Constitution of India

The appellants applied for the post of Assistant Director of Agriculture under a 1992 APSC notification that did not specify any reservation for women. While the selection process was pending, the Andhra Pradesh Government issued a order on 6 October 1995 granting 30% reservation for women in direct recruitment with re…

The Union of India sought damages for the unauthorized occupation of shops and stalls in the Lodhi Road Complex after the Supreme Court cancelled earlier allotments and ordered the occupants to vacate. The respondents, who never participated in the tender process, remained in possession despite notices and a contempt p…

Dwarka Prasad Tiwari, a constable in the Central Reserve Police Force, fired his service weapon without orders while on sentry duty, injuring himself. A departmental inquiry under Rule 27 of the CRPF Rules, 1955 found him guilty of misconduct and negligence and dismissed him. The High Court set aside the dismissal as "…

The case concerned the absorption of about 4,000 teaching and non‑teaching employees from 40 colleges that were converted from affiliated to constituent status under the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976. The State of Bihar (and later Jharkhand) challenged a High Court order directing the universities to absorb these …

The petitioners, directors of several finance companies accused of large‑scale cheating, filed writ petitions under Article 32 claiming that their personal liberty under Article 21 was violated because they were detained in various jails despite obtaining bail in some cases. The Court held that while a petition under A…

Mahendra Lal Das, an executive engineer, was charged under Sections 5(2) and 5(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 for possessing disproportionate assets of Rs. 50,600. An FIR was lodged in 1988, but the investigating agency failed to obtain sanction for prosecution for more than 12 years, despite multiple …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 32A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, which barred courts and the executive from suspending, remitting or commuting sentences of convicts under the Act. The petitioners argued that the provision violated Articles 14 and 21 by c…

Two Rakshaks of the Railway Protection Force, appointed and later dismissed by the Assistant Security Officer, challenged their dismissals on the ground that only the Chief Security Officer could appoint and dismiss under the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957. The High Court had set aside the dismissals, holding the A…

Mamman Khan, a sitting MLA, was charged in two FIRs relating to large‑scale communal violence in Nuh district. The trial court, citing the need for speedy disposal of cases involving legislators, ordered a separate charge‑sheet and segregated his trial from the co‑accused, a decision affirmed by the High Court. The app…

The appellant filed a suit in 2012 seeking a declaration that her sister‑in‑law could not sell a jointly owned bungalow and that an agreement to sell dated 21‑10‑2011 was void. After the sister‑in‑law died, the court substituted a Nazir as defendant No.1. In 2021 the respondent (defendant No.2) applied to amend his wri…

The Supreme Court examined whether the appellants, who entered into buy‑back memoranda of understanding for residential units, were "speculative investors" and thus barred from filing Section 7 insolvency petitions, and whether the 2019 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance and the subsequent 2020 Amendm…

The appellant, ITC Limited, a manufacturer of stationery, stored 7,600 pre‑packed exercise books in a warehouse in Bengaluru. On 2 July 2020, Respondent No.2, a legal metrology officer, entered the premises under Section 15 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, inspected and seized the packages alleging non‑compliance with…

The petitioners, a charitable trust and an individual, sought enforcement of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 to improve conditions in state‑run care homes for persons with cognitive disabilities, citing overcrowding, inadequate health care, abuse and lack of education. The Court examined whethe…

The appellant, Jaseela Shaji, challenged the preventive detention of her husband under COFEPOSA, arguing that the detaining authority failed to provide the statement of Ms. Preetha Pradeep, a material document relied upon for the detention, thereby violating Article 22(5) of the Constitution. She also contended that th…

Vinod Katara, convicted to life imprisonment for murder in 1982, later claimed he was a juvenile at the time of the offence based on a medical board report and a Family Register showing a birth year of 1968. He filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking relief under Section 7A of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Prot…

The Royal Medical Trust, which runs Kerala Medical College, applied for a Letter of Permission (LOP) to admit 150 MBBS students for the 2017‑18 academic year. After a surprise inspection by the Medical Council of India (MCI) revealed several deficiencies, the Central Government barred the college from admissions and au…

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

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over a parcel of land (described as "Parti Kadim Tilla") claimed by M/s Lakshmi Sugar & Oil Mills Ltd. to be agricultural and therefore exempt from acquisition under the Uttar Pradesh Sugar Undertakings (Acquisition) Act, 1971. Consolidation authorities had concurrently found that t…

The Commandant of 227 Company ASC (Supply) was dismissed by a General Court Martial (GCM) and his pension was forfeited by order of the President under Regulation 16(a) of the Army Pension Regulations. The Punjab & Haryana High Court quashed the pension forfeiture, prompting appeals by the Union of India and the office…

The appellant, whose husband was killed in the 2002 Gulberg Society riots, filed a writ petition under Article 226 and Section 482 CrPC seeking registration of a private complaint as an FIR and investigation by an independent agency. The High Court dismissed the petition, directing the appellant to use the remedies und…

The Supreme Court considered three appeals challenging the compulsory retirement of two Delhi Higher Judicial Service officers and one Delhi Judicial Service officer. The appellants argued that their cases could not be reconsidered before reaching the age of 55 after an earlier screening at age 50, that the Lt. Governo…

PepsiCo India Holding Pvt. Ltd. challenged the levy of increased water charges by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) on the ground that the rates, notified in 2001, were being imposed retrospectively and violated the water‑supply agreement and the equality clause of the Constitution. The State Go…

The Supreme Court dismissed a public‑interest writ petition challenging the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2000 on the grounds that it was framed without consulting the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) and that it violated secularism and Article 28. The Court held that CABE is a no…

Gurpreet Singh, an ex‑Air Force officer, was charged with murdering his wife Kalpna by setting her on fire. There was no eye‑witness; the prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence including a strained marital relationship, a pending divorce with a monetary settlement, prior instances of domestic violence, the appel…

The appellants Hari Shanker Jain and Hari Krishna Lal challenged the election of Sonia Gandhi to the Lok Sabha, alleging that she was not a citizen of India despite holding a certificate of citizenship under Section 5(1)(c) of the Citizenship Act, 1955. They also questioned the constitutional validity of the Citizenshi…

Mis. Estralla Rubber sued Dass Estate Pvt Ltd for eviction. The defendant sought to amend its written statement under Order VI Rule 17 of the CPC, but the trial court rejected the amendment on the ground that it was inconsistent and would displace an admission. The District Judge, on revision, allowed the amendment; th…

