Constitution of India

The petitioner, a widow of an army major, sought proper fixation of her pension and arrears, receiving only a nominal amount. The Court observed widespread discontent among serving and retired armed forces personnel regarding pay, pensions, and rehabilitation, and noted that existing mechanisms were inadequate. Exercis…

Amar Singh and Jaya Pradha, both Members of Parliament, filed writ petitions under Article 32 challenging the threat of disqualification after being expelled from the Samajwadi Party, relying on the Supreme Court's decision in G. Viswanathan's case. They argued that the decision improperly extended the Tenth Schedule's…

The Ishwar Nagar Cooperative Housing Society expelled Dr. Parmanand Sharma, a member since 1961, after he purchased a property in Delhi in the name of his Hindu Undivided Family. The Society relied on Rule 25(1)(c)(i) of the Delhi Cooperative Societies Rules, 1973, which disqualifies members who own a residential house…

The appellant, a candidate with a 44%/45% speech and language disability, qualified the NEET‑UG 2024 and applied for MBBS admission under the PwD quota. The Designated Disability Certification Centre declared him ineligible based on Appendix H‑1 of the 2019 MCI/NMC regulations, which barred persons with 40% or more dis…

The appellants, small farmers, mortgaged their agricultural land to a cooperative bank and, after defaulting, the bank obtained an ex‑parte arbitral award ordering sale of the mortgaged property. The land was auctioned in 1981 and the sale was confirmed in 1985, even though the appellants had repaid the principal amoun…

The Supreme Court, hearing a public‑interest writ petition (Writ Petition (Civil) No. 406 of 2013) on the inhuman conditions in 1,382 Indian prisons, examined the high incidence of unnatural deaths, especially suicides, in custodial settings. Relying on the International Committee of the Red Cross guidelines, the Court…

The case arose from a murder trial where the charge sheet under IPC sections 302, 201, 342 and 120B was filed against two accused. Twenty‑eight witnesses, including PW4 (Sawarmal) and PW5 (Chandri), had given statements that supported the prosecution. After about fourteen months, PW4 and PW5 filed applications under Se…

The Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (NMRCL) invited bids for a viaduct and disqualified the joint venture GYT‑TPL on the ground that its experience on an inter‑city high‑speed railway in China did not satisfy the tender’s requirement of experience in "metro civil construction work" with a minimum contract value of I…

The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) held an examination for state services, after which certain candidates were selected. Allegations of irregularities in marking answer books led to a petition in the Madras High Court challenging the appointments. The High Court dismissed the petition, but on appeal order…

The case concerned a block assessment of undisclosed income for the period 01‑04‑1989 to 10‑02‑2000, where the Assessing Officer failed to levy surcharge under Section 113 of the Income‑Tax Act. The Commissioner of Income Tax sought to levy surcharge retrospectively, relying on a proviso inserted in Section 113 by the …

The appellants were convicted of murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC based primarily on the testimony of the deceased's wife, corroborated by the investigating officer and a post‑mortem report. They challenged the conviction on several grounds, including that the FIR was lodged after the inquest report and ther…

The land of the appellants was acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, with a notification dated 5 March 1983 and an award on 1 March 1984. The owners filed a reference under Section 18 for enhanced compensation, and while the reference was pending, the 1984 Amendment Act introduced Section 23(1A) and a transiti…

The appellant, PNB Housing Finance Ltd., took symbolic and later physical possession of a premises that had been offered as security for a loan to the borrower (2nd Respondent) after the borrower defaulted. The 1st Respondent claimed to be a tenant of the premises since 1987 under an unregistered lease and sought resto…

The mother filed review petitions after the Supreme Court dismissed appeals that had granted permanent custody of their 11‑year‑old son to the father. New psychological reports showed the child suffering anxiety and separation‑disorder anxiety due to the impending custody change. The Court examined whether such fresh e…

The appellant-husband filed a petition for divorce under Section 13(1)(a) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging cruelty, but the Family Court dismissed it and the High Court upheld that dismissal. The parties had been living separately since October 2009, amounting to over sixteen years of estrangement, and the appellant…

The appellant, a building owner, conspired with officials of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation and an architect to obtain a spurious renovation permit and then demolish an existing structure to erect a four‑storeyed commercial building in a zone where such construction is prohibited. A vigilance enquiry esta…

L. Muruganantham, a person with Becker Muscular Dystrophy and autism, was arrested on a false complaint and detained in Central Prison, Coimbatore. He alleged that the prison failed to provide adequate medical care, nutrition, and disability‑friendly facilities, leading to a deterioration of his health. The State Human…

The appellant was convicted and sentenced to death for murder, rape and robbery based on circumstantial evidence, a last‑seen theory, confessions, recovered items and DNA evidence. The Supreme Court examined whether these evidentiary pillars were proved beyond reasonable doubt and whether the investigation complied wit…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition under Article 32 filed by the promoters of the Sai Prasad Group seeking the liquidation of the companies' immovable assets to refund investors. The petitioners alleged that SEBI's efforts to auction the properties were inadequate and that the investors had been waiting for …

The State of Bihar issued a resolution on 1 July 2015, based on the State Backward Commission’s recommendation, to delete the "Tanti‑Tantwa" caste from the Extremely Backward Classes list and merge it with the "Pan/Sawasi" entry in the Scheduled Castes list, thereby extending Scheduled Caste benefits to its members. Th…

The appellant-wife filed criminal and civil proceedings alleging cruelty, hurt and dowry demands by her husband, leading to multiple interim maintenance orders. After nine years of separation, failed reconciliations and pending litigations, the parties mutually agreed that the marriage was irretrievably broken. The Sup…

