Constitution of India

The Supreme Court examined two writ petitions challenging prolonged criminal proceedings – one by former Maharashtra Chief Minister A.R. Antulay and another by advocate Ranjan Dwivedi – alleging violation of the right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court reaffirmed that the right to a speed…

The appellant, an employee of the Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies (ICPS), was dismissed in a disciplinary proceeding and challenged the order before the High Court, which held that ICPS was not a "State" within Article 12 and thus not amenable to writ jurisdiction. The Supreme Court was asked to d…

The respondent, Manohar Lal, a Sub‑Inspector of Police, was compulsorily retired by an order dated 24 September 1975 issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Gurdaspur, under the Punjab Civil Services (Premature Retirement) Rules, 1975. He filed a suit seeking a declaration that the order was illegal, malafide an…

A complaint was lodged by a Special Railway Magistrate against two Delhi Police officers, Balbir Singh (Sub‑Inspector) and Ram Shankar (Constable), alleging that they tampered with search memos by adding a signature after the documents were in the court's custody. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether prosecut…

The Supreme Court considered writ petitions filed by Sanjeev Coke Manufacturing Co. and Sunil Kumar Ray challenging the inclusion of their coke‑oven plants in the Second Schedule of the Coking Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 on the ground of arbitrary discrimination violating Article 14. The Court examined wheth…

Ashok Kumar Binny and Hans Raj were detained under Section 8 of the Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978. Their detentions were referred to an Advisory Board, which is statutorily required to submit its report to the Government within eight weeks of the date of detention under Section 16(1). The Board failed to do s…

MITC Rolling Mills Pvt. Ltd. filed a commercial suit for recovery of Rs.2.5 crore. The trial court rejected the plaint under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC on the ground that the plaintiff had not complied with the mandatory pre‑institution mediation under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. The appellant cha…

The appellant, a doctor, was alleged to have had an extramarital affair with respondent No.1, resulting in the birth of a child in 2007 while she was married to Abdul Latheef. Respondent No.1 filed criminal complaints for cheating and harassment and sought a DNA test to establish the appellant as the biological father,…

The State of Punjab challenged the Governor of Punjab for refusing to assent to four Bills passed by the Vidhan Sabha and for questioning the legality of sessions reconvened after an adjournment sine die. The petition also sought a declaration that the June and October 2023 sessions were valid and that the Governor mus…

The State of Uttarakhand issued an opinion refusing to grant recognition to new B.Ed. colleges and seeking cancellation of recognition for Nalanda College of Education, citing that approximately 13,000 B.Ed. graduates per year far exceed the state's requirement of 2,500 teachers, leading to potential unemployment. The …

The appellant, Prof. Narendra Singh Bhandari, was appointed Vice‑Chancellor of Soban Singh Jeena University in August 2020. The appointment was challenged on the ground that he did not satisfy the statutory requirement of a minimum of ten years of teaching experience as a professor and that the selection process did no…

The Supreme Court clarified that the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the sole authority to constitute benches and allocate cases, a principle derived from the State of Rajasthan v. Prakash Chand judgment and applicable to the Supreme Court. The Court held that a two‑judge bench cannot direct the composition of a bench …

The President, on a reference under Article 317(1) of the Constitution, sought a Supreme Court inquiry into allegations of misbehaviour against Dr. H.B. Mirdha, Chairman of the Orissa Public Service Commission, including concealment of his daughters' candidature, alleged threats to members, association with a private c…

Prabha D. Kanan, an air hostess promoted to Deputy Manager at Indian Airlines Ltd., was arrested in 2002 for allegedly carrying undeclared foreign currency and her services were terminated on 9 August 2002 under Regulation 13 of the Indian Airlines (Flying Crew) Service Regulations, which allows discharge without enqui…

The Shahabad Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd., a cooperative society, dismissed its Chief Accounts Officer (respondent No.3) on misconduct charges after an ex parte enquiry. The employee appealed the dismissal to the Registrar under the Punjab Co‑operative Societies Act, 1961, which was dismissed, and then filed a revision…

The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) conducted a competitive examination for 44 Block Development and Panchayat Officer posts, comprising a written test (400 marks) and a viva‑voce test (50 marks). After the written test, 130 candidates were shortlisted for the viva‑voce, and the final merit list was prepared so…

The appellant Roy V.D. was searched and arrested by an Excise Inspector who, at the time of the search, was not authorized under Sections 41(2) or 42(1) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to make such a seizure. A charge was filed, later dismissed, and a fresh charge sheet was lodged, leading …

The Appropriate Authority, exercising powers under Section 269‑UD of the Income Tax Act, 1961, concluded that a property in Bangalore was undervalued by more than 15% in an agreement of sale and ordered its compulsory purchase by the Central Government for the consideration stated in the agreement. A single judge of th…

The petitioners, promotee Deputy Executive Engineers of the Andhra Pradesh Engineering Service, challenged a government circular dated 12‑August‑1988 that fixed guidelines for drawing up an inter‑se seniority list of direct recruits and promotees, alleging that it violated the Supreme Court's direction in K. Siva Reddy…

The Election Commission of India appealed against two interim orders issued by the Bombay High Court that postponed the withdrawal deadline and stayed the poll for a Legislative Council election in Maharashtra. The respondents had filed a writ petition under Article 226 challenging the validity of the Election Commissi…

The Kerala High Court had recommended a panel of five advocates for direct recruitment as District Judges and the Governor, acting on the Council of Ministers' advice, initially decided to appoint them but later withdrew the decision citing lack of representation of certain communities. The High Court issued a writ of …

The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and its workmen entered into two 1974 settlements under the Industrial Disputes Act (ID Act) that provided a cash bonus to Class III and IV employees. After the settlements expired, LIC issued notices under s.19(2) and s.9A of the ID Act and the Central Government amended Regulation…

The petitioners, senior officers of the Central Secretariat Service, challenged the Central Secretariat Service (Amendment) Rules, 1979 and the regulations that introduced a limited departmental competitive examination exclusively for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates to fill 27 reserved Grade‑I promotion …

Alijan Nanhe Pehalwan Qureshi was convicted of murder under s.302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court. The High Court affirmed the conviction but issued a judgment without any reasoning. A Special Leave Petition was filed before the Supreme Court, which held that in serious offences like murder, t…

The appellant, an 89‑year‑old retired Air Force officer, filed for divorce on the grounds of cruelty and desertion under Sections 13(1)(ia) and 13(1)(ib) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The District Court granted the decree, but the High Court reversed it, holding that the appellant failed to prove either ground. The …

The dispute arose from a 1982 contract between National Projects Construction Corporation Ltd (NPCCL) and Royal Construction Company Private Ltd (RCCPL) for earth‑work in Iraq, which stipulated payments in Iraqi Dinars and US Dollars. An arbitrator awarded a sum in Iraqi Dinars and a separate rupee amount, directing co…

Santosh was accused under Section 408 IPC read with Sections 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act for receiving misappropriated food grains. He applied for anticipatory bail, which was rejected by the trial court and the Nagpur High Court. After depositing the alleged amount, he obtained interim protection, but the…

The appellant, Abuzar Hossain @ Gulam Hossain, claimed that he was a juvenile at the time of the alleged offence and therefore could not be tried in a regular criminal court. The claim was not raised in the trial or earlier appeals, and the question before the Supreme Court was whether a claim of juvenility under s.7A …

The appellant, an X‑ray technician employed by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation since 1988, also performed clerical and administrative duties. He applied for the post of Assistant Manager, which required ten years of administrative experience, and his application was endorsed by the Medical Officer certifying such exper…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ petition filed by environmental lawyer M.C. Mehta concerning the Taj Heritage Corridor project, where the CBI had investigated alleged irregularities involving the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati, and Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui. After the CBI submit…

Maruti Udyog Ltd. sued the directors of Mahalaxmi Motors Ltd. for failing to pay advances obtained from customers. The dispute was referred to arbitration by the Supreme Court, which ordered the respondents to furnish a bank guarantee of Rs 7.63 crore. The respondents neither provided the guarantee nor disclosed that t…

The State of Madhya Pradesh sought to recruit Assistant Teachers under the Operation Black Board project, amending Rule 10(3) of the 1973 recruitment rules to expedite selection. After interviews in Damoh district, an Administrative Tribunal stayed appointments and later declared the amendment illegal, a decision the S…

The appellant contested the election for President of Vannavalkudi Village Panchayat, losing by a single vote. After his application for a recount was rejected by the Returning Officer, he filed an election petition alleging various irregularities in the counting process. The Election Tribunal, finding no specific mate…

The Supreme Court examined the application of reservation in promotions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within the Indian Railway Guard and other railway cadres, focusing on whether accelerated promotion under a roster also confers accelerated seniority. General‑category candidates challenged promotions that …

The Central Government, invoking Section 34(1) of the Air Corporations Act, 1953, directed Air India to reserve posts for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. B.R. Age and others challenged the validity of these directions, arguing that the power under Section 34(1) was limited to functions enumerated in Section 7, a…

The State of Bihar filed a complaint under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 alleging that the accused killed an elephant and removed its tusks. A Judicial Magistrate took cognizance of the offence and issued summons, while a parallel police investigation under the Indian Penal Code was ongoing. The accused invoked …

The Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) underwrote preference shares of Depro Foods Ltd. and the managing director of Depro Foods personally guaranteed the dividend payment, agreeing that any dues could be recovered as land revenue. When the company defaulted on a dividend of Rs 1,96,961, HSIDC inv…

The case concerned two Central Bureau of Investigation officers, Vinod Kumar Pandey and Neeraj Kumar, who were alleged to have committed a series of cognizable offences under the IPC, prompting writ petitions seeking registration of FIRs against them. The Delhi High Court, after examining the complaints and a prelimina…

The dispute concerned agricultural land in Haridwar where the mother of Petitioner No.1 allegedly fraudulently claimed inheritance and executed a sale deed on 09‑08‑2016 by impersonation, a deed the Respondent sought to cancel. The Respondent filed a civil suit for cancellation, but the defendant filed an application i…

Pravin Kumar, a CISF Sub‑Inspector, was accused of fabricating a General Diary entry, intimidating a subordinate to give false testimony, and collecting bribes from BPCL contractors. An enquiry under CISF Rules found him guilty and recommended dismissal; the disciplinary authority dismissed him, and the appellate autho…

The appellants, volunteers of the Punjab Home Guards, were terminated for alleged indiscipline at a railway station. They challenged the termination, arguing that the 1983 Punjab Home Guards and Civil Defence (Field) Class III Rules did not apply to volunteers and that the 1963 Rules required a show‑cause notice and a …

The U.P. Cooperative Federation Ltd. entered into a contract with M/s Three Circles for constructing a cold storage. Disputes arose over balance steel, alleged bad workmanship, and interest on the award. An arbitrator awarded Rs.32,68,805.80 with interest at 15% and allowed various claims, which the appellant sought to…

The Supreme Court considered appeals against a High Court interim order that preserved the pre‑2007 seniority of engineers in Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, despite the insertion of Rule 8‑A in the Uttar Pradesh Government Servants Seniority (3rd Amendment) Rules, 2007 which granted consequential seniority to SC/ST officers …

The plaintiff, Dubaria, sued for a permanent injunction claiming ownership of a building on Plot No. 4934 in Banda, alleging purchase from Rajjan and later from the Zamindar. The trial court decreed in his favour after considering oral testimony and documentary evidence including khatauni, khewat and a survey report. T…

Baitarani Gramiya Bank submitted an original recruitment indent to the Banking Service Recruitment Board (BSRB) for Officers and Field Supervisors, but later pruned the indent due to a financial crisis and communicated the revised numbers before the examination results were declared. The BSRB refused to accept the revi…

The Supreme Court was approached by the Union of India for clarification of its earlier order directing the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate alleged mass human‑rights violations in Punjab. The NHRC raised preliminary objections, contending that Section 36(2) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, …

T. Deen Dayal, a Rajya Sabha candidate, filed a transfer application in an election petition alleging bias and corruption against the presiding judge. The judge deemed the allegations baseless and scandalous, initiating suo moto contempt proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. The High Court convicted Dayal…

The petitioners challenged a land acquisition on the ground that the declaration under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 was made after the one‑year limitation period prescribed by Section 4, and that an unreasonable gap between the initial and gazette notifications, coupled with the invocation of emergency p…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 73A of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960, which restricts designated officers (Chairman, President and other officers declared by the State) from holding office in more than one cooperative society and limits their tenure to ten years in ag…

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

The appellants, former employees of Punjab University and Kurukshetra University who later joined Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), claimed that their uninterrupted service in the earlier universities should be counted as qualifying service for pension under MDU's 1997 pension scheme. The university rejected the clai…

The appeal challenges a Calcutta High Court order that upheld a writ petition against the e‑auction scheme for coal sales. The Supreme Court had earlier, in Ashoka Smokeless Coal India Ltd. v. Union of India (2007) 2 SCC 640, declared the e‑auction scheme ultra‑vio​lus of Article 14 and directed coal companies to refun…

The case concerned lands acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and the Nagarjuna Sagar Project (Acquisition of Lands) Act, 1956. Original acquisition and awards were made in the early 1980s; fresh notifications were issued in 1991 and market values were fixed in 1992 pursuant to the amended Nagarjuna Act. Writ …

Pallav Sheth, a notified company debtor, was ordered by a Special Court to pay a decree and was restrained from alienating his assets. He later set up benami companies and transferred assets, which the Custodian discovered through an Income‑Tax raid. The Custodian filed an application for contempt, alleging Sheth viola…

The Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, a residential university established under the U.P. Agricultural University Act, 1958, operates 14 hostels and a cafeteria staffed by about 175 workers who sought regularisation as university employees. The Labour Court declared them regular employees, a…

The Supreme Court examined whether State governments could prescribe lower minimum qualifying marks for reserved‑category candidates in the Post‑Graduate Medical Entrance Examination (PGMEE). The Court held that the Uttar Pradesh Act 1997 and Madhya Pradesh Government Order fixing 20% for reserved and 45% for general c…

The Syndicate Bank Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Employees Association filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking enforcement of the constitutional reservation policy for SC/ST employees in promotional Group ‘A’ officer posts of Syndicate Bank. The bank, following a 1981 circular, argued that reservations a…

Izhar Hussain, a clerk in the Posts and Telegraph Department, was retired under Rule 2(2) of the Liberalised Pension Rules, 1950, which permits the Government to retire a servant at any time after completing 30 years of qualifying service. He challenged the retirement before the Allahabad High Court; the single judge d…

The petitioner, Mohammad Yousuf Rather, was detained under the Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978. He challenged the detention on the ground that the annexed grounds were vague and irrelevant, thereby violating his constitutional right under Article 22(5) to be informed of the grounds and to make a representation.…

The appellant, a Muslim husband, obtained a triple talaq and was ordered by the Family Court to pay interim maintenance of Rs.20,000 per month to his divorced wife, which the High Court reduced to Rs.10,000. He appealed, arguing that Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) does not apply to Muslim women af…

The Supreme Court examined a series of appeals and miscellaneous applications concerning compensation for land acquired by the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The landowners, who had previously received compensation of INR 340 per square yard, sought parity with …

The Central Information Commission (CIC) issued Management Regulations in 2007, including provisions to constitute benches and form committees for case management. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) challenged these actions, and the Delhi High Court quashed the regulations, holding that the RTI Act did not expressly…

The State of West Bengal filed an original suit under Article 131 of the Constitution seeking a declaration that the Union of India’s registration of cases by the CBI after the State withdrew its consent under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act is unconstitutional, and asked for an injunctio…

Dr. Vikas Kanaujia filed a petition for divorce under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act alleging cruelty, after his wife Dr. Sarita left the marital home within a month of their 2002 marriage and the couple lived together for only about 43 days over a 22‑year separation. The Family Court granted a decree of divorce …

The Supreme Court examined the allotment of a large gala (shop No.F‑158) in the Vashi wholesale market under the Maharashtra Agricultural Produce Marketing (Development and Regulation) Act, 1963. The High Court had held that only respondent No.2 (Habibullah Farhatullah) was entitled to the gala based on a transfer of b…

The Supreme Court examined whether Parliament had the constitutional authority to enact sub‑section (4) of Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which postpones the operation of disqualification for sitting members of Parliament or State Legislatures pending an appeal. The Court held that the power t…

The petitioners challenged the view that a person confined in prison or in police custody, who is barred from voting under sub‑section (5) of Section 62 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, is not an elector and therefore cannot contest elections. The High Court held that such a person loses the statutory rig…

The case concerned the murder of a District Magistrate during a funeral procession of a political leader, where 36 persons were charged. The trial court convicted A‑1 (Anand Mohan) and six others under sections 147, 302/149, 307/149 and 302/109, sentencing A‑1, A‑3 and A‑4 to death. The High Court acquitted A‑2 to A‑7 …

The bench examined several writ petitions challenging preventive detention orders at the pre‑execution stage. The petitioners argued that, under the Right to Information Act, 2005, a detenu should be furnished with the grounds of detention before arrest, and that the five exceptions laid down in Alka Subhash Gadia's ca…

Bachan Singh, a Sepoy of the Indian Army, was tried by a General Court Martial (GCM) under the Army Act, 1950 for allegedly crossing the international border into Pakistan. The GCM found him guilty of an offence under Section 63, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment and dismissed him from service, and the sentence …

Satish Sitole and Smt. Ganga were married on 22 May 1992. The wife left the matrimonial home in August 1994 and the parties lived apart for 14 years, during which they filed multiple suits including a dowry complaint under IPC 498‑A and a petition for divorce under Sections 13(1)(ia) and (ib) of the Hindu Marriage Act.…

The respondent, a peon in the Director, Town Planning, Maharashtra, was terminated for misconduct by an order that dispensed with a departmental inquiry under Article 311(2) of the Constitution, citing reasons for doing so. The respondent challenged the termination, arguing that the reasons were recorded only after the…

Ajit Prasad Gupta, whose government service was terminated on 5 January 1972, repeatedly challenged the termination through a series of petitions before the High Court, the U.P. Public Service Tribunal, and the Supreme Court between 1974 and 1981, all of which were dismissed. After each dismissal he filed another petit…

Ashok Kumar was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He sought premature release under the Rajasthan Prisons (Shortening of Sentences) Rules, 1958, arguing that Section 433A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – which imposes a 14‑year minimum before any release for life convicts of capital offen…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against directions issued by the Madhya Pradesh High Court that trial courts, while trying cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, must examine the sanctioning authority under Section 311 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before charge‑framing, even when the accused does not c…

