Constitution of India

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Delhi Development Authority and other government bodies filed a batch of appeals and petitions seeking condonation of delay for challenging High Court orders that declared land acquisition proceedings under the 1894 Act to have lapsed under Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act. The appellants argued that subsequent judici…

The Government of NCT of Delhi and the Delhi Development Authority filed a batch of review petitions challenging Supreme Court judgments that had dismissed civil appeals and special leave petitions which held land‑acquisition proceedings under the 1894 Act to be deemed lapsed under Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act, relyin…

Homebuyers dissatisfied with the services of a builder erected a public banner listing various grievances, which the builder claimed was defamatory and filed a criminal complaint under Section 500 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The appellants argued that the banner was a peaceful protest made in good faith to protect…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigated a trap operation in which Additional Commissioner of Income Tax Santosh Karnani allegedly demanded and accepted a bribe of Rs 30 lakhs to influence a tax assessment of Safal Construction. The complainant recorded the demand and the subsequent acknowledgment of paym…

The appellants, South Indian Bank Ltd. and others, appealed against the Kerala High Court’s orders allowing borrowers to defer loan repayment under the SARFAESI Act. The borrowers had filed writ petitions under Article 226 challenging notices issued under Sections 13(2) and 13(4) of the SARFAESI Act, even though the De…

The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), a society under the Societies Registration Act, issued an advertisement on 16‑08‑2016 for the post of Director. Three writ petitions challenged the advertisement on grounds of lack of age‑relaxation, alleged non‑conformity of experience requirements with Medical Counci…

The Union introduced a Limited Competitive Examination (LCE) in 2012 to recruit officers to the Indian Police Service (IPS) but never declared the results. In 2018 the Union decided to scrap the LCE, prompting candidates who had appeared for the exam to seek declaration of results and appointment. The Supreme Court hel…

The Steel Authority of India, a public sector steel manufacturer, imported graphite electrodes from China and challenged a notification imposing anti‑dumping duty on such imports. The challenge was dismissed by the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) which upheld the Designated Authority's metho…

Vipulbhai Mansingbhai Chaudhary, who continued as Chairman of a district cooperative milk union beyond his three‑year term, was served a show‑cause notice under s.76B(1) and (2) of the Gujarat Co‑operative Societies Act, 1961. The Registrar removed him and disqualified him for three years; a later order extended the di…

The plaintiff, son of Guramma and the first defendant, claimed ownership of a property originally purchased by his mother and later mutated in his name after her death, asserting that the first defendant had relinquished his half‑share. The first defendant, who later remarried, contested this, arguing that mutation doe…

Mohan Lal was convicted for possession of 10 kg of opium under Section 18 of the NDPS Act and for theft under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC. He argued that the offence occurred before the NDPS Act came into force, that applying the Act was retrospective and violative of Art.20(1) of the Constitution, that the seizure…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) could audit the accounts of private telecom service providers under the Unified Access Services (UAS) licences to verify revenue sharing with the Union. Service providers argued that the CAG’s powers under Article 149 of the Constitut…

The appellants, former employees of the Overseas Communication Service (OCS), were transferred to Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) and later to Tata Communications Limited (TCL) after the government's disinvestment. They challenged the termination of their services, arguing that VSNL/TCL was a "State" or "other auth…

The petitioners, contractual toll‑collection employees, were arrested after an altercation with an advocate who allegedly refused to pay toll charges, leading to an FIR under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. While one lawyer filed a bail application, members of the Barabanki Bar and the Bar Council enga…

The appellant Bank of India issued a circular in August 2010 inviting eligible retired employees to opt for its Employees’ Pension Scheme by 30 October 2010. The respondent, a retired employee, returned to India before the deadline but failed to submit his application within the stipulated period, citing surgery and la…

The petitioner, brother of a murder victim, sought transfer of the criminal trial from West Bengal to Assam, alleging bias, witness intimidation, and procedural irregularities including a state‑issued notification to withdraw prosecution. The High Court set aside the withdrawal order and directed the trial to continue,…

Modi Rubber Ltd., a sick industrial company, obtained a rehabilitation scheme approved by the BIFR under the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985, which scaled down the dues of unsecured creditors, including Continental Carbon India Ltd. The Delhi High Court held that an unsecured creditor could ref…