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) issued Standing Instructions governing promotion channels for its employees. Four Quality Supervisors appointed directly to Group B posts sought to change their promotion channel, but the Executive Committee rejected their request, holding that the option to choo…

The respondent, a brick‑kiln owner, challenged a notification by the Mathura Cantonment Board that raised the tax on bricks from 0.19p to 0.75p per thousand, arguing that the Board derived no benefit and that the tax violated Section 60 of the Cantonments Act, 1924, the U.P. Municipalities Act, 1916 and the ceiling on …

The petitioners, a railway employees’ union, challenged the promotion of a reserved‑category clerk, Shri A.S. Rana, to the D.S.K.–1 post, arguing that the promotion was made on the basis of accelerated seniority and therefore could not be granted to a post meant for the general category. The Central Administrative Trib…

The petitioners, former servicemen re‑employed in the Union Territory of Chandigarh after 1 Nov 1966, claimed that the Punjab Government National Emergency (Concession) Rules, 1965 should apply to them for increments, seniority, promotion and pension. The Union Territory argued that the 1965 Rules were only applicable …

The case concerned IFS officer Chandra Gupta, who was superseded for promotion because of adverse entries in his confidential reports. After those entries were expunged in a special review, Gupta was promoted to Chief Conservator of Forests, but other officers who had earlier been promoted contested his seniority. The …

The case concerned promotions in the Andhra Pradesh Panchayati Raj Engineering Service from Junior Engineer to Assistant Engineer. The Administrative Tribunal had held that such promotions should be based on a statewide seniority list, but the State Government argued that the Presidential Order of 1975, made under Arti…

The Supreme Court examined challenges by several textile mills manufacturing rayon and nylon yarn to the fee imposed by the Textiles Committee under Rule 21 of the Textile Committee Rules, 1965 (made under s.22 of the Textile Committee Act, 1963). The mills argued that the fee was unconstitutional because the Committee…

The appellants, employees of the Research and Analysis Wing, were dismissed under clause (b) of the second proviso to Article 311(2) of the Constitution and Rule 19 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, without a charge‑sheet or inquiry, after a violent pen‑down strike and inti…

The appellants, who had adopted four minor girls under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, had their custody seized by police on the basis of an FIR and the children were placed under the Child Welfare Project Director. The appellants challenged the police action, arguing it was illegal and violated Articles…

The case concerned two village officials, A‑1 (Village Administrative Officer) and A‑2 (Village Assistant), who were convicted under Sections 13(1)(d), 13(2) and 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for demanding and receiving a bribe of Rs.500. A trap was laid using phenolphthalein‑treated notes, leading to the…

M/S K.C.P. Ltd., a producer of industrial (rectified) spirit, challenged the Andhra Pradesh Rectified Spirits Rules, 1971 which required licences, excise duty and various fees for export. The appellants argued that the State could not tax industrial alcohol, that the fees were not a quid pro quo, and that the export fe…

The appellants, assistants in the Central Secretariat Service, appeared for a limited departmental competitive examination and were placed next in merit with the same marks as a candidate who was later appointed. Six of the 184 candidates initially recommended by the UPSC did not join, and the Department of Personnel &…

The Supreme Court examined Andhra Pradesh's scheme of compassionate appointments for dependents of government servants who retire on medical invalidation. The petitioners argued that the scheme was unconstitutional under Article 16 and that the five‑year "left‑over service" period should be counted from the date of app…

The Supreme Court examined the extent to which State governments may regulate admissions, fee structures, and quota allocations in unaided professional educational institutions, both minority and non‑minority, following the earlier decisions in T.M.A. Pai Foundation and Islamic Academy. It held that while the State may…

The Karnataka High Court had earlier ordered the registration of Cyril Lasrado as occupant of a land parcel under Section 48‑A of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961. After Cyril's death, a writ petition was filed nearly 19 years later challenging that order, but the petition was filed against the deceased and no noti…

The Parambikulam Aliyar Project was originally set up to irrigate a defined ayacut, and in 1983 the Madras High Court recorded that the petitioners would not object to an extension of 115,000 acres provided the original ayacuts received water at least once every 18 months. In 1993 the Tamil Nadu Legislature enacted the…

The State of Uttar Pradesh charged Babul Nath with rape of a five‑year‑old girl. The trial court convicted him based on an eye‑witness who saw the victim bleeding and the accused fleeing, and on a medical report showing a torn hymen, lacerations and other injuries indicating sexual intercourse. The Allahabad High Court…

The Supreme Court was asked to clarify whether Kerala's Judicial Service Rules, which require five years of standing at the Bar for appointment to the lowest judicial rung, complied with its earlier directive that a minimum of three years of legal practice is essential for recruitment. The State of Kerala filed Interlo…

The Uttar Pradesh Avas Evam Vikas Parishad Act, 1965 authorised acquisition of land for a housing scheme and issued notifications under its Sections 28(1) and 32(1). The State later issued acquisition notices under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The appellants challenged whether the three‑year limitation in the first …

The Supreme Court heard appeals by the States of Punjab and Haryana against a Punjab‑Haryana High Court judgment that ordered the regularisation of large numbers of ad‑hoc, temporary, work‑charged, daily‑wage and casual labour employees. The petitioners argued that the High Court had exceeded its jurisdiction by amendi…

Dr. Jeevak, an unsuccessful candidate in the All India Entrance Examination for postgraduate medical seats, filed a writ petition seeking to declare clauses 11 and 15(g) of the bulletin illegal, to quash the list of successful candidates, and to obtain a mandamus directing his admission to the unfilled 25% reserved sea…

The State of Uttar Pradesh charged Krishna Gopal and an associate with murder under IPC sections 302 and 34. The trial court convicted them based on two eye‑witnesses and the deceased's statements recorded as dying declarations, accepting that the victim remained conscious long enough to make those statements. The Alla…

Indu Bhusan De and others challenged the Calcutta City Civil Court Act, 1953, which empowered the West Bengal State Government to create a City Civil Court with a pecuniary jurisdiction up to Rs. 1 lakh, arguing that only Parliament could legislate on the jurisdiction of the High Court. The Calcutta High Court dismisse…

The petitioners, operators of tourist vehicles holding all‑India permits issued under Section 63(7) of the Motor Vehicles Act, challenged Karnataka's withdrawal of a tax exemption that had previously been granted to such vehicles. The exemption was intended to avoid double taxation of tourist vehicles when they operate…

