Constitution of India

The Mysore Urban Development Authority (the Authority) appealed a civil suit decree against it, but its first appeal was dismissed in default when its counsel failed to appear. The Authority sought restoration of the appeal under Order 41 Rule 19 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but the appellate court refused and…

The Supreme Court entertained Writ Petition (Civil) No. 406 of 2013 concerning inhuman conditions in 1,382 Indian prisons. Relying on earlier decisions, the Court affirmed that prisoners are persons entitled to fundamental rights, including dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. It examined the persistent proble…

M/s. Sanghvi Reconditioners Pvt. Ltd., a ship‑repair unit, was found to have imported engineering cargo as "ship spares" and then sold the goods to a third party, thereby fraudulently claiming exemption under Notification No.211/83. The Customs Commissioner demanded duty, penalty and interest; the appellant withdrew it…

Manish Goel and Rohini Goel married in July 2008 and separated shortly thereafter. The husband filed an annulment suit under Section 12 of the Hindu Marriage Act in Gurgaon, while the wife filed a domestic‑violence petition in Delhi. They later filed a mutual‑consent divorce petition under Section 13‑8(1) before the De…

The Supreme Court entertained Civil Appeal No. 725 of 2009 filed by Sahara India Commercial Corp. Ltd. seeking directions for the speedy disposal of a suit (No. 3376 of 2005) pending before the Bombay High Court and an appeal against an order passed on a chamber summons. The Court, invoking its powers under Article 136…

V.J. Thomas filed a suit under Order 1 Rule 8 of the CPC for declaration of title, possession and an injunction against respondents 3‑5, publishing a notice under Order 1 Rule 10. The respondents did not appear and an ex‑parte decree was passed. In the execution proceedings, respondents 1 and 2, who were not parties to…

The respondents, a small cadre of engineers employed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), alleged that they had been denied any promotional avenue for over thirty years despite recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission. They filed a writ petition seeking a direction to the statutory body, a 'State' within Article …

The Railway Rates Tribunal declared the freight rates charged by the Union of India unreasonable. The Union filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, which was eventually dismissed after an interim order. The respondents then filed writ petitions and suits for refund of excess freight charges. The Unio…

The appellants, successors of the late Chogyal Sir Tashi Namgyal, claimed ownership of plots 1013, 1014 and part of 1040 in Gangtok, alleging they formed part of the Chogyal's private estate. The respondents had constructed a hotel and other structures on the land, asserting that the plots had been acquired by the Sikk…

The Rajasthan Government created District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) as societies funded entirely by the State to implement various poverty‑alleviation schemes. Employees, including Class‑III and Class‑IV staff, were appointed on temporary six‑month contracts under the State Rural Development Agency Employees S…

Harsh Pratap Sisodia passed his intermediate examination without biology and later cleared biology, subsequently qualifying the All India Pre‑Medical/Pre‑Dental Entrance Examination conducted by CBSE. He was allotted a seat in an MBBS programme under the 15% All India Quota, but the Dean of Dr. V.M. Medical College, So…

The People's Union for Civil Liberties filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a judicial inquiry into a alleged fake police encounter in Manipur where two villagers were taken in custody, transported to a distant location and shot dead, and also sought compensation for the families. The State of Manipur contest…

The appellant Dharma challenged the acquittal of Nirmal Singh for the rape and murder of Ravinder Jit Kaur. The Supreme Court examined whether its power under Article 136 (and 142) of the Constitution is limited by Section 401(3) of the CrPC when hearing an appeal against an acquittal. It also evaluated the evidence – …

M.C. Dhingra, who had rendered temporary service in a State Government before joining the Central Government and retired on 1 February 1973, sought a proportionate pension for that earlier service. The Government of India issued a circular on 31 March 1982 allowing such pensionary benefits but limited them to employees…

The Supreme Court heard a contempt petition filed by I. Manilal Singh, Secretary of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, who alleged that Dr. H. Borobabu Singh, the Speaker of the Assembly, had ordered his compulsory retirement as retaliation for implementing the Court’s earlier orders quashing the disqualification of cer…

The petitioner challenged two 1992 Ordinances that amended the Representation of the People Act, 1951 – narrowing the counter‑manding provision in Section 52 to only candidates of recognised political parties who die, and reducing the minimum interval between the withdrawal of nominations and polling from twenty to fou…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Handlooms (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act, 1985 and the 4 August 1986 order reserving certain textiles for exclusive handloom production. Petitioners argued that the reservation created a monopoly, violated Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Consti…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Chapter III‑C of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (Section 45S and Section 58B(5A)) introduced by the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 1983, which limit the number of depositors an individual, firm or unincorporated association may accept and prescribe a two‑yea…

The petitioners, diamond exporters, were granted Export House Certificates and Additional Import Licences under the 1978‑79 Import‑Export Policy, which were based on FOB export values. After the 1988‑91 Policy came into force, a provision (para 218(10)) excluded licences issued before 1 April 1988 from the new import‑f…

Devi Cinema and other firms challenged the disallowance of interest paid to their partners under Section 40(b) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal had held that the entire interest paid by the firm to a partner was disallowable, ignoring any interest the partner paid back to the firm on borro…

The suit was filed by the heirs of a property owner to recover service charges from a sub-tenant, respondent No.3, who failed to appear, leading to an ex‑parte decree. The appellant, NAK Engineering Company Pvt. Ltd., later sought to be impleaded, claiming it was the successor of respondent No.3 under the Companies Act…

The Supreme Court examined bail applications of several accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. It balanced the constitutional right to liberty under Article 21 against the statutory bail restriction in Section 43D(5) of the UAPA, considering the length of pre‑trial de…

Adani Power Ltd., operating a coal‑based power plant in the Mundra SEZ, challenged the levy of customs duty on electricity exported from its SEZ unit to the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) under several notifications issued between 2010 and 2016. The Gujarat High Court, in a 2015 judgment, held that no lawful charging event…

M/S Shekhar Resorts Ltd., a corporate debtor, was under a moratorium under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) from September 2018 until July 2020. While the moratorium was in force, the company applied for the Sabka Vishwas (Legacy Dispute Resolution) Scheme, 2019 and was issued Form No.3 requiring a payment of R…

The appellants, two SC candidates, challenged the reservation policy of Manipur University, arguing that the 2012 Amendment to the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 should not reduce SC reservation from 15% to 2% and that the amendment applied only to institutions in Sixth Schedule t…