The Government of NCT of Delhi and the Delhi Development Authority sought review of several civil appeals that had been dismissed on the basis of the Supreme Court’s decision in Pune Municipal Corporation v. Harakchand Misirimal Solanki, which interpreted Section 24(2) of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. After the Consti…

The State Government of Bihar issued a Departmental Order (D.O.) on 28 July 1981 to merge the pay scales of Lower Division and Upper Division Assistants/Clerks in Patna University, later extending the scheme to other universities. Subsequent communications in 1982, 1989 and 1990 led the Vice‑Chancellor of Ranchi Univer…

The case concerned women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers of the Indian Navy who, after completing fourteen years of service, were denied consideration for Permanent Commission (PC) despite policy letters and regulations indicating such a right. The petitioners challenged the 2008 policy letter that made PC gran…

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) detained eight aircraft leased by International Lease Finance Corp (ILFC) for non‑payment of landing, parking and housing charges amounting to over Rs 10 crore. The Delhi High Court ordered the release of the aircraft on the basis of minutes of a meeting held on 26 March 2013 invo…

The case concerned whether lecturers/teachers employed by the Madhya Pradesh Education and Tribal Welfare Department were entitled to the second increment (Kramonnati) under the Kramonnati Scheme introduced on 19 April 1999. The State Government had granted this benefit to teachers only from 1 August 2003, arguing that…

Vikram Cement and two other units of Grasim Industries, which paid entry tax on coal, gypsum and bauxite under the Madhya Pradesh Entry Tax Act, 1976, challenged a State notification dated 4 May 1999 that reduced the tax rate to 1% for the period 1.5.1997‑30.9.1997 but attached an Explanation that any tax already paid …

The appellant, Subhelal @ Sushil Sahu, was charged with offences under Sections 420, 201, 120‑B read with Section 34 of the IPC in a crypto‑currency scam involving about Rs.4 crore, of which Rs.35 lakh was attributed to him. He had been in custody since December 2023 while the trial, conducted before a Chief Judicial M…

The complainant filed a private criminal defamation complaint under Section 200 CrPC alleging that fourteen news articles published in various newspapers defamed the authenticity of paintings to be auctioned by the complainant. The trial magistrate took cognizance, registered the complaint and issued summons to the acc…

The petitioners, who are tenants occupying certain premises, filed Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) challenging the termination of a development agreement that favored respondent No. 5, a developer. While the SLPs were pending, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) terminated that agreement and e…

The petitioners, including a prospective mayoral candidate, challenged the conduct of the first meeting of the Delhi Municipal Corporation after the 2022 elections, seeking clarification on whether members nominated under Section 3(3)(b)(i) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 have voting rights in the election…

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) conducted the ninth round of bidding for city or local natural gas distribution networks (CGD) in 2018. After opening technical bids, the Board introduced an internal note on 23 July 2018 that suggested a 2%–100% range of total households (based on the 2011 Census)…

The appellant, owner of two vehicles, claimed that United India Insurance Company should indemnify him for the death of his employee, Ramesh Lalmani Yadav, who was a cleaner and died while filling water in the radiator of a second vehicle on the employer's direction. The Labour Court held the owner jointly liable with …

The Union of India appealed against a High Court order that awarded land owners compensation under Section 23(1A) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The acquisition proceedings began in 1965 and the Collector's award was passed on 9 July 1980, before the amendment (Act 68 of 1984) that introduced Section 23(1A) became …

The Supreme Court considered appeals filed by direct recruits to the Andhra Pradesh State Educational Service challenging the constitutionality of Note 6 to Rule 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Education Service Rules, which allocated promotion vacancies in Class II Category 1 posts on the basis of whether an officer was a dir…

The father of Parkash Chand, a peon in the Himachal Pradesh Revenue Department, died in service in 1997 while Chand was a minor. After attaining majority, Chand applied for a compassionate appointment but his request was rejected on the ground that his elder brother was already employed with a state undertaking. Chand …

Four legislators elected on a National Congress Party (NCP) ticket defected to the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the Orissa Legislative Assembly. The NCP state president filed disqualification petitions before the Speaker under the Orissa Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 1987, see…