The Supreme Court dismissed a writ petition filed by the wife of Hasnain Mukhtar Hussain Lakdawala, who was detained under section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA). The petitioner challenged the validity of the detention on the ground that the repr…

The State of Maharashtra charged Champalal Punjaji Shah with criminal conspiracy under S.120B IPC, S.135 of the Customs Act and Defence of India Rules after gold bars with foreign markings were discovered in his flat. The trial was protracted, with the accused contributing to delays, and the High Court acquitted him, c…

The Kerala High Court, after conducting a written test and viva‑voce for recruitment to the Higher Judicial Service, imposed a minimum cut‑off for the viva‑voce despite the 1961 Rules and the 2012 examination scheme expressly providing that no cut‑off would apply. Eleven candidates challenged this decision, arguing tha…

The case concerned a senior judicial officer, R.R. Parekh, who was dismissed from service after two disciplinary inquiries found him guilty of misconduct for awarding sentences below the statutory minimum under Section 135 of the Customs Act, allegedly motivated by corrupt or oblique motives. The High Court had revisit…

The National Campaign for Dignity and Rights of Sewerage and Allied Workers filed a public interest litigation before the Delhi High Court seeking safety measures and compensation for sewage workers who died in hazardous conditions. The High Court issued interim directions ordering the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to provide …

The Supreme Court examined the Jaipur Development Authority’s attempt to regularise illegal land allotments in the Lal Kothi Scheme, which were based on a letter dated 6 December 2001 purporting to be a government policy. The Court held that the letter was not a valid policy order under Article 166 because it was not i…

The case concerned the allocation of two Indian Police Service officers, Vikrama Varma (an OBC insider) and Avinash Mohanty, to state cadres after the 2004 Civil Services Examination. The respondents challenged the allocation of Varma to the Andhra Pradesh cadre, alleging that the allocation violated the roster princip…

The petitioners, who were directly recruited to the West Bengal State Forest Service in March 1990, challenged the grant of retrospective seniority to officers promoted in 1991 under Rule 6(2) of the West Bengal Service (Determination of Service) Rules, 1981, which made the promotees senior to the direct recruits. The …

The Supreme Court examined a public‑interest writ petition challenging the constitutionality of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act, 1983 (IMDT Act) and its 1984 Rules, which were applicable only to Assam for detecting and deporting illegal migrants. The Court held that the Act and Rules were ultra‑vi…

Degla Suryanarayana, a middle‑management officer of Bank of India, was found fit for promotion in 1981 but the promotion was withheld due to pending criminal cases. After being acquitted, he sought promotion and was granted ad‑hoc promotion by the High Court, which also ordered a departmental enquiry for alleged miscon…

The appellants, senior engineering officials and contractors, were convicted for alleged conspiracy, cheating and falsification of accounts in connection with jungle‑clearance projects in Nellore district, based solely on circumstantial evidence and a technical report prepared by a departmental officer during the inves…

The case arose from the murder of Suresh Narsinh Dubey in 1989, for which Hitendra Vishnu Thakur and others were arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA). After a series of investigations, the accused sought bail on the ground that the prosecution had failed to file a charge‑…

The Jammu & Kashmir Hotel (Amenities and Services) Tariff Taxation Act, 1980 imposes a tax on amenities and services provided by hotels. East India Hotels Ltd. and others challenged its constitutional validity, arguing that the tax was effectively on the hotel keeper's gross receipts, i.e., income, which under the Cons…

M/s Dabur India Ltd. manufactured a homeopathic toothpaste called Homeodent for M/s Sharda Boiron Laboratories between 1985 and 1988 and paid excise duty under the Central Excises & Salt Act, 1944. The State Excise authorities later claimed that Homeodent contained alcohol (through mother‑tincture) and therefore attrac…

Smt. Pujari Bai, a displaced person, was allotted agricultural land and on 29 April 1963 received a permanent Sanad under Section 10 of the Displaced Persons (Compensation & Rehabilitation) Act, 1954, conferring absolute title. Later, during consolidation proceedings under the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Pr…

The Supreme Court examined challenges by private employers, including Ficus Pax Private Ltd., to central and state orders issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 that compelled private establishments to pay full wages to all workers during the COVID‑19 lockdown. The petitioners argued that the orders were ultra‑…

The appellants filed a public interest litigation seeking the inclusion of the Rajasthani language in the syllabus of the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) 2021 and the use of Rajasthani as a medium of instruction in schools. The High Court dismissed the petition, holding that a writ of mandamus req…

The case concerned employees of cooperative societies that were merged into the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board (MPSEB) and sought pension benefits. The key issue was whether these absorbed employees were entitled to pension and, if so, whether their service in the societies prior to absorption could be counted …

The petitioners, senior civil judges, challenged the Gujarat High Court's select list and the State Government's notification promoting 68 judges to the district judge cadre, alleging that the selections violated Article 14 of the Constitution and Rule 5 of the Gujarat State Judicial Service Rules, 2005, which require …

Dr. V. R. Sanal Kumar, a senior ISRO scientist, was dismissed from service under Rule 16(iii) of the Department of Space Employees (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1976, which allows dismissal without an inquiry when the President is satisfied it is not expedient in the interest of the security of the State.…

The appellant, Gautam Navlakha, was arrested in connection with a UAPA case and placed under house arrest for 34 days after a transit remand order was stayed by the Delhi High Court. He later surrendered and was taken into police custody, seeking default bail on the ground that the house‑arrest period should count towa…

The Punjab Public Service Commission advertised 52 posts of Punjab Civil Services (Judicial Branch) in 2007‑08, with 27 General and 25 reserved seats. After the examination, 27 General, 10 SC and 5 OBC candidates joined, and the remaining eight reserved posts were de‑reserved; seven of these were filled by General cand…

Jeeja Ghosh, a person with cerebral palsy, was forcibly de‑boarded from a SpiceJet flight on 19 February 2012 despite having requested assistance only for her baggage. She alleged that the airline’s action violated the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, the Aircraft Rules, 1937, Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) 2008…

The respondent, a government servant, was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and sentenced to one year’s rigorous imprisonment. The High Court, on an application under Section 389(1) of the Cr.P.C., suspended the execution of the sentence but did not stay the conviction. The Department dismissed the…

The Army College of Medical Sciences (ACMS), run by the Army Welfare Education Society, admitted only wards of army personnel based on a Delhi Government exemption, ignoring merit and statutory reservations. The Indian Medical Association and several candidates challenged this policy, arguing that ACMS is a private una…

The Centre for Environment and Food Security filed a public‑interest writ petition seeking directions to ensure proper implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) and its schemes, alleging fund diversion and irregularities, particularly in Orissa. The Supreme Court, afte…

The appellants, a group of educational institutions, filed Special Leave Petitions claiming they had been granted recognition by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and sought interim orders directing the State Government to allot students to their D.Ed. courses. During the pendency of the petitions, the …

The petitioner, Neeti Malviya, sought to transfer a divorce petition from the Family Court in Bangalore to the Family Court in Hoshangabad. The parties had reached a settlement in Supreme Court Lok Adalat, agreeing that the husband would pay Rs. 65 lakh and that a joint application for divorce by mutual consent would b…

Dev Dutt, an Executive Engineer in the Border Roads Engineering Service, was eligible for promotion to Superintending Engineer after completing five years on his grade. The promotion guidelines required a "very good" entry in the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) for the last five years, but Dutt had a "good" entry for …

M/s. Seema Silk & Sarees, a partnership firm, and its partner were penalised under Sections 18(2) and 18(3) of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 for failing to repatriate export proceeds within the prescribed period. They challenged the constitutional validity of these provisions, arguing that the reverse burde…

Employees of a college filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking regularisation of their services, which was partially granted. The order was not complied with, leading the employees to file a contempt petition under Sections 12 and 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. After the Uttar Pradesh Reorgan…

The case concerned a claim for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 arising from an accident involving an auto‑rickshaw that was insured as a goods‑carrying public carrier. The insurer, New Indian Assurance Co., argued that it should not be liable because the driver, Salim Amadbhai, held only a licence for a…

The State of Kerala had established a Family Court at Manjeri in 1999, but due to inadequate facilities the Bar Association sought its relocation to the district headquarters at Malappuram. The High Court recommended the shift, and the State Government issued an order effecting it. The appellants challenged the order, …

Dhampur Sugar Mills Ltd entered into a licence deed to use a sugar mill, agreeing to pay the licence fee largely in molasses. The revenue department assessed trade tax on the molasses, treating it as a sale under the Uttar Pradesh Trade Tax Act, 1948. The appellant argued that the molasses payment was a barter, not a s…

The State of Uttar Pradesh introduced a policy requiring distilleries to affix security holograms on liquor containers and, through a series of circulars, presumed that any hologram not produced before an Authorized Committee was lost and that the distillery must pay excise duty on the notional liquor that could have b…

The petitioners, shroffs who operated as unincorporated firms providing credit and accepting public deposits, challenged the constitutionality of Section 45‑S of the Reserve Bank of India Act (as amended in 1997) which prohibits such entities from accepting deposits. They argued that the provision violated Articles 19(…

The Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board served notice to Upper Jamuna Valley Electricity Supply Co. Ltd. to purchase its electricity undertaking after a 35‑year licence expired. The State later amended the Indian Electricity Act, 1910 by the 1975 Ordinance and the 1976 Act, replacing the market‑value purchase price w…

The Supreme Court examined the appointments of the Vice‑Chairman and four members of the Madhya Pradesh State Administrative Tribunal, which had been challenged by three police inspectors through a public‑interest litigation. The High Court had quashed the appointments, holding that the procedure violated the direction…

The Kerala Government established two self‑financing engineering colleges run by societies fully controlled by the State. The scheme fixed 75% open‑merit seats, 10% reserved for SC/ST at half fees, and 15% NRI quota, with a Rs.1 lakh refundable deposit (exempt for SC/ST) and a $5,000 non‑refundable NRI charge. The appe…

The Government of Andhra Pradesh introduced Rule 22‑A in its State Subordinate Service Rules, mandating that where men and women are equally suited and equally meritorious, at least 30% of the posts in each category of O.C., B.C., S.C. and S.T. must be filled by women. P.B. Vijayakumar challenged this provision as viol…

During the severe drought of 1971‑72, the Maharashtra government undertook scarcity‑relief road works, taking land without compensation. In 1991, an agriculturist filed a writ petition under Article 226 seeking compensation, alleging a 20‑year delay (laches). The Bombay High Court dismissed the laches defence and grant…

The petitioners, contractors who had contracts with the State of Orissa, obtained arbitral awards from Special Arbitration Tribunals which were later made "Rules of Court" by civil courts. The State subsequently enacted the Arbitration (Orissa Second Amendment) Act, 1991, which retrospectively nullified those awards, e…

The Kerala Government, invoking the Kerala Cashew Factories (Acquisition) Act, 1974, issued a common notice to 36 cashew factories stating they were closed and would cause large‑scale unemployment, and subsequently declared the factories transferred to the State. The owners, who were also occupiers, challenged the noti…

The petitioners, contract labourers employed through various contractors at SAIL's Rourkela plant for 10‑20 years, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking parity in pay and absorption as regular employees, alleging that the contractor arrangement was a camouflage to deny them rights. The Supreme Court held that …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA) and the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 (SAFEMA), both placed in the Ninth Schedule. It held that Parliament was compe…

The appellants were detained under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti‑Social Activities Act, 1985 (PASA) as "property grabbers" and challenged the detention orders. The High Court upheld the orders, but the Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of PASA, the legality of delegating detention power to district ma…

The Supreme Court examined the scheme devised by the Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) for granting Tehbazari (market) permission to squatters and hawkers under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act. The Court clarified that the MCD's sub‑classification of squatters—those possessing a survey‑report receipt versus those p…

The Lions Club organized an eye‑camp in Khurja, Uttar Pradesh, inviting Dr. R.M. Sahay to perform cataract surgeries. Post‑operative intra‑ocular infections rendered many operated eyes permanently blind. Two social activists filed a public‑interest writ petition under Article 32 seeking compensation for victims, an inq…

The petitioners, tea companies, challenged the levy of a rural employment cess on tea estates under the West Bengal Rural Employment and Production Act, 1976, as amended in 1981 and 1982. They argued that the levy, which was imposed on the despatches of tea rather than on the land, directly impeded the free flow of tra…

The Anil Agarwal Foundation, a private company at the time of land acquisition, sought 6,000 acres of agricultural land in Odisha to establish a university. The State issued Section 4(1) notifications and proceeded with acquisition despite the company’s conversion to a public company occurring only after the notificati…

The Dental Council of India (DCI) amended Regulation 6(2)(h) of its 2006 Regulations, mandating that new dental colleges be attached to a recognised medical college within a specified distance. Biyani Shikshan Samiti (respondent) challenged the amendment, alleging that the Council exceeded its statutory authority, and …

The case concerns Accused X, convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering two minor girls, for which a death sentence was imposed. The petitioner challenged the conviction on two grounds: (i) the trial court failed to conduct a separate pre‑sentence hearing as required by Section 235(2) of the CrPC, and (ii) the petit…

The petitioners, father and half‑brothers, entered into a "Minutes of Consent Order" that settled a series of family and corporate disputes and was incorporated into a court decree. The respondents later allegedly breached specific clauses of that consent order concerning the control of a company. The petitioners filed…

The case arose from the Best Bakery arson in Vadodara, where fourteen people were killed and the accused were acquitted by the trial court after key eyewitnesses turned hostile, allegedly due to political threats. Zahira Sheikh, an eyewitness, filed affidavits with the NHRC alleging coercion and the State sought to adm…

The Official Liquidator of Ambica Mills Ltd., a company under liquidation, sought the court’s permission to sell the company’s immovable assets and to distribute the proceeds, directing that the dues of ONGC Ltd. be paid first. The Textile Labour Association and another workers' union, representing workmen owed more th…

Dr. Sumitra Dash, an employee of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), was granted a two‑year ex‑India leave on the condition that she would not seek an extension. She failed to rejoin after the leave expired, was deemed to have permanently vacated her post, and faced disciplinary acti…

The appellant, N.K. Prasada, was respondent No.8 in two writ petitions filed as public interest litigations (PIL) in the Andhra Pradesh High Court alleging malfunctioning of the Commissioner of Central Excise and Customs. The High Court held that the petitions were engineered by the appellant to avoid a transfer order,…

The All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association and the All India Gramin Bank Workers Organisation filed writ petitions seeking pay parity between Regional Rural Bank (RRB) employees and those of nationalised commercial banks. A National Industrial Tribunal awarded that RRB employees be placed on the same pay s…

The Chairman of the Diocesan Executive Committee of the CSI EVA Technical Institute suspended the Principal and constituted a Commission of Enquiry to conduct a preliminary fact‑finding inquiry into serious administrative and financial irregularities. The Principal challenged the suspension and the appointment of the C…

The respondents, selected in a 1987 merit list for Class III and IV clerical posts under the U.P. Subordinate Officers Clerical Staff (Direct Recruitment) Rules, 1985, alleged that the State failed to appoint them and obtained a mandamus from the Allahabad High Court ordering their recruitment. The High Court held that…

The petitioners challenged the preventive detention of Venilal Mehta, his daughter Pragna Mehta and son Bharat Mehta under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974, alleging that the grounds of detention were not communicated in a language they understood, that their retract…

The Delhi Veterinary Association filed a writ petition under Article 32 alleging that Veterinary Assistant Surgeons employed by the Delhi Administration were paid lower salaries than their counterparts in Chandigarh, the Indo‑Tibetan Border Police and the Border Security Force, thereby violating the constitutional prin…

Vijay Narain Singh, who had been granted bail in a criminal trial for murder and related offences, was detained under Section 12(2) of the Bihar Control of Crimes Act, 1981 on the ground that he was an "anti‑social element". The State relied on three incidents (1975, 1982 and the pending murder case) to justify detenti…

The appellant, a police constable, was dismissed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police under clause (b) of the second proviso to Article 311(2) of the Constitution without a departmental inquiry, on the ground that it was not reasonably practicable to hold one due to alleged threat, intimidation and possible tampering o…

The appellants, employees of the Air Force Group Insurance Society (AFGIS), challenged the Society's decision to revise their pay scales without linking them to the Sixth Pay Commission, filing writ petitions in the Delhi High Court. The High Court dismissed the petitions, holding that AFGIS could not be classified as …

The State Trading Corporation of India (STC) and Global Steel Holding Ltd (GSHIL) entered into settlement agreements in 2010 and 2012 under which GSHIL was to pay interest of Rs 600 crore at 8% p.a. by 28 February 2019. The amount was paid, and STC declared that all liabilities under the settlements were fully satisfie…

Dr. Tonmoy Mondal, a medical officer in West Bengal Health Services, applied for voluntary retirement under Rule 75(aaa) of the West Bengal Service Rules, 1971. The State declined his request on the ground of public interest, a decision later quashed by the West Bengal Administrative Tribunal. The High Court initially …

The Supreme Court examined the implementation of an amendment to Rule 5(g) of the Tamil Nadu Revenue Subordinate Service Rules (TNRSS) in light of its earlier judgment in M. Rathinaswami v. State of Tamil Nadu (2009). The amendment gave preference to Direct recruit Assistants over Promotee non‑graduate Assistants, whil…

The petitioners, senior officers of the Border Security Force, were superseded in 1996 and 2000 and later promoted after meeting the revised "very good" benchmark. They filed numerous representations over the years and finally instituted writ petitions in 2016 seeking retrospective promotion from the date of supersessi…

A contractual government teacher in Odisha was sexually harassed by a Sub‑Inspector of Schools, lodged multiple complaints, and was later set ablaze, dying from her injuries. The petitioner, a law student, filed a writ under Article 32 seeking transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a…

PGF Limited, which sold and developed agricultural land and ran joint‑venture schemes, was directed by SEBI to cease collecting money and to refund investors, on the ground that its activities constituted a collective investment scheme (CIS) under Section 11AA of the SEBI Act. PGF challenged the SEBI order and the cons…

The husband, Ajay Kumar, filed a habeas corpus petition before the Allahabad High Court alleging that his wife, Rashmi, was illegally detaining their minor son. In reality, the child had been living with the mother in Maharashtra since birth. The husband had earlier filed a criminal application in the Bombay High Court…

Sunil Kumar Singh Negi, a daily‑wage worker of the Uttarakhand Horticulture Department, was ordered by the Labour Court in 2001 to be reinstated and to receive back wages of Rs 6,000. The Department sent a letter asking him to join work at the Fruit Preservation Centre, Pauri, but he did not report and instead filed a …

Mool Shankar Singh, an employee, claimed entitlement to a higher special allowance and made a representation which was rejected. He approached the High Court via a writ petition under Article 226, where the Court only directed that a representation be made and did not consider the grievance on its merits. Singh subsequ…

The appellants challenged the acquisition of about 496 acres of land under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, claiming the land was "abadi" and therefore exempt under Uttar Pradesh's policy not to acquire village settlements. The Supreme Court in Om Prakash v. State of U.P. directed that the parties make representations u…

The State of Uttar Pradesh dismissed Assistant Agriculture Inspector Chandrapal Singh after disciplinary proceedings initiated by the District Agriculture Officer, who was subordinate to the Director of Agriculture, the appointing authority. Singh challenged the dismissal before the U.P. Public Service Tribunal, arguin…

J.P. Bansal was appointed as a judicial member and later acting Chairman of the Rajasthan Taxation Tribunal with a tenure ending on 18 September 2000. The Tribunal was abolished by the Rajasthan Taxation Tribunal (Repeal) Ordinance, 1999, which automatically terminated his appointment. Bansal filed a writ petition seek…

Rajesh Bajaj, a garment exporter, filed a complaint alleging that a German buyer promised payment on receipt of invoices but paid only a part of the amount and later reneged on a further promise. The complaint invoked Sections 415 and 420 of the IPC, and the FIR was subsequently quashed by the Delhi High Court on the g…

M. Venkat... (appellant), a Scheduled Caste employee in the Andhra Pradesh Revenue establishment, was promoted ad‑hoc as Deputy Tehsildar in 1984 but fell short of the service‑length requirements for regular promotion. He sought relief under Rule 47 of the Andhra Pradesh State and Subordinate Service Rules to retrospec…

Dehri Rohtas Light Railway Co. had an unregistered agreement with the District Board to pay a fixed Rs 10,000 per annum as cess under the Bengal Cess Act, 1880, which it honoured from 1953‑54 to 1966‑67. In 1967 the Board demanded arrears of Rs 9,86,809.33 based on the net profits of the whole railway business, not mer…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 5(A)(1) of the Tamil Nadu Entertainment Tax Act, 1939 (as amended by Act 40 of 1989), which re‑classified cinema theatres within a five‑kilometre ‘belt’ of municipal corporations and special‑grade municipalities from the ‘composition system’ to the ‘admi…

The Rajasthan State Electricity Board entered into a 1961 agreement with Delhi Cloth Mills to supply bulk electricity at a concessional rate, subject to a review clause (cl.18) and a provision that the agreement was subject to future legislation (cl.34(b)). The Board later imposed a 15% general surcharge and, invoking …

M. Satyanarayana, a meritorious student, applied for admission to the MBBS first year under the special category for sons of political sufferers/freedom fighters as defined in Rule 4(iii) of the Karnataka Medical Colleges (Selection of Candidates for Admission) Rules, 1984. His father had participated in the 1942 movem…

Shankar Dass, a cash clerk, was convicted of breach of trust and released under section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958. Despite the probation, the Government dismissed him from service. He challenged the dismissal, arguing that section 12 of the Probation Act barred any "disqualification" such as dismissal, …

The Supreme Court heard writ petitions filed by Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra challenging the continued operation of numerous limestone quarries in the Dehradun‑Mussoorie area, alleging environmental pollution and ecological damage. The Court examined reports of two expert bodies – the Bhargav Committee and a…

The Supreme Court considered appeals by temporary lecturers who challenged the Rajasthan Universities Teachers (Absorption of Temporary Lecturers) Act, 1979. The Act allowed absorption of temporary lecturers appointed on or before 25 June 1975, provided they were still in service on 12 June 1978. The petitioners argued…

The petitioners, Section Officers of the Central Secretariat Service, challenged the combined seniority list and the method of fixing inter‑se seniority between directly recruited officers and promotees, alleging that Rules 12, 13(5) and Regulation 3(3) of the Fourth Schedule were ultra‑vio​les of Articles 14 and 16 of…

The case concerned ex‑servicemen who, after being granted disability pension, sought arrears of pension dating back to their discharge dates, invoking the Supreme Court's 2014 judgment in Union of India v. Ram Avtar which recognized a broad‑banding right. The Union of India appealed, arguing that the Limitation Act, 19…

The case arose from a decree of nullity under Section 11 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, wherein the Punjab & Haryana High Court had held the marriage void. The appellant contested whether, despite the void status, the spouse could claim permanent alimony under Section 25 and interim maintenance under Section 24 of th…

The Union of India, represented by the Enforcement Directorate, appealed against a Patna High Court order that granted regular bail to Kanhaiya Prasad in a PMLA case involving alleged money laundering of proceeds from illegal sand mining by his father. The High Court had released the respondent without satisfying the t…

The State of Odisha filed a Special Leave Petition challenging the acquittal of Banabihari Mohapatra and his son for the alleged murder of Bijay Kumar Tadu, whose body was found with electric shock injuries in the accused's shop. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including the deceased’s presence at th…

Six members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly were suspended for ten days of the next session and denied salary after a Privileges Committee found them guilty of breaching the House's privileges. They challenged the resolution under Article 32, alleging violations of Articles 19(1)(a), 19(1)(g), 14, and 21, and co…

The Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) gifted land to the public trust Gorakshan Sabha, which later leased it to Kripa Mangal Karyalaya. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) granted building permits for structures on the land, which respondents 5 and 6 challenged through a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Bomb…

The appeal arose from the appointment of Class IV staff in courts subordinate to the Delhi High Court on an ad‑hoc basis without proper advertisement, which the petitioners challenged as violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court examined whether such appointments could be regularised, wheth…

The Rajasthan State Industrial & Investment Corporation (RSIIC) was allotted land for industrial development and leased it to Diamond and Gem Development Corp. on an "as‑is‑where‑is" basis, with a requirement to complete the project within five years. The lessee sought an access road from the lessor, which was not prov…

The appellants, appointed as Patwaris/Nillage Accountants by a Tehsildar/Assistant Commissioner, sought regularisation of their services under the Karnataka Civil Services (Special Recruitment of Local Candidates) Rules, 1986. The State contended that the 1986 Rules were inapplicable because the appointing authority un…

The Uttar Pradesh Government issued a circular on 11 August 1997, under the Basic Education (Teachers) Service Rules, 1981, stipulating that only candidates trained in state government institutes and holding a Basic Teacher Certificate (BTC) or its equivalents could be appointed as Assistant Teachers in primary schools…

The appellants, Jagadeesh and others, claimed tenancy and occupancy rights over a scheduled agricultural land and filed Form‑7 before the Karnataka Land Tribunal. The Tribunal and the Appellate Authority granted occupancy rights, but the High Court, exercising revisional jurisdiction under Section 121A of the Karnataka…

Hazarilal, a peon in a Madhya Pradesh middle school, was convicted under IPC sections 323 and 34 for a simple assault and was fined Rs.500 after his one‑month imprisonment was reduced on appeal. The State terminated his service under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1966, in…

The wife, N. Suriyakalan, filed a criminal case under Sections 498A and 406 IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act against her husband A. Mohandoss and his relatives, which the Madras High Court later quashed. She also filed a maintenance petition. An SLP under Article 136 of the Constitution was filed 978 days…

The case concerned a Grade‑A officer of the Customs and Central Excise Service (respondent S.K. Goel) who claimed that his Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) for 1994‑95 were improperly graded and that the lower grading by the reviewing officer was not communicated to him, affecting his seniority for promotion to Commi…

The Supreme Court examined whether the committees constituted to refine the hawking‑zone scheme in Mumbai had exceeded the Court's earlier approval of 187 roads as hawking zones. It held that the committees acted within the Court's directions and their reduction of some roads did not deprive hawkers of their constituti…

Police seized a truck carrying resin on the ground that the driver could not produce an export permit. The Forest Officer ordered confiscation of the truck under Section 59(2) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 (as amended). The Additional Sessions Judge, on appeal, held that the officer lacked jurisdiction because the pro…

The case concerned employees of the Kerala Water Authority who were either degree‑holders or diploma‑holders that later obtained a degree (AMIE) while in service. The respondents (diploma‑holders) challenged Kerala Engineering Service (General Branch) Rules 4 and 5, arguing that the rules denied them any weightage for …

Madan Mohan Choudhary, an Additional District & Sessions Judge, was compulsorily retired by the State of Bihar after the High Court, on the basis of an anticipatory bail order he had granted in a Section 307 IPC case, recommended his retirement. The High Court’s Standing Committee and Full Court recorded adverse remark…

The Trust sought to establish a medical college in Salem and required affiliation from Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. The University and the State Government conditioned affiliation on prior State permission, which the Trust could not obtain. The Central Government, under Section 10‑A of the Indian Medical Council Act …

The petitioners, Pankaj Kumar Saha and his brother, were issued Scheduled Caste certificates in 1982, which were later cancelled by the Sub‑Divisional Officer. The petitioners challenged the cancellation, claiming that they belong to the Sunri Scheduled Caste, despite the Presidential notification expressly listing Sun…

The Orissa State Lift Irrigation Corporation Ltd. reorganised its three service cadres—Mechanical, Electrical and a Composite Mechanical‑Electrical cadre—into two cadres by amalgamating the composite cadre into either the Electrical or Mechanical wing. It invited objections, considered the options given by employees, a…

The Supreme Court considered multiple suits and special leave petitions concerning whether 10,00,000 shares in Swadeshi Polytex Ltd. and 17,18,344 shares in Swadeshi Mining & Manufacturing Ltd., held by Swadeshi Cotton Mills, along with certain immovable properties in Kanpur, vested in the Central Government under Sect…

Six defence production employees (promotees) challenged the Defence Production (Directorate of Production and Inspection, Naval) Group A and Group B Technical Post Recruitment Rules, 1976, specifically clauses 10 and 11, which allowed direct recruitment to fill vacancies and gave direct recruits seniority over existing…

The petitioners were detained under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974. While their detention orders were pending before the Gujarat High Court, the Court quashed the orders by exercising its extraordinary jurisdiction, but the same day fresh detention orders were issu…

Harbans Singh, along with Kashmira Singh and Jeeta Singh, was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of four persons. While Jeeta Singh was executed and Kashmira Singh's death sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court, Harbans Singh's special leave and review petitions were dismisse…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 5(4) of the Kerala Medical Officers' Admission to Post‑Graduate Courses under Service Quota Act, 2008, which mandated that in‑service doctors be selected for postgraduate seats solely on the basis of seniority. The Court held that Regulation 9 of the Med…

The case involved a murder where the complainant, Azija Begum, alleged that the police investigation was inadequate and the magistrate, under Section 173(8) of the CrPC, ordered further investigation but retained the same police agency. The appellant challenged this order before the High Court under Article 227, arguin…

The heirs of Prem Chand and labourer Nikku Ram filed claim petitions after a truck, owned by Jitender Gupta on the registration but possessed by Salig Ram, met with a fatal accident. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded compensation but held only Salig Ram liable, ignoring the fact that the registration still nam…

Rubabbuddin Sheikh filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a CBI investigation into the alleged fake encounter of his brother Sohrabuddin, the disappearance of his sister‑in‑law Kausarbi, and the killing of material witness Tulsiram, all allegedly perpetrated by Gujarat police. The State of Gujarat submitted eig…

The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (a State corporation) terminated several employees and the employees filed civil suits alleging violation of natural‑justice principles and statutory regulations. The Supreme Court was asked to resolve a conflict between earlier judgments on whether civil courts have juris…

The applicant, who was the respondent in a civil appeal, filed an application for clarification of a judgment dated 2 August 2005, claiming financial hardship and seeking recovery of a balance after his pension was attached. The opposing party argued that the application was in substance a review of the judgment. The S…

The petitioners, two minor students, feared loss of seats in the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) for MBBS/BDS courses because several states failed to adhere to the prescribed admission time‑schedule, causing vacancies to revert to state quotas. The Supreme Court examined whether the AIQ must be calculated including Section …

The case concerned lecturers (respondents 1‑12) employed by Dev Samaj Girl Senior Secondary School, a privately managed recognised school receiving grant‑in‑aid since 1967, who sought salary parity with teachers in other aided schools after the school added 11th and 12th classes in 1988. The Chandigarh Administration a…

The Madras Race Club, a company that conducts horse races, challenged the Tamil Nadu Horse Races (Abolition and Wagering or Betting) Act, 1974 and the Madras Race Club (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1986. The Court held that horse racing is a game of "mere skill" under Section 49 of the Police Act and …

The plaintiffs, sons of the deceased Panditrao and his alleged wife Shevantabai, sued for an injunction to protect their possession of a 3.18‑hectare property, claiming they were legal heirs. The trial court accepted the admission that Shevantabai lived with Panditrao as his wife, applied the legal presumption of a val…

The petitioners, owners of arc/induction furnaces classified as large industrial power (LIP) consumers, challenged the Delhi Municipal Corporation's (DMC) resolution that raised the minimum consumption guarantee charges from Rs. 40 to Rs. 340 per KVA for such furnaces. They argued that the increase violated Section 21(…

K.T. Shastri, recruited in 1966 as a Senior Scientific Officer in the Defence Science Service, was later placed in the Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service (DAQAS) after the service was trifurcated. In 1985 the Government issued an order raising the superannuation age to 60 years for scientific and technical …