The Allahabad High Court entertained a writ petition seeking removal of an LCD from a specific area and, in addition, issued a direction that no permission for a DJ should be granted because the noise was deemed unpleasant and beyond permissible limits under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. The…

Dr. Rohit Kumar, a government doctor in Delhi, cleared the INICET‑2020 exam and was allotted an MD seat at PGI Chandigarh. He applied for study leave, but a policy dated 20 Oct 2020, issued in view of the COVID‑19 pandemic, barred further study leaves for government doctors, leading to the rejection of his application …

The case concerned the validity of a 1997 Office Memorandum that withdrew an earlier 1970 order which had relaxed qualifying marks for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates in departmental promotion examinations. The appellants argued that the withdrawal violated the constitutional provisions allowing reservat…

The wife filed a petition for judicial separation and custody under Section 10 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The husband contested the petition’s maintainability, arguing that both parties, being Swedish citizens domiciled in Australia, were outside the Act’s territorial scope. The Supreme Court examined the extent …

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal contributed a message to a literary association's souvenir expressing concerns about the legal fraternity and criticizing certain judicial practices. The message was not released to the press and was circulated only among members, but excerpts were later published in the Times of India, lead…

The Special Police Establishment (SPE) of Madhya Pradesh, constituted under the 1947 Act to investigate corruption‑related offences, was directed by the High Court to disclose information sought by a Town Inspector under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI). The appellant argued that a 2011 State Government notific…

In February 2012 two Indian fishermen were killed when Italian marines aboard the vessel M.V. Enrica Lexie opened fire. An FIR was lodged in Kerala and the marines were arrested, leading to criminal proceedings under sections 302, 307, 427 and 34 of the IPC and the 2002 Suppression of Unlawful Acts Act. The parties inv…

The petitioner, Rohit Chaturvedi, was convicted for murder under Sections 120B and 302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007. After serving more than twenty‑two years, he sought premature release, which was recommended by the Uttarakhand State Government but rejected by the Ministry of Home Affairs in a letter…

The Supreme Court, exercising suo moto jurisdiction, took notice of a surge in reported child rape cases and issued directions in 2019 to establish exclusive POCSO courts in districts with more than 100 cases, along with measures for forensic support, sensitisation of officials, and public awareness. Over subsequent ye…

The Supreme Court heard a Special Leave Petition filed by Ishwar Chanda Sharma challenging a High Court order that directed the appointment of a receiver for Sri Giriraj Temple in Mathura with a preference for a person from the Vaishnav Sampradaya rather than a practising advocate. The Court examined the long‑standing …

The appellant, Gayatri Project Ltd., entered into a works contract with the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation and invoked arbitration under Clause 67.4 of the contract, resulting in a 2011 award in its favour. The respondent challenged the award under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, …

The husband filed a petition under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act seeking divorce, and the parties later reached an amicable settlement before a Supreme Court mediator, wherein the husband paid alimony and the wife agreed to dissolve the marriage. The wife subsequently withdrew from the settlement, claiming she wo…

The appellant was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on 3 October 2023 without the arrest memo containing the specific grounds of arrest, only generic reasons. He was presented before a Remand Judge on 4 October 2023 and remanded to police custody, but the copy of the remand application and …

The Supreme Court examined the recruitment process for the Punjab Superior Judicial Service conducted under the 2007 Rules, where candidates appeared for a written test and viva‑voce. The appellants, all General‑category candidates, claimed they were unfairly excluded after the merit list was altered post‑viva, and arg…

The appellant, Thoti Manohar (A‑2), was convicted along with his brother (A‑1) and cousin (A‑3) for the murder of Kuppuswamy Modali and related offences. The prosecution alleged that A‑1 had an illicit relationship with the victim's cousin, leading to a series of disputes, cattle raids, and a violent confrontation on 2…

The petitioners, Janshruti (People’s Voice), filed a writ under Article 32 seeking gender‑neutral guidelines for domestic violence complaints and a declaration that Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (now Section 84 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) is unconstitutional. The Court examined whether the provision violate…

The petitioners, retired officers of the Himachal Pradesh State Forest Development Corporation, challenged the denial of pension benefits under the 1999 corporate sector pension scheme, arguing that the Supreme Court’s decision in State of H.P. v. Rajesh Chander Sood, which upheld a cut‑off date of 02‑12‑2004, was per …

The Court examined a petition seeking direction to relocate the critically endangered Asiatic lion from its sole habitat in Gir, Gujarat, to Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh, as a second home for long‑term survival. Scientific studies by the Wildlife Institute of India and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) …

The respondents, who were serving as Raj Bhasha Adhikari on an officiating basis, filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking to quash the Raj Bhasha Adhikari Recruitment Rules 2005 and the letters directing them to appear for a Limited Internal Competitive Examination, and also sought a mandamus to restr…

The case arose when an elected MLA, Parithi Llamvazhuthi, was granted conditional bail to take oath in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, but an application filed by Inspector Rajendra Kumar sought cancellation of that bail on the basis of a false statement that the MLA was in police custody. The MLA alleged that the Commissione…

The State of Uttar Pradesh, through the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, acquired land belonging to the appellants for a planned industrial development of Gautam Budh Nagar, invoking Sections 17(1) and 17(4) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, thereby dispensing with the hearing provision of Section 5‑A. …

Justice (Retd) Raj Rahul Garg retired as a District Judge on 31 July 2014 and was appointed a High Court Judge on 25 September 2014, retiring from the High Court on 4 July 2016. She filed a petition under Article 226 seeking that her entire judicial service, including the 54‑day gap, be counted for pensionary benefits.…