A fire on 10 April 2003 destroyed 35,642 cases of Indian Made Foreign Liquor stored in the bonded godown of M/s McDowell & Co. Ltd. The Uttar Pradesh Excise Department levied a demand for excise duty on the destroyed liquor, which the High Court set aside on the ground that the fire was an act of God and no negligence …

The Supreme Court examined a detention order issued under the Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1986 against Munagala Anjaiah, who was alleged to be a bootlegger violating the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition Act, 1995. The appellant's wife challenged the order, and the High Court upheld it, reasoning th…

The original plaintiff, allotted an A‑schedule building under a 1948 settlement deed, used a B‑schedule pathway that lay within the Ashramam’s property to access his building. After the defendants attempted to block the pathway, the plaintiff filed a suit for declaration of an easement (by grant or necessity) and a per…

The State of Karnataka appealed against Shreyas Papers Pvt. Ltd., which had purchased the land, building, plant and machinery of a defaulting company after the Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation took over those assets under the State Financial Corporation Act. The Commercial Tax Officer i…

The suit property, a house and land, was gifted by the deceased to two sisters who became co‑owners. Both sisters jointly sued two tenants for eviction, alleging default in rent and sub‑letting. One sister later sold her share to partners of one tenant firm, who argued they were not interested in eviction; the other si…

The petitioners, Personal Assistants and Junior Stenographers of the Delhi High Court, sought an upgraded pay scale in parity with their Central Government counterparts after the Central Government revised the latter's scales. The Delhi High Court issued a writ of mandamus directing the Union of India to grant the upgr…

The appellants challenged the appointment of two Additional Advocate Generals by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, arguing that Article 165 of the Constitution permits only a single Advocate General and that the additional appointments were unconstitutional. The State contended that the appointments were necessary due …

The Supreme Court examined promotions in Marathwada Gramin Bank where a cut‑off date of 31‑Aug‑1989 was fixed for eligibility and certain posts were reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. No eligible ST candidates were found, so the bank dereserved those posts and promoted general‑category employees. Writ petiti…

The respondents, Assistant Registrars of the Delhi High Court, claimed that their pay scale should be revised upward as recommended by the Chief Justice of the High Court. The Union of India refused to implement the recommendation, arguing that such fixation of pay requires the President’s (or Governor’s) approval unde…

Sultan Sadiq, who had been rendering voluntary services as an assistant teacher in a madrasa, contested a legislative assembly election. The first respondent challenged his election alleging that Sadiq held an office of profit under the State of Assam because his services were purportedly regularized by a government or…

In the 1998 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, the appellant was declared elected and the defeated respondent filed an election petition alleging corrupt practices. The petition and its supporting affidavit were drafted in Hindi, contrary to the High Court Rule requiring English, and the affidavit was not in…

The landlord filed a suit for eviction, arrears of rent and damages against the tenant, alleging that the premises were not covered by the Uttar Pradesh Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972 because the building was less than ten years old at the time of filing. The tenant contended that …

The Great Eastern Shipping Co. Ltd., owner of a tug, entered into a six‑month time charter agreement with New Mangalore Port Trust. The Karnataka tax authorities directed the company to register under the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957, claiming the agreement attracted tax under section 5C, which taxes the transfer of t…

The appellants Surendra Singh and Ram Singh were convicted for the murder of shopkeeper Rajendra Kumar based on a series of circumstantial facts, including motive, being the last persons seen with the victim, recovery of stolen items and blood‑stained clothing at their homes, identification of those items, discovery of…

The State of Gujarat and the Mamlatdar sought to enforce the Gujarat Agricultural Lands Ceiling Act, 1960 against Manoharsinhji Pradyumansinhji Jadeja, whose 587 acres of land were declared surplus. Jadeja contended that the lands were "urban land" under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 and therefore o…

The appellant, a landowner, had agreed to sell a parcel of agricultural land to the complainant, who belongs to a Scheduled Tribe, and transferred possession after partial payment. After the complainant began cultivating sugarcane, the appellant forcibly entered the land, used a tractor to till it and destroyed the cro…

Naresh Govind Vaze, a judicial officer of Maharashtra, was subjected to departmental disciplinary proceedings for alleged misconduct, including the use of intemperate language in representations to the High Court and other administrative lapses. A District Judge was appointed as the inquiry officer, who found the charg…

The respondent, Dinesh Kumar Sharma, a Subordinate Agricultural Services officer, claimed promotion and seniority from the 1995-96 vacancy year, although his substantive appointment order was issued on 19 November 1999. The High Court directed the State to reconsider his claim, but the Supreme Court held that under the…

The petitioners were doctors temporarily appointed by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh against substantive vacancies between 1965 and 1976. They sought seniority to be counted from the date of their initial appointments, relying on the earlier Mathur judgment, and challenged the applicability of the 1979 ad‑hoc appointmen…

The case arose when a two‑judge bench of the Supreme Court, disagreeing with a prior three‑judge decision in Nityananda Kar v. State of Orissa, ordered that the matter be placed before a five‑judge bench. The petitioners challenged whether such a referral was permissible under the Constitution and Supreme Court Rules. …

Kasam Abdulla Hafiz, a former assistant public prosecutor, was charged with murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and attempt to murder (Sec. 307 IPC) after he allegedly threw a brick and stabbed Manohar Deshmukh, the father of a colleague, resulting in Deshmukh's death, and also injured Sanjay Patil. The Sessions Court convicted him …

Haripada Khan, a permanent workman of Indian Oil Corporation, was arrested in connection with a theft of oil and subsequently dismissed under Standing Order No.20‑IV, which permits dismissal without a disciplinary enquiry if the employee is convicted or the General Manager is satisfied that continuation is not expedien…

The New Riviera Co‑op Housing Society appealed against the Special Land Acquisition Officer after the land on which its flats stood was acquired for a public purpose under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. An award was made and compensation of Rs.13,11,299 was paid, but the society filed a reference under Section 18 disp…

The State of West Bengal issued a 1984 notification exempting entertainment tax for performances by group, amateur theatres or amateur jatra that are formed solely for cultural activities and do not pay artists regular or contractual fees, while professional theatres were excluded. A professional theatre challenged the…

The petition was filed by the U.P. Income‑Tax Department Contingent Paid Staff Welfare Association on behalf of its members, who had been working for many years as Class IV employees in the Income‑Tax Department but were paid daily‑rated wages lower than those of regular Class IV staff. The petition sought a writ of ma…

The appellant purchased agricultural land from a tribal seller with collector's permission, but the Sub‑Divisional Officer, invoking the Maharashtra Restoration of Lands to Scheduled Tribes Act, 1974, ordered restoration of possession to the tribal buyer. The appellant appealed, arguing that sections 3(1) and 4 of the …

The State of West Bengal filed a Special Leave Petition under Article 136 challenging a Calcutta High Court order that granted bail to the accused Sudhir Dey and others and appointed the Deputy Inspector General of the CBI as a Special Officer to investigate murder allegations. The Supreme Court noted that the petition…

The University conducted digital evaluation of answer scripts for a postgraduate diploma course, and several students filed writ petitions seeking re‑evaluation of their answer sheets. The High Court, after calling for the answer scripts, ordered a fresh re‑evaluation despite the absence of any provision for such a pro…

The Supreme Court examined the legality of the Central Government's 2014 amendment (G.S.R. 609(E)) to the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995, which raised the maximum pensionable salary, introduced a joint option for employees earning above Rs.15,000, and required such employees to contribute an additional 1.16% of their …

The Supreme Court considered appeals by five police officials convicted for the abduction, illegal detention and murder of human‑rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. The trial court and High Court had found the appellants guilty based on the testimony of several witnesses, including an accomplice, despite the absence …

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by animal‑right activist Bharat Kothari against a Gujarat High Court order that quashed an FIR alleging cruelty to nearly 2,000 goats and sheep and simultaneously convicted six livestock owners (respondents) under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, despite them not bein…

The case concerned employees engaged by Official Liquidators under Rule 308 of the Companies (Court) Rules, 1959 who were paid from the liquidated company's fund ("company paid staff"). They sought regularisation, absorption into the regular cadre of the Department of Company Affairs and parity in pay with Central Gove…

The petitioners, originally residents of Delhi who obtained their MBBS degrees outside Delhi under the 15% all‑India quota, challenged Delhi University’s notification that barred them from postgraduate medical courses, arguing that reservations based on domicile or institutional preference violated Articles 14 and 15 o…

The consumer complained that a bottle of "Lehar Pepsi" he purchased was adulterated with fungus, leading to a complaint under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. The Special Judicial Magistrate summoned Pepsi Foods Ltd. and others, but the appellants challenged the summons in the High Court, which dismissed …

The Supreme Court revisited the implementation of its earlier Mandal judgment, which required the exclusion of socially advanced persons (the "creamy layer") from reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The State of Kerala had repeatedly failed to comply with the Court's directions despite multiple extensions, …

The Supreme Court examined the arbitrary allotment of fifteen petrol pumps by the then Minister of Petroleum, Capt. Satish Sharma, finding that the allocations were made without any official application, advertisement, or criteria, and favoured relatives and associates, thereby violating Article 14 of the Constitution.…

The petitioners, processors of grey cotton and man‑made fabrics, challenged the levy of excise duty on operations such as bleaching, dyeing and printing, arguing that these were merely processing and not "manufacture" under Section 2(f) of the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944. The Gujarat High Court held the opposite…

The landlord obtained permission to evict tenants under Section 3 of the 1947 U.P. Temporary Control of Rent and Eviction Act, which became final after a rejected revision. He filed a suit for eviction, which was later dismissed on a technical ground. Subsequently, relying on Section 43(2)(rr) of the 1972 U.P. Urban Bu…

The Supreme Court considered a Miscellaneous Application filed by Sunview Assets Pvt. Ltd., the auction purchaser, seeking a sale certificate from Union Bank of India on the ground that it had fully paid the auction price with interest as ordered on 12 May 2020. The Court examined whether the successive extensions of t…

Paulmech Infrastructure Private Ltd (appellant) entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Utkal Ashok Hotel Corporation Ltd (UAHCL) for a 40‑year lease of Hotel Nilachal Ashok, requiring payment of Rs 9.34 crore within 30 days, including a non‑refundable upfront sum of Rs 8.82 crore. The appellant failed to pay the fu…

The husband and wife were married in 1993 and have been living apart for more than 22 years. The husband filed a petition for divorce under Sections 13(1)(ia) and (ib) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging cruelty, and also sought dissolution on the ground of irretrievable breakdown, but the Family Court and the High Cou…

The appellant was convicted under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 for selling milk whose Milk Solid Non‑Fat (MSNF) content was 7.7%, below the statutory standard of 8.5%. He argued that the delay in analysis caused a marginal shortfall, that he was denied the right under Section 13(2) to have a second sam…

K.S.B. Ali claimed title to 1,635 acres of land in Kokapet village on behalf of 203 alleged heirs of Nawab Nusrat Jung‑I, relying on a 1954 Atiyat Court order approved by the Revenue Minister. The Government issued several orders (2002, 2004, 2005) that were later rescinded, and tenders for the land were issued. Ali fi…

The appellant, Kulja Industries Ltd., supplied telecom equipment to BSNL under two tenders. BSNL later alleged that the appellant, in collusion with BSNL officials, received excess payments of Rs 7.98 crore through duplicate bills and blacklisted the appellant permanently. The appellant challenged the blacklisting, arg…

The respondent, an Upper Division Clerk in a Kendriya Vidyalaya, was found to have entered the Principal's office while fully drunk during duty hours, an act admitted by him. A disciplinary authority, after his admission, imposed removal from service under the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules. The High Court late…

In 1995 Ajahar Ali forcibly grabbed the hair of 16‑year‑old Nasima Begum, kissed her and caused a cut on her lip. He was convicted under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to six months’ simple imprisonment and a fine. The appellant appealed, arguing that the 18‑year delay, his juvenile status at the ti…

The Board of Trustees of Martyrs Memorial Trust, a public charitable trust, was allotted government accommodation in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, which was later cancelled by the District Collector who also acted as the Trust's Secretary. The Trust challenged the cancellation, alleging the Collector acted without a Trust mee…

The State of Punjab prosecuted Rajesh Syal, former director of Golden Forest (India) Ltd, for fraudulently collecting public money and failing to return it, leading to multiple criminal cases in different courts under IPC sections 406, 420, 468, 471, 1208 and Punjab Reforms Act s.7(2). Syal filed applications under CrP…