The appellant, Gulam Mustafa, Managing Director of GM Infinite Dwelling, was named as Accused No.18 in an FIR filed under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and several IPC provisions, arising from a long‑standing land ownership dispute that had been litigated in civil courts for o…

The appellant, a society, challenged the applicability of various Central and State statutes to the Sundargarh district of Orissa, which had been declared a Scheduled Area under Clause 6 of the Fifth Schedule. It contended that non‑tribals could not settle, vote, or contest elections there and that all constituencies s…

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

The appellants, owners of agricultural land adjacent to the Mazum dam, claimed compensation for loss of fruit‑bearing trees after the State of Gujarat released 60,000 cusecs of water from the dam during heavy monsoon rains. The respondents argued that the release was necessitated by an act of God and was in the public …

The appellant Gurnaib Singh was convicted for the death of his young wife Amarjeet Kaur, who allegedly committed suicide after being harassed for a dowry demand of Rs 50,000. The trial court and the Punjab High Court upheld a conviction under Section 3048 IPC (dowry death) and sentenced him to seven years' rigorous imp…

The petition challenged a Rajasthan High Court order that placed the entire liability for compensation on the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) and exempted the driver and owner of a 'Jugaad' vehicle. The Supreme Court examined whether a 'Jugaad' falls within the definition of "motor vehicle" under Sec…

The appellant L.K. Trust claimed that a concluded contract existed between it and EDC Ltd. for the sale of a mortgaged hotel property, arguing that the mortgagor (Falcon Retreat Pvt. Ltd., respondent No.3) had lost its statutory right of redemption under Section 60 of the Transfer of Property Act. The Supreme Court hel…

The appellant, an unmarried daughter, sought to increase her share in a joint Hindu family property after the Karnataka legislature inserted Section 6A into the Hindu Succession Act, granting daughters equal coparcenary rights. A preliminary decree in the partition suit had already fixed her share at 1/28th, but the fi…

The respondent, Suresh Ramkrishna Burde, claimed to belong to the Halba Scheduled Tribe and produced a caste certificate to obtain a clerk position at BHEL, a post reserved for Scheduled Tribes. After complaints, the employer referred the matter to the District Collector and a Scrutiny Committee, which after thorough i…

The State of Rajasthan prosecuted Kishan Lal for rape under Section 376 IPC; the trial court sentenced him to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine, which the Rajasthan High Court reduced to the period already served without recording adequate and special reasons. The State appealed to the Supreme Court under A…

The Supreme Court considered a review petition filed by R.D. Chauhan, who claimed he was a juvenile at the time of committing murder under Section 302 IPC and therefore could not be sentenced to death. The petition argued that the trial and appellate courts failed to apply the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986, and that the c…

The Supreme Court, hearing a suo motu contempt petition filed by environmental activist M.C. Mehta, examined the failure of the Union of India, the NCT of Delhi and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to comply with its earlier orders directing the relocation or closure of non‑conforming industries operating in resident…

The Bihar Industries Service Cadre Rules, 1987 placed non‑gazetted officers (Industrial Extension Officers and Economic Investigators/Statistical Assistants) in Groups B and C together with gazetted Group A officers for promotion to Manager/Assistant‑Director posts (scale Rs 1000‑1820). Gazetted officers challenged thi…

The State of Manipur issued a "Die‑in‑Harness" compassionate appointment scheme for dependents of government servants who died in service, later revising it to exclude ad‑hoc, off‑iciating, work‑charged and casual appointees. The dependents of two confirmed work‑charged employees sought appointments under the scheme; t…

The appellant, a butcher, challenged the 1991 amendment to the Madhya Pradesh Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act that imposed an absolute ban on slaughter of bulls and bullocks, alleging it violated his fundamental right to trade under Article 19(1)(g) and was not a reasonable restriction in the public interest. The …

The petitioners, Peoples Union of Civil Liberties and others, filed a public‑interest writ seeking the suspension and criminal prosecution of Dr. Khalilullah, Director of G.B. Pant Hospital, alleging massive financial irregularities. The Delhi Health Secretary recommended his suspension, the Chief Secretary suggested h…

The case arose from the abduction and alleged murder of Advocate Kulwant Singh, his wife and their two‑year‑old child, for which the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association sought an independent inquiry. The High Court declined to intervene, prompting a civil appeal before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dir…

The State discovered a large embezzlement by employees of the Jammu & Kashmir Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd. and filed an FIR under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the Ranbir Penal Code. The accused filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking to quash the FIR and obtain …

The Union of India (Railways) appealed a Guwahati High Court order that directed the Railways to allocate unutilised wagons to non‑priority articles after the exhaustion of all priority categories under its Preferential Traffic Scheme (PTS). The original PTS classified sponsored coal in Category C and non‑sponsored coa…

The teachers of recognised private aided schools in Himachal Pradesh filed a writ petition seeking salary parity with government school teachers and a 95% grant‑in‑aid for their schools. The State argued that its financial capacity did not permit such disbursement and relied on a statutory maximum limit on the grant. T…

The Supreme Court entertained a habeas corpus petition filed by the relatives of seven men who were allegedly abducted by a Punjab police party led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police on suspicion of involvement in a militant kidnapping. The Court ordered a CBI inquiry, which concluded that the victims were unlawfully…

The appellant, Mis. Ramnarayan Satyanarayan Agrawal Distilleries Pvt. Ltd., employed only 22 workers and sought to manufacture potable alcohol under a state‑granted permission. Respondents, Associated Alcohols & Breweries Ltd. and others, challenged the appellant's tender, arguing that only a licence from the Central G…

Tej Singh, a Gram Sewak, obtained an allotment of five bighas of government land in 1968 under the Rajasthan Colonisation (Medium & Minor Irrigation Projects Government Lands Allotment) Rules, 1968. In 1980 the Additional Collector cancelled the allotment under Rule 17‑A, alleging that Singh had concealed his employmen…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Sections 4, 4‑A and 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Entertainment Tax Act, 1939 (as amended by Act 24 of 1984 and later amendments) which levy tax on cinema shows based on a percentage of the gross collection capacity per show and provide an optional weekly consolidated…

In the 1989 Mizoram Assembly elections, fifteen unsuccessful MNF candidates filed election petitions alleging corrupt practices by the elected Congress(I) candidates. The High Court rejected preliminary objections, allowed certain amendments, and struck out vague paragraphs, prompting the returned candidates to appeal …

The Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board (UPSEB) conducted a recruitment for Assistant Engineer (Civil) allocating 120 marks to the written test and 40 marks each to interview and group discussion. Three unsuccessful candidates filed writ petitions alleging that the 40‑mark allocation for interview and group discussio…

The appellant, a liquor broker in Gujarat, was arrested for importing foreign liquor from Rajasthan and later detained under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti‑Social Activities Act, 1985, sub‑section 2 of s. 3, to prevent him from acting prejudicial to public order. He challenged the detention on grounds of procedural vio…

The Supreme Court examined appeals against a Punjab and Haryana High Court judgment that had set aside the selections made by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) for the Haryana Civil Service (Executive) and allied services. The petitioners alleged that the HPSC members were appointed on political and caste pa…

The wife, a Christian from the Khasi tribe and an Indian Foreign Service officer, married a Sikh husband under the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872. She filed a petition under the Indian Divorce Act, 1869 seeking a declaration of nullity or judicial separation on the ground of her husband's impotence. The Delhi High…

Retired employees of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) challenged a Government Order that enhanced dearness allowance (DA) for serving employees by 14% but dearness relief (DR) for pensioners by only 11%, alleging violation of Article 14 of the Constitution. The High Court held the differential rates …

The appellant, a long‑serving employee of a cooperative society, was recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by the General Body for promotion to Society Manager, with a relaxation in educational qualifications due to his experience. The Registrar rejected the relaxation, citing lack of required qualificatio…

The borrower defaulted on a loan from UCO Bank, which led to an auction of four mortgaged properties; PHR Invent Educational Society (the appellant) was the highest bidder and paid the full consideration, after which the sale was confirmed and registered. The borrower filed a securitization application under the SARFAE…

Sri M. Narasimha Prasad, a Civil Judge (Junior Division) of Karnataka, was suspended on allegations of gross misconduct and subjected to departmental inquiries. The Full Court of the Karnataka High Court, after finding several serious charges proved—particularly pronouncing the operative portion of judgments without th…

The petitioner, a practising advocate, challenged a Bar Council of India (BCI) office order dated 1 November 2022 that allegedly halted the verification of advocates' educational qualifications and certificates of practice. The Court examined the BCI's concern that many advocates who had not submitted verification form…

The dispute arose between the Seth Group and the Mittal Group, partners in a joint venture (TFIPL) that owned land in Sector 89, Faridabad. The parties executed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) on 4 May 2015, allocating the External Development Charges (EDC) liability of Rs.59.05 crore between them, with the Seth Group…

The petitioners challenged the CBI's reliance on three documents that were allegedly taken without authorization from the Ministry of Defence and marked secret under the Official Secrets Act. The respondents argued that the review petition was untenable because the documents violated Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Se…

The dispute concerned the title to the Beaulieu estate in Bengaluru, originally conveyed in 1900 to the Dewan of Mysore on behalf of the First Princess of Mysore. Over the ensuing century, portions of the estate were acquired by the State and later transferred to private owners, including the appellant. In 2004 the Kar…

The Supreme Court examined the plight of two 15‑year‑old craniopagus twins, Saba and Farha, whose parents refused consent for any medical investigation or surgical separation. The petitioners sought a court order to compel investigations and, if necessary, surgery, invoking the twins' right to life and bodily integrity…

The case challenged the constitutional validity of the Constitution (Ninety-Third Amendment) Act, 2005, which inserted Article 15(5) into the Constitution, and the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2005 (Act 5 of 2007), which provided 15% reservation for Scheduled Castes, 7.5% for Schedul…

The respondent, a temporary employee, was terminated in 1974 and raised an industrial dispute only in 1992, 18 years later. The Labour Court awarded reinstatement with full back wages, finding the termination illegal, but the High Court modified the award to 50% back wages without providing reasons. The Supreme Court h…

The petitioners challenged the Central Empowered Committee’s (CEC) recommendations to demolish fish‑tanks (bunds) constructed inside Kolleru Lake Wildlife Sanctuary and to prohibit the use or transport of inputs for pisciculture, arguing that demolition could only follow acquisition of private lands and that the bunds …

The Supreme Court examined a public‑interest litigation filed by Deepak Agarwal challenging the lease of about 15 hectares of land to Maruti Clean Coal and Power Ltd for a coal‑washery, alleging that the land was forest land under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The Court first assessed the applicant's locus stand…

The Supreme Court considered whether a writ petition under Article 32 could be filed to challenge a Supreme Court judgment after a review petition had been dismissed, and whether the Court could correct such a judgment using its inherent powers. It held that a final order of the Supreme Court is not amenable to a writ …

The case concerned the determination of inter se seniority among Indian Railway medical officers who were either directly recruited through the UPSC or initially appointed on an ad‑hoc basis and later regularised. The Supreme Court examined whether periods of service rendered before regularisation could be counted for …

The Supreme Court examined whether interest not charged by a company on loans advanced to its directors could be treated as a perquisite under Sections 17(2) and 40A(5) of the Income‑Tax Act. The Income‑Tax Officer had disallowed a sum equal to 15% of the directors' debit balances, but the Appellate Tribunal held that …

The State of Maharashtra appealed to the Supreme Court against a Bombay High Court order that dropped contempt proceedings initiated against respondents in a customs refund dispute. The respondents had filed a writ seeking refund of duty, which the Customs Department alleged was obtained on the basis of forged document…

The case concerned whether a High Court or an Administrative Tribunal could compel the State of Andhra Pradesh to amend the Andhra Pradesh Animal Husbandry Service‑Special Rules, 1977, which governed promotions of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons. Petitioners sought to have promotions made solely on seniority, challenging…

The State of Haryana appealed against High Court orders directing it to consider premature release of two convicts whose death sentences had been commuted to life imprisonment. The convicts were sentenced before the 1978 amendment introducing Section 433A of the CrPC, which mandates a minimum of 14 years’ actual impris…

The Union of India appealed against a Delhi High Court judgment that quashed notifications fixing maximum prices of bulk drugs and retail prices of formulations under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1979, on the ground that the government had failed to observe natural justice. The Court examined whether price fixatio…

Murari Mohan Deb, a Class IV forester of the Tripura Government, was compulsorily retired in 1962 by the Chief Forest Officer. He challenged the order, alleging denial of a fair hearing and violation of natural‑justice principles. The respondents contended that compulsory retirement is not a dismissal under Art. 311(2)…