The deceased Rahul Pundlik Meshram was last seen with the accused at the house of PW‑8 and later found dead with multiple stab wounds. The trial court convicted the three surviving accused under IPC sections 302 and 34 based solely on circumstantial evidence, including the "last seen" theory, recovery of a weapon, and …

The appellants were recruited to the post of Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) by nomination in 2014, underwent training and were appointed in 2016, while the respondents were promoted to ACF in 2014 without undergoing the training. The appellants sought declaration that their appointment and service should be coun…

The appellant, a judicial officer appointed in 2013, granted bail on 27 April 2015 in a corruption case, which led to a departmental enquiry alleging misconduct and extraneous motives. While the enquiry was pending, a Higher Judicial Committee recommended his discharge and a Full Court ordered his termination on ground…

An FIR was lodged against Fakhrey Alam under several IPC sections, the Arms Act and Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The police filed a charge sheet for the IPC and Arms offences within the 180‑day period but delayed the UAPA charge sheet beyond that period, filing it after 211 days. The a…

The appellant filed a criminal appeal after the Allahabad High Court granted bail to the second respondent, who was accused of murdering the appellant’s son. The FIR detailed a brutal knife attack resulting in eight ante‑mortem injuries and death, and the accused had initially been declared a fugitive before surrenderi…

S. Sreesanth, a registered cricketer, was alleged to have participated in spot‑fixing during an IPL match on 9 May 2013, accepting Rs 10 lakh to concede 14 runs in an over. A one‑man BCCI commission prepared a preliminary report based on video and telephone recordings, and after Sreesanth’s release from police custody,…

The All India Trade Union Congress and affiliated unions filed a writ petition seeking regularisation and statutory benefits for casual workers employed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in Uttarakhand. The High Court initially granted the petition and, on appeal, directed the Union of India to frame a detailed sc…

The case concerned an election petition filed by Sharadendu Tiwari challenging the election of Ajay Arjun Singh. The dispute centered on whether the petition was accompanied by an affidavit in the statutory Form 25 as required by the proviso to Section 83(1)(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and whether…

The appellant, Rajesh Patel, was convicted under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code for raping his class‑mate who was working as a nurse. The prosecution's case rested solely on the prosecutrix's testimony, allegedly corroborated by her mother, while key witnesses – a friend who claimed to have rescued the victim and…

The appellants were charged under Sections 498A and 406 of the IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act after a matrimonial dispute. While the criminal case was pending, the parties reached a mutual settlement, and the complainant wife filed an affidavit supporting the settlement. The trial court rejected the application to d…

The Supreme Court of India struck down the Electoral Bond Scheme and related amendments to the Finance Act 2017, which had introduced anonymous financial contributions to political parties. The Court held that the scheme violated the right to information of voters under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, as informat…

The Supreme Court examined the practice of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) of issuing operative orders without accompanying reasons, which prejudiced the parties and violated their right to a fair hearing under Article 21 of the Constitution. In the present case, the NCDRC pronounced an oper…

The State of Punjab appointed Harish Dhanda as Chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission, prompting a public‑interest writ petition under Article 226 alleging lack of integrity, political affiliation and absence of requisite administrative experience. The Punjab & Haryana High Court Division Bench referred speci…

The appellant society, representing homebuyers, challenged the NCLAT's order admitting Takshashila Heights India Private Ltd (the corporate debtor) into the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) on a petition filed by Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (the financial creditor). The society also contest…

Biswajit Das, a Development Officer of the Life Insurance Corporation of India, was convicted under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act for fraudulently obtaining insurance settlements by falsely claiming the insured were dead. He was sentenced to two years' rigorous imprisonm…

The respondents were engaged as casual labourers in the Ordnance Factory Board from 1981 to 1983 and were disengaged because they were not recruited through the Employment Exchange as required then. They filed petitions before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) seeking re‑engagement and regularisation, relying o…

The dispute concerned the eligibility of Dinesh Singh for inclusion in Register A‑1 of the Haryana Civil Service (Executive Branch) under Rule 9 of the 2008 Rules. The State argued that the cut‑off date of 1 November 2018 applied uniformly to all eligibility criteria, including the condition that a candidate must not b…

The appellant, a director of Bharti Retail, was charged with misbranding food products on 29 November 2010 under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 (PFA). Although the PFA was still in force, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA) – including its penalty provision (Section 52) and overriding clause (…

The Supreme Court examined the Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna, a project to widen about 900 km of national highways in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, which includes three strategic border roads. Environmental groups challenged the project before the National Green Tribunal, leading to the formation of a High Po…

The appellants, manufacturers and dealers including M/s. Tata Motors Ltd., challenged tax assessments levied by the State of Jharkhand under Section 6 of the Bihar Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1994, which imposed tax on motor‑vehicle chassis while in the possession of the manufacturer or dealer before delivery. The key…

A news report of a security breach at Sanganer Airport led the Rajasthan High Court to take suo moto cognizance and register a public interest writ under Art. 226. While the case was pending, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) issued a circular exempting certain VVIPs from pre‑embarkation security checks; sub…

The petitioners, a group of advocates, filed a public‑interest writ under Article 32 seeking a court‑directed mechanism to curb racial discrimination against citizens from India's North‑Eastern states. Citing several media‑reported incidents and invoking Articles 15, 32 and 51A(e) of the Constitution, the International…