The President of India issued Constitutional Orders 272 and 273, which applied the entire Constitution of India to the State of Jammu and Kashmir and abrogated Article 370. Simultaneously, Parliament enacted the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, bifurcating the State into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashm…

The petition was filed by the father of a college girl who died after falling from a hostel roof, alleging that the death resulted from ragging and that the Rajasthan police investigation was biased, incomplete, and failed to record the victim's statement. The petitioner sought a transfer of the investigation to the Ce…

The appellants, co‑landholders of a 59‑bigha estate in Assam, failed to pay Rs 731.70 land revenue, leading the Deputy Commissioner to auction the land under Section 70 of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886. No proper notice of demand or sale was served on the appellants, and the auction attracted no bidders, …

The case concerned the Khalsa Girls High School, a Sikh‑run school in Calcutta, and whether it qualified as a minority institution under Articles 26 and 30 of the Constitution, thereby entitled to appoint its own teachers without complying with Rule 28 of the 1969 Management Rules. The appellants, two teachers appointe…

The petitioners challenged the All India Institute of Medical Sciences' (AllMS) counseling procedure for MBBS admissions, alleging that it exceeded the 50% reservation ceiling by allowing SC/ST/OBC candidates who secured seats in the open (unreserved) category to later opt for reserved seats, thereby inflating the rese…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises "carnal intercourse against the order of nature". The petitioners argued that the provision violated Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution by arbitrarily classifying "unnatural" acts, being vague, and…

The marriage between U. Sree and U. Srinivas broke down, leading the wife to file a petition for restitution of conjugal rights and the husband to file for divorce on the ground of mental cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act. The Family Court and the Madras High Court granted the divorce, held the …

In the 2012 presidential election, petitioner Purno Agitok Sangma challenged the election of Pranab Mukherjee on the ground that Mukherjee held two "offices of profit" – Chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha – at the time of filing his nomination, which would disqua…

The case concerned a criminal appeal filed by the State against an acquittal of the accused Irphan @ Gulfam and others. The Allahabad High Court dismissed the Government appeal in a cryptic order, merely referring to paragraphs of the trial‑court judgment and without giving any reasons. The complainant, Kumari Shaima J…

The Delhi High Court dismissed an election petition challenging the 2009 Lok Sabha election of Ajay Maken on grounds of alleged corrupt practices. The appellant argued that the petition should be thrown out for (i) the copy served on him not being a true copy under Section 81(3) of the Representation of the People Act,…

The appellant was convicted under Sections 279 and 304A of the IPC for causing the death of a seven‑year‑old girl by negligent driving of a tractor. He was sentenced to six months' simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs.2,000, with the conviction under Section 279 later set aside by the High Court. During the pendency of…

The Shakur Basti Shamshan BhumI Sudhar Samiti, a society managing a cremation ground, challenged a series of orders that allowed the land to be used for residential purposes and later directed the Lieutenant Governor to allot the land to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for continued cremation use. The High Cou…

The Supreme Court examined the disqualification of six independent MLAs and two lone party MLAs by the Haryana Assembly Speaker under the Tenth Schedule's anti‑defection provisions. The petitioners claimed violation of natural‑justice principles, alleged the Speaker acted malafide, and argued that paragraph 3 of the Te…

The Supreme Court examined the status of employees transferred from State departments to Gram Panchayats under the amended U.P. Panchayat Raj Act, 1947. It held that the transfer under Section 25 was a deputation, not a permanent transfer, and that the employees retained a lien with their parent departments. Consequent…

The State Government sought to acquire 15 acres of land for a housing scheme for the State Gov't Employees Houseless Harijan Association, a society registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act. After a series of notifications under the Land Acquisition Act, the government withdrew the acquisition by issuin…

The appellant, Savita Chemicals Ltd., sought a declaration that a strike by the Dyes and Chemical Workers Union was illegal under Sections 24(1)(a) and 24(1)(i) of the Maharashtra Recognition of Trade Unions & Prevention of Unfair Labour Practices Act, 1971. The union had issued a strike notice during the subsistence o…

The landlord (respondent) filed a petition under Section 11(3) of the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965 seeking eviction of the tenant (appellant) on the ground that the premises were required bona fide for his own use, alleging that another property he occupied was under imminent threat of acquisitio…

B.S. Bajwa and B.D. Gupta, former short‑service commissioned officers who joined the Punjab Water Works Department in 1971‑72, were placed junior to several colleagues in the department’s gradation list. After more than a decade they filed a writ petition in 1984 seeking to have their date of appointment back‑dated to …

Mohan Bir Singh Chawla challenged Punjab University’s rule that added a ten‑percent weightage to the qualifying‑exam marks of candidates who had passed the exam from the same university for admission to its LL.B. programme. The Supreme Court examined whether such university‑wise preference violated Articles 14 and 15 o…

The 1987 Vile Parle Assembly election of Dr. Ramesh Yeshwant Prabhoo was challenged on the ground that his agent, Bal Thackeray, made speeches appealing to voters on the basis of Hindu religion and inciting communal feelings. The High Court held the speeches to be corrupt practices under Sections 123(3) and 123(3A) of …

P.V. Srinivasa Sastry, M. Mahadeva Setty and P. Gangireddy, who were serving as Auditors, were subjected to departmental proceedings for alleged misconduct and were ordered to be reduced in rank to Lower Division Clerks. The appellants challenged the orders on two grounds: (1) the proceedings were initiated by the Seni…

A.N. Shastri, a professor in Ayurvedic medicine, was promoted to Director of Ayurved under the Punjab Ayurvedic Department Rules, 1963. Former students filed a writ of quo warranto alleging that he lacked the required five‑year regular course degree for the post. The Punjab and Haryana High Court held that he did not p…

Three officers of the Punjab State Civil Service claimed that they were superseded in the 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1983 IAS promotion Select Lists because junior officers were included while they were omitted, and that the Selection Committee failed to record reasons for supersession, violating Articles 14 and 16 and princ…

The Goa Sampling Employees' Association filed an industrial dispute against its employer, the General Superintendence Co. of India, concerning iron‑ore samplers employed at Mormugao Port in the Union Territory of Goa, Daman & Diu. The Central Government, invoking Section 10(1)(d) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, r…

Surendra Koli, a former domestic help at the Nithari residence, was convicted for the murder, rape and related offences of a minor based on a Section 164 confession and alleged discoveries under Section 27 of the Evidence Act. The Supreme Court had earlier affirmed his conviction and death sentence in 2011, and a revie…