIVIL - MP HC: Decree Holder Cannot Defeat Compromise or Initiate Execution by Refusing Debtor's Cheque |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:13:17 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court held that a decree holder cannot frustrate a compromise decree or initiate execution proceedings by refusing to accept or encash a cheque lawfully tendered by the judgment debtor in full satisfaction of the decree. |
| CIVIL - SC: After Complaint Was Withdrawn, BCI Disciplinary Committee Could Not Penalise Advocate |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:13:07 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the BCI Disciplinary Committee's order holding an advocate guilty, ruling that proceedings cannot continue once the complainant-client has unequivocally withdrawn the complaint and expressed satisfaction with the advocate's conduct. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Demolition of Private Property Must Rest on Clear Statutory Grounds and Due Consideration |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:12:57 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the Calcutta High Court's demolition order, holding that interference with property rights under Article 300-A requires clear, cogent, and site-specific evidence of illegality, which was absent to prove the Santiniketan building stood on "khoai" land. |
| ARBITRATION - Supreme Court: Only Civil Court of Original Jurisdiction Can Extend Arbitral Tribunal's Mandate |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:12:46 IST |
| Supreme Court held that applications to extend an arbitral tribunal's mandate under Section 29A(4) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 must be filed only before the principal civil court of original jurisdiction, irrespective of the authority that appointed the arbitrators. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Supreme Court: Industrial Court is the Proper Forum to Decide Issues Relating to Contract Labour |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:12:37 IST |
| Supreme Court held that disputes relating to the employment and termination of contract labour must be adjudicated by the Industrial Court constituted under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 as it is the appropriate forum for such matters. |
| CONSTITUTION - SC: Menstrual Health is a Fundamental Right under Article 21; Orders Free Sanitary Pads in Schools |
| Fri, 30 Jan 2026 18:12:27 IST |
| Declaring menstrual health part of the right to life under Article 21, the Supreme Court directed nationwide implementation of the Menstrual Hygiene Policy, mandating free biodegradable sanitary napkins and functional, hygienic gender-segregated toilets in schools for girls from Classes 6-12. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - Del HC: Probationers are 'Workmen' under ID Act; S.17B Wages not Recoverable if Termination Upheld |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:27:04 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that probationary employees are 'workmen' under Section 2(s) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, but their termination without a full departmental inquiry is valid if it is a simple, non-stigmatic termination order. |
| SERVICE - Kerala HC: High Courts Work On Holidays; Denying Compensatory Leave To Officers Violates Art. 229 |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:54 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that denying compensatory leave to its Gazetted Officers is illegal, arbitrary, and violates Article 229 of the Constitution, emphasizing that High Court officers are entitled to leave even when the court functions on holidays. |
| CRIMINAL - Kerala HC: Telling Someone to "Go Away And Die" in Anger Does Not Amount to Abetment of Suicide |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:45 IST |
| Kerala High Court reiterated that casual or angry remarks made during a quarrel, without the necessary intent or mens rea, do not amount to abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the IPC, emphasizing that mere words in anger cannot be construed as criminally culpable. |
| SERVICE - Chhattisgarh HC: Court Employees Cannot Enroll as Regular LLB Students in Breach of Service Rules |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:35 IST |
| Chhattisgarh High Court set aside an order allowing a probationary court employee to pursue the third year of LLB as a regular student, ruling that such permission affects administrative discipline, office functioning, and compliance with service rules. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Stray Dog Attacks on Beaches Adversely Impact Tourism |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:26 IST |
| During the hearing on stray dogs, the Supreme Court noted attacks on tourists on beaches in Goa and Kerala, observing that dogs are drawn by fish carcasses and warning that such incidents negatively impact tourism. |
| TRUSTS AND SOCIETIES - SC: Waqf Tribunals Cannot Hear Claims over Properties Not Listed or Registered under Waqf Act |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:16 IST |
| Supreme Court held that Waqf Tribunals have jurisdiction only over properties notified in the list of auqaf or registered under the Waqf Act, and set aside the Telangana High Court judgment that upheld an injunction granted by the Tribunal over an unregistered property. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - SC: Ex-Contract Workers Must Be Preferred When Employers Replace Contract Labour With Regular Staff |
| Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:26:07 IST |
| The court outlined the modes and methods for re-employing workers where the discontinuation of the labour contract is valid: "If the principal employer intends to employ regular workmen for the work previously done by contract labour, they must give preference to the erstwhile contract labourers." |
| SERVICE - MP HC: MPPSC Cannot Reject Doctors For PG Additional Registration Not Mentioned in the Advertisement |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:34:32 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court allowed writ petitions by doctors challenging MPPSC's rejection of their applications for Medical Officer (Grade-I) and Specialist posts, ruling that candidates cannot be disqualified for PG additional registration not specified in the recruitment advertisement. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: SC's 'Mihir Rajesh Shah' Directive on Written Arrest Grounds Applies Prospectively |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:34:21 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that the Supreme Court's ruling in Mihir Rajesh Shah v. State of Maharashtra (2025), requiring written grounds of arrest before remand, will apply only prospectively and cannot be enforced for arrests made before the judgment's date. |
| PROPERTY - P&H HC: Customary Restrictions Can't Stop Widow From Alienating Non-Ancestral Property |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:34:11 IST |
| Punjab and Haryana High Court held that a widow can freely alienate non-ancestral property inherited from her husband without collateral consent, ruling that any customary restrictions limiting her rights are unconstitutional and cannot override the principles of equality and personal autonomy. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Complaint U/S 175(4) BNSS Against a Public Servant Must Meet the Conditions of Section 175(3) |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:34:01 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a Magistrate cannot entertain a complaint against a public servant under Section 175(4) of the BNSS unless the complainant first satisfies Section 175(3), by showing that a written complaint supported by an affidavit was earlier submitted to the Superintendent of Police. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - SC: Prior Written Demand is Not Mandatory For an Industrial Dispute to Exist or be Referred |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:33:24 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a trade union is not required to issue a formal "charter of demands" to the management before approaching the Conciliation Officer under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. |
| LAND ACQUISITION - SC: Higher Land Acquisition Compensation to Some Owners Cannot Invalidate Awards to Others |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:33:10 IST |
| Supreme Court held that excessive compensation paid to some beneficiaries in collusion with officials does not invalidate compensation granted to others, while hearing an appeal against a Chhattisgarh High Court ruling that had set aside the appellant's land acquisition award on that ground. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Confession Without Corroboration Cannot Form the Basis of Conviction |
| Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:33:00 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside a murder conviction after holding that it was founded solely on uncorroborated confessional statements recorded by a magistrate, which were made by the accused in the absence of legal aid. |
| SERVICE - Allahabad HC: Not Specifying Arrest Grounds in Memo is Dereliction; Erring Cops Must be Suspended |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:58 IST |
| Allahabad High Court directed that any police officer who fails to mention specific "grounds of arrest" in the arrest memo shall face departmental proceedings and be placed under suspension, emphasizing that such omissions constitute a serious dereliction of duty. |
| CONSTITUTION - Karnataka HC: Bike Taxi Business Protected under Article 19(1)(G); State Can Regulate But Not Ban |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:48 IST |
| Karnataka High Court upheld the right of taxi aggregators to operate bike taxis, ruling that it is a legitimate business protected under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, and held that a blanket ban by the State would not constitute a reasonable restriction under Article 19(6). |
| PROPERTY - Madras HC: Encroachment on a Public Street Cannot be Allowed Even If It Has a Religious Character |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:39 IST |
| Madras High Court observed that encroachments cannot be permitted on public places or land vested in a local body even if they have a religious character, and held that it is the duty of the Municipal Commissioner to remove such encroachments after issuing due notice. |
| CIVIL - Calcutta HC: Third-Party Suits in a Deity's Name are Allowed Only When The Sebait Loses Authority |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:29 IST |
| The court observed that "Only in exceptional circumstances, where the sebait does not or by his own act, deprives himself of the power of representing the deity, a third party is competent to institute a suit in the name of the deity to protect the debottar property" |
| CIVIL - SC: Registry Cannot Intrude Into Judiciary's Exclusive Domain By Questioning Why a Party is Impleaded |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:20 IST |
| Supreme Court observed that the Registry has no authority to question or object to a petitioner's decision to implead a particular party as a respondent, nor can it seek any justification or explanation for the inclusion of a specific party in the proceedings. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Registered Sale Deed Carries Strong Presumption of Genuineness |
| Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:55:09 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a registered sale deed enjoys a strong presumption of validity and genuineness, and therefore cannot be casually or lightly branded as a 'sham' merely to challenge or oppose a sale transaction. |
| INSOLVENCY - Supreme Court to NCLT : Limit Power to Decide Intellectual Property Title Disputes under IBC |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:14:28 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that NCLT, while acting under Section 60(5) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), has limited jurisdiction and cannot decide disputed questions of intellectual property ownership when such issues fall outside or go beyond the scope of an approved resolution plan |
| CIVIL - SC: Blockchain-Based Digitisation of Land Records Necessary to Reduce Property Document Litigation |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:14:19 IST |
| Supreme Court while stating blockchain ensures immutability of transactions urged Union and State Governments to urgently digitise land records and registered documents using secure, tamper-proof technologies like blockchain |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Delhi High Court Ruling upheld on Taekwondo National Sports Federation Recognition |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:14:09 IST |
| Supreme Court declined to interfere with Delhi High Court's ruling that, pending a Union Government decision, neither Taekwondo Federation of India nor Taekwondo India can function as the National Sports Federation |
| CRIMINAL - Del. HC Stresses Mandatory Legal Assistance to Preserve Fairness and Integrity of Criminal Trials |
| Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:13:59 IST |
| Court held that requiring an accused to cross-examine witnesses without legal counsel undermines not only accused's rights but fairness of entire trial. Even if delay is suspected, trial courts should appoint an amicus curiae or legal aid counsel to ensure fairness |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: DDA Must Adopt a Litigation Policy To Screen Cases and Avoid Unnecessary Filings |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:57:27 IST |
| Supreme Court imposed a cost of Rs. 10,000 on the Delhi Development Authority, noting its consistent delay in challenging orders, and emphasized that the DDA should have a litigation policy to screen cases in advance so as to avoid belated filings and save valuable judicial time. |
| CIVIL - Supreme Court: Subordinate Legislation Takes Effect Only From its Publication in The Official Gazette |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:57:17 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that subordinate legislation becomes binding only upon its publication in the Official Gazette, clarifying that it is the date of Gazette publication, and not merely the date of issuance of the notification, that gives such legislation legal effect. |
| SERVICE - Delhi High Court: Recruitment Notice Error Creates No Appointment Right Without Vacancy |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:57:06 IST |
| Delhi High Court set aside a CAT order directing appointment based on an erroneous recruitment advertisement, holding that a mistake in the notification cannot confer a vested right to appointment when no actual vacancy existed for the reserved category. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: Asking an Accused To Cross-Examine a Witness Without Legal Aid Vitiates The Trial |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:56:57 IST |
| The court said that "In the trial proceedings where the accused in the absence of defence counsel, is called upon to cross-examine a witness, it is not just the accused who suffers injustice. It is the entire trial which gets vitiated,". |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi High Court: Mere Pleadings Made To Prosecute or Defend a Case Do Not Amount To Defamation |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:56:46 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that mere averments in pleadings to prosecute or defend a case do not constitute defamation, stating that if a statement in judicial proceedings is false, the proper remedy is for perjury, not a separate defamation complaint. |
| CIVIL - Bombay HC: Railway Employee With Valid Privilege Pass is Bona Fide Passenger Despite Missing Entries |
| Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:56:35 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that a railway employee with a valid privilege pass remains a bona fide passenger under Section 124A of the Railways Act, 1989, even if travel entries are not endorsed, noting that denial of status on technical grounds is unjustified absent misuse or excess travel. |
| MINES AND MINERALS - Karnataka High Court Holds Mining Leases Granted in Violation of Rule 22-D are Void Ab Initio |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:50:31 IST |
| Karnataka HC held that a mining lease granted in violation of the minimum area requirement under Rule 22-D is void under Section 19 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act Act and, being void ab initio, cannot qualify for any deemed extension under Section 8A(3) of the Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Rajasthan HC: Single Blunt Blow Causing Grievous Injury is Not Attempt to Murder Without Intent |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:50:22 IST |
| Rajasthan High Court ruled that a single blunt blow to the head causing grievous injury does not amount to attempt to murder unless repeated, forceful attacks show a clear intent to kill, as homicidal mens rea is an essential requirement for the offence. |
| SERVICE - Allahabad High Court: Recruitment Rules Cannot Override Compassionate Appointments |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:50:12 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that compassionate appointments are exceptions to standard recruitment processes, and recruitment rules cannot be rigidly applied to undermine their purpose, ensuring that deserving candidates are not denied relief meant to support them in exceptional circumstances. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: While Declining to Quash an FIR, A High Court Should Not Direct Police To Follow Section 41A CrPC |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:50:02 IST |
| SC ruled that High Courts cannot direct police to comply with Section 41A CrPC while rejecting a plea to quash an FIR, explaining that protection under Section 41A, which bars arrest if the accused appears in response to notice, is interim relief and cannot be granted at the quashing stage. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Evidence is Often Fabricated Using AI And False Allegations are Rampant in Matrimonial Cases |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:49:52 IST |
| Supreme Court expressed serious concern over AI-generated and fabricated evidence in matrimonial disputes, noting that parties, eager to 'teach the other side a lesson,' are increasingly misusing technology to build cases based on false allegations. |
| CIVIL - SC: NGT Has No Jurisdiction to Decide Disputes Relating to Building Plan Violations |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:49:41 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the National Green Tribunal cannot adjudicate disputes essentially concerning land use, zoning regulations, and town-planning compliance, even when such issues are presented as environmental disputes. |
| LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL - SC: Compensatory Allowances Must Be Included While Computing Overtime Wages U/S 59 of Factories Act |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:49:30 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that compensatory allowances including House Rent Allowance, Transport Allowance, Clothing and Washing Allowance, and Small Family Allowance constitute part of the "ordinary rate of wages" for calculating overtime wages under Section 59(2) of the Factories Act, 1948. |
| COMMERCIAL - Authorities Holding Public Auctions Must Disclose All Known Encumbrances and Related Litigation |
| Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:49:18 IST |
| Supreme Court held that non-disclosure of pending litigation and encumbrances vitiates a public auction, and directed the Ludhiana Improvement Trust to refund ?1.57 crore with interest after it auctioned a plot without informing bidders that it was already subject to a civil suit. |
| SERVICE - Patna HC: Aadhaar and GPS-Based Attendance For Medical College Faculty Does Not Violate Privacy |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:10:06 IST |
| Patna High Court upheld the mandatory use of Aadhaar-based facial authentication and GPS location tracking for faculty attendance in Bihar medical colleges, dismissing a writ petition challenging the state's directive for implementing face-based Aadhaar and GPS-enabled attendance systems. |
| CRIMINAL - Patna High Court: Cruelty Claims Against In-Laws are Unlikely Without Shared Residence or Interaction |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:56 IST |
| Patna High Court recently quashed criminal proceedings in a matrimonial dispute, holding that allegations of cruelty against in-laws are inherently improbable when there is no shared residence or meaningful interaction between the parties. |
| FAMILY - Allahabad High Court: Wife May Claim Education Expenses; Adverse Inference If Husband Hides Income |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:47 IST |
| Allahabad High Court upheld an order granting interim maintenance to a wife for her educational expenses, observing that she had prima facie established her entitlement to claim such expenses from her husband. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: State Agencies are Competent To Probe Corruption Cases Against Central Government Officers |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:38 IST |
| Supreme Court held that state police authorities have the legal competence to investigate offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and file charge sheets even when the accused are employees of the Central Government. |
| CONSTITUTION - Supreme Court: High Courts To Decide Article 226(3) Applications Within Two Weeks |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:28 IST |
| Supreme Court disposed of a Special Leave Petition against an interim status quo order of the Allahabad High Court and reminded the High Court of its constitutional duty under Article 226(3) to decide applications seeking vacating of interim orders within two weeks. |
| SERVICE - SC: AICTE Regulations Do Not Govern Direct Recruitment of Engineering Professors by State PSCs |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:18 IST |
| Supreme Court held that the All India Council for Technical Education Regulations are not applicable to direct recruitment for professor posts in engineering colleges when such recruitment is conducted by the State Public Service Commissions. |
| SERVICE - SC: Reserved Candidates Scoring Above General Cut-Off Must be Considered For Open Posts |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:09:09 IST |
| The court said "It is now a settled proposition of law that a candidate belonging to reserve category who has scored marks higher than the cut off marks for the General Category is to be treated as having qualified against an open or unreserved vacant post" |
| SERVICE - Supreme Court: Wait-Listed Candidates Have No Vested Right After List Expiry |
| Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:08:59 IST |
| Supreme Court held that in matters of public employment, candidates placed on a waiting list do not gain any vested or automatic right to appointment after the statutory period of validity of the waiting list has expired. |
| CIVIL - SC: Mandatory Injunction Suit Alone is Not Maintainable When Plaintiff's Title is Disputed |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:07:48 IST |
| Supreme Court held that where serious disputes exist over title, possession, or identity of property, a suit for mandatory injunction simpliciter is not maintainable, and the plaintiff must seek comprehensive relief through a suit for declaration of title and recovery of possession. |
| SERVICE TAX - SC: Contracts to Hire Global Speakers For Media Summits are Not Taxable as Event Management Services |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:07:39 IST |
| Granting major relief to media and event organizers, the Supreme Court held that fees paid to high-profile speakers through international booking agencies are not liable to Service Tax under the category of "Event Management Service." |
| SERVICE - SC: Govt Can Exclude Overqualified Candidates From Posts Requiring Lower Qualifications |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:07:29 IST |
| Observing that States have the power to prescribe minimum eligibility for public posts, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of Rule 6(1) of the Bihar Pharmacists Cadre Rules, 2014, which mandates a diploma in pharmacy as the minimum qualification for appointment as pharmacists. |
| EDUCATION - Supreme Court Orders Reporting of Student Suicides and Bans Denial of Classes or Exams |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:07:08 IST |
| Expressing concern over rising suicides in higher educational institutions, the Supreme Court issued interim directions mandating all HEIs to report every such incident, regardless of location or mode of study, and to ensure round-the-clock access to qualified medical assistance. |
| LAW OF EVIDENCE - SC: Disclosure Statements Alone Cannot Secure Conviction Without a Complete Chain of Evidence |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:58 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside a murder conviction, observing that confessional statements under Section 27 of the Evidence Act and related discoveries cannot alone sustain conviction, particularly when the chain of circumstantial evidence is incomplete. |
| CIVIL - Ker HC: Dismissal For Default Alone Cannot Justify Rejecting Restoration Plea For Lack of Vigilance |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:48 IST |
| Kerala High Court held that dismissal for default alone cannot justify rejecting a restoration plea citing lack of vigilance, noting that a previous default in execution proceedings does not automatically disqualify the petitioner from seeking restoration of those proceedings. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Pending Probate Proceedings Do Not Prevent Filing FIR For Alleged Will Forgery |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:38 IST |
| Delhi High Court refused to quash an FIR alleging forgery of a registered Will, holding that pending probate proceedings on the Will's validity do not bar a simultaneous criminal investigation into claims of fabrication and use of forged documents. |
| CIVIL - Delhi HC: Bar Associations are Not 'State' under Article 12 as They Do Not Perform Public Functions |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:28 IST |
| Delhi High Court ruled that Bar Associations do not perform public functions and are not a State or its instrumentality under Article 12, noting that their functions primarily protect the interests of individual lawyers and cannot be classified as State functions. |
| CRIMINAL - MP HC: Diverting Goods From Delivery Point is Misappropriation under S.407 IPC |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:18 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court held that diverting goods from the designated delivery point constitutes misappropriation under Section 407 IPC, a key element of criminal breach of trust, and that actual sale or disposal of the goods need not be proved. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad HC: Victim Compensation under POCSO Act Cannot be Withheld For Lack of Injury Report |
| Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:06:08 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that under the Uttar Pradesh Rani Lakshmi Bai Mahila Samman Kosh Rules, 2015, compensation must be granted if the FIR discloses an offence under Section 4 of the POCSO Act, and the absence of injuries in the report cannot justify withholding compensation. |
| INSOLVENCY - Supreme Court Issues Directions to CoC in Builder Insolvency Cases To Protect Homebuyers' Interests |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:58:00 IST |
| SC issued directions on the functioning of the Committee of Creditors under the IBC, stressing that while its commercial wisdom is paramount, it must be exercised responsibly, transparently and with due application of mind, especially in real estate insolvencies affecting homebuyers. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Motive Becomes Irrelevant When Direct Evidence Such as a Dying Declaration is Available |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:50 IST |
| The court observed that "Motive assumes significance, primarily in cases based on circumstantial evidence. Where there is direct evidence in the form of a credible and trustworthy dying declaration, the absence of strong proof of motive is not fatal to the prosecution case." |
| TENANCY - Supreme Court: Stamp Duty on an Agreement to Sell is Leviable Only if Possession is Transferred |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:41 IST |
| Supreme Court ruled that under the Andhra Pradesh Stamp Act, stamp duty is not payable on an agreement to sell that does not provide for delivery of possession, and set aside the High Court's view treating such agreements as conveyances liable to duty and penalty. |
| CRIMINAL - Karnataka HC: Appeals Against Acquittal in Bailable Offences Lie Only Before High Court |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:32 IST |
| Karnataka High Court set aside a Sessions Court conviction for causing death by negligence, holding that the State wrongly appealed an acquittal before the Sessions Court, which lacked jurisdiction to entertain appeals against acquittal. |
| FAMILY - Orissa HC: Second Marriage During Subsistence of First Remains Invalid Even After First Wife's Death |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:22 IST |
| Orissa High Court held that a Hindu man's second marriage, void ab initio during the subsistence of his first marriage, does not become valid or legal upon the death of the first wife. |
| TENANCY - Calcutta HC: Landlord Decides His Residential Needs; Courts Cannot Set Living Standards in Eviction |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:12 IST |
| Calcutta High Court held that a landlord is the best judge of his residential and business needs, and courts cannot dictate living standards. Upholding an eviction decree under the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1956, it dismissed the tenant's second appeal. |
| SERVICE - Patna HC: Disciplinary Authority Cannot Impose Major and Minor Penalties in a Single Order |
| Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:03 IST |
| Patna High Court held that major and minor penalties cannot be combined into a single order and imposed simultaneously, while hearing a writ petition by a Deputy SP challenging an order imposing both withholding of five increments and a five-year promotion ban. |
| CRIMINAL - MP High Court: Guardians Can be Liable For Minors Flying Kites With Chinese Manjha |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:43 IST |
| While hearing a suo motu PIL on the illegal sale and use of Chinese manjha, the Madhya Pradesh High Court held that if a minor flies a kite using Chinese manjha, the guardian may be held liable under Section 106(1) of the BNS, 2023, for death caused by negligence. |
| CIVIL - MP HC: Trial Courts Cannot Grant Permanent Injunction in Title Suits Without Recovery of Possession |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:34 IST |
| MP HC set aside a trial court order in a title suit, holding that the court erred in granting a decree of permanent injunction without awarding the consequential relief of recovery of possession, despite finding that the defendant had encroached upon the plaintiff's land. |
| CIVIL - Kerala HC: Petrol Pump Licence is Automatically Cancelled on Lease Expiry Without Any Hearing |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:25 IST |
| Kerala High Court clarified that under the Petroleum Rules, 2002, a petrol pump licence is automatically cancelled when the lease for the storage site expires, and no formal order or hearing is required for the cancellation, as the licensee loses the right to the site. |
| SERVICE - MP HP: Over-Age Candidate Cannot Claim Age Relaxation Due to Delay in Earlier Recruitment |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:15 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court held that a candidate who participated in the 2022 recruitment process cannot claim age relaxation merely because an earlier recruitment had extended the age limit beyond what was prescribed under the applicable Rules. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad HC: Police Must Prosecute Informants of False Firs, and IOs May Face Contempt if They Fail |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:10:05 IST |
| Allahabad High Court directed police to mandatorily prosecute individuals who lodge false or malicious FIRs, holding that if an investigation confirms the FIR is false, the IO is legally obliged to file a complaint against the informant under Section 215(1)(a) BNSS. |
| SERVICE - MP High Court: Women Retain Reservation Benefits After Marriage if Caste is Recognized in Both States |
| Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:09:55 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court has held that women who move to MP after marriage from another state are not considered migrants for service or reservation purposes and will be treated as domiciled residents, ensuring they retain all benefits tied to state residency. |
| SERVICE - Delhi High Court: Home State Must be the First Preference For Claiming Insider IFS Cadre Allocation |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:46 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that under the All India Services Cadre Allocation Policy, an officer must list their home State as the first preference to claim insider IFS cadre allocation, and merely expressing willingness or listing it lower does not confer any enforceable right. |
| CIVIL - Bombay HC: ?25K Fine for Flying Kites With Nylon Manjha; Parents Must Ensure Responsible Conduct |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:37 IST |
| Bombay High Court warned that during this year's Makar Sankranti, anyone flying kites with nylon manjha will face a ?25,000 fine, while those selling it illegally will be liable to pay ?2.5 lakh, emphasizing the need for responsible behavior and adherence to the law. |
| CRIMINAL - MP High Court: Mere Illness of a Family Member, If Improving, is Not Sufficient for Interim Bail |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:27 IST |
| Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed a plea for interim bail, observing that the mere illness of a family member, particularly when the condition is improving and under control, does not constitute exceptional grounds for granting temporary or interim bail. |
| SERVICE - Allahabad HC: Will in Favor of Someone Does Not Affect Compassionate Appointment Based on Dependency |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:18 IST |
| Allahabad High Court held that under the U.P. Recruitment of Dependents of Government Servants Dying-in-Harness Rules, 1974, compassionate appointments are based on the family member's dependence on the deceased, and a will in favor of any person does not affect eligibility. |
| FAMILY - Chhattisgarh HC: Second Marriage During Subsisting First Marriage Void Unless Custom Permits It |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:08 IST |
| Chhattisgarh High Court held that a second marriage solemnised during the subsistence of a first marriage is void under Sections 5(i) and 11 of the Hindu Marriage Act, unless the party concerned proves the existence of a valid custom permitting such remarriage. |
| SERVICE - MP High Court: Aadhaar and Voter ID Cards are Not Definitive Proof of Date of Birth |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:20:57 IST |
| The court observed that "it is evident that the Aadhaar Card and Voter Identity Card cannot be treated as determinative proof of her date of birth. These documents are prepared on the basis of self-declaration and are meant for identification purposes alone." |
| EDUCATION - SC: RTE Act promotes fraternity and equality by children of judges and vendors studying together |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:20:45 IST |
| Supreme Court held that proper enforcement of the 25% admission mandate for children from weaker and disadvantaged sections in neighbourhood unaided schools under the RTE Act, 2009, can transform India's social structure and should be pursued as a national mission. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Under Order XXI Rule 102 CPC, A Transferee Pendente Lite Cannot Obstruct Execution of a Decree |
| Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:20:36 IST |
| Supreme Court reiterated that a purchaser who buys property during pending litigation, as a transferee pendente lite, cannot obstruct execution of the decree and remains bound by the final outcome, with such transfer being entirely subject and subordinate to the decree passed in the proceedings. |
| CRIMINAL - Del HC: Courts Cannot Compel Lawyers to Disclose Sources of Documents Filed on Clients' Instructions |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:25:21 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that a lawyer cannot be forced to reveal the source of a document provided by a client, as it is protected under privileged communication, unless there is a prima facie judicial finding of fraud. |
| FAMILY - Gauhati HC: Only A Family Court Can Grant A Divorce under Muslim Law, Not A Civil Judge |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:25:12 IST |
| Gauhati High Court held that a civil judge cannot authenticate a talaq or grant a divorce decree under Muslim law, and that only the Family Court or the District Court if no Family Court exists is the competent forum to adjudicate such matters. |
| PROPERTY - Delhi HC: Registered Property Title Prevails over Claims Based on Oral Family Settlements |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:25:03 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that a registered conveyance deed provides conclusive property ownership, and unproven or vague claims of an oral family settlement cannot override or challenge the rights of the registered owner. |
| SERVICE - Raj HC: Having Different Age Criteria For Contractual and Regular Appointments is Unconstitutional |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:24:54 IST |
| Rajasthan High Court struck down Rule 6 of the 2022 Contractual Hiring Rules as unconstitutional, holding that prescribing 21 years for contractual recruitment, versus 18 years for regular recruitment under the 1965 Rules, violated Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. |
| PROPERTY - SC: Vendor Remains a Necessary Party in Specific Performance Suits Even After Transferring Property |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:24:45 IST |
| Supreme Court reaffirmed that in a suit for specific performance of an agreement to sell immovable property, the vendor remains a necessary party even if he has already transferred his interest in the property to a third party. |
| FAMILY - SC: Hindu Daughter-In-Law Widowed After Her Father-In-Law's Death is Entitled to Maintenance |
| Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:24:36 IST |
| SC has held that under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, a daughter-in-law who becomes a widow after her father-in-law's death is entitled to maintenance from his estate, ruling that the phrase "any widow of his son" includes all widowed daughters-in-law. |
| CRIMINAL - Kerala HC: Magistrate Must Pass Speaking Order, Consider Report When Taking Cognizance of Complaint |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:47 IST |
| Kerala High Court has ruled that when a magistrate takes cognizance of a case based on a protest complaint, they must consider the police's refer report and issue a speaking order, ensuring the decision is reasoned and reflects all relevant material before proceeding. |
| EDUCATION - Delhi HC: Right to Higher or Professional Education is Fundamental and Cannot be Curtailed Lightly |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:38 IST |
| Court held that "The right to pursue higher or professional education even though not explicitly spelt out as a fundamental right in part III of the Constitution, it is an affirmative obligation on the part of the state to ensure this right and the same cannot be permitted to be curtailed, lightly". |
| CRIMINAL - Ker HC: Victim Cannot File Second Appeal Seeking Special Leave Against Acquittal Under S.419(4) BNSS |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:28 IST |
| Kerala High Court recently held that a victim cannot file a second appeal against an accused's acquittal by seeking special leave under Section 419(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, affirming that the acquittal order is final and not subject to such review. |
| ELECTION - HP High Court: Panchayati Raj Elections Cannot Be Postponed Beyond Five-Year Term |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:18 IST |
| HP HC held that orders under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 cannot override the State Election Commission's authority or justify delaying elections, emphasizing that Panchayati Raj polls must be completed within their five-year term under Article 243E of the Constitution. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - Gujarat HC: Motor Accident Compensation Doesn't Cover Medical Expenses Paid by Charity |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:59:09 IST |
| Gujarat High Court recently observed, while hearing a plea to enhance compensation for the kin of a deceased accident victim, that amounts awarded under the Motor Vehicles Act are not a "bonanza or jackpot" and should reflect fair and reasonable relief, not windfall gains. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Bail Should Not be Refused Mechanically Nor Granted Based on Irrelevant Considerations |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:59 IST |
| Supreme Court overturned the Allahabad High Court's bail order for a man accused of raping and sexually assaulting a minor under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, calling the decision perverse, unreasonable, and ignoring crucial evidence. |
| BANKING - Supreme Court: Multiple Complaints Are Valid For Dishonour of Several Cheques in One Transaction |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:49 IST |
| Supreme Court held that dishonour of multiple cheques from the same transaction creates separate causes of action under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and prosecutions cannot be quashed merely due to the multiplicity of complaints. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Preventive Detention Cannot Override Bail and Requires Proof of a Threat to Public Order |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:40 IST |
| Supreme Court quashed a preventive detention order under the Telangana Goonda Act, holding that merely branding a person as a habitual drug offender is insufficient, and that authorities must clearly demonstrate how the individual's actions posed a specific threat to public order. |
| COMPANY - SC: Complaints Alleging Fraud under Companies Act Can Be Filed Only By SFIO, Not By Private Parties |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:30 IST |
| SC held that allegations of fraud under Companies Act, 2013 cannot be pursued through private complaints, as a Special Court may take cognizance only on a complaint filed by the Director of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office or an officer authorised by Central Government u/s 212(6) of the Act. |
| MOTOR VEHICLES - SC: Excavators, Dumpers Etc Used Within Factories aren't Motor Vehicles For Road Tax Purposes |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:20 IST |
| SC has held that Heavy Earth Moving Machinery & construction equipment such as excavators, dumpers, loaders, and dozers, when used solely within factory premises or other enclosed areas, do not qualify as "motor vehicles" u/s 2(28) of the Motor Vehicles Act and are therefore not liable to road tax. |
| DIRECT TAXATION - SC Explains When Shares Received After Company Amalgamation are Taxable as Business Income |
| Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:58:11 IST |
| Supreme Court has held that shares obtained through a corporate amalgamation are taxable as business income under Section 28 of the Income Tax Act at the time of receipt, provided they constitute a real and commercially realizable benefit to the assessee. |
| CRIMINAL - Delhi HC: Judge Who Reserved Judgment Must Deliver Verdict Despite Transfer; Successor Can't Rehear |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:50:34 IST |
| Delhi High Court has held that once a criminal trial concludes and the matter is reserved for judgment, the judge who heard the case is obligated to pronounce the verdict, even if transferred, and the successor judge cannot order a rehearing or decide the case afresh. |
| CRIMINAL - Rajasthan HC: Father's Rape of His Daughter Transcends Ordinary Crime; Victim's Testimony Suffices |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:50:24 IST |
| Rajasthan High Court, while dismissing an appeal against a POCSO rape conviction, held that the victim's testimony, as the convict's daughter, constituted the most reliable evidence, as there was no reason for her to falsely accuse her own father, underscoring the gravity of the crime. |
| BANKING - Cal HC: Banks Cannot Freeze a Company's Accounts Solely Due To ROC Labeling a 'Management Dispute' |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:50:12 IST |
| Cal HC has ruled that a bank cannot freeze a company's accounts solely because the ROC marked it as a "management dispute," especially after the marking has been removed following directions from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, emphasizing that such action alone does not justify account freezing. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT: Suspended Directors Who are Prospective Resolution Applicants Cann't Access Valuation Reports |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:50:01 IST |
| NCLT Mumbai dismissed a suspended director's challenge seeking access to valuation reports and other CIRP documents, holding that such reports are confidential and cannot be disclosed to individuals who are themselves prospective or competing resolution applicants. |
| CRIMINAL - Jharkhand HC: Mere Breach of Compromise Terms by an Accused Does Not Justify Bail Cancellation |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:51 IST |
| Jharkhand High Court has held that an accused's failure to comply with the terms of a compromise or payment promise does not, by itself, constitute sufficient ground for the cancellation of bail once it has been granted. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLAT: Misnaming Guarantor as 'Director' in SARFAESI Notice Doesn't Void Guarantee Invocation |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:41 IST |
| NCLAT, New Delhi, has ruled that merely referring to a personal guarantor as a "Director" in a SARFAESI notice does not invalidate the guarantee's invocation, provided the notice clearly demands payment of the outstanding dues under the personal guarantee deed. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Mumbai: CIRP Claims Cannot Invoke the 12-Year Limitation Period For Enforcing Mortgage Rights |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:29 IST |
| NCLT Mumbai has held that secured creditors cannot rely on the 12-year limitation period applicable to enforcement of mortgage rights while filing claims in a corporate insolvency resolution process, clarifying that insolvency claims are governed by a three-year limitation period. |
| SERVICE - SC: Studying in a Government Institute Does Not Create an Automatic Right to a Government Job |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:19 IST |
| Supreme Court has ruled that admission to and completion of a course in a government institution does not by itself give rise to a legitimate expectation of automatic appointment to a government post, especially where there has been a change in policy or the applicable recruitment framework. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Fresh Notification For Vijayawada ACB Police Station not Required After AP Bifurcation |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:10 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the Andhra Pradesh High Court judgment that had quashed several FIRs registered by the ACB for want of jurisdiction, holding that the High Court took an unduly hyper-technical view which led to a serious miscarriage of justice. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court Clarifies Test For Granting Bail to Accused Added at Trial under Section 319 CrPC |
| Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:49:01 IST |
| Supreme Court has held that when a person is added as an accused during the course of a trial, bail should ordinarily be granted and should not be refused unless there is strong, cogent, and convincing evidence indicating serious involvement in the alleged offence. |
| LIMITATION - Supreme Court: Only Courts May Condone Delay; Tribunals Lack Power Unless Statute Allows |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:05:08 IST |
| Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Company Law Board or Tribunal has no power to condone delay in filing appeals unless such authority is expressly conferred by statute, emphasizing that condonation of delay lies with courts and not quasi-judicial bodies unless specifically provided. |
| CIVIL - SC: Under the Urban Land Ceiling Act, Notice U/S 10(5) Must be Served on the Person in Possession |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:58 IST |
| Supreme Court has ruled that proceedings under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 would abate under the Repeal Act of 1999 if the State did not lawfully take actual physical possession of excess land, including by serving mandatory notice under Section 10(5) on persons in possession. |
| CUSTOMS - SC: In Customs Classification, Statutory Tariff Headings and HSN Notes Prevail over Common Parlance |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:48 IST |
| Supreme Court held that aluminium shelves imported for mushroom cultivation cannot be classified as parts of agricultural machinery and must instead be treated as aluminium structures, thereby attracting the applicable customs duty. |
| COMMERCIAL - Supreme Court: Concluded Auction Cannot Be Cancelled Merely To Invite Higher Bids at a Later Stage |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:37 IST |
| SC has held that once a bidder is declared the highest in a lawfully conducted auction rights & obligations crystallize obligating the authority to issue an allotment letter & the mere prospect of higher bids later cannot justify cancelling the auction as such action would be arbitrary & irrational. |
| INSOLVENCY - Bombay High Court: In IBC Cases, High Courts Lack Parallel Contempt Jurisdiction over the NCLT |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:27 IST |
| Bombay High Court held that contempt petitions for breach of NCLT orders in insolvency cases cannot be filed directly in the High Court, stating that once contempt powers are conferred on the NCLT by law, the High Court cannot exercise parallel jurisdiction. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Kochi: Avoidance Provisions under Insolvency Code Aim to Restore, Not Punish, Parties |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:17 IST |
| NCLT Kochi clarified that avoidance provisions under the Insolvency Code are intended to reverse the preferential effect of certain transactions and restore the corporate debtor's estate, rather than impose punitive liability on the beneficiaries of such transactions. |
| DIRECT TAXATION - Delhi High Court: Late Payment of TDS Does Not Absolve Criminal Liability under the Income Tax Act |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:04:08 IST |
| Delhi High Court held that a belated or subsequent deposit of TDS does not absolve an assessee or company officials from criminal liability under Section 276B of the Income Tax Act, 1961, emphasizing that timely compliance is mandatory to avoid prosecution. |
| CRIMINAL - Poverty Cannot Bar Parole; Rajasthan HC Waives Surety For Indigent Life Convict, Sets Guidelines |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:03:58 IST |
| Rajasthan High Court held that requiring sureties from an indigent prisoner for parole, especially after past judicial waivers, violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and is morally indefensible, emphasizing that poverty cannot bar a convict from parole. |
| TENANCY - Revisional Power U/S 25B(8) of Delhi Rent Control Act is Supervisory; HC Cannot Revisit Facts |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:03:47 IST |
| Delhi High Court reiterated that its revisional jurisdiction under Section 25B(8) of the Delhi Rent Control Act is purely supervisory and does not allow the court to reappreciate evidence or revisit factual findings recorded by the Rent Controller. |
| CRIMINAL - Karnataka HC: A Neighbour Cannot be Charged With Matrimonial Cruelty under Section 498A IPC |
| Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:03:36 IST |
| Karnataka High Court reiterated that a neighbour or stranger cannot be implicated in matrimonial cruelty proceedings under Section 498A IPC, as such disputes are confined to the husband, wife, or other family members, and outsiders cannot be held liable. |
| INSOLVENCY - NCLT Kochi: Fraud Has No Time Limit and Directors Cannot Use Delay As a Defense |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:01:16 IST |
| NCLT Kochi held that allegations of fraud or wrongful trading are not limited by time, and directors cannot evade liability by claiming the conduct occurred long ago, directing the suspended directors of a Kochi-based insolvent company to jointly contribute Rs 11.95 crore to its assets. |
| LAW OF MEDICINE - Delhi HC: Abortion by a Married Woman For Marital Discord is Legal under The MTP Act |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:01:07 IST |
| Reaffirming women's reproductive autonomy, the Delhi High Court held that marital discord affecting a woman's mental health constitutes a valid ground for abortion under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. |
| CRIMINAL - Allahabad HC: Being 'Proclaimed Offender' Does Not Completely Bar Grant of Anticipatory Bail |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:58 IST |
| Allahabad High Court recently held that the issuance of a proclamation under Section 82 CrPC against an accused does not completely bar the court from considering their application for anticipatory bail. |
| SERVICE - Delhi HC: Delays From Medical Review Cannot Justify Ante-Dated Seniority For BSF Candidates |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:49 IST |
| Delhi High Court Full Bench held that BSF candidates whose joining was delayed due to medical re-examination cannot claim ante-dated seniority over batchmates who joined earlier, even if the delay was not their fault. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Judge Cannot Be Presumed Biased Merely Because a Litigant's Relative Is Police or Court Staff |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:40 IST |
| Supreme Court set aside the Telangana High Court's order transferring a criminal case from Sangareddy to Hyderabad, holding that allegations of judicial bias cannot be presumed merely because a litigant's relatives hold official positions. |
| CRIMINAL - SC: Exoneration in Disciplinary Proceedings Does Not Always Bar Criminal Prosecution |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:31 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a public servant's exoneration in departmental proceedings does not automatically justify quashing a criminal case, especially in corruption trap matters, as disciplinary and criminal proceedings are independent and governed by different standards of proof. |
| BANKING - SC: Courts Cannot Take Cognizance of Time-Barred Cheque Bounce Cases Without Condoning Delay |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:21 IST |
| Supreme Court held that courts cannot take cognizance of a belated cheque dishonour complaint unless the delay is first condoned, and accordingly set aside the Karnataka High Court's ruling that had upheld cognizance without formally condoning the delay. |
| CRIMINAL - Supreme Court: Single FIR is Permissible in Mass Cheating Cases Arising From One Conspiracy |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:12 IST |
| Supreme Court held that where a single criminal conspiracy leads to mass cheating of investors, one FIR is sufficient and other complaints may be treated as Section 161 CrPC statements, setting aside the Delhi High Court's 2019 ruling requiring separate FIRs for each investor. |
| SERVICE - SC: Public Sector Enterprises Cannot Act Against Retired Employees Without Clear Rules |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:00:02 IST |
| Supreme Court held that a public sector corporation cannot initiate or continue disciplinary proceedings against an employee after retirement unless its service regulations expressly permit such action. |
| SERVICE - SC: Reserved Category Candidate Who Availed Prelims Relaxation Cannot Claim an Unreserved Seat |
| Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:59:53 IST |
| Supreme Court declined to consider the appointment of a Scheduled Caste candidate to the unreserved Indian Forest Service cadre, holding that the candidate was ineligible after availing relaxation at the preliminary examination stage. |