The petitioners, working as contractual Systems Officers and Systems Assistants in Gujarat courts, sought the Supreme Court's intervention under Article 32 to challenge a High Court advertisement for new posts and to compel the inclusion of a provision for their absorption into the regular cadre. They also requested a …

Pradip Kumar, a Judicial Member of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) appointed directly from the Bar, was discharged from service on 20 November 2009 under Rule 8(3) of the Tribunal Rules, allegedly in response to a complaint by members of the Bar and a report by the President of CESTAT. T…

The appellant, Chandradhoja Sahoo, claimed to be a landless person who was granted a lease of two acres of surplus government land in 1979, but the Record of Rights was never corrected. The State of Orissa alleged that the 1979 case file, including the lease order, was forged and that the land, recorded as "kanta jungl…

The State of Maharashtra appealed against a Bombay High Court order that quashed a Collector’s directive, issued on the instructions of the Chief Minister, which required police to obtain clearance from a District Anti‑Money Lending Committee and a legal opinion before registering any FIR against Gokulchand Sananda and…

The State of Tamil Nadu filed a suit under Article 131 of the Constitution against the State of Karnataka and the Union of India, alleging that Karnataka's construction of a 500 Mcft check‑dam and related pumping schemes on the Markandeyanadhi tributary of the Pennaiyar River violated the 1892 and 1933 inter‑state wate…

The petitioners, tenants in Chandigarh and Punjab, challenged Section 13‑B of the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949, which gives Non‑Resident Indian (NRI) landlords a preferential right to evict tenants, and the extension of this provision to the Union Territory of Chandigarh by a 2009 notification under Sec…

The Supreme Court entertained a review application filed by the Union of India seeking correction of two sentences in paragraph 25 of its 14‑December‑2018 judgment on the Rafale fighter‑jet procurement, and also considered the petitioners' claim that the Court had failed to order registration of an FIR and CBI investig…

The State of Tripura and others appealed against Jayanta Chakraborty and others, seeking a re‑examination of the M. Nagaraj judgment on the test of backwardness for SC/ST reservations. The petitioners argued that the backwardness test should not apply to SC/ST in view of the Indra Sawhney and E.V. Chinnaiah decisions, …

The petitioners, including a member of the Commission for Judicial Accountability and Reforms, filed successive writ petitions alleging that an FIR implicated senior judicial functionaries and that the Chief Justice of India (CJI) should not hear or assign the matter. They sought a Special Investigation Team and the re…

The petitioners challenged the selection of District and Sessions Judges for the Kerala Higher Judicial Service in 2015, alleging that the Administrative Committee introduced a minimum cut‑off mark for the viva‑voce after the written examination and interview had been completed, contrary to the Full Court resolution of…

The Supreme Court examined a land acquisition under the urgency provision of Section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, where the acquiring authority failed to tender 80% of the estimated compensation before taking possession and also did not pass an award within two years as required by Section 11A. The Court held …

The appellants, Sameer Singh and another, challenged an order of a Sub‑Judge’s execution court that it had become functus officio and therefore could not entertain their application under Order XXI Rules 97, 99 and 101 of the CPC concerning a disputed immovable property. The execution court had earlier executed a decre…

The appellants filed a suit for declaration of ownership of a share in land and an injunction. The defendants filed a counter‑claim asserting title under a Will dated 18‑May‑1995, which the trial judge dismissed as barred by Order 2, Rule 2 of the CPC because the plea had not been raised in the earlier suit. The High C…

The appellant, S. Rukmini Madegowda, was elected as a councillor (later mayor) of the Mysore Municipal Corporation. She filed an affidavit of assets that falsely omitted her husband's property, violating the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act (KMC Act) and the Representation of People Act (RP Act). An election petiti…

Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the Ministry of Personnel allocated B. Subba Rayudu, a Joint Director (Class‑A) in the Animal Husbandry Department, to the residual State of Andhra Pradesh despite his exercise of the option to join Telangana, his seniority, and his spouse’s status as a local candidate of Te…

The petitioners, Annaii Medical College, sought confirmation of a conditional Letter of Permission (LOP) for the 2016‑17 MBBS session and relief from a decision that barred them from admitting students for 2017‑18 and 2018‑19 and authorised the Medical Council of India (MCI) to encash a Rs 2 crore bank guarantee. The M…

The widow and son of a bus driver who died after electrocution filed an application under Section IA of the Fatal Accidents Act, 1855 seeking compensation. The trial court and the High Court dismissed the claim, holding that the suit was time‑barred under Article 82 of the Limitation Act, 1963, which prescribes a two‑y…

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest writ filed by health‑rights activist Devika Biswas after a 2012 sterilisation camp in Bihar resulted in unsafe, unsanitary procedures and several deaths. The petition sought directions to ensure that sterilisation, a component of the national population‑control programme, is ca…

The case concerned a group of senior Lower Division Assistants (LDAs) who sought to have their pay stepped up to match that of a junior employee, Gopinath Dey, invoking West Bengal Service Rule 55(4). The Court found that Dey had been erroneously granted a higher pay scale and that the two conditions for Rule 55(4) – b…

Azad Coach Builders was contracted by an exporter to fabricate bus bodies according to a foreign buyer’s specifications, after which the bodies were mounted on chassis and exported as complete buses. The assessee claimed exemption from State sales tax under Section 5(3) of the Central Sales Tax Act, arguing that the sa…

The appellant, Ajmera Shyam, challenged the election of Smt. Kova Laxmi, alleging that she failed to disclose income shown in her income‑tax returns for four financial years in the Form 26 affidavit, marking it as “Nil”. The High Court dismissed the election petition, holding that the omission was not a substantial def…