The State of Punjab entered into a contract with Sri Hardyal for construction of bridges, containing an arbitration clause appointing the Superintending Engineer as arbitrator but fixing no time for the award. Under the Arbitration Act, 1940, the award was required within four months, a period that elapsed before the a…

Jethabhai Khatau & Co. sued Luxmi Narayan Cotton Mills Ltd. for a decree of Rs. 2.85 lakh. The decree amount was to be paid from a fixed deposit of Rs. 8.40 lakh held by Grindlays Bank on behalf of a receiver. The High Court issued several interim orders directing the bank to pay the amount, but the bank failed to comp…

The appellant State of Uttar Pradesh challenged a High Court order that had declared Rules 7A and 7B of the Uttar Pradesh Promotion by Selection in Consultation with Public Service Commission (Procedure) Rules, 1970 ultra vires Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. The rules gave preferential treatment to candidates …

The petitioners, parents of individuals who died after receiving COVID‑19 vaccines, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking an independent medical board, protocols for early detection of adverse events and compensation. Similar petitions were filed in the Kerala High Court, which directed the Union to formulate …

The appellant, a descendant and trustee of the Srimati Radhika Sinha Institute and Sachchidanand Sinha Library, challenged the Bihar State Legislature's 2015 Act that compulsorily acquired the Institute and dissolved its trust. The High Court had upheld the Act, but the Supreme Court examined whether the legislation wa…

The Supreme Court considered an appeal by minority shareholders of Bharti Telecom Limited (BTL) who challenged the company’s reduction of share capital under s.66 of the Companies Act, 2013, alleging that the valuation and the notice were unfair and misleading. BTL had cancelled 28.4 million shares held by the appellan…

The petitioners, inspectors under the Central Excise and Customs cadre, challenged a circular dated 20 September 2018 that barred Inter‑Commissionerate Transfers (ICTs) after the 2016 Recruitment Rules came into force, alleging violations of Articles 14, 15, 16 and 21 of the Constitution and the Rights of Persons with …

The appellants, direct recruits selected as Assistant Engineers by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, challenged the seniority accorded to compassionate appointees in the 1 January 2004 seniority list, arguing that such appointments to Class II posts violated Articles 14 and 16 and the Nagpal judgment which rest…

The corporate debtor Ricoh India Ltd. initiated a corporate insolvency resolution process under the IBC, inviting resolution plans. Kotak Investment Advisors Ltd. (KIAL) submitted its plan on time, while Kalpraj submitted a belated plan which was later accepted by the Committee of Creditors (CoC) and approved by the NC…

The appellants, members of the West Bengal Home Guards, claimed that they were in the service of the State, performed duties akin to police constables and were therefore entitled to regularisation and pay parity with police personnel. The State and the Union of India contended that Home Guards are volunteers who receiv…

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

The appellants were convicted by the trial court and the Allahabad High Court for kidnapping and rape under IPC sections 363, 366 and 376 based largely on the testimony of the prosecutrix and her mother. The FIR was lodged eleven days after the alleged kidnapping, and the mother failed to file a missing report, raising…

The petitioners, convicted under Sections 363, 366 and 506 of the IPC for a kidnapping case, appealed to the Allahabad High Court, were granted bail and sought an early hearing of their criminal appeal. The High Court ordered the case to be released and listed before an appropriate bench, prompting the petitioners to f…

The appellant, a subordinate judge, was removed from service by the Governor on the recommendation of the Jharkhand High Court, which had dispensed with a departmental inquiry under Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution. The judge challenged the removal, arguing that the High Court lacked authority to forgo an inquiry,…

The appellant sought to set aside a Kerala High Court order that granted police protection to the first respondent, who claimed to be the head of a religious trust. The High Court had determined the respondent's entitlement to the office, a question that was already pending before a civil court. The Supreme Court held …

The Society obtained a 1987 compromise decree granting it possession of a parcel of land. The second respondent later challenged that decree and sold the land to the appellant, who obtained a decree for specific performance in 2003 and was handed possession by a senior bailiff under Order 21 Rule 35 CPC. The Society co…

The Directorate of Education, Delhi, invited tenders to set up computer labs in government schools. After earlier tenders with low turnover thresholds failed, it imposed a Rs 20 crore turnover requirement for the 2002‑03 tender, citing the large scale of the project (over Rs 100 crores) and the need for financially sta…

The appellants, Dhanaj Singh @ Shera and others, were convicted for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. They contended that the police investigation was defective – forensic samples were not sent for chemical or ballistic analysis and several potential witnesses were not examined – and that the ey…

The Union of India, as successor to the Coal Board, was statutorily obligated under Section 9 of the Coal Mines (Conservation and Development) Act, 1974 to provide stowing assistance to the coal company, while the coal company owed royalty for sand extracted for stowing under a mining lease. The Government sought to re…

A competitive examination for 28 subordinate judge posts in Haryana resulted in 42 qualified candidates, of whom 10 were from reserved categories. Seven reserved vacancies remained unfilled and were later de‑reserved, allowing 18 general‑category appointments. The appellant, a reserved‑category candidate, challenged th…

The Gujarat Government appointed Shri N.A. Acharya as President of the Industrial Court by nomination, invoking draft recruitment rules prepared by the High Court. The Gujarat Kishan Mazdoor Panchayat challenged the appointment, arguing that Section 10(2) of the Bombay Industrial Relations Act, 1946 required the Presid…

The State of Andhra Pradesh enacted the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education Act, 1988 to address gaps identified in the earlier 1986 Commissionerate Act, which had been struck down as ultra vires in Osmania University Teachers Association. A university teacher challenged the 1988 Act, arguing that it encro…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Government of Maharashtra could demand additional supervision charges from Deokar's Distillery after the State revised its civil service pay scales with retrospective effect. The licencees had paid supervision fees in advance as required by the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 and rel…

The husband and wife, married in 1970, lived separately from 1983 and filed a joint petition for divorce by mutual consent under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act in 1984. The husband later moved a sole application for decree, while the wife withdrew her consent after the statutory 18‑month period, and the husband …

The Supreme Court examined a recruitment process for Junior Engineer where the advertisement specified a fixed last date for applications and a minimum qualification. Thirty‑three candidates who did not possess the qualification on that date but obtained it before the interview were allowed to appear and were appointed…

The Municipal Corporation of Pune collected octroi duties from the Poona Cantonment under a 1963 schedule of octroi rules, which the respondents challenged as illegal. The Supreme Court examined whether the 1881 Government Notification authorising octroi collection allowed rates and articles to be varied over time, and…

Larson & Toubro Ltd. established a polytechnic institute for the children of its employees, charging no fees and admitting students solely on merit with reservation as per government rules. After the Supreme Court's Unnikrishnan judgment, AICTE framed regulations governing admissions to technical institutions, but the …

The National Federation of State Bank of India and other SC/ST employees filed writ petitions seeking reservation in promotions to Class‑I posts in public sector banks, the application of the 40‑point roster and the carry‑forward of unfilled vacancies since 1978. The Government had issued several Office Memoranda, the …

The petition challenged the appointment of K.N. Srivastava as a Judge of the Gauhati High Court on the ground that he did not satisfy the qualifications under Article 217(2) of the Constitution. The Court examined the meaning of "judicial office" and held that it must be an office within the judicial service defined by…

Suk Das and others were charged under IPC sections 506 and 34 for threatening a public servant. The appellant, being impoverished, could not afford a lawyer and was not informed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner that he was entitled to free legal aid at State expense. He was convicted and sentenced to two years' im…

The petitioners were appointed as Trust Executive Officers under the Punjab Town Improvement Act, 1922, with a contractual clause stating a one‑year probation period. After completing that year and receiving an increment, the State Government dissolved the improvement trusts and, invoking Rule 9 of the Punjab Trust Ser…

The respondent, V.K. Rajan, was a temporary government servant who rose from casual labourer to Ammunition Repair Labourer, Grade II, and was later terminated. He challenged the termination under Article 226, alleging that his appointment was permanent and that terminating him while juniors remained in service was disc…

R.R. Engineering Co., a partnership engaged in manufacturing, challenged the "Circumstances and Property Tax" levied by the Zila Parishad of Bareilly and by a Town Area Committee in Kuraoli, arguing that the tax was in substance a tax on income or professions and therefore exceeded the constitutional ceiling of Rs.250 …

The accused, Dr. Anand Rai, was charged under several IPC provisions and the SC/ST Act for allegedly taking part in a stone‑throwing scuffle at a public event. He sought discharge under s.227 CrPC, arguing that the SC/ST charges lacked essential ingredients such as the victim’s caste status and his knowledge of it. The…

The Union of India challenged the liability of several private companies, including Future Gaming Solutions, to pay service tax on the sale of paper and online lottery tickets for the Government of Sikkim. The High Court of Sikkim had set aside service‑tax notices issued under various amendments to the Finance Act, 199…

The petitioners challenged the appointment of an individual as an Additional Judge of the Madras High Court, alleging that the collegium had not properly considered the candidate's suitability and seeking a writ of certiorari and mandamus to quash the recommendation and compel reconsideration. The Court examined whethe…

Ms X, an Additional District & Sessions Judge, was transferred mid‑term from Gwalior to Sidhi after a complaint by the District & Sessions Judge, allegedly following sexual harassment. She sought an eight‑month extension to allow her daughter to complete Class 12, but her representations were rejected without following…

Sharafat Ali, convicted under IPC sections 302 and 34 and sentenced to life imprisonment, applied for premature release after serving 17 years, 9 months and 26 days. The Uttar Pradesh government rejected his application on vague grounds of possible victim resentment and alleged extremist nature, without examining his p…

The Supreme Court considered Special Leave Petitions filed by the State of Uttar Pradesh and the Uttar Pradesh Avas Evam Vikas Parishad challenging High Court orders that applied the 6th Pay Commission benefits to the Parishad’s employees. The core dispute revolved around the earlier judgment in State of U.P. v. Preeta…

The respondent, a Junior Engineer of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, was absent without authorization from 28‑08‑1995 to 31‑03‑1997 and submitted a medical certificate belatedly. A charge‑sheet under Regulations 6(1) and 6(2) was issued, the enquiry officer found the charges proved and the dis…

The case concerned the award of a hydro‑electric project contract by the Kerala State Electricity Board to K.P. Poulose at rates far above the probable amount, allegedly facilitated by Minister R. Balakrishna Pillai, a Board member and a close associate. The prosecution proved that the Minister, the Board member and an…

The appellant, Sri Indra Das, was convicted under Section 3(5) of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for alleged membership in the banned ULFA organization, based solely on a confession to a police officer that was later retracted and uncorroborated. The Supreme Court held that a confession…

Duncan Industries Ltd. and its associate challenged the Union of India’s Retention Price Scheme, which determines fertilizer subsidies, alleging that the scheme was a statutory entitlement that could not be retrospectively altered to their detriment. The Supreme Court held that the scheme is merely an administrative or…

The appellant, Orix Auto Finance, repossessed a truck from the respondent hirer after the latter defaulted on instalment payments under a hire‑purchase agreement containing a clause allowing repossession on default. The hirer filed a suit for declaration, permanent and mandatory injunction, and an interim order directi…

The landlord filed an eviction petition which was disposed of by a compromise decree allowing the tenant to occupy the reconstructed premises at a rent "25% less of the prevailing fair rent in the area." After reconstruction the tenant took possession by executing the decree without invoking Section 27 of the Karnataka…

Hindustan Steel Works Construction Ltd., a wholly government‑owned construction company, completed a project at Hyderabad employing 230 workmen. After the project ended, 130 workers were transferred to its Visakhapatnam unit while 100 were retrenched. The Industrial Tribunal held that the Hyderabad unit was part of a s…

Amrit Banaspati Co. Ltd., a vanaspati manufacturer in Uttar Pradesh, transports its products into Delhi where the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 imposes a terminal tax under Section 178 on all goods brought from outside the Union Territory. The company challenged the tax as a direct and immediate restriction on …

The petitioners, who belong to the general category, challenged the Punjab Government's reservation policy for promotions in the Punjab Service of Engineers, arguing that the roster system and the percentage of reserved posts should cease once the prescribed quota was met and that backward‑class candidates already prom…

The Andhra Pradesh State Financial Corporation (the appellant) had advanced loans to Gar Re‑rolling Mills (the respondent) which defaulted, leading the corporation to first obtain an order under Section 31 of the State Financial Corporations Act and later to invoke Section 29 to sell the mortgaged concern. The High Cou…