The Indian Overseas Bank and other nationalised banks amended their disciplinary regulations by a circular that barred an officer from seeking assistance from another employee who already had two pending disciplinary cases as a defence officer. The amendment was challenged on the ground that it violated Article 14 of t…

The Rajasthan Sales Tax Act, 1994 requires transporters to carry declaration Form ST‑18A and other documents under Section 78(2). A truck of Mis D.P. Metals was stopped at a check‑post without the form, seized and a penalty of 30% of the goods' value was imposed under Section 78(5). The respondents challenged the const…

The landlords (Bajorias) sought eviction of the tenants (Burmans) from a shop under the Bihar Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1947 on grounds of non‑payment of rent and personal requirement. The tenants had repeatedly sent the monthly rent by postal money order to one co‑owner, Anar Devi, who refused …

The petitioners sought a direction that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) include Sanskrit as an elective subject in its secondary school syllabus, arguing that Sanskrit, being an Eighth Schedule language, should be promoted under Article 351 of the Constitution. The Board opposed, contending that inclusi…

R.S. Raghunath, an officer in the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Department, challenged the promotion of another officer to Deputy Commissioner of Transport, arguing that the Special Rules of 1976 required promotion by selection, not seniority‑cum‑merit. The Karnataka Administrative Tribunal dismissed his claim, holding that…

The appellants Mathura Prashad and Binda Prashad were convicted under IPC s.302 read with s.34 for the murder of Keshav Singh. The prosecution’s case rested on a dying declaration in which the deceased wrote only the name "Guiab Chand" and on witness testimony that did not specifically identify the appellants. The Supr…

The All India Sainik Schools Employees Association filed a petition under Article 32 seeking a mandamus directing the Sainik School Society to grant its employees the same service benefits and equal pay as those of Kendriya Vidyalaya (KVS) staff. The Court examined whether the Society, a body registered under the Socie…

The Supreme Court examined whether state lotteries organised by Tamil Nadu and West Bengal could be taxed under the states' sales‑tax statutes. The petitioners, dealers in lottery tickets, argued that lottery tickets are not "goods" but merely actionable claims, rendering the amendments to the Tamil Nadu General Sales …

K.L. Tripathi, a Branch Manager of State Bank of India, was charged with irregularities in issuing letters of credit and alleged misconduct. An internal investigation under the SBI (Officers and Assistants) Service Rules led to a charge‑sheet, after which he was given a personal hearing but not the opportunity to cross…

The Supreme Court examined a petition filed under Article 227 of the Constitution challenging the sale of a property executed against a judgment-debtor. The sale was ordered by a Subordinate Judge after the surety of the judgment-debtor failed to deposit the required amount and subsequently died. The surety's alleged h…

The petitioner sought a writ under Article 32 of the Constitution directing all States and Union Territories to implement Section 6 of the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, which mandates rules for registering Sikh Anand Karaj marriages. The Court noted that while some jurisdictions had notified such rules, many had not, resul…

The petitioners, directly recruited District Judges in Tamil Nadu (2011), claimed they were senior to promotee judges but were overlooked for elevation to the Madras High Court. They argued that, under Article 217(2) of the Constitution, their prior advocacy experience should be clubbed with their judicial service to s…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) bars prosecution under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for theft of sand and gravels from riverbeds. The Court held that offences under Section 21 of the MMDR Act (contravention of mining lease conditions) are distin…

The Tribal Mission established an unaided English‑medium school in Kerala in 2001 and applied for state recognition in 2003. The Government, relying on its 2007 policy and the Kerala Education Rules (KER) 1959, rejected the application, noting that three recognized schools existed nearby and that granting recognition c…

The petitioners, members of the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Service, challenged the retrospective application of the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1953 (amended 2007) which altered the promotion and recruitment ratios for the Higher Judicial Service. They argued that vacancies that arose before 21 March 2002 …

The State of Bihar levied a penal duty on several distilleries for an alleged shortfall in the production of rectified spirit from molasses, relying on a Comptroller and Auditor General report. The distilleries filed writ petitions under Article 226, contending that the penalty was imposed without any hearing, adjudica…

The petitioners, officers of the Indian Police Service promoted from the Delhi and Andaman & Nicobar Police Services, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking to be encadred in the Joint Police Service with retrospective effect, alleging that the notifications dated 31‑12‑1997 were arbitrary and violative of Arti…

Navinchandra N. Majithia entered into a share‑sale agreement that was later terminated, after which the buyer filed a false complaint in Shillong, Meghalaya. Majithia filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court under Article 226 seeking to quash the complaint or, alternatively, to direct the Meghalaya police to tran…

The petitioners, appointed as ad‑hoc field workers in Kerala's Filaria Department between 1981 and 1985, sought regularisation of their services after more than fourteen years. The Kerala High Court dismissed their writ petitions and directed the government to fill thirty vacancies through the Public Service Commission…

The Municipal Board of Hapur had set up a bus stand and, by resolution, increased the daily fee for its use from Rs 0.50 to Rs 0.75. Transport operators (the respondents) challenged the fee, arguing that the municipality lacked authority to levy it and that the increase was ultra vires. The Allahabad High Court struck …

The petitioners challenged the criteria adopted by the States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for identifying the 'creamy layer' to be excluded from reservation benefits under Articles 14 and 16(4) of the Constitution. Both states had introduced multiple conditions – such as a minimum salary of Rs.10,000 per month, a gradua…

The petitioner, P.M. Hari Kumar, was arrested in March 1990 for allegedly smuggling silver and was granted bail with conditions. The Kerala government issued a preventive detention order under Section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA) on July 11, 19…

Satrucharla Raju was appointed as a single teacher in a primary school run by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), a registered society. He was suspended pending an enquiry, tendered his resignation on 26 October 1989 (which was not accepted), and subsequently filed his nomination and was elected to the And…

The Integral Coach Factory’s Production Control Organisation (PCO) comprises four wings, of which the Progress Wing was declared a separate permanent cadre while the Inspection Wing remained an ex‑cadre unit. Employees of the Inspection Wing filed a writ petition alleging that this differential treatment violated Artic…

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) terminated the services of three permanent employees under Regulation 9(b) of the Delhi Road Transport Authority (Conditions of Appointment and Service) Regulations, 1952, which allowed termination by one month's notice or pay in lieu thereof without assigning reasons or holding an…

The State of Rajasthan, through its District Rehabilitation Officer, sued the Union of India and the Railway Administration in a district court for damages to tents damaged while in transit on Indian Railways. The Union contended that the suit was barred by Article 131 of the Constitution, which gives the Supreme Court…