The Kallakkurichi Taluk Retired Officials Association challenged a Tamil Nadu Government Order dated 9 August 1989 that treated the component of dearness allowance as dearness pay for pension calculation differently for employees retiring before and after 1 June 1988, resulting in a lower pension for the latter group. …

The Uttar Pradesh Avas Evam Vikas Parishad (appellant) sought to cancel a notification dated 15 September 2005 that rescinded an earlier notification of 7 April 2003 which had released land from acquisition under Section 48(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The land owners (respondents) had obtained the 2003 notifi…

The respondent-plaintiff filed a suit seeking a declaration of ownership of agricultural land and an interim injunction against the petitioner. The trial court dismissed the interim injunction, but the High Court reversed that order, granting the injunction based on a certificate issued under Section 38‑E of the Andhra…

The Supreme Court examined the recruitment of Technician Grade‑II officers by Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. and the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Service Commission, where the advertisement required a Certificate of Computer Concept (CCC) or an equivalent qualification. Candidates were allowed to self‑declare equiva…

The Supreme Court examined whether Gujarat's municipal tax provisions could levy a tax on mobile telephone towers. The petitioners (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation) argued that mobile towers are not "land or building" under Entry 49 of List II of the Seventh Schedule, rendering the tax ultra‑violet. The Court interpret…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI) could be applied in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The High Court had held that key provisions of SARFAESI were ultra‑vires Parliament because they conflicted with Sectio…

The Supreme Court examined the acquisition of 94 acres 28 gunthas of land in Vijayashreepura under the Mysore Improvement Act, 1903, which was used to allot 55 acres to JSS Mahavidyapeetha (respondent No.28). The Court found that the statutory requirement of a published scheme before issuing a preliminary notification …

The Supreme Court heard a batch of writ petitions filed by the Supreme Court Advocates‑on‑Record Association seeking reforms in the collegium system for appointing judges to the higher judiciary. Various stakeholders, including senior counsel and the Bar Council of India, submitted suggestions on transparency, eligibil…

The appellants, medical students, alleged that they were brutally assaulted by police officers while serving a dasti summons issued by the Supreme Court to the SHO of Sector 39 Police Station, Noida. The High Court dismissed their petition for a CBI inquiry on the ground that no FIR had been registered and directed the…

Five independent MLAs who had supported the BJP government in Karnataka withdrew their support and were disqualified under paragraph 2(2) of the Tenth Schedule. They filed writ petitions challenging the disqualification and sought to amend paragraph 9 of their petitions, which mistakenly stated that they had not left t…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between M.P. Power Management Company Limited (the appellant) and Sky Power Southeast Solar India Private Limited (the first respondent) was a statutory contract under the Electricity Act, 2003 and whether the appellant’s termination of the PPA compl…

The appellants, women Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCO) of the Indian Air Force recruited between 1993-1998, were promised a Permanent Commission (PC) after five years of service under a 1991 policy circular and recruitment advertisements. Instead, they were granted extensions and denied PC, leading to a Publi…

Nandini Sharma and another filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging Rule 1(b), Rule 5 and Rule 7(c) of Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, alleging that conferring exclusive rights to practice before the Supreme Court on Advocates on Record (AOR) is unreasonable, discriminatory and violative of Article…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act, 2009, which permits the traditional bull-taming sport of Jallikattu. The Court held that the Act collides with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 because it allows the taming of bulls for entertainment, contrary…

The respondent, a government teacher appointed in 1978, sought correction of his date of birth recorded in his service book after 28 years of service, alleging a clerical error. The Education Officer and Head Master rejected his application, citing Rule 38(2)(f) of the Maharashtra Civil Services (General Conditions) Ru…

The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council’s recruitment process for staff was challenged on grounds of unfairness, arbitrariness and collusiveness, leading to writ petitions and a special appeal. The High Court, while hearing the special appeal, directed a suo motu public interest litigation and ordered a preliminary enqui…

The appellant, Lalu Yadav, was charged under Sections 376 and 313 of the IPC for alleged rape on a false promise of marriage, based on an FIR filed in 2018 for incidents allegedly occurring between 2013 and 2018. The complainant claimed that Yadav had deceived her, established a physical relationship without consent, a…

The petitioner, a 27‑year‑old mother of two, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a medical termination of her pregnancy after discovering she was about 24 weeks pregnant, citing postpartum depression and financial constraints. The Court initially ordered termination, but a doctor from the AIIMS Medical Board…

The Uttar Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation repeatedly cancelled e‑tenders for handling and transport of foodgrains, eventually terminating the contract awarded to Sudhir Kumar Singh (Respondent No.1). Singh filed a writ petition under Art.226 challenging the cancellation, alleging a breach of the audi alteram part…

An FIR alleging land‑grab and extortion was filed in 2009, leading to a police investigation and a charge‑sheet. After the magistrate took cognizance and issued summons, the accused applied under s.173(8) CrPC for further investigation and for the magistrate to order a fresh FIR; the magistrate rejected these applicati…

The petitioner sought clarification of a Supreme Court order dated 21‑04‑2009, which recorded his statement that he would not press the prayer for mesne profits. The lower courts had awarded mesne profits of Rs.30 per month (with 10% increase every three years) and interest, while the petitioner had given up his claim …

Petitioners C. Chakkaravarty and others filed a contempt petition under Article 129 of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, alleging that the respondents, the Government of Pondicherry, violated the Supreme Court’s 2010 judgment in N. Suresh Nathan v. Union of India which mandated that promoti…

The Supreme Court of India considered the constitutional validity of the Constitution (Ninety-ninth Amendment) Act, 2014 and the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, 2014, which sought to replace the collegium system of appointing judges to the higher judiciary with a six-member National Judicial Appointments…

The appellants were convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for issuing dishonoured cheques. The trial magistrate recorded evidence and a successor magistrate delivered the judgment, leading the Gujarat High Court to order a de novo trial on the ground that the case was a summary trial and Section…

The Supreme Court examined the applicability of the Uttaranchal Government Servants (Criterion for Recruitment by Promotion) Rules, 2004 to promotions from Group D to Group C posts. It held that Rule 1(3) excludes the need for Public Service Commission consultation for such promotions, and Rule 2 gives the 2004 Rules a…

The State of Gujarat appointed the Secretary to the Government as President of the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal, a move challenged on the ground that the post is a judicial office and requires the High Court's consultation under Article 234 of the Constitution. The Gujarat High Court held that the Tribunal is a "court" and…

The State of Haryana amended the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 by inserting sub‑clause (6) to s.2(g) through Haryana Act No. 9 of 1992, which declared that lands reserved for village common purposes under the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948 would vest …

Neetu Kumar Nagaich, the mother of a 21‑year‑old law student who died under suspicious circumstances, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a de novo investigation of the homicide after alleging serious deficiencies in the Rajasthan police investigation and the filing of a closure report. The Supreme Court not…

Soni Kumari and Deepak Kumar, married in 2009, lived separately from 2014 due to irreconcilable differences and filed a joint petition for divorce by mutual consent under Section 13‑8(1) of the Hindu Marriage Act. The Family Court allowed the first motion but refused to waive the statutory six‑month cooling‑off period …

The petitioners, canteen workers at the Mess/Canteen of the S&T Training Centre of Northern Railway, sought regularisation as railway employees, claiming they worked in a non‑statutory recognised canteen. The Central Administrative Tribunal held they were employed in a non‑statutory non‑recognised canteen because no sa…

The State of Rajasthan filed a special writ appeal (DB Special Appeal Writ No.02033 of 2007) against an order of a Single Judge dated 19.05.2006 concerning an eviction under the Rajasthan Public Premises Act. The appeal was filed 98 days late; in the condonation application the State mistakenly recorded the filing date…

The appellants, who had earlier demanded a compromise in a kidnapping case, allegedly opened fire with country‑made pistols and a rifle, killing three members of the victim's family and injuring three others. The first informant, PW‑1, lodged an FIR within five hours of the incident and identified the accused in both m…

Pesala Nookaraju, a bootlegger, was preventively detained under Section 3(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1986, with a 12‑month order confirmed by the State Government. He challenged the detention through a writ of habeas corpus, arguing that the proviso to Section 3(2) limits detention…

Sandeep alias Kala was acquitted of murder in the trial court, but the High Court reversed the acquittal and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He appealed to the Supreme Court under Section 2(a) of the Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Act, 1970 and Section 379 of the CrPC, and the appeal…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of a Uttar Pradesh Government Order that reserved 30% of postgraduate medical degree seats for in‑service doctors, a scheme challenged as violative of Regulation 9 of the Medical Council of India (MCI) Post‑Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000. The Court held that Regulat…

The appellant, V.K.M. Kattha Industries Pvt. Ltd., a running industrial unit, challenged a land acquisition notification issued by the Haryana Government under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 for the development of an industrial estate. The company argued that the notification was not published in the local…

The Vice Chancellor of Guru Ghasidas University sought to discipline a student, Craig McLeod, for allegedly assaulting a professor, suspending him and restraining his campus access. The High Court stayed the university's interim orders, prompting the university to appeal to the Supreme Court under Article 136. The Supr…

The State of Haryana filed an application seeking modification of a Supreme Court order that required police to serve notices under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, only through the mode prescribed in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and not via electronic means such as WhatsApp. …

The appellant, Tosh Kumar Sharma, had ranked 38th in the merit list for the 2016 direct recruitment to the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service, where 37 General Category posts were advertised. The High Court forwarded the top 37 names for appointment, but the Governor approved only 36, leaving one vacancy. The appell…

Mala Devi, the widow of a temporary railway employee who died in harness after 9 years 8 months of service, sought family pension under the Railway Pension Rules, 1993. The Central Administrative Tribunal and the Patna High Court dismissed her claim, holding that her husband’s service was not regularized and that the t…

The Bihar Staff Selection Commission advertised 152 City Manager posts, requiring a minimum qualifying percentage in the written test (32% for women) and awarding additional marks for experience. Respondent No.1, a female candidate with no experience, scored 22.5 out of 70 marks in the written exam, which equals 32.14%…

The petitioners filed a suit for specific performance of a sale deed, naming a minor as the third defendant and seeking the appointment of a guardian under Order XXXII, Rule 3 of the CPC. The trial court passed an ex‑parte decree and allowed execution without properly appointing a guardian, later dismissing the respond…

The State Bank of India (SBI) conducted a departmental inquiry against Mohammad Badruddin on five charges, finding only charge No. 4 proved. The Disciplinary Authority, disagreeing with the Inquiry Officer on charges 1 and 5, imposed removal from service, while an earlier appellate authority had altered a compulsory re…

The Delhi High Court, after substantially hearing an appeal, allowed the appellants to withdraw the appeal and extended the interim relief granted earlier until 10 May 2010. The appellants contended that the High Court, having become functus officio upon permitting withdrawal, could not lawfully extend interim relief o…

The petitioner’s 11‑acre land in Gobbur village was acquired under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and initially awarded a market value of Rs. 3,800 per acre. He later sought a higher valuation through a Section 28‑A application, a remedy intended only for poor and inarticulate persons, and obtained Rs. …

Ms. P (appellant) alleged that her fiancé, respondent No.2, raped her in Delhi in February‑March 2016 (IPC s.376) and later, in November 2016, threatened and abused her over telephone in Chamoli (IPC s.504, s.506). The Sessions Judge, Chamoli, discharged the accused of the rape charge for lack of territorial jurisdicti…

The petitioners challenged the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's 2017 Notification and the 2021 Office Memorandum, which sought to grant ex post facto environmental clearances for projects that had commenced without prior clearance under the 2006 EIA Notification. The Court examined whether such retr…

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation claimed it had acquired the land of Bimal Kumar Shah under Section 352 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, which it argued gave it power to acquire land for streets and parks. The High Court held that Section 352 does not confer a power of compulsory acquisition and set asi…

M/s Shewalkar Developers Ltd. sought permission to construct a health/eco‑resort on Plot Nos. 14/3 and 14/4 in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, claiming the land was not forest land and that its title, derived from a 1991 sale deed, was unchallenged. The State of Madhya Pradesh contended that the plots formed part of the Pac…

The appellants, former cabin crew of Air India Limited (AIL), filed writ petitions between 2011 and 2013 alleging stagnation in pay, non‑promotion and denial of allowances, invoking Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution. While the petitions were pending, the Government of India disinvested its 100 % share in AIL, …

The original plaintiff, Mrs. Cherian, sued the Mathew family for title and possession of a 2.81‑acre land parcel. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the High Court later restored it and the decree of possession was finally passed in 2000, with a later modification requiring the defendants to pay compensation. Afte…

The case concerned an attack in which three persons were killed and five injured, allegedly committed by a group of seventeen accused. The Sessions Court convicted four accused and acquitted the rest, but the charges were found to be improperly framed under CrPC sections 211‑213, lacking specific allegations for each d…

Chaman Lal, a former truck driver employed by the Fish Farmers Development Agency (a society) and later absorbed into a government department, sought retirement benefits based on his total service. The lower courts dismissed his claim, and he argued that a similarly situated individual, Charanjit Lal, had obtained a pe…

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of six accused in the 2002 Akshardham temple terrorist attack, which were based largely on confessional statements recorded under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), testimony of accomplices, and two Urdu letters allegedly recovered from the terrorists' pockets. The Court …

The Board of Directors of the District Cooperative Central Bank, Panna was superseded by the Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies without prior consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, contrary to the second proviso of Section 53(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1960. The Board challenged t…

The appellant lodged an FIR and later informed the magistrate that another person, Prem Prakash, had not been made an accused. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate took cognizance under Section 190(1)(b) CrPC and summoned the accused, leading to charges being framed by the Sessions Judge. Prem Prakash challenged th…

The Punjab Public Service Commission advertised vacancies for the Punjab Civil Service with a reservation for "ex‑servicemen". The appellant, a former Indian Army captain, was appointed under this reservation, while respondent No. 4, a former officer of the Indian Military Nursing Service (IMNS), was denied appointment…

The dispute concerned the validity of a Government Order (GO No. 1, 1990) that permitted Technical Assistants, along with Junior Draughting Officers, Draughting Officers and Overseers, to be appointed as Assistant Engineers on transfer after five years of service and possession of a B.E./A.M.I.E. degree. The appellants…

The appellant, a founder member of Adarsh Colony Cooperative House Building Society, deposited monies between 1975 and 1982 for a residential plot. Although an administrator allotted her a 250‑sq‑yard plot (No. 41‑D) in 1983, the allotment was later cancelled and the plot was allegedly re‑allotted to another member. Th…

The State of Haryana acquired 46 acres of land in Firozpur village for a Mini Secretariat under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The initial award valued the land at Rs 16 lakhs per acre, but a reference court enhanced the valuation to Rs 72 lakhs per acre and imposed a 60% deduction for development and waiting period, …

WIPRO Ltd., an importer of computer components, challenged the customs valuation rule that mandates adding 1% of the FOB value of goods as loading, unloading and handling charges even when the actual charges are known and ascertainable. The issue was whether the proviso (ii) to sub‑rule (2) of Rule 9(2) of the Customs …

The appellant, a former employee of Bhavnagar Electricity Company, sought correction of his date of birth from 27‑06‑1937 to 27‑06‑1940 based on a municipal birth certificate and other documents, but the employer rejected the change and later terminated him on the basis of the original date. The Labour Court held that …

The Union of India challenged a Bombay High Court order directing the release of 800 Hajj seats to private tour operators (PTOs). The Supreme Court treated the matter as a public interest litigation and examined the entire Hajj policy framework. It held that the annual framing of the Hajj policy was ad‑hoc and mandated…

The Auroville Foundation appealed against the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) directions that required it to prepare a new township plan and to obtain environmental clearance before completing the Crown Road and other roads in Auroville, alleging that the Tribunal had exceeded its jurisdiction. The respondents, residen…

The petitioners, ex‑servicemen, challenged the Union of India's implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) through a November 7, 2015 letter that altered the original promise of automatic pension revisions to periodic revisions every five years. They argued that the new definition created a class within a class, vio…

The petitioners challenged the selection list dated 11‑11‑2019 for police constable posts, alleging that candidates originally selected under reserved categories (OBC/SC/ST) were shifted to the open category, thereby prejudicing general‑category candidates. The Supreme Court had earlier directed that the remaining 3,29…

Bimal Gurung, president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking the transfer of investigation of all FIRs (over 100 cases) lodged against him and other GJM members to an independent agency such as the CBI or NIA, alleging political bias and threat to life. The State of West Bengal …

The petitioner, Ganga Malik, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a mandamus directing the State of West Bengal to protect her life, expedite the trial of the case in which her son, Sub‑Inspector Amitava Malik, was killed, and pay compensation for the loss. The petition alleged that the accused had fired on t…

S.K. Kapoor, a government employee, was charge‑sheeted for absence without leave and dismissed. He challenged the dismissal before the Central Administrative Tribunal, which quashed the order and directed that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) report relied upon be furnished to him in advance. The Union of Ind…

The Supreme Court examined eleven writ petitions and three special leave petitions filed by registered unrecognised political parties seeking a common election symbol for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The parties challenged several provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968…

The case concerned the inter‑se seniority of two batches of directly recruited Range Forest Officers in Gujarat – non‑graduates (1979‑81 batch) and graduates (1980‑81 batch). The State Government had initially settled seniority in favour of the graduates by orders dated 12 Oct 1982 and 5 Mar 1987, publishing gradation …

The Supreme Court examined petitions challenging the 2015 Delhi Judicial Service Examination, where petitioners sought re‑valuation of answer sheets, moderation of marks, relaxation of minimum qualifying percentages in written papers and viva voce, and rounding‑off of aggregate marks. The Court held that moderation is …

The petition challenged the constitutional validity of Section 21A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which bars courts from reopening bank loan transactions on the ground of excessive interest. The petitioners argued that the provision violated Article 14 and undermined State Debt Relief Acts that provide relief to …

The Supreme Court adjudicated appeals against the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's 2007 award allocating waters of the inter-State river Cauvery among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. The Court upheld the Tribunal's adoption of the principle of equitable apportionment as recognized in international rules…

The State of Karnataka sought to alter the limits of the Sedam Town Municipal Council by issuing a proclamation under Section 9 of the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1961. Vasavadatta Cement challenged the validity of the notice, arguing that it should have been posted within its factory township, an inhabited area, rat…

Ajay Kumar Choudhary, a Defence Estate Officer, was suspended on 30 September 2011 for allegedly issuing incorrect NOCs on land records. The suspension was extended four times, totalling several years, without a charge sheet for most of the period. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) directed that the suspension …

The Gyan Mandir Society was required to vacate its school at Tis January Lane after being allotted a new site at Sadiq Nagar. The teachers of the old school filed a writ petition seeking, among other reliefs, that the society absorb the teachers and students from the old school and provide free transportation for the s…

The petition challenged the constitution of a three‑member inquiry committee by the Lok Sabha Speaker after a notice of motion to remove a Delhi High Court judge was admitted in the Lok Sabha but rejected in the Rajya Sabha by the Deputy Chairman, who was acting as Chairman after the Chairman’s resignation. The petitio…

The appellants Irfan and Asif Mevati were convicted of kidnapping, rape, and related offences and sentenced to death based largely on a DNA profiling report (Exhibit‑157). The trial court and the High Court relied on the report without examining any of the scientific experts who prepared it, and the appellants were giv…

Vikash Tiwary, a life convict serving a sentence for multiple offences, was transferred by the Inspector General of Prisons from Hazaribagh Central Jail to Central Jail, Dumka on 17 May 2023 after the jail superintendent warned of a potential gang war and insufficient staff to control notorious inmates. The respondent …

Mukesh Kumar Raigar, a constable in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), was found to have suppressed details of a pending criminal case in his verification form at the time of appointment. Disciplinary proceedings under CISF Rules 36 and 54 led to his removal from service after a fresh departmental enquiry. R…

The dispute concerned the seniority of Assistant Radio Officers in the Uttar Pradesh Police Radio Service, where 50% of vacancies were to be filled by direct recruitment and 50% by promotion from Radio Inspectors. Promotee candidates received appointment letters on 31 January 1996 while direct recruits were appointed o…

The father of Shashi Kumar, a horticulture department employee, died in service in 2005. Kumar applied in 2007 for a compassionate appointment, which required the family’s income, including pension, to be disclosed. He filed a writ petition in 2015 after a delay of more than seven years; the Himachal Pradesh High Court…

The Supreme Court entertained review petitions filed by the Union of India challenging its earlier decision on reservation in faculty posts at AIIMS. The issue centered on whether Articles 15, 16 and 335 of the Constitution permit reservation in super‑specialty faculty positions. The Court clarified that the power to d…

The appellant, KM Hema Mishra, was named in an FIR under Sections 419 and 420 IPC and sought quashing of the FIR and pre‑arrest protection by filing a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The High Court dismissed the petition, refusing to grant anticipatory bail because Section 438 of the CrPC, which pr…

The Supreme Court examined whether Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, is a protected monument and whether the 1992 notification declaring a 100‑metre prohibited area around it applies to a plot where the respondents sought to construct a multistoried building. The Court held that the 1956 notification declaring Jantar Mantar a …

The deceased, Gohar Mohammed, was killed when his car was rear‑ended by a bus owned by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) awarded Rs.31.90 lakh compensation, holding the owner liable because the vehicle was operated without a valid permit and in breach of insurance…

The Supreme Court, hearing Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India (Writ Petition No. 494 of 2012), considered interim orders that limited the use of Aadhaar to six government schemes and made its linkage voluntary pending a final decision. The petitioners argued that the Union could not make Aadhaar mandator…

The suit concerned possession of a property claimed to be joint Hindu family property. The appellant, Raj Kumar Bhatia, sought to amend his written statement to elaborate that the property was coparcenary undivided HUF, an argument already contained in his original statement. The Trial Court allowed the amendment under…

The petition, filed by a visually disabled individual, sought comprehensive accessibility measures for roads, transport, public buildings, airports, railways, websites and other public facilities. The Court held that the right to accessibility for persons with disabilities is a constitutional right under Articles 19(1)…

The Delhi High Court had cancelled a petrol pump dealership granted to Shashi Prabha Shukla on grounds of favouritism and directed Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to auction the right to operate the outlet at a nearby location. IOC instead advertised an auction for the same site, failed to identify a new location, and lat…

Retired Supreme Court Judge Markandey Katju posted Facebook remarks calling Mahatma Gandhi a British agent and Subhash Chandra Bose an agent of Japanese fascism. Both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha passed resolutions condemning his statements. Katju filed a writ petition under Articles 32 and 19(1)(a) seeking to quash t…

The University of Agricultural Sciences advertised three Assistant Professor posts in Sericulture. The Selection Committee prepared a merit list placing J. Ashoka (appellant) at the top, followed by other candidates. The Board of Regents, however, appointed Dr. Fathima Sadathulla (respondent No.3) and another candidate…

The appellant, a Muslim airman, applied to retain his beard on religious grounds but was ordered to shave under Air Force policy. He was discharged after refusing, and his writ petition challenging the order was dismissed by the High Court. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether Regulation 425(b) of the Armed Fo…

The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights and other NGOs filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking enforcement of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and its 1995 Rules, alleging widespread non‑implementation by State and Central authorities. They pleaded for directions…

The petitioners, originally engaged as daily‑wage workers in Madhya Pradesh, were classified as "permanent employees" under the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Rules, 1963, and obtained court orders directing that their pay be fixed in the regular pay‑scale of the posts. The State Government, how…

The Supreme Court dismissed Civil Appeal No. 5838 of 2012 filed by K.K. Sharma and others against the High Court of Delhi’s orders dated 23 Oct 2009 and 1 Jun 2012. The High Court had been directed to implement a 1998 judgment that declared a 1988 amendment to the Delhi High Court Establishment Rules void for violating…

The dispute concerned whether a new industrial unit, Rubfila International Ltd., was entitled to a five‑year exemption from the enhanced power tariff under the Kerala Government Order of 6 February 1992 from the date of commercial production (26 March 1995) or from the date of energisation (16 September 1995). The Kera…

U.P. Jal Nigam (appellant) had declared the appointments of 122 candidates void on 11 August 2017, but the Allahabad High Court set aside that order, holding it violated natural justice and that the authority had not distinguished between tainted and untainted candidates. The High Court granted the appellant liberty to…