The petitions filed by Sikkimese of Nepali origin challenged the reservation of twelve seats for Bhutia‑Lepcha and one seat for the Buddhist Sangha in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, arguing that these provisions violated Articles 14, 15(1), 325, 332(3) and the basic structure of the Constitution. The Court examined w…

Arun Bhandari, an NRI, paid Rs.1.05 crore as part payment for a plot in Greater Noida on the basis of an agreement with respondents Savita Singh and Raghuvinder Singh, who later transferred the property to a third party. When the property was not delivered, Bhandari filed an FIR alleging cheating and criminal breach of…

Madhav Prasad Sharma, a police constable, was absent without authorized leave for 101 days and was subsequently terminated from service. He appealed the termination, which was rejected by the DIG, and then obtained a writ order from the High Court Single Judge quashing the termination on the ground that he had been sub…

Puran Singh was charged with murdering his brother Rajpal Singh by firing a licensed 12‑bore gun. The trial court acquitted him, citing benefit of doubt, but the High Court set aside the acquittal and convicted him under IPC s.302. On appeal to the Supreme Court, the appellant raised a new plea that the cartridge which…

Members of Parliament were expelled from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha after television sting operations ('cash for query') showed them accepting money for raising questions in Parliament. Inquiry Committees were constituted by each House, reports were tabled, and motions were adopted expelling the members. The expelle…

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a society registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, was accused of acting arbitrarily in its election of office‑bearers and in disqualifying a candidate on residence grounds. The High Court admitted a review petition alleging breach of an undertaking g…

The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board purchased land that, according to the sale deed, provided Shiv K. Sharma and others a right of access through a passage. After the State Government acquired the land for a sub‑station, it fenced the passage, blocking the respondents' access. The respondents sued for an injun…

The case concerned Traffic Apprentices recruited by Indian Railways before 15‑May‑1987 who claimed entitlement to the higher pay scale (Rs 1600‑2660) introduced for post‑cut‑off recruits. The Supreme Court had earlier, in Union of India v. M. Bhaskar, upheld the Railway Board's memorandum limiting the higher scale to p…

In 1983 the Government of India, responding to a prolonged textile strike, promulgated an Ordinance and later an Act to take over the management of thirteen textile mills pending their nationalisation. Three Bombay mills – Elphinstone Spinning & Weaving, Jam Manufacturing and New City – challenged the legislation, alle…

Ishwar Chand Jain, a direct‑recruit Additional District & Sessions Judge appointed on 2‑May‑1983, was terminated after an extended probation but later reinstated and confirmed by the Supreme Court with effect from 2‑May‑1985. The High Court later fixed his seniority based on a 1990 notification that used the date of co…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Jammu & Kashmir Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Act, 1988, which transferred management of the shrine and its endowments to a statutory Board and extinguished the hereditary rights of Baridars to receive offerings. The Baridars argued that the Board was a "controlle…

The State of Bihar prepared a panel of 273 candidates for Assistant Teacher posts under the 1975 Bihar Government Assistant Teachers Service Encadrement Appointment and Transfer Rules. While 98 candidates were appointed (91 joined), the remaining candidates were placed on a waiting list. The High Court, by interim orde…

Lt. Colonel P.S. Bhargava, an Army Dental Corps officer, completed the minimum qualifying service for a pension and applied for voluntary resignation, which was accepted with a notice that he would lose pension and other terminal benefits. He first challenged the acceptance of his resignation in a writ petition, which …

The Chandigarh Administration auctioned a plot in 1975, awarding the lease‑hold to the respondents who paid 25% of the price but later defaulted on instalments, leading to cancellation of the lease and forfeiture of part of the premium. After a series of appeals, reviews and a refund of the balance, the respondents rep…

The legal representatives of the deceased filed an execution petition that was granted by the District Munsif, directing delivery of possession of an undivided property to three decree‑holders. In the subsequent revision before the Madras High Court, only two of the three decree‑holders were impleaded, and the order in…

Har Sharan Verma filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the appointment of K.P. Tewari as a Minister of Uttar Pradesh, contending that the Constitution, as amended by the Sixteenth Amendment (Article 173(a)), required a minister to be a member of the State Legislature. The petitioner argued that the amendme…

Lt. Col. Suprita Chandel, a Short Service Commissioned officer in the Army Dental Corps, was denied a third chance for permanent commission after a 2013 amendment to the age‑relaxation rules. A batch of similarly situated officers successfully obtained a one‑time age relaxation and permanent commission from the Armed F…

Dr. Ajay Kumar Jain filed a miscellaneous application in a writ petition (W.P. (C) No.429/2020) that had been finally disposed of on 6‑8‑2021, seeking protection from alleged threats by a contemnor. The Supreme Court examined whether such a post‑disposal application could be entertained to revive proceedings or address…

The Supreme Court examined the case of two convicts sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a woman, focusing on the inordinate and unexplained delay in executing the death sentence. The convicts filed mercy petitions with the Governor of Maharashtra and the President of India, which were rejected after prolonged…

The Supreme Court considered appeals against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that struck down a domicile/residence‑based reservation provision in the prospectus of Government Medical College, Chandigarh for PG medical courses. The petitioners sought to uphold the reservation for candidates with a ‘Chandigarh back…

The wife filed a habeas corpus petition seeking the production and return of her minor daughter from the husband. The High Court dismissed the petition and directed the Family Court to decide the pending custody case. On appeal, the Supreme Court ordered the Family Court to dispose of the guardianship case on its merit…

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

The Union (Secretary, Department of Personnel) appealed against several High Court and CAT orders that had granted Data Entry Operator (DEO) Grade‑A employees the higher pay scale of Grade‑B on the basis of their qualifications or length of service. The Court examined whether the classification of DEO posts and the pay…

The Supreme Court examined a contempt petition filed by Rajeshwar Singh, an Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate, who alleged that respondents including Subrata Roy Sahara were intimidating him and attempting to derail the court‑monitored investigation into the 2G Spectrum scam. The petitioner invoked Arti…

The Supreme Court examined a contempt petition filed by Nano Kishore Ojha against the State of Bihar for failing to honour undertakings given on 18 January 2006 and 7 February 2007 to appoint all trained primary‑school teachers to vacant posts. Earlier High Court and Supreme Court orders (1996, 1997) had directed the S…