The appellant, K.P. Varghese, sold a house to his daughter‑in‑law and five children for the same price he had paid for it (Rs 16,500) and reported no capital gain for the 1966‑67 assessment year. The Income‑Tax Officer later issued a notice under section 148 and reassessed the assessee, fixing the fair market value at …

V.B. Raju, an Indian Civil Service officer who later became a High Court Judge, filed a petition seeking two separate pensions—one for his service as an I.C.S. officer and another for his tenure as a judge—under the High Court Judges (Conditions of Service) Act, 1954. The issues centered on the constitutional validity …

V.B. Raju, an additional judge of the Bombay High Court, was allotted to the newly created Gujarat High Court under section 29(1) of the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960. He filed a petition under article 226 seeking the compensatory allowance provided by article 222(2) of the Constitution, contending that the president…

B.S. Narwal enrolled in the five‑year integrated M.A. programme in Russian at Jawaharlal Nehru University but failed to clear any core courses in the first three semesters despite being allowed to repeat them. The Centre of Russian Studies recommended, and the University acted on, his removal from the rolls for unsatis…

The Collector of Raipur published a preliminary electoral roll for the municipal elections and issued a notice under Rule 4(1) allowing claims or objections within 20 days, although Rule 4(3) prescribed a 30‑day period. Several petitioners discovered the discrepancy only in early December and filed a writ petition unde…

The father was convicted under Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 506 of the IPC for repeatedly committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault on his ten‑year‑old daughter. The trial court, relying on the victim's testimony, corroboration from her elder sister, and forensic DNA evidence, sentenced him to life imp…

The husband and wife lived together in Delhi for a month before the wife returned to her parents in Ambikapur. Two years later her father filed an FIR under Section 498A IPC alleging cruelty. The High Court held that the cruelty continued and that the Ambikapur court had jurisdiction. On appeal, the Supreme Court exami…

The appellants Bakshi Dev Raj & Anr. challenged a decree modified by the High Court in a second appeal, alleging that their counsel settled the matter without a written agreement and that the subsequent review petition was barred because their Special Leave Petition (SLP) had been dismissed as withdrawn. The Supreme Co…

The respondent filed a suit under Order 37 Rules 1 and 2 of the CPC to recover a cheque amount that was dishonoured. The petitioner applied for leave to defend under Order 37 Rule 3, alleging that the cheque dated 11‑10‑2006 was originally dated 11‑10‑2000 and had been tampered with, and that the cheque was given only …

The parents of Bal Reddy were murdered in their Hyderabad home on 3 December 1997. The prosecution charged the daughter‑in‑law (Swarnalatha) and five others under sections 120‑B, 302, 392 and 201 IPC, relying mainly on circumstantial evidence, an extra‑judicial confession recorded by the son‑in‑law of the deceased, the…

The Supreme Court examined whether daily‑wage employees appointed without following recruitment rules were entitled to "equal pay for equal work" with regular staff. It held that the doctrine, rooted in Article 39(d) and Article 14 of the Constitution, can be invoked only when the claimants perform equal work of equal …

The case arose when a group of railway employees assaulted a senior officer who was about to board a train after superannuation, threatening his life and creating a violent scene at the station. The disciplinary authority, invoking Rule 14(ii) of the Railway Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1968 and clause (b) o…

The Supreme Court heard a civil appeal filed by the Union of India challenging the transfer orders of two income‑tax officers who had voluntarily agreed to revert from the post of Upper Division Clerk (UDC) to Lower Division Clerk (LDC) to obtain a transfer from the Gujarat charge to the Kerala charge. The respondents …

The petitioners, members of Scheduled Castes who had migrated to Delhi, challenged a circular issued by the National Capital Territory that denied them reservation benefits in Delhi's subordinate services, arguing that they should retain their SC status under the Presidential orders. The Court examined whether Article …

The appellant, a transport company, challenged Sections 42, 44 and the later inserted Section 46A of the Assam General Sales Tax Act, 1993, arguing that transporters are not dealers and thus outside the legislature's competence under Entry 54 of List II. The State contended that these provisions are ancillary measures …

ICICI Bank installed illuminated sign boards above its ATM centres and extension counters in Bombay without obtaining permission from the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC). The BMC issued notices under Sections 328 and 328A of the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, requiring the bank to remove the boards or pay a…

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) conducted a competitive examination in 1983, declared the results in 1985 and later, after a two‑year gap, issued a show‑cause notice to Vinoy Kumar Singh alleging unfair means in the General Knowledge paper. The Commission cancelled his answer‑sheet and debarred him. Singh ch…

The workmen employed in the statutory canteen of Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd. filed a writ petition seeking declaration that they were regular employees of the corporation and were entitled to regularisation, pay scales and arrears. The Bombay High Court held that, relying on Parimal Chandra Raha v. LIC, the …

The case concerned the validity of amendments to the Indian Meteorological Service (Group A) Recruitment Rules of 1978 and 1983, which broadened the field of consideration for promotion to the post of Meteorological Grade‑I (MG‑I) by equating service experience across different grades (MG‑II and Assistant Meteorologist…

Tata Davy Ltd was declared a sick industrial company under the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 and a reconstruction scheme was sanctioned by the Board. The company had arrears of sales tax under the Orissa Sales Tax Act, 1947, and the State sought attachment of its property under section 13‑A o…

The petitioners filed a public interest writ under Article 32 seeking a direction to the Union of India to introduce a Bill in Parliament to include the Rajasthani language in the Eighth Schedule, or alternatively to strike down the 71st Amendment (1992) that added Manipuri, Konkani and Nepali, alleging it violated the…

The petitioners, owners of cinema halls in Lucknow, challenged the theatre tax imposed by the Lucknow Nagar Mahapalika under Sections 172 and 2(77) of the U.P. Nagar Mahapalika Adhiniyam, 1959, arguing that the statute unlawfully delegated legislative power to the Mahapalika and that the classification of cinemas based…

A.K. Nair, a Reserve Bank of India employee with 50% post‑polio disability, failed to obtain the required 95 marks in the 2003 All India Merit Test for promotion to Assistant Manager by three marks. He sought condonation of the shortfall and reservation in promotion under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. The Bo…

The appellant, a SEBC candidate, applied for a Forest Service post and was selected after availing age relaxation granted to reserved categories. The Gujarat Public Service Commission (GPSC) placed him in the reserved category list, but he argued that, per the Supreme Court's decision in Jitendra Kumar Singh, he should…

The Supreme Court of India interpreted Article 239AA of the Constitution, which provides special provisions for the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The case arose from a dispute between the Government of NCT of Delhi and the Union of India regarding the powers of the Lieutenant Governor and the elected Council of …

The case arose from the alleged torture and rape of a woman (PW‑3) by police officials after she was taken for interrogation on 9 February 1989. PW‑3 filed a petition to the Governor, a criminal complaint before a magistrate, and later testified in trial, alleging that she was detained overnight and raped, with her hus…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over the recruitment of primary school teachers in Jharkhand, where candidates holding C.P.Ed./Dip.P.Ed. sought appointment as primary teachers and the High Court had directed that 5% of vacancies be filled by physical‑trained candidates based on Bihar's policy. The Court held that …

The Academy of Nutrition Improvement and others challenged the constitutionality of Rule 44‑1 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955, which prohibited the sale of non‑iodised common salt for human consumption. The petitioners argued that the rule violated Articles 14, 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitution and…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition filed by former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani and others alleging that large sums of unaccounted money were being held by Indian individuals and entities in foreign banks, notably involving Hassan Ali Khan and the Tapurias, and that the Union of India had been sluggish …

The case arose from a long-running family dispute over a residential property where the appellants repeatedly filed suits and applications for over four decades, causing extensive delay and waste of judicial resources. The Supreme Court examined whether the trial courts should impose actual, realistic costs on parties …

A.P. Foods, a non‑profit public‑sector establishment run by the Andhra Pradesh Nutrition Council, was challenged by its employees who demanded bonus under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965. The Labour Commissioner held the Act inapplicable, but the employer later paid ex‑gratia and subsequently stopped it, prompting a wri…

The appellant, an Assistant Conservator of Forest in Assam, was suspended in 1994, reinstated, and later faced disciplinary charges in 1997. An enquiry report in 2000 found him not guilty and the proceedings were dropped. The Supreme Court had earlier issued prospective directions on 15 Jan 1998 and 12 May 2001 to revi…

The father of the appellants filed a criminal complaint in 2007 alleging that while on Haj pilgrimage the accused forged his signature and created bogus partition and sale deeds to insert their names into revenue records. Despite multiple orders, the investigation stalled, case papers were lost, and a re‑investigation …

Harina​gar Sugar Mills Ltd. (Biscuit Division) (HSML) applied to close its biscuit unit after Britannia Industries terminated a 32‑year job‑work agreement. The State Government, through a Deputy Secretary, sent a letter on 25 September 2019 asking HSML to resubmit its application, claiming the original lacked cogent re…

The Supreme Court upheld a 2002 decree that mandated the State of Punjab to complete the Sutlej‑Yamuna Link (SYL) canal within one year, directing the Union of India to intervene if Punjab failed. Punjab’s subsequent suit challenging the decree, the constitutionality of Section 78 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966…

The complainant company alleged that the appellants forged documents to obtain a property measurement and sought registration of a FIR. After filing complaints with the Deputy Superintendent of Land Records, the authority declined coercive action and referred the matter to the police, which returned the case to the lan…

The Supreme Court examined an election petition filed under Section 100(1)(d)(iv) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which alleged that the returned candidate, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, had suppressed her spouse's PAN and income‑tax details in Form 26. The Court held that the petition contained only vague, bal…

The petitioner, an NRI, was arrested at Delhi airport for allegedly smuggling watches through the green channel. He sought a direction for home‑cooked food and, more importantly, the right to settle the customs duty liability under Section 127B of the Customs Act, arguing that Section 123, which bars settlement for cer…

The Kerala government enacted the Kerala Revocation of Arbitration Clauses and Reopening of Awards Act, 1998 to cancel arbitration clauses in agreements for the Kallada Irrigation Project, revoke arbitrators' authority and permit appeals against awards that had become "Rule of Court". The High Court of Kerala held the …

The Union of India appealed against the High Courts' orders quashing reassessment notices issued under section 148 of the Income Tax Act after 1 April 2021. The Finance Act, 2021 had substituted sections 147‑151, introducing section 148A as a condition precedent for issuing a notice under section 148. The Supreme Court…

The State of West Bengal appealed against Calcutta Club Limited, which had been held not liable for sales tax on food and drink supplied to its permanent members. The club argued that the doctrine of mutuality made such supplies a non‑sale, while the State contended that the 46th Constitution Amendment (Article 366(29A…

The respondents, Rakesh Kumar Keshari and another, were appointed as Assistant District Government Counsel (Criminal) on contract and sought renewal of their terms after the District Judge and District Magistrate recommended it. The Uttar Pradesh State Government instead advertised the posts, later directed the Distric…

The appellants challenged the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Laws (Amendment) Act, 2007, which altered the procedure for a no‑confidence motion against the Chairperson of a Panchayat by reducing the block period to one year and changing the required majority from two‑thirds to more than half. Th…

The State of Uttar Pradesh, facing a severe shortage of primary school teachers, introduced a two‑month special Basic Teacher's Certificate (BTC) training programme for B.Ed/L.T. candidates, reserving 50% of seats for women and imposing a restriction that applications be made only for vacancies in the candidate's home …

Arvind Mohan Johar and Anand Krishna Johari were granted bail by the Supreme Court on the basis that Rs. 17 crore and Rs. 13 crore respectively were lying in the credit of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) and would be used to satisfy the claimants. The BSE and NSE later filed applicatio…

Mis. Fuerst Day Lawson Ltd. entered into a supply contract with Jindal Exports Ltd. which gave rise to a dispute arbitrated before the International General Produce Association, resulting in a foreign award dated 13 August 1996. The award was sought to be enforced in Delhi High Court, but the court dismissed the execut…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ petition filed by Vishwa Jagruti Mission seeking directions to curb the menace of ragging in educational institutions. Relying on Articles 32 and 142 of the Constitution, the Court observed that ragging is a serious social problem requiring not only criminal legislat…

Punjab Communications Ltd (PCL) had been shortlisted for a digital wireless telecom tender in Eastern Uttar Pradesh that was to be funded by an Asian Development Bank (ADB) soft loan. PCL alleged that senior officials conspired to sabotage the loan and the tender so that a multinational could supply an outdated analog …

The respondent, a former manager of the Bank of Cochin, was charged with sanctioning loans without adequate security or prior approval between 1977-81, leading to a departmental inquiry that found him guilty of gross negligence, a form of gross misconduct under the Bank of Cochin Service Code. The disciplinary authorit…

A High Court judge filed an income‑tax return asserting that his constitutional salary was not taxable under the Income Tax Act, 1961. The tax authorities rejected his claim and the matter reached the Supreme Court on a special leave petition. The Court considered whether the salaries payable under Articles 125 and 221…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Union Public Service Commission's practice of fixing 1 August as the cut‑off date for determining age eligibility in the Civil Services Examination was arbitrary, especially after the introduction of a preliminary exam held before that date. The Court held that the cut‑off date wa…

The Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), a statutory corporation under the Oil and Natural Gas Commission Act, 1959, supplied natural gas to certain Gujarat industries under contracts whose prices were based on thermal equivalence with alternate fuels. The respondents, forming an association of gas‑consuming industri…

The Supreme Court revisited the Doon Valley mining dispute, where earlier orders (30 August 1988) had halted all mining except for a few cases and directed afforestation of the valley. Numerous applications were filed thereafter seeking permission to remove stacked material or extensions of time, which the Court had be…

The C.N.V.V. Sangam, a society of Tamil Nadu agriculturists, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a direction to the Union of India to refer the Cauvery water dispute to a tribunal under Section 4 of the Inter‑State Water Disputes Act, 1956, and a mandamus restraining Karnataka from constructing dams. The res…

The appellants were charged with various offences under the Indian Penal Code and the State of Maharashtra appointed Special Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors for their cases under CrPC sections 24(8) and 25(1) respectively, with the remuneration to be borne by the private complainants as per Rule 22 …

The appellants, five trade‑union workmen of Shree Synthetics Ltd., were dismissed after a domestic enquiry that found them guilty of assaulting a co‑worker. They challenged the dismissal before the Labour Court under Section 61 of the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Relations Act, 1960, which upheld the enquiry. The Industri…

The respondent was detained under the National Security Act, 1980, and made a representation under Article 22(5) of the Constitution, which was forwarded to the Advisory Board. He also filed a separate representation for revocation of his detention under section 14 of the Act to the Prime Minister. The Central Governme…

The Supreme Court examined the preventive detention of Jahaubar Moulana under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974. The detenu argued that the detaining authority had failed to furnish copies of documents mentioned in the grounds of detention, had delayed consideration o…

The case concerned the recruitment of assistant teachers in West Bengal primary schools, where the eligibility rule required a Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) as prescribed by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). Because the COVID‑19 pandemic delayed the 2020‑22 D.El.Ed. batch, several candidat…

The appellant, Navneet Kaur, contested the validity of her "Mochi" Scheduled Caste certificate that had been approved by the Maharashtra Scrutiny Committee in 2017, after her election to a reserved parliamentary seat was challenged on grounds of alleged fraud. The High Court, exercising its writ jurisdiction under Arti…

The case concerned the selection and appointment of ten Shiksha Karmi Grade‑III candidates who were close relatives of members of the selection committee. The Collector cancelled their appointments on the ground of bias under Section 40(c) and Section 100 of the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, but the appellants were…

The appellants, Atul Chandra Das, sought ejectment of the respondents, the Bhattacharyyas, from a property alleging a valid sale, while the respondents contended that the original sale to Bholanath was a mortgage by conditional sale and that the appellants colluded to defeat the redemption period. The trial court dismi…

The respondent sought appointment of an arbitrator under Section 20 of the Arbitration Act, 1940, invoking Clause 11 of a partnership deed of "Gupta Bus Service" dated 5 July 1960. The appellants objected, arguing that the partnership was unregistered and therefore barred by Section 69(3) of the Partnership Act, 1932, …

The Suraz India Trust, a Rajasthan public trust, filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking review of two Supreme Court judgments that had affirmed the primacy of the collegium in appointing Supreme Court and High Court judges. The trust contended that those judgments effectively amended Article…

The State acquired land in 1982 for a road and paid compensation to certain owners, but the appellant claimed that his plots were taken without any legal acquisition. After a complaint to the Lokayukta was dismissed as time‑barred, he filed a writ petition in 2000 seeking acquisition of the disputed land and compensati…

The case involved a massive spurious liquor tragedy in Kerala where 31 people died and many were injured after consuming liquor adulterated with methyl alcohol. The accused, a group of brothers and their associates, were charged under the Abkari Act, particularly Section 57A, for mixing or permitting the mixing of a no…

The claimant, a coolie, hired a three‑wheeler auto‑rickshaw (a goods carriage) and was seated beside the driver when the vehicle overturned, causing serious injuries. He claimed compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, asserting that he was covered by the compulsory insurance under Section 147(1) as th…

The Greater Bombay Co‑operative Bank Ltd. advanced loans to its member company United Yarn Tex Pvt. Ltd. and sought recovery of the dues under the Maharashtra Co‑operative Societies Act, 1960. The High Courts held that, after the establishment of the Debt Recovery Tribunal under the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and F…

The State of NCT of Delhi appealed against a Delhi High Court order that had set aside an externment order issued under Section 47 of the Delhi Police Act, 1978, which directed a police officer to leave Delhi for one year. The High Court had held that the order lacked sufficient material and reasoning, particularly tha…

The State of West Bengal appealed against a Calcutta High Court order that granted exemption under Section 20 of the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 and confirmed the sale of a sick company's excess land to a third party, despite pending winding‑up proceedings under the Companies Act, 1956. The Supreme Co…

The case concerned a dispute over inter‑se seniority between temporary doctors appointed on an ad‑hoc basis in the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Medical Services and doctors selected through the Public Service Commission. A three‑Judge Bench had earlier held that temporary doctors could count seniority from their initial ap…

The case concerned surplus land of a large landholder, Raghubinder Nath, whose ceiling was fixed under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953 and a portion declared surplus. Jagat Ram, a tenant, obtained a decree for allotment of the surplus land and the Collector allotted it to him; he deposited the purchase pr…

The insured had taken four LIC policies and missed the third half‑yearly premium. A general agent collected a bearer cheque for the overdue premium after the grace period, encashed it and deposited the amount with LIC after the insured's death. LIC rejected the claim, stating the policies had lapsed because the premium…

Maulana Azad College, Ranchi, a minority institution, had entered into a 1972 agreement that no new posts could be created without the Vice‑Chancellor’s prior permission. After the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976 came into force, the college created a post and appointed Syed Asad Raza in 1979. The issue was whether …

The appellant, Suresh Chandra, an Assistant Manager (Electrical), sought promotion to the solitary Senior Manager (Electrical) post using the rule of roster (reservation) for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The respondents filed a writ petition contending that reservation could not be applied to a single‑post ca…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ filed by Common Cause seeking enforcement of statutory provisions that require political parties to disclose their sources of funding and maintain audited accounts. The Court examined the obligations under Section 293A of the Companies Act, 1956, Sections 13A, 139(48…

The appellants, dealers in petrol and diesel in Mahe, challenged the levy of a municipal tax on fuel and the subsequent Pondicherry Municipal Decree (Levy and Validation of Taxes, Duties, Cesses and Fees) Act, 1973. The High Court had struck down the original levy and later upheld the Validation Act as intra vires. On …

The petition was filed by Bhim Singh, President of the Jammu & Kashmir Panthers Party, seeking a declaration that Section 30(d) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which allows the Election Commission to fix poll dates without specifying a maximum interval after withdrawal of nominations, violates Article 14…

The Bombay High Court entertained a procedural application to list a civil appeal (No. 7032 of 1996) together with writ petitions filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution. The appeal arose from a decree for specific performance in suit No. 869/92 against Bharat Builders and others. Counsel for the responden…

The appellant was convicted by a Sessions Judge for murder (Sec. 302/34 IPC) and for tampering with evidence (Sec. 201 IPC). On appeal, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the appeal without re‑examining the trial evidence, relying on the trial judge’s observation of witness demeanor. The Supreme Court held that an appel…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of cess levied by the States of Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh on the basis of royalty from mining lands. It held that the cess could not be classified as land revenue, a tax on land, or a tax on mineral rights and therefore fell outside Entries 45, 49 and 50 of …

The Supreme Court considered the validity of a mineral‑areas development cess imposed under the Madhya Pradesh Karadhan Adhiniyam, 1982. The Madhya Pradesh High Court had earlier held the levy invalid in Hiralal v. State of M.P. (1986), but the State continued collecting the cess, prompting writ petitions and appeals. …

The petitioners, SC/ST law graduates, challenged Haryana's Rule 8 which required a uniform 55% aggregate mark for all candidates in the Judicial Service examination, alleging it denied them equality of opportunity despite a 20% reservation. The State argued the mark ensured efficiency. The Supreme Court examined the co…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of sections 13(8) to 13(11) of the Punjab Cooperative Societies Act, 1961, which empower the Registrar to compulsorily amalgamate cooperative societies. Petitioners argued that the provisions violated the right to form associations under Article 19(1)(c) and were n…

The appellant, Sita Soren, a member of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly accepting a bribe to vote for an independent candidate in a Rajya Sabha election, but she ultimately voted for her party's candidate. She sought to quash the charges invoking Artic…

The appellant’s truck carrying 17 cow progeny was seized and the driver and others were arrested under the Madhya Pradesh Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 2004 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The trial court acquitted all accused, finding no evidence of intent to slaughter, but the District Magistr…

The petitioners challenged the constitutionality of Section 12(2)(c) of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 and two State Election Commission notifications that reserved OBC seats beyond the 50% ceiling in several districts. Relying on the Constitution Bench decision in K. Krishna Murthy, th…

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a Statement and a Circular in April 2018 directing banks and other regulated entities to cease dealing with persons or entities dealing in virtual currencies (VCs) and to exit existing relationships within three months. The petitioners – a trade association and several cryptocurre…

The appellant, C. Jayachandran, applied for a District Judge post under a 2007 advertisement for six Higher Judicial Service vacancies. After the High Court annulled the grant of moderation marks to other candidates, the revised select list placed Jayachandran at rank 3, but his appointment was delayed until 24 Februar…

Panchraj Tiwari, a graduate junior engineer appointed in 1986 to the Rural Electricity Cooperative Society (RECS) Rewa, was approved for promotion to Assistant Engineer in 1994. The RECS was dissolved and merged with the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board (MPSEB) effective 15 March 2002, and Tiwari was absorbed as …

The petitioners challenged the constitutional validity of the Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 1997 (as amended in 2003), arguing that it encroached upon Union legislative competence (entries 43‑45 of List I) and violated Articles 14, 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitutio…

Saul Chaturvedi filed a public interest writ petition under Article 32 alleging that several State Governments and local authorities had failed to implement Section 43 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, which mandates preferential allotment of …

The appellant was appointed as a chowkidar in a college on a one‑year probationary basis, subject to approval by the Director of Public Instructions, Punjab. The Director refused approval because the appellant did not have Punjabi as a subject in Class VIII, a mandatory qualification, and the college continued to pay h…

Kalyan Banerjee, an employee of Eastern Coalfields Ltd., was appointed and later terminated in the Mugma area of Jharkhand. He filed a writ petition in the Calcutta High Court challenging his dismissal, arguing that the High Court had jurisdiction because the company's head office is located in West Bengal. The questio…

The appellants, original owners of land declared surplus under the Urban Land Ceiling Act, 1976, challenged the allotment of that land to weaker sections. An earlier appeal against the surplus declaration was dismissed in 1988, but the appellants later filed another appeal in 1995, suppressing the fact of the 1988 orde…

The employee, a muster‑roll labourer, assaulted his superior officer with a tension screw, causing a broken nose, and then remained absent without permission for three weeks. A domestic enquiry proved the misconduct and the employer dismissed him. The Labour Court set aside the dismissal as punitive, ordering reinstate…

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation initiated land acquisition under the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act (MRTP Act) and the Land Acquisition Act. After the acquisition, the Central Act 68 of 1984 amended the Land Acquisition Act, adding benefits such as interest on compensation and increased solatiu…

Balwant Singh, a driver for Haryana Roadways, caused a fatal bus accident. Following a claim award of Rs.1,12,950 against the department, he was punished under Rule 7 of the Haryana Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1987 with a four‑year pay reduction. He was later convicted in a criminal trial for offences…

The appellant, a textile mill, was served with two show‑cause notices under Section 11‑A of the Central Excises and Salt Act for alleged excise duty on yarn removed within the factory for the period November 1980 to December 1981. The Delhi High Court had stayed the effect of a circular dated 24‑September‑1980, and the…