The appellant, Kesari Nandan Mobile, challenged two provisional attachment orders dated 13 November 2024 and 18 December 2024 issued by the Assistant Commissioner of State Tax under section 83 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act. The orders were issued after earlier attachment orders of October 2023 had au…

The husband filed a divorce petition in 2012 on grounds of cruelty and adultery, and the Family Court granted a decree of divorce in 2016 on the ground of cruelty. The wife appealed, and the Madras High Court set aside the decree, holding that the alleged cruelty stemmed from the wife's father's rude utterances, which …

The State of Karnataka appealed against a High Court order that granted bail to a celebrity actor (A2) and co‑accused in a murder‑conspiracy case involving Sections 302, 120B and 34 IPC, where the victim was allegedly kidnapped, tortured and killed after sending obscene messages to A2’s partner. The High Court had reli…

The Supreme Court considered whether the nine‑judge bench decision in Mineral Area Development Authority v. Steel Authority of India (2024 INSC 554) should be given prospective effect. The judgment had overruled India Cement Ltd. v. State of Tamil Nadu and clarified the legislative competence of States under Entries 49…

The Supreme Court revisited a writ petition filed in 1985 concerning environmental and land‑use violations in Delhi. The Court examined whether the Monitoring Committee, appointed in 2006 to curb the misuse of residential premises for commercial purposes, had the authority to seal residential properties on private land…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, took cognizance of two tweets posted by advocate Prashant Bhushan that alleged the Chief Justice of India was riding a luxury motorcycle while keeping the Court in "lockdown" and that the Supreme Court had facilitated the destruction of democracy. The Court examined whether such stat…

Kum C. Yamini was appointed as an ad hoc District Judge to preside over a Fast Track Court (FTC) in 2003 under the Andhra Pradesh State Higher Judicial Service Special Rules for Ad Hoc Appointments, 2001. After a 2013 notification inviting applications for regular District Judge posts, she was selected and appointed to…

The respondent, a former government employee, retired with a provisional pension but the State of Jharkhand withheld 10% of his pension, gratuity and leave encashment while criminal and departmental proceedings against him were pending. He filed writ petitions and the High Court ordered the release of the withheld amou…

The appellant, a co‑founder of a media production firm, sought to quash an FIR filed by a rival media financier alleging offences under sections 60(b), 316(2) and 318(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The High Court, instead of simply deciding the petition, directed the parties to undergo mediation and ordered t…

The petitioner, son of a teacher who died while in service at an aided school, claimed death‑cum‑retirement gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. The claim was rejected by the school authorities, the appellate authority and the High Court, which held that the teacher was not an employee within the meaning o…

The husband filed a divorce petition and sought to introduce secretly recorded telephone conversations with his wife as evidence, submitting memory cards, a CD and transcripts. The Family Court allowed the evidence, but the High Court set aside that order on the ground that the recordings violated the wife's right to p…

The appellant A-4, a young woman engaged to B.V. Girish, was unwilling to marry him and confided her grievance to friend A-1, who enlisted cousin A-3 and A-2 to murder the fiancé. The deceased was fatally injured with a steel rod on 3 December 2003; eyewitnesses were later discredited and the case hinged on circumstant…

The State of Karnataka challenged the Karnataka High Court’s order that quashed criminal proceedings against former BBMP Chief Engineer B.T. Ramesh on the grounds that the chargesheet was filed more than four years after the alleged misconduct and that no sanction under Section 197 of the CrPC was obtained. Ramesh had …

The appellants challenged the recruitment of 1,091 Assistant Professors and 67 Librarians in Punjab Government Degree Colleges, alleging that the State bypassed the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) and ignored UGC regulations. The High Court Division Bench upheld the recruitment, reversing a Single Judge’s order…

The petitioners, led by Himanshu Kumar, alleged that police, Special Police Officers, Salwa Judum activists and paramilitary forces carried out brutal massacres of tribals in three Chhattisgarh villages in September and October 2009 and sought a mandamus directing the CBI to investigate and compensation for the victims…

The appellant, ShaHaja @ ShaHajan Ismail Mohd. Shaikh, was convicted of murdering Mahankal Jaiswal after two eye‑witnesses (PW‑1 and PW‑8) testified that he assaulted the victim with a hammer. The trial court also relied on a discovery panchnama under Section 27 of the Evidence Act, which recorded the appellant pointin…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ filed by Victim Families Association on behalf of relatives of 1,528 alleged fake‑encounter victims in Manipur, holding that third‑party petitions are maintainable where access to justice is denied. It ruled that the State must investigate alleged extrajudicial killi…

The Supreme Court heard a civil appeal filed by the Union of India challenging a Central Administrative Tribunal order that directed the Railway Board to devise a scheme to induct employees of the Railway Employees Consumer Co‑operative Society Ltd. into regular Group ‘D’ posts, a direction that had been upheld by the …

An amicus curiae, senior advocate Harish N. Salve, brought to the Supreme Court's notice statements made by senior advocate Prashant Bhushan in a Tehelka interview alleging widespread corruption in the higher judiciary and specifically imputing misconduct against Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia. The Court, on 6 November 200…

The Supreme Court examined the fallout from the denial of renewal of recognition to Sardar Rajas Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre (SRMCH) due to serious deficiencies, which forced the transfer of 124 MBBS students to three private medical colleges in Odisha. Interim orders had required the students to pay …

The appellants, members of a political party, were arrested after a communal protest triggered by an incendiary social media post on 10 October 2022 and were later released on bail. Six months later, the police prepared a gang chart and lodged a fresh FIR on 30 April 2023 under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters & Anti-Social…

The appellants were convicted under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PoFA) for selling adulterated curd and various food items, receiving six months' imprisonment and fines. They sought release on probation under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, arguing that Section 20AA of PoFA, which excluded probation, …

The Supreme Court examined whether secured creditors could claim priority over assets attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Maharashtra Protection of Investors and Depositors Act (MPID Act) by invoking the SARFAESI Act and the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy (RDB) Act. It also considered…

The Supreme Court examined the status reports filed by several states on the implementation of its earlier prison‑reform directives, focusing on overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and the welfare of women prisoners and children. The Court noted persistent delays, lack of approvals, and insufficient action by the …

The Supreme Court examined an interlocutory application by Common Cause seeking to bar CBI Director Ranjit Sinha from interfering in coal‑block allocation investigations and to order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged abuse of authority. The Director had retired, rendering the recusal request moot, but…

The case concerned a former municipal council member who challenged the display of the name of the Municipal Council of Patur in Urdu alongside Marathi on the council’s building signboard, alleging that Marathi is the sole official language under the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022 and that…

The Supreme Court examined appeals filed by the victims of an interstate child‑trafficking racket challenging the High Court's grant of bail to thirteen accused persons charged under IPC sections 363, 311 and 370(5). The Court found that the High Court had ignored crucial factors such as the seriousness of the offence,…

The Supreme Court heard appeals challenging the Delhi High Court's age criteria for the Delhi Judicial Service (DJS) and Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS) examinations. The petitioners argued that the upper age limit of 32 years for DJS and the minimum age of 35 years for DHJS were unconstitutional, especially after…

The case concerned two separate prosecutions arising from the July 2006 Mumbai suburban train bomb blasts. In Special Case No. 21 of 2006, the accused‑respondents sought to summon four Deputy Commissioners of Police (who had recorded confessional statements of three other accused in a later Special Case No. 4 of 2009) …

The petitioners, who had obtained large credit facilities from two banks by allegedly submitting forged lease documents as collateral, defaulted on payments and were prosecuted for fraud and related offences. The banks later settled the civil dues through a one‑time settlement, and the petitioners sought to have the cr…

Laxmibai was elected as a member of a Gram Panchayat in Nanded but failed to submit her election‑expense account within the 30‑day period, submitting it 15 days late. The Collector, acting as the State Election Commission, disqualified her for five years, rejecting her medical certificate as a valid excuse. Laxmibai ch…

The petitioners challenged Rule 5A(3) of the Bihar Civil Service (Judicial Branch) Recruitment Rules, 1955, which limited the number of candidates called for the final written examination to 10% of those who appeared in the preliminary test. They argued that the rule violated the Supreme Court's decision in Malik Mazha…

The case involves multiple appeals arising from a Delhi High Court judgment concerning the division of powers between the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) and the Lieutenant Governor (LG) under Article 239AA of the Constitution. The Supreme Court Constitution Bench had earlier interpreted Artic…

The Cement Workers' Union filed a Special Civil Application (SCA) in the Gujarat High Court seeking to compel Indian Bank and Global Cements Ltd. to pay outstanding wages to workers of a cement factory in Porbandar, Gujarat, and to set aside a Debt Recovery Tribunal order that transferred sale proceeds to the bank. The…

The Supreme Court allowed appeals against the acquittal of A2 to A4 (Sasikala, Sudhakaran, Elavarasi) in a disproportionate assets case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The trial court had convicted them for conspiracy and abetment with A1 (Jayalalitha, since deceased) in amassing assets worth Rs.66.65 cro…

Siemens and other bidders challenged the award of a contract by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for 486 standard gauge cars to Hyundai Rotem, arguing that the GEC (energy consumption) values used to adjust bids were untenable and that the Government’s appointment of a committee to review the tender process whil…

The appellants challenged the registration of FIR No. 442 of 2012 on the ground that a second FIR cannot be filed for the same incident after an earlier FIR had been lodged. The Court examined the scope of the "principle of sameness" and held that while a second FIR on identical facts is prohibited, a counter‑FIR prese…

The appellant, a Group D luggage porter in Northern Railway, qualified for promotion to Ticket Collector (Group C) after passing written and viva‑voce tests, but was denied promotion because he was not declared medically fit in Class B‑2 under Para 510 of the Indian Railway Medical Manual (IRMM). The appellant challeng…

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) advertised an LPG distributorship and, after interviews, prepared a merit panel placing Guru Shakti Singh first and Sardar Mahinder Singh second. Mahinder Singh complained that the selection committee had awarded him lower marks despite meeting the criteria, and filed a writ petition which …

The appellant Budhaev Karmaskar was convicted of murdering a sex worker, Chayay Rani Pal, by repeatedly striking her head, causing fatal injuries. Eye‑witness testimony and a detailed post‑mortem report established the brutality of the assault and the cause of death. The trial court sentenced him to life imprisonment u…

Advocate Rajeeb Kalita filed a public‑interest writ petition under Article 32 seeking a mandamus directing all States and Union Territories to provide separate, accessible toilet facilities for men, women, persons with disabilities and transgender persons in every court and tribunal. He highlighted the deplorable condi…

Shamshar Singh Sandhu, a DIG in the CRPF, was promoted to the rank of Inspector General (IG) but was later reverted to DIG without a notice or hearing. The reversion order was stayed by the High Court, allowing him to continue serving as an IG until his retirement on 31 January 2016. He sought retirement benefits as an…

The State Bank of India dismissed Deputy Manager Narendra Kumar Pandey after a departmental inquiry under its Officers Service Rules for twelve charges of misconduct, including fraud and misuse of bank facilities. Pandey did not attend any of the inquiry sessions, nor did he file a written defence, prompting the Inquir…

The case arose from a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The accused obtained a High Court order under Section 482 CrPC allowing her to appear through counsel and the High Court issued sweeping directions to all criminal courts to dispense with personal attendance of accused in such cases an…

The Supreme Court examined whether "physician samples" of patented and proprietary medicines, which are distributed free of cost to doctors and prohibited from sale under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, are liable to central excise duty. It held that excise duty is a tax on manufacture, not on sale, and therefore the stat…

The respondents, a Senior Dietician and a Dietician employed by the Union Territory Administration of Chandigarh, claimed that their pay scales should be brought at par with those of their counterparts in the Government of Punjab, invoking the doctrine of equal pay for equal work. The High Court had directed the Union …

The Indore Development Authority (IDA) allotted a plot to Dr. Hemant Mandovra in 1995 under a tender, requiring 50% payment upfront and the balance in installments. The respondent failed to pay the balance, leading to cancellation of the allotment in 2000. After a High Court order in 2006 directing the IDA to hand over…

The Supreme Court considered contempt petitions filed by the successful auction purchaser (Celir LLP) against the original borrower, a subsequent transferee, and the bank, alleging wilful disobedience of the Court’s 21 September 2023 judgment that confirmed the 9th auction of a secured asset and directed issuance of a …

The Urban Improvement Trust (the appellant) sought to acquire land in Nangli Kota and Moongaska villages under the Rajasthan Urban Improvement Act, 1959. The respondents challenged the acquisition, alleging procedural defects: failure to serve individual notices under s.52(2), premature possession before compensation w…

The case concerns the murder of a police officer for which two accused were acquitted by the trial court. The High Court reversed the acquittal and convicted them for life, relying on the testimony of police witnesses and a purported dying declaration. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the scope of appellate review…

More than 90 candidates who appeared for the Main (Written) Examination for Civil Judge (Junior Division) challenged the selection process, alleging that the evaluation was arbitrary, lacked a model answer key, and that only nine out of 1,195 candidates qualified. The Supreme Court examined the examination’s security, …

The appellant, a meritorious candidate claiming reservation in the sports and games category, was denied admission to the MBBS course after the statutory cut‑off date of 30 September 2015. The High Court, relying on the decision in Jasmine Kaur, refused admission and awarded only monetary compensation. The Supreme Cour…

Dr. Sabu Mathew George filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking directions to block online advertisements and content facilitating sex selection, and to compel Google India, Yahoo! India and Microsoft Corporation to comply with the Pre‑conception and Pre‑natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) …

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) was petitioned under the Right to Information Act, 2005 for the names, designations and addresses of members of its interview board. While the Commission disclosed most of the requested information, it refused to reveal the interviewers' details, invoking Section 8(1)(g) of th…

Respondent No.1 was temporarily appointed as Project Director of the Child Labour Elimination & Rehabilitation Society through the Employment Exchange without any public advertisement. She later left the Society to join a post in the Panchayat & Rural Development Department, was repatriated but was not allowed to rejoi…

The Supreme Court entertained suo motu contempt petitions arising from its own directions on medical college admissions in Chhattisgarh, finding that the Director of Medical Education, Dr. S.L. Adile, and four other officials wilfully flouted the Court's schedule and admitted two candidates, including the Director's da…

The case concerned an FIR alleging terrorist activities against Irshad Ali and another accused, who claimed to be informers and were allegedly falsely implicated. The Delhi Special Cell filed a police report under Section 173(2) CrPC, after which the High Court ordered a CBI inquiry and later a closure report. The tria…

Retired judges of the Bombay High Court complained that the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) was unavailable in many areas, limiting their medical treatment and reimbursement. The Bombay High Court, treating the complaint as a suo motu writ, directed the Maharashtra Government to frame rules under Section 230 of…

Ashok Kumar Nigam, a District Government Counsel, applied for renewal of his term. The State Government declined renewal by a blanket order dated 3 April 2008, without considering the recommendations of the District Judge and District Magistrate as required by the Legal Remembrancer's Manual. The High Court set aside t…

The Supreme Court considered multiple writ petitions and appeals filed by private teacher‑education colleges, including Maa Vaishno Devi Mahila Mahavidyalaya, which had obtained recognition from the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) but were denied affiliation by universities and the Uttar Pradesh State Gov…

The Supreme Court reviewed a 2007 order that directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to inquire into alleged disproportionate assets of a political family and to submit its report to the Union of India. The petitioners sought a review, arguing that the Court lacked jurisdiction to order a CBI inquiry without…

The appellant LIC terminated Om Parkash's employment on the ground of abandonment after he was absent without leave for more than 90 days and failed to respond to multiple notices sent to his permanent address. The employee later secured a job with the Food Corporation of India but concealed this fact in his writ petit…

The Supreme Court heard a batch of writ petitions challenging the demolition of residential and commercial structures belonging to persons accused or convicted of crimes, where the demolitions were carried out without following any due‑process requirements. The Court examined whether the executive could impose such a p…

The Commissioner of Police, Aurangabad, detained Balu under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1981, and the order was approved by the State Government and confirmed by the Advisory Board. Balu challenged the detention before the High Court, which set aside the order on merits and also on the groun…

The Finance Act, 2017, through Part XIV, amended 25 enactments to merge tribunals and delegate rule-making power to the Central Government regarding qualifications, appointment, and service conditions of tribunal members. The Supreme Court considered whether Part XIV could be passed as a Money Bill under Article 110, b…

The respondent, Subhash Chandra Agarwal, filed three RTI applications seeking information about (1) correspondence regarding the appointment of three Supreme Court judges who superseded seniority, (2) declaration of assets by judges pursuant to a 1997 resolution, and (3) correspondence about a Union Minister allegedly …

The appellants were first engaged on a daily‑wage basis in August 1993, later on a contractual basis in 1996, and were given the minimum pay‑scale in 2000. In 2006 they were conferred temporary status with retrospective effect from 2 October 2002. The Allahabad High Court directed that they be considered for regularisa…

The Supreme Court was approached by the State of Tamil Nadu for clarification of its 15 December 2016 order that prohibited the grant of liquor licences along national and state highways, including stretches within municipal limits. The Court clarified that the purpose of the order is to curb liquor sales along highway…

The Supreme Court examined two appeals filed by the Commissioner of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax challenging High Court orders that granted service‑tax refunds to Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd. (SPCL) for construction work at IIT Patna and NIT Rourkela. The core issue was whether these educational institution…

The Bengal Secretariat Cooperative Land Mortgage Bank and Housing Society Ltd. (the appellant) sought to redevelop its dilapidated administrative building by entering into a joint‑venture agreement with a private developer, Hi‑Rise Apartment Makers Pvt. Ltd. A dissenting member, respondent No.1, challenged the society’…

The appellant Ramanand (alias Nandlal Bharti) was convicted and sentenced to death for allegedly murdering his wife and four children, based largely on circumstantial evidence comprising a discovery statement of the murder weapon, extra‑judicial confessions to two witnesses, alleged motive stemming from an extramarital…

Senior IPS officer Sanjiv Rajendra Bhatt filed writ petitions under Article 32 seeking transfer of investigations into two criminal cases to the CBI or a fresh Special Investigation Team (SIT), alleging that he was present at a 2002 Gujarat meeting, that the Court‑appointed SIT leaked confidential material, and that hi…

The West Bengal Police recruited constables and placed the respondent on the provisional select list. He was medically fit and submitted a verification roll stating he had never been arrested, but an enquiry revealed his involvement in a criminal case under IPC sections 148, 323, 380, 448, 427 and 506, for which a char…

The case concerned a complaint before the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that Ajit P.K. Jogi had fraudulently obtained Scheduled Tribe certificates and contested elections from reserved constituencies. The Commission held a hearing, recorded a finding that Jogi’s certificates were false, …

The appellant, a clerk in NABARD, was issued a caste certificate by a Tehsildar stating he belonged to the 'Koli Mahadeo' tribe, which was then recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in Maharashtra. After his appointment to a reserved ST vacancy in 1992, the bank’s Caste Scrutiny Committee later concluded that he did not belo…

The appellant, a three‑time Chief Minister of Delhi, was arrested by the CBI in June 2024 in connection with an FIR registered in August 2022 under sections 120B, 477A IPC and section 7 PC Act. He challenged the legality of the arrest under Sections 41A and 41(1)(b)(ii) of the CrPC and also sought regular bail. The Hig…

The appellants, owners of land reserved for Development Plan Roads under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, constructed the roads at their own cost, surrendered the land to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and were granted 25% transferable development rights (TDR). They later claimed the balance 75% (or 10…

On 7 November 2003 a large mob in Ahmedabad assaulted several persons, burnt a two-wheeler and an auto‑rickshaw, and snatched the gold chain of PW‑2. The appellant, accused No.6, was identified only by PW‑2’s testimony given two years later, without any identification parade and amidst a crowd of 50‑100 people. The tri…

The appellant and respondent were married in 2002 but the marriage was never consummated and the parties lived apart for almost two decades. The appellant filed for divorce on the ground of cruelty; the trial court granted a decree on the basis of irretrievable breakdown, which was later set aside by the appellate cour…

The appellant, Sumit Mehta, was charged under IPC sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 and the Delhi High Court granted him anticipatory bail on the condition that he deposit a fixed deposit of Rs 1 crore in the complainant's name. Mehta appealed to the Supreme Court, contending that the condition was unreasonable, unrelated…

The petitioners, representing Scheduled Tribes employees, sought a direction that Himachal Pradesh implement its own policy of reservation in promotions with consequential seniority under the 85th Constitutional Amendment, relying on data already collected. The State argued that implementation should be deferred pendin…

Ramesh Ahluwalia, an administrative officer of the private unaided DAV Public School, was removed from service following a disciplinary inquiry in which the principal, who also acted as a management witness, participated. Ahluwalia challenged the removal by filing a writ petition under Article 226, contending that the …

The petition challenged the constitutional validity of Sections 12(5), 12(6), 15(5) and 15(6) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, which prescribe the eligibility criteria for appointing Chief Information Commissioners and Information Commissioners. The petitioner argued that the provisions were vague, lacked specifi…

The case concerned the renewal and re‑grant of mining leases for iron and manganese ores in Karnataka. Sandur Manganese & Iron Ores Ltd. and MSPL Ltd. challenged the Karnataka State Government’s recommendation to grant a mining lease to Jindal Vijayanagar Steel Ltd. and Kalyani Steels Ltd., arguing that the recommendat…

The Supreme Court examined a long‑standing dispute in the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service concerning the inter‑seniority of officers appointed by direct recruitment from the Bar and those promoted from the Nyayik Sewa and Judicial Magistrates. The petitioners sought to prevent direct recruit appointments until th…

The Indian Medical Association filed a writ petition alleging that Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., its managing director Acharya Balkