Constitution of India

The Supreme Court heard contempt petitions filed by the State of Tamil Nadu (and a private party) alleging that the Union of India had failed to frame a Cauvery water‑management scheme within the six‑week period ordered by the Court. The Court examined objections raised by Karnataka and Kerala to certain clauses of the…

Petitioners Sukhwant Singh and others applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, which the Punjab & Haryana High Court dismissed. They appealed to the Supreme Court, which did not interfere with the High Court's order. However, the Court clarified that a court hearing a regular bail application posses…

The petitioners, a private firm (Caterpillar) and a public sector enterprise (Bharat Earth Movers Ltd.), challenged a series of Government Office Memoranda that granted purchase preference to public sector enterprises (PSEs) in procurement of earth‑moving machines by coal‑field companies. They argued that the substitut…

The Supreme Court examined the practice of appointing ad‑hoc teachers in Bihar universities without any sanctioned posts. It held that such appointments violate Article 14 of the Constitution and the Bihar State University Act, 1976, which requires recruitment for sanctioned vacancies to be made by the University Servi…

The Bidhannagar Welfare Association, whose members occupied lands and buildings in Bidhannagar Municipality, challenged the West Bengal Central Valuation Board (Amendment) Act, 1994, which altered the procedure for municipal tax valuation by removing the pre‑decisional hearing and vesting review powers in a committee c…

The respondent, a Branch Manager of UCO Bank, was superannuated on 1 November 1996 after show‑cause notices were issued for alleged irregularities in sanctioning PMRY loans. A charge‑sheet was issued only on 13 November 1998, well after his retirement, and disciplinary proceedings were launched under Regulation 20(3)(i…

The appellant, Vijay Kumar Baldev Mishra, was charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and IPC for a gang‑related murder. A Review Committee, set up under the Kartar Singh guidelines, recommended that the TADA provisions were inapplicable because the offence was motivated by persona…

The petitioners, the State of Uttar Pradesh and others, appealed against a High Court order that directed the State Government to create at least five State Consumer Forums, prescribe salaries and allowances for members, and grant retired High Court judges the same facilities as sitting judges. The Supreme Court examin…

The appellant was awarded an LPG distributorship in 2014 after a draw of lots, and later sought permission to use alternate land for the godown and showroom, which the corporation approved in 2017. The rival applicant (respondent No.1) filed a writ petition in 2017 challenging this approval, alleging the land was unsui…

The plaintiff, Mohd. Abdul Qasim, claimed title over 106.34 acres of land that had been declared a reserved forest under the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967. He filed a suit for declaration of title and permanent injunction, but the trial court and the High Court found that the land was forest land and that he had fail…

The husband filed a divorce petition in the Family Court at Mangaluru, Karnataka. The wife, a permanent resident of Canada now residing in Mumbai, filed a transfer petition seeking to move the proceedings to the Family Court at Bandra, Mumbai. She argued that traveling to Mangaluru would be difficult, costly, and would…

The appellant, a co‑operative housing society, entered into a development agreement and later amalgamated two of its plots. The plaintiffs, members of the society, sued to restrain construction on the amalgamated plot but did not challenge a conveyance deed dated 8 February 1989 at the time of filing. They later sought…

The Uttar Pradesh Avas Evam Vikas Parishad (the Board) conducted a public auction of a plot, where Om Prakash Sharma was the highest bidder and deposited earnest money. The Housing Commissioner later rejected his bid, prompting Sharma to sue for a declaration that the auction was binding and the rejection illegal. The …

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ filed by Bachpan Bachao Andolan seeking protection for children employed in Indian circuses, who were subjected to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and denied education. The Court examined whether such employment violated the children’s fundamental rights, especi…

The East Central Railways awarded a risk‑and‑cost tender to Tantia Construction for a rail over‑bridge. Subsequent design changes required an extended viaduct, increasing the work and cost. The contractor refused to undertake the additional work, which was not covered by the original agreement, and the Railways attempt…

The appellants, senior teachers of RK Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, challenged the appointment of a monk (respondent No.3) as principal, alleging he was junior and lacked the statutory qualifications prescribed in Government Order No. 149‑Edn(CP) 1994 and the West Bengal College Acts. The High Court’s Single J…

Hitesh Bhatnagar and Deepa Bhatnagar, married under the Hindu Marriage Act, filed a joint petition for divorce by mutual consent in 2001. Before the required second motion, Deepa withdrew her consent after the 18‑month period, leading the trial court to dismiss the petition. The appellant appealed, arguing that the 18‑…

Indian Bank filed an application before the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) under the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 to recover a loan amount. While the application was pending, the borrower, ABS Marine Products, sued the bank in the Calcutta High Court for damages alleging non‑disburs…

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), a public sector undertaking, manufactured boiler components in its Hyderabad unit and dispatched some to its Tiruchi unit and others directly to the work‑site at Angul, Orissa, for a NALCO power‑plant project. The Andhra Pradesh State began levying Central Sales Tax (CST) on these c…

The Entry Tax Officer of Karnataka challenged the Karnataka Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Area for Consumption, Use or Sale therein Act, 1979, contending that the tax applied to goods sold within a local area even when the seller intended to take them out of the area. The Karnataka High Court held that Section 3 of …

Project casual labourers of Indian Railways, who had served continuously for years, were terminated when their projects ended. They filed writ petitions invoking Articles 41, 42 and 14 of the Constitution, seeking security of employment. The Railway Ministry issued a scheme treating such workers as temporary after 360 …

The petitioners challenged the Central Government's fixation of a uniform quota of 50 all‑India tourist permits per State under Section 63(7) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 (as amended by the 1969 Amendment), alleging that the quota was arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. The Court examined whet…

Sabir Ahmed filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the detention of his brother, Dawood Hasan Sheikh Ibrahim, under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA). The detenu had made a representation to the detaining authority and later applied to the Centr…

The appellant, a former stenographer appointed to the District Court, Saharanpur, was terminated after serving eight years due to an excess of appointments. He filed writ petitions seeking payment of salary for the period he worked, but the High Court dismissed them on the ground that the relief could only be obtained …

The appellant was arrested for theft and granted bail, but a police officer (respondent No.2) allegedly paraded him half‑naked, verbally abused him on the basis of caste and physically assaulted him, illegally detaining him for four hours despite bail. An inquiry by the Sub‑Divisional Police Officer found the officer r…

Ved Priya, a probationary civil judge, was not confirmed after a two‑year probation and his services were terminated by the State Government on the recommendation of the Rajasthan High Court. He challenged the termination, alleging it was punitive, based on corruption allegations and violated his right to a hearing und…

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

The Joint Secretary, Political Department, Government of Meghalaya filed a suo motu writ petition under Article 226 seeking to give effect to the Meghalaya Lokayukta Act, 2014 and to bring the Lokayukta institution into existence. The High Court, on its own motion, stayed the eligibility clause (s.3(2)(a)) of the Act a…

The appellant, a Chief Judicial Magistrate, was accused by a litigant of demanding a Rs.20,000 bribe to influence a case. A preliminary inquiry was followed by a regular departmental enquiry, which found her guilty of the first charge and partially guilty of a second. The High Court, on the administrative side, recomme…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the High Court’s acquittal of Ramesh and Bhaggo Bai for the murder of Bhaggo’s husband, Chatra. The prosecution’s case rested primarily on the testimony of an eight‑year‑old daughter, Ran nu Bai, who alleged that the accused beat the deceased, supported by medical findings o…

The Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1974 was amended in 1998 to introduce a one‑time "life‑time tax" for vehicles registered on or after 1 July 1998, calculated on a "weight‑cum‑value" index. The tax was challenged as unconstitutional, discriminatory, and beyond the State's power under Entry 57 of List II of th…

The appellant, the legal representative of the deceased Mohan Das N. Hegde, challenged the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Taxation (Amendment) Act, 1997 which imposed a "life time tax" on vehicles based on their market value, classifying those costing Rs. 6 lakhs or more as a separate class. The appellant argued that this cla…

The Supreme Court examined whether mining activities within a 5 km radius of the Delhi‑Haryana border and in the Aravalli hills cause environmental degradation and whether the earlier order of 6 May 2002 banning such mining should be varied. It held that the ban remains in force until a newly constituted Monitoring Com…

The respondent, a sewing teacher appointed in 1981, claimed that she should receive the same revised pay scale as Classical and Vernacular teachers. Her representation was rejected, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed her writ petition, granting the higher scale. The State appealed, arguing that the Punjab St…

The landlord, Ranjeet Singh, sought eviction of his tenant, Ravi Prakash, on the grounds of bonafide requirement for his own fertilizer business and the need to reconstruct the dilapidated shop after a municipal demolition notice. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the appellate court allowed eviction. The tenant …

The Commissioner of Central Excise appealed against the refund granted to Mis Allied Photographies India Ltd (the sole distributor of New India Industries Ltd) for excise duty paid by the manufacturer under protest. The Court examined whether duty paid under protest falls under Section 11B of the Central Excise Act or …

The Meerut Municipal Corporation attempted to levy octroi on empty glass bottles of the aerated drink "Double Seven" that were brought into the municipal area for refilling. The bottling company contended that the bottles were exempt under Entry 13 of the 1975 Notification, which exempts "mineral water bottles" importe…

The Central Government, on 10 December 1992, declared the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JEIH) an unlawful association under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and invoked the proviso to Section 3(3) to give the ban immediate effect. The petitioners challenged this exercise of power, arguing that th…

The Board of Arbitration under the Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) Scheme awarded a higher pay scale to Senior Scientific Assistants effective 22 September 1982. The Government of India, without invoking the procedure in Clause 21 of the JCM Scheme, decided to implement the award from 1 January 1988, prompting the C…

The appellant, Narpatchand, occupied a flat in a multi‑storeyed building. The building was mortgaged with possession to the respondents, who became usufructuary mortgagees and thus landlords under the Bombay Rents Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947. The respondents served a quit notice and sued for evictio…

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) entered into a storage agency agreement with Jagannath Dutta in 1967, which contained a clause allowing either party to terminate the contract with two months' notice without assigning a reason. In 1985, FCI decided, through a series of meetings and letters, to abolish private storag…

The case concerned the validity of a competitive examination held in 1981 for recruitment to Grade III ministerial staff of the Subordinate Civil Courts in Kanpur. The petitioner argued that the examination, conducted under the 1950 Rules, was unauthorised because the 1969 Amending Rules and the 1975 Rules had supersed…

Associated Tanners, a tannery in Vizianagram, purchased raw hides, tanned them and sold the tanned hides in inter‑State trade. The Andhra Pradesh General Sales Tax Act, 1957 (item 9(b) of Schedule III) levied tax on the sale of tanned hides when purchased by a manufacturer, and the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956 also impo…

Harish Pahwa was detained under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 on 16 May 1980. He filed a representation against his detention on 3 June 1980, which the Uttar Pradesh State Government received on 4 June but failed to decide promptly, finally rejecting it on 24 June…

The appellants purchased an e‑stamp paper for a property transaction which was subsequently lost, prompting them to seek a refund of the stamp duty of Rs 28,10,000. The Delhi High Court ordered a refund of the principal amount but declined interest, leading the appellants to file a Letters Patent Appeal, which was dism…

The appellant, K. Kumara Gupta, purchased temple land in a public auction on 24‑06‑1998, was declared the highest bidder, and the sale was confirmed and the deed executed. Over two decades later, third parties who had not participated in the auction claimed they could have paid a higher price and sought a re‑auction. T…

Dr. Hira Lal, a former Touring Veterinary Officer of Bihar, was suspended in 2002 and retired in 2008 while criminal proceedings were pending against him. The State of Bihar, relying on circulars of 1974 and a 1980 government resolution, withheld 10% of his pension and the entire gratuity. The appellant challenged this…

Six food stall owners on Bandra Station Road were operating without permission of the Municipal Commissioner and had erected their stalls on a public sewer line, causing obstruction. The Municipal Corporation removed the stalls on 26 May 2016 under Section 314(1) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, and the o…

The case concerned the applicability of G.O.Ms. No.124 dated 7 March 2002, which amended the procedure for filling posts under the Andhra Pradesh Public Employment Order, 1975. The selection process for various executive and non‑executive posts had already begun under Advertisement No.10 of 1999, and some appointments …

Three death‑row convicts (V. Sriharan @ Murugan, T. Suthendraraja @ Santhan and A.G. Perarivalan @ Arivu) filed mercy petitions under Articles 72/161 of the Constitution. The Governor of Tamil Nadu rejected the petitions in 2000 and the President finally rejected them in August 2011 after an inordinate delay of more th…

The State of Sikkim integrated three separate police forces into a single Sikkim Police Force under the 2000 Rules, fixing seniority of officers at the sub‑inspector level to address promotion inequities. The High Court struck down Rule 9(iv) and the seniority list, holding that the retrospective deemed promotions viol…

The appellant, an advocate, was selected for appointment as a Junior Civil Judge but was not appointed because the State Government relied on a police report alleging her and her husband’s links to a banned political party. The High Court dismissed her writ petition, holding that judicial review was unavailable and tha…

The appellants, students belonging to SC, ST and OBC categories, secured the required 40% marks in the qualifying examination but scored less than 40% in the Gujarat common entrance test for MBBS admission in 2008‑2009. They were admitted to the MBBS course under Gujarat Professional Medical Educational Colleges Rules,…

The heirs of Genda Bai, who died after being struck by a goods carriage vehicle, claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Oriental Insurance Co. denied liability, contending that the driver, Umesh Gupta, did not hold a valid licence to drive a goods vehicle, thereby breaching the insurance contract. The…

The farmers, including Sadhu Singh, purchased wheat seeds from Haryana Seeds Development Corporation and a cooperative credit society and alleged poor germination, filing a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The District Consumer Forum, State Commission, and National Commission all allowed the complaint…

Lalit Popli, a clerk of Canara Bank, was dismissed after an internal enquiry found him guilty of forgery and unauthorized withdrawal of Rs.1.07 lakh, relying heavily on a handwriting expert’s report. The employee challenged the dismissal, arguing that the expert’s evidence was inadmissible, that adverse remarks about t…

The Chief Conservator of Forests of Andhra Pradesh filed a writ petition challenging an order of the Commissioner of Survey, Settlement and Land Record concerning title to certain lands, without joining the State as a party. The same issue was pursued in a civil appeal after a suit by the pattedars (private landholders…

The Supreme Court examined the Bihar Sugar Undertakings (Acquisition) Act, 1985, which sought to acquire certain sugar mills and associated distilleries. Petitioners challenged the Act on the ground that it was beyond the State's legislative competence, overlapped with the central Sugar Undertaking (Taking over of Mana…

Ram BAI's land was acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and she received compensation which was later enhanced with solatium and interest by a civil court, a decision affirmed by the High Court. She disclosed the interest as income in a return filed under Section 139(4) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, but the Inc…

The Supreme Court considered whether malt and malt extract manufactured by Barmalt (India) Ltd. qualify as "food products" under Excise Notification No. 55 of 1975 and whether the company was entitled to a refund of excise duty on the basis of unjust enrichment. The Court affirmed the Delhi High Court's view that malt …

The President of India referred a matter under Article 317(1) of the Constitution to the Supreme Court, seeking an inquiry into allegations of misbehaviour against Shri M. Megha Chandra Singh, Chairman of the Manipur Public Service Commission, including tampering with examination papers and taking a bribe. While the re…

The petitioners were appointed as Assistant Divisional Medical Officers on an ad‑hoc basis by the Railways between 1968 and 1 October 1984. Their services were later regularised by two Supreme Court orders (24 September 1987 and 1 November 1988). They then sought fixation of their seniority relative to doctors recruite…

The Andhra Pradesh Government, under sections 68‑C, 68‑D and 68‑E of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, approved a draft nationalisation scheme for the Anantapur‑Dharmavaram route, exempting four specific routes from the scheme. Two private operators (respondents) challenged the exemption, alleging discrimination and a viol…

In Writ Petition No. 1669 of 1986 filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, the petitioner sought relief directly from the Supreme Court against the State of Gujarat. The Court examined whether there were good and substantial reasons to require the petitioner to first approach the concerned High Court. It held that a…

The Andhra Pradesh Government issued the Revised Scales of Pay Rules, 1969 and later an executive order fixing the pay of employees placed in the Selection Grade so that it would not exceed the pay of their seniors in higher posts. The High Court struck down this order as violative of Articles 14, 16 and Fundamental Ru…

The appellant, a JBT teacher, applied for the post of Assistant Professor advertised by the Haryana Public Service Commission and was required to submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from his employer at the time of interview. Despite applying for the NOC in March 2016, the employer delayed issuance until June 2018;…

The appellant was convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering an 11‑year‑old girl after she disappeared from a village ceremony. Circumstantial and forensic evidence, including DNA matches to the co‑accused Satish and blood‑stained clothing recovered from the appellant's cowshed, linked the appellant to the crime, wh…

The Government of Bihar had repeatedly declared that non‑teaching staff of universities and constituent colleges were to be treated as equivalent to government staff, but successive agreements (most recently on 18 July 2007) were not implemented, leading to strikes by the Bihar State University and College Employees Fe…

The case arose from an incident on 15 February 2012 when two Italian naval officers aboard the merchant vessel M.V. Enrica Lexie fired on an Indian fishing boat 20.5 nautical miles off the Kerala coast, killing two fishermen. The Kerala police lodged an FIR under the Indian Penal Code and arrested the officers, which t…

The Regional Provident Fund Commissioner appealed against Hooghly Mills Co. Ltd., an exempted establishment under the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, for defaulting on contributions. The High Court had held that the exemption barred the application of Sections 6, 7A, 8 and 14B, and tha…

The appellant Burdwan Central Cooperative Bank dismissed Respondent No.1, a Grade‑III employee, on the ground of financial irregularities he allegedly committed while employed with an affiliated cooperative society (Raipur Krishi Unnayan Samity). The employee challenged the dismissal, arguing that the bank had no juris…

Rameshbhai Dabhai Naika, whose mother belonged to the Nayak Scheduled Tribe and father was a Kshatriya, had his tribal certificate cancelled by a Scrutiny Committee and the Gujarat High Court upheld the cancellation, relying on Valsamma Paul, Punit Rai and Anjan Kumar. The Supreme Court examined whether a person born o…

The Supreme Court examined whether Section 11A of the Land Acquisition Act, which provides for lapse of acquisition proceedings after two years, applies to acquisitions made under the Bangalore Development Authority Act (BDA Act). The appellant argued that the acquisition had lapsed, rendering the land de‑notified, whi…

The State of Uttarakhand appealed against a High Court order that had entertained a public‑interest writ challenging the appointment of L.P. Nathani as Advocate General on the ground that he was over 62 years old. The Supreme Court examined whether Article 165 in conjunction with Article 217 of the Constitution imposes…

The appellant corporation alleged that its resident engineer, Kamal Swaroop Tondon, caused a loss of Rs.1 lakh due to negligence and initiated disciplinary proceedings by issuing a show‑cause notice on 13 January 2000, followed by a regular notice on 31 January 2000, the day of his retirement. While the employee filed …

Shiv Dass, a former Army Medical Corps officer, became 80% disabled in 1982 and was invalidated from service. He applied for a disability pension in 1983, which was rejected, and after an unresponded appeal he filed a writ petition in 2005. The Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the petition as belated. On appeal,…

A vacancy arose in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and a retired Director of the CBI, a former police officer, was appointed as a member under Section 3(2)(d) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The petition challenged his eligibility, arguing that police officers are disqualified and that the appo…

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs. 12.53 lakh in compensation for a 1994 accident, directing United India Insurance Co. to pay the amount jointly with the driver, while the insured driver did not appeal. United India Insurance Co. filed a revision petition under Article 227 of the Constitution, believing it…

The appellants filed a writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution challenging an order of the Additional Director, Consolidation of Holdings, Punjab, relating to land allocation under the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948. During the pendency of the petitio…

The petitioners, companies engaged in mining and stevedoring at Mormugao port, challenged two circulars issued by the Mormugao Dock Labour Board that raised the general levy from 200% to 400% and the welfare levy from 30% to 60% for cargo handled by grab‑crane fitted ocean‑going vessels, and imposed a special levy of R…

The appellant's land was acquired for the Garna Dam project and a compensation award was made in 1969. The Collector rejected the reference to the award in 1975, prompting the appellant to file a revision before the District Judge in 1982, which was dismissed. After a further delay, a writ petition was filed in the Hig…

The respondent, a Branch Manager of State Bank of India, claimed reimbursement for moving his household goods after a transfer and was charged with five offences, including false claims and irregular loan disbursement. An enquiry officer found all charges proved on documentary evidence, and the disciplinary authority i…

The Andhra Pradesh government, after coming to power in 1983, reduced the superannuation age for most government employees from 58 to 55 years by issuing an order and two notifications, claiming it would create employment opportunities for youth. Over 28,000 employees were forced to retire, prompting writ petitions cha…

The appellant, alleged active member of the Popular Front of India (PFI), was arrested in July 2022 for allegedly planning disturbances during the Prime Minister's visit to Patna. He was charged under several sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), but the chargesheet had not been frame…

The appellant, an Assistant Commandant in the CRPF, was subjected to multiple disciplinary enquiries after a complaint alleged that he made threatening statements and exhibited misconduct. He was later diagnosed with a permanent mental disability (40‑70%) and classified as unfit for duty. The appellant challenged the d…

Pani Ram, a former regular army infantry officer, re‑enrolled in the Territorial Army (TA) and suffered a severe accident while returning from leave, resulting in an 80% disability. The Medical Board and a Court of Inquiry found the injury attributable to military service, and he was invalided out, seeking a disability…

Dr. Naresh Kumar Mangla filed a criminal appeal challenging the Allahabad High Court's order granting anticipatory bail to his deceased daughter's in‑laws under Section 438 CrPC. The FIR alleged dowry harassment, assault in 2017, money demands and the unnatural death of the daughter within seven years of marriage, invo…

Dr. Meeta Sahai, a former Army Medical Corps doctor, applied for a General Medical Officer post in Bihar but was denied marks for work experience because the advertisement limited such experience to hospitals run by the Government of Bihar. She challenged this restriction, arguing that the Bihar Health Service (Appoint…

M/s. Ram Bara Singh & Co. appealed against a Division Bench order that set aside a Patna High Court judgment allowing its writ petition under Art. 226. The respondents argued that an arbitration clause in the 1989 contract made the writ petition non‑maintainable, even though the contract had been completed and payments…

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) issued a circular limiting the height of a public parking lot (PPL) in a high‑rise development to ground plus four floors, prompting the developer Kohinoor Ctnl Infrastructure Co. to challenge the stop‑work notice and the subsequent order restricting the PPL. The High …

The Supreme Court examined whether Section 6A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, which requires prior Central Government approval for CBI investigations into senior officials, applies when the investigation is being monitored by the Court itself. The Court noted that the CBI had initiated investigatio…

The Supreme Court examined the termination of licences granted by the Paradeep Port Trust (the Board) for manual and mechanically operated iron‑ore storage plots. The appellants claimed an indefeasible right to renew their licences and alleged that the Board’s decision violated constitutional principles. The Court held…

The Supreme Court examined the meaning of "unprotected worker" under Section 2(11) of the Maharashtra Mathadi, Hamal and other Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act, 1969. The petitioners argued that the term should be limited to casual workers not covered by other labour statutes, relying on earlie…

The petitioners filed a public‑interest writ under Article 32 seeking to quash the appointment of a Madras High Court judge, alleging that the appointment as a permanent judge was made without the required collegium consultation and that the judge was unsuitable, as evidenced by repeated extensions of his tenure as an …

The case concerned the termination of Vimmi Joshi, a principal of an Army public school, who alleged sexual harassment by the Vice‑Chairman of the School Managing Committee, Col. Hitendra Bahadur. The High Court had held that a clear case of sexual harassment existed and ordered disciplinary action against the officers…

The Himachal Pradesh government sought to fill a vacancy for President of the State Consumer Redressal Commission by appointing a sitting High Court judge, Justice Surinder Swaroop. The government initially sent a proposal to the Chief Justice, but the High Court pointed out that the appointment process should be initi…

A bus driven by the respondent crashed, killing seven passengers. The employer dismissed the driver after a domestic enquiry and sought approval of the dismissal under Section 33(2)(b) of the Industrial Disputes Act. The Industrial Tribunal refused approval, holding that the enquiry was flawed because the passengers we…

The Division Manager, Plantation Division, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (the appellant) dismissed eight workmen for alleged misconduct after an ex‑parte domestic enquiry, as the workmen failed to attend the enquiry. The workmen raised an industrial dispute before the Labour Court, which ordered their reinstatement, holdin…

An auction was held by the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (then Gujarat) in 1951 for a 99‑year lease of a vacant plot. The highest bidder, Shri Vajubha (predecessor of the appellant), paid only part of the premium and was given a three‑month extension to pay the balance, with a condition that failure would can…

The State of Punjab appealed the acquittal of Ramdev Singh, who was convicted by a trial court for raping a minor girl. The FIR was lodged 17-18 days after the incident because the victim's father was seriously ill, and the medical report noted that the girl was habituated to sexual intercourse. The Punjab and Haryana …

The petitioners filed review applications under Article 137 of the Constitution seeking to set aside death sentences imposed by the Supreme Court in three criminal appeals. They argued that because one of the three judges on the bench had either acquitted the accused or suggested life imprisonment, the death penalty sh…

The Uttar Pradesh Entertainment and Betting Tax Act, 1979 was amended in 1992 to permit cinema owners to levy an extra maintenance charge under Section 3A, but a proviso barred those receiving a government grant‑in‑aid from imposing this charge. Several cinema owners challenged the proviso as violative of Article 14 of…

Constable Kuldeep Singh was dismissed in 1991 after a departmental enquiry found him guilty of misappropriating Rs 200 of Rs 1,000 allegedly received from a factory owner for payment to three labourers. The enquiry did not produce any of the labourers, relying instead on prior statements under Rule 16(3) of the Delhi P…

Baliram Prasad appealed against the appointment of respondent No. 7 as Extra Department Branch Post Master, alleging that he was more meritorious. The Central Administrative Tribunal dismissed his petition on two grounds: the application was filed after the one‑year limitation period and the appellant was disqualified …

Kunji Raman and 36 other work‑charged employees of the Mahi Sagar Project filed a writ petition alleging that the Rajasthan Service Rules, 1951 and the Rajasthan Service (Concessions on Project) Rules, 1962/1975 were inapplicable to them, depriving them of house‑rent allowance, project allowance and leave encashment. T…

A government servant suffering from a heart ailment was permitted to obtain specialized treatment at AIIMS/Escorts Heart Institute because such facilities were unavailable in Punjab state hospitals. He submitted his medical bills for reimbursement, including the actual room rent paid during his inpatient stay, but the …

The Union of India filed disciplinary proceedings against IRS officer Upendra Singh alleging that, while handling income‑tax proceedings under sections 133A, 144A and 143(1) of the Income Tax Act, he acted illegally by ignoring incriminating evidence, acquiescing to a reduced disclosure by the assessee and directing pr…

The petitioners, low‑income employees of the Delhi Electricity Supply Undertaking (DESU), occupied residential quarters built under the 1954 Low Income Housing Scheme and paid rent. They filed writ petitions seeking transfer of ownership of the quarters, relying on the scheme, a municipal resolution (No. 868 of 1970) t…

The Supreme Court examined the Union of India's and CBI's challenge to a Delhi High Court order that quashed the FIR registered against W.N. Chadha in the Bofors scandal and set aside the letters rogatory issued to Swiss authorities. The Court held that the FIR disclosed a prima facie offence and that the High Court ha…

The petitioners, Atlas Cycle Industries Ltd. and another, challenged the levy of octroi on their factories after the Sonepat municipal limits were extended, arguing that Section 5(4) of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 (as amended) was unconstitutional for denying them a right of representation and for its retrospective …

The petitioner, an income‑tax assessee, challenged the validity of the 1971 and 1975 Proclamations of Emergency, the House of the People (Extension of Duration) Act, 1976 and the Finance Act, 1976, arguing that the proclamations were ultra vires or had ceased to operate because the parliamentary resolutions approving t…

The respondent, B. Basavalingappa, was appointed as a workshop mechanic and later promoted to workshop instructor in the Mysore State. When pay scales were revised in 1961, diploma holders were placed in a higher scale (Rs.150‑320) than certificate holders (Rs.150‑250), and a further revision in 1964 gave a still highe…

The petitioners, diploma‑holding engineers appointed in the erstwhile Punjab Service, were promoted to Sub‑Divisional Officer in Class II and were eligible for promotion to Executive Engineer in Class I under the unamended Rule 6(b) of the Punjab Service of Engineers (Class I) Rules, 1964. The Haryana Government issued…

The petitioners, Ashok Gulati and others, were promoted as Executive Engineers on an ad‑hoc basis by the Haryana Government in 1978, while respondents B.S. Jain and S.L. Gupta, who had earlier served as Temporary Engineers on an ad‑hoc basis, claimed that their service should count for seniority and eligibility for pro…

The petitioners, two retired government servants and a society of pensioners, challenged two 1979 Government memoranda that liberalised pension computation but limited the benefit to employees who were in service on 31 March 1979 (civil servants) or 1 April 1979 (armed forces) and retired on or after those dates. They …

The appellant challenged the High Court's order that declared sub‑section (5) of section 17 of the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act, 1961 unconstitutional. The provision allowed persons who were practising Ayurvedic or Unani medicine in the Bombay area on 4 November 1941, but not listed under the Bombay Medical Pr…

Dr. Ram Lakhan Singh, a senior Indian Forest Service officer, was subjected to a vigilance enquiry, house raid and arrest without the prior approval of the Chief Secretary, as required by the State's procedural rules. The petitioner contended that the State violated his fundamental rights, unlawfully suspended him, and…

Shiv Charan Singh appealed to the Supreme Court under Article 136, challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order dismissing his review application against a writ order that had been rejected on the ground of his alleged habitual absenteeism. The High Court had found the petitioner absent for about three years a…

The Pune Taximen's Consumer Co-operative Society Ltd. filed a writ petition under Article 226 seeking directions for the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to implement a sub‑committee's recommendations and a resolution dated 4‑Feb‑2004, and to shift its members to specific parking slots (Gala Nos. P‑49 to P‑52) within…

The State of Jharkhand appealed against a Jharkhand High Court order that had treated a temporary registration certificate issued to Ambay Cements as the "prior permission" required for sales‑tax exemption under the Bihar Industrial Promotion Policy, 1995. The policy, as amended by Notifications S.O. 57 and 58 dated 2 …

Dr. Manju Varma filed a writ petition in the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court seeking promotion based on seniority. Respondent No.6 (Dr. Gauri Ganguli) applied to the Chief Justice for transfer of the petition to the Allahabad Bench under paragraph 14 of the United Provinces High Courts (Amalgamation) Order, 1…

C.G. Sharma was appointed as a Civil Judge on a two‑year probation under the Gujarat Judicial Service Recruitment Rules, 1961. His probation was extended twice and he was terminated for alleged unsatisfactory performance and integrity concerns. Sharma argued that the expiry of the probation period meant automatic confi…

The Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) prepared a main rank list of 177 candidates and a supplementary list of 62 reserved‑category candidates for Sub‑Engineer posts in the State Electricity Board. After 20 candidates (including open‑category and reserved‑category) failed to join, the KPSC refused to advise appoin…

The Supreme Court examined disciplinary punishments imposed on four Delhi Development Authority officers, including Om Kumar and Virendra Nath, for alleged misconduct in the allotment of land to Skipper Construction. The petitioners argued that the punishments were not proportionate to the gravity of the offences and s…

The petitioner, a judicial officer of the Haryana Judicial Service, was transferred by the High Court in 1997 to serve as Presiding Officer of an Industrial Tribunal‑cum‑Labour Court. He argued that, under Section 7‑C of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, he could remain in that post until the age of 67, even though th…

Manohar M. Galan filed criminal complaints alleging that Kishore Keswani had lodged false FIRs against him and his family, leading to their arrest. A social activist filed a public interest petition (PIP) in the Gujarat High Court, which directed an inquiry into alleged scandal in a subordinate court at Dakor. While th…

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (through its President) filed a contempt petition against the former Law Secretary, V.K. Agarwal, alleging that his letters demanding a report on alleged contradictory orders interfered with the Tribunal's judicial functions. The Tribunal had originally issued a single order signed by …

The appellants, licensees of arrack and foreign liquor shops, were convicted under sections 57A and 57B of the Kerala Abkari Act (as amended in 1984) for mixing or permitting the mixing of noxious substances such as methanol with liquor, or for failing to take reasonable precautions, and for possessing adulterated liqu…

The Supreme Court examined two conflicting Madras High Court decisions on the constitutionality of Section 34(1)(c) of the Estate Duty Act, 1953, which mandates aggregation of coparcenary interests of Mitakshara joint Hindu families for estate duty purposes. The issue was whether this provision discriminated against me…

The Union of India appealed against the High Court’s order granting additional statutory benefits to landowners whose lands in Bhatinda district had been acquired. The original award by the Collector under Section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act was later enhanced by civil courts, but the owners filed an application und…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by Gannon Dunkerley Co. and other contractors challenging the Rajasthan Sales Tax Act, 1954 and its rules which imposed tax on the transfer of property in goods used in works contracts. The Court held that Section 5(3) of the Act and sub‑rule (i) of Rule 29 of the Rajasthan Sales Tax …

The petitioner C.B. Gautam sought to purchase a lease‑hold plot in Delhi, but the Income Tax authority ordered its compulsory purchase by the Central Government under Section 269UD of the Income‑Tax Act, 1961, without giving any reasons or a chance to be heard. The Supreme Court examined whether Chapter XX‑C of the Act…

The Builders' Association of India, an association of contractors, challenged the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957, specifically Explanation 3(c) to Section 2(t) and Section 5‑B with the Sixth Schedule, alleging that they converted inter‑state sales into intra‑state sales and imposed tax on the value of works contracts in…

The Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC), a state corporation, obtained a decree against T.M. Hassan Rawther for default on a loan secured by a tea estate. After an unsuccessful court auction in 1969, KFC purchased the estate but could not take possession until 1982 due to a labour dispute. KFC then invited public tender…

The State of Tamil Nadu appealed against a Madras High Court order that had quashed a full land‑revenue assessment on lands granted to the Ahobila Matam, a Hindu religious institution. The lands were originally given as an inam by a Tanjore prince and were recorded as a religious endowment held tax‑free. The High Court…

The deceased Ikhbal was killed in a road accident where his motorcycle was allegedly struck by a car driven by respondent No.2. The appellants, his widow, child and parents, claimed compensation from the car's insurer, but the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal dismissed the claim on the ground that the car’s involvement a…

The case concerns the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, which grants citizenship to certain migrants from Bangladesh to Assam based on cut-off dates (before 1.1.1966 and between 1.1.1966 and 25.3.1971). The provision was enacted to implement the Assam Accord. Petitioners challenged it …

The Supreme Court of India considered a batch of petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, and other laws. The Court held that there is no fundamental right to marry under the Constitution, and the Special Marriage Act is not unconstitutional for excluding same-sex c…

The case concerned a large number of appointments to Class III and Class IV posts in the Bihar Health Department that were made without sanctioned vacancies, advertisement or competent authority, many on forged documents. A State Committee classified the appointments as illegal, forged or irregular and termination orde…

The appellants, owners of two petrol pumps at Mahipalpur, claimed that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had a duty to relocate their outlets after a flyover project made the sites commercially unviable. The DDA’s Technical Committee and later the Screening Committee had initially recommended resettlement, but the …

Renusagar Power Co. entered into a contract with General Electric for the supply of equipment for a power plant, which later gave rise to disputes and an ICC arbitration. The arbitral tribunal awarded US$12,215,622.14, including regular interest, delinquent interest, compensatory damages, and costs. Renusagar challenge…

Shaik Ali, a Class III railway employee, was suspended after a confrontation with a Divisional Safety Officer and subsequently ordered to retire prematurely under Rule 2046(h)(ii) of the Indian Railway Establishment Code, despite not having reached the required age of 55. The Central Administrative Tribunal set aside t…

The appellants, holders of stage‑carriage permits, sought to operate their services over routes that were partially nationalised under Chapter IVA of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, by imposing "corridor restrictions" (i.e., not picking up or dropping passengers on the nationalised segment). The Supreme Court examined wh…

The widows of former Madras State government servants who retired before the 1956 reorganisation sought family pension under the Tamil Nadu Notification of 26 May 1979. The Tamil Nadu Government later issued a clarification (G.O. MS/63, 18 March 1982) that denied pension where the servant’s last posting was in a territ…

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

K. Arjun Das, claiming to be a tenant of land belonging to the deity Sri Rama Laxman Sita Swamy Bije, applied under Section 19 of the Orissa Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951 for permission to sell 4.255 acres of barren land. The Commissioner, after an inquiry, fixed an upset price of Rs.10 lakhs per acre, gave Das …

The case concerned two recruitment advertisements for Assistant Professor posts at Himachal Pradesh University. The appellant, an OBC candidate, was appointed, while the respondent, a General category candidate, claimed he was denied five marks for "publications" that had been awarded in an earlier, incomplete selectio…

The Committee for Citizenship Rights of the Chakmas of Arunachal Pradesh filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a direction to the Union of India to grant Indian citizenship to Chakma and Hajong refugees who migrated between 1964 and 1969 and have since settled in Arunachal Pradesh. The State of Arunachal Prade…

Baba Tek Singh alleged that the Union of India and other respondents were threatening his life, liberty and property and were trying to remove him from his positions in a Gurudwara and a trust. He had earlier filed a writ petition under Article 226 before the Punjab and Haryana High Court (CWP No.21234/2011) and obtain…

The State of Jharkhand appointed several Class III and IV employees, including the respondent Manshu Kumbhkar, without complying with the administrative instructions dated 3‑12‑1980, which required advertisement, a selection committee, and recruitment through the district employment exchange. The appointments were late…

The charitable trust Ekta Mahila Mandal constructed rooms and a playground on a 770 sq.m plot in the N‑7 sector of CIDCO, which was earmarked as a green belt under the development plan. The trust sought regularisation of the plot for a primary school, invoking Article 21A of the Constitution as a fundamental right to e…

The Orissa Government appointed 49 junior teachers on an ad‑hoc basis in 1980‑81 without constituting a Selection Board as required by the 1979 Recruitment Rules, which mandated a member of the Orissa Public Service Commission (OPSC) as Chairman. The OPSC refused to concur with these appointments, prompting the legisla…

The Madhya Pradesh High Court Bar Association challenged a notification issued under Section 74(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 that abolished the Madhya Pradesh State Administrative Tribunal, alleging that the provision was ultra‑vires Article 323A, amounted to excessive delegation of legislative pow…

Ramanuj Prasad, a Draftsman appointed by Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd) in 1975, was promoted to Executive cadre as Public Relations Officer (E‑2) in 1987 and later assumed charge of the Public Relations Manager post (E‑5) in 1990 without a formal promotion order. A 1993 circular stipulated tha…

The respondent, Samir K. Sarkar, applied for a compassionate appointment after his father, an employee of the West Bengal State Electricity Board, died within two years of his scheduled superannuation. The Board rejected the application citing an office order dated 15 March 1993, which imposes an embargo on appointment…

Northern Plastics Ltd imported 59 rolls of photographic colour film in January 1989. Customs authorities detained the goods, alleging mis‑declaration and denial of exemption, and on 14 September 1989 ordered their confiscation. While the matter was pending before the Supreme Court, the customs department sold the goods…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Sections 28‑B(5) and 28‑C(9) of the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954, which barred temple attendants (Sevaks) from receiving any share of offerings placed in newly installed hundis and from claiming a share of the foundation fund. The Sevaks argued that these pro…

The Rajasthan Co‑operative Dairy Federation Ltd. issued a Letter of Intent to Sh. Maha Laxmi Mingrate Marketing Service Pvt. Ltd. (respondent No.1) appointing it as a selling agent, subject to conditions including submission of a Rs.15 lakh irrevocable bank guarantee, execution of an agreement, and submission of financ…

The Punjab government auctioned liquor vends in March 1996. M/s Yoginder Sharma Onkar Rai & Co. claimed it had made higher bids than the successful bidders and challenged the auction in a writ petition. The High Court Division Bench quashed the auction and ordered a re‑auction, criticizing the Financial Commissioner’s …

The Supreme Court entertained contempt petitions filed against the editors and publishers of The Sunday Tribune and Punjab Kesari for publishing a news item that falsely alleged that the sons of a senior Supreme Court judge and the Chief Justice of India had been allotted petrol pumps from a discretionary quota. The Co…

The appeal arose from a Calcutta High Court order concerning the recognition of a rival union of Geological Survey of India employees. The dispute centered on whether the High Court had jurisdiction to review an Industrial Tribunal's decision in Maharashtra regarding the membership and recognition of that union. The Su…

The landlords (appellants) obtained an eviction decree against their tenant, Respondent No.7, but the tenant's relatives (Respondents 1‑5) claimed they were also tenants in their own right and filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The High Court entertained the writ, holding that the decree did n…

The appellant, an employee of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), challenged his termination by filing a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The Delhi High Court dismissed the petition, holding that NCERT was not an "instrumentality or authority" within the meaning of Art…

Miss Neelima Shangla, ranked 24th in the 1983‑84 Haryana Civil Service (Judicial) examination, claimed that despite 54 qualified candidates, the Haryana Public Service Commission (PSC) recommended only 26 names and withheld the full list from the Government, thereby denying her appointment. The petition under Article 3…

The appellants, Praveen Kumar C.P. and Anitha Devi, applied for High School Assistant posts in Kerala where the recruitment notification required a B.Ed. in the concerned subject (Natural Science). Their B.Ed. degrees were in Biological Science (and related subjects) obtained from universities outside Kerala. They obta…

The petitioners, students from Assam, challenged Rule 3(1)(c) of the 2017 Rules governing admission to first‑year MBBS/BDS courses, which required candidates to have studied in Assam from class VII to XII, with relaxations only for children of government employees posted outside the state. They argued that the rule vio…

Ms. Z, a 35‑year‑old destitute woman with mild mental retardation and HIV‑positive status, alleged that she had been raped and sought termination of her 18‑week pregnancy under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. The government hospital failed to perform the termination, involving the appellant’s father and…

The appellant was elected as Adhyaksha of the Zilla Panchayat, Bellary, and a group of voters filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging the election on grounds of a false caste certificate. The Karnataka High Court Single Judge dismissed the petition, invoking the bar in clause (b) of Arti…

The State of Madhya Pradesh filed an original suit under Article 131 of the Constitution challenging the Central Government's notifications issued under sections 58(3) and 58(4) of the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000, which dissolved the M.P. Electricity Board and apportioned its assets. In 2009, the State soug…

Senior Laboratory Assistants in West Bengal sought a higher pay scale, leading to a High Court order granting scale 11. Subsequent pay commissions fixed lower scales, and the State framed statutory rules (ROPA Rules) reflecting those scales. Research Assistants later applied to the State Administrative Tribunal for pay…

Senior Manager Rajeev Ratan Pandey was transferred by the Airports Authority of India from Lucknow to Calicut. He challenged the transfer in a writ petition, alleging it violated the Authority's transfer policy, but did not initially claim any mala fides. After the High Court refused an interim stay, he filed a supplem…

The Supreme Court examined several civil appeals and a writ petition challenging Section 3(1)(b) of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999, which exempts premises let to government, banks, public sector undertakings, foreign missions, multinational companies and private/public limited companies with a paid‑up share cap…

The appellant, S.R. Chaudhuri, filed a writ of quo warranto challenging the re‑appointment of Shri Tej Parkash Singh as a Minister in Punjab after he had resigned for failing to be elected within six months as required by Article 164(4) of the Constitution. The High Court dismissed the petition, but the Supreme Court e…

The Supreme Court examined a large batch of appeals concerning compensation claims arising from deaths or injuries of persons travelling in goods vehicles. The claimants argued that the insurer was liable under Section 95 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and Section 147 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (as amended in 199…

A.C. Thalwal, a former Air Force officer, joined the Himachal Pradesh Judicial Service under the ex‑servicemen quota and sought to have his 11 years of approved military service counted for seniority and pay fixation under the Ex‑Servicemen (Reservation of Vacancies in H.P. Judicial Service) Rules, 1981. The High Court…

V.N. Enterprises supplied goods to the Chief General Manager, Telecom and others, raising bills of Rs 66,09,669.36, of which only part was paid. The appellants, a statutory authority, claimed a loss of Rs 43,16,400 due to high quotations and therefore withheld that amount. The Orissa High Court entertained a writ petit…

The respondents, Union of India and others, initiated eviction proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971 against nine of the 169 original allottees of Lumbini Nagar Cooperative Housing Society Ltd. Those nine allottees, who had allegedly relinquished their right to occupy thei…

The State of Uttar Pradesh filed a special leave appeal against an interim order of the Allahabad High Court that directed the respondents to be paid as regular employees. The High Court had issued the direction while the substantive employment dispute was still pending before it. The Supreme Court examined whether suc…

The dispute concerned the election of the managing committee of Shri Vathal Sakhar Sehakari Karkhana Ltd., a specified cooperative society whose term expired on 3 December 1991. The final list of voters was published on 17 December 1991, but the State Government postponed the election to 30 September 1992. Two members …

The Supreme Court examined two disputes concerning properties bought by the former ruler of Nabha, R.S., benami in the names of others. The first involved the Simla property (Sterling Castle) and the second the Delhi property (34 Alipur Road). The Court held that the rule of primogeniture, which applies to the rulershi…

The Punjab Government had declared certain areas as notified areas under Section 241 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1939 and later cancelled those notifications under Section 244. The office‑bearers of the notified‑area committees filed writ petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 244, arguing it gav…

The State of Maharashtra amended the Bombay Motor Vehicles Tax Act, 1958 to levy a one‑time tax on motorcycles and tricycles, charging fifteen times the annual rate and a higher rate for company‑owned vehicles, with limited refund provisions. The Bombay High Court struck down the amendment as beyond the State's legisla…

The President referred a question under Article 317(1) of the Constitution concerning whether a member of the Punjab Public Service Commission, Gopal Krishan Saini, should be removed for alleged gross misbehaviour after allegedly slapping the Chairperson, Santosh Chowdhary. The Court held that the President is not requ…

The appellant, an Assistant Administrative Officer in an insurance company, was accused of demanding a bribe of Rs.40,000 to expedite a claim settlement and of conspiring with a regional manager and his brother in a demand‑and‑trap operation. The trial court acquitted all accused, but the High Court reversed the acquit…

The appellants, who are the legal heirs of Dhaiya, a Scheduled Tribe woman, filed a suit for partition of land that belonged to their maternal grandfather, claiming that their mother was entitled to an equal share. The trial court and the High Court dismissed the suit, holding that the plaintiffs failed to prove any cu…

The State of Gujarat appealed against a Gujarat High Court order that had directed the GST authority to complete an adjudicatory process within eight weeks and had granted the respondents protection from arrest after they were served summons under Section 69 of the CGST Act, 2017 for interrogation. The respondents, fea…

The appellant, convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, was released in 2019 under a Haryana Government policy granting special remission to elderly convicts who had served a minimum period. The policy was implemented by the Governor under Article 161 of the Constitution without placing the individual fa…

The Supreme Court examined whether the University Grants Commission (UGC) could, through regulations under the UGC Act, impose a composite scheme that revised pay scales and raised the retirement age of teachers from 62 to 65 years on State universities and colleges. The petitioners argued that the UGC's recommendation…

The case concerned Gopinath Sharma, a daily‑wage (Ticca Mazdoor) employee of the Reserve Bank of India, who worked only 58 days in 1975‑76 and was omitted from the 1976‑77 waiting list. After repeated representations, the dispute was referred to a Central Government Industrial Tribunal, which rejected his claim on grou…

The Delhi Government framed a scheme under the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) to supply supplementary nutrition through Anganwadi Centres, inviting NGOs with at least three years of registration to apply. Three NGOs challenged the three‑year eligibility rule, arguing it was irrational, violated Article 14’…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of Rules 8(ii) and 15(ii) of the Rajasthan Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1969, which required that candidates for direct recruitment to the Higher Judicial Service must have practiced for at least seven years in the Rajasthan High Court or its subordinate courts. The petitioners…

The Supreme Court examined the meaning of the "seniority‑cum‑merit" criterion prescribed in the Regional Rural Banks (Appointment & Promotion of Officers and Other Employees) Rules, 1988 and applied it to promotions of officers to Area/Senior Manager posts in several banks. It held that seniority‑cum‑merit requires a m…

Mohd. Mynuddin, a Manager (Middle Management Grade Scale II) in State Bank of India, was repeatedly denied promotion to Grade Scale III despite satisfactory confidential reports. He filed a writ petition seeking a direction for promotion with retrospective effect from 1979, arguing eligibility and lack of adverse remar…

The widowed landlady (respondent) sought eviction of two tenants, including the doctor (appellant), alleging that they had changed the use of the premises to non‑residential purposes and that she required the hall for her own residential needs. The Rent Controller and Appellate Authority found against the landlady on b…

D.D. Suri, an emergency recruit from the open market, was appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1950 and was assigned a year of allotment of 1944 by the Government of India, affecting his seniority. He sought a higher year of allotment (1942), additional pay for holding two posts simultaneously, and p…

Krishna Kumar was appointed as a Train Lighting Inspector by the Chief Electrical Engineer on 11 July 1974. He was removed from service on 31 August 1976 by the Divisional Assistant Electrical Engineer, who was subordinate to the Chief Electrical Engineer. Kumar challenged the removal in a writ petition, which the Bomb…

In December 1996 a dacoity with two murders was committed at a house in Rajasthan. Two of the accused, Kuniya and Talevar, were later arrested and, based on their disclosure statements, cash, silver items and a scooter were recovered, but the recoveries occurred several days after the incident and involved items that c…

Two Civil Judges (Senior Division) in Gujarat challenged the High Court's promotion process, alleging that the recruitment notice of 12 April 2022 applied a seniority‑cum‑merit approach contrary to the statutory requirement of merit‑cum‑seniority for the 65% promotional quota. The petitioners invoked Article 32 of the …

The Supreme Court examined a massive batch of land‑acquisition disputes involving the Government of NCT of Delhi and its agencies versus private landowners, notably M/s BSK Realtors LLP. The core issues were whether the dismissal of a civil appeal by one authority in the first round barred other authorities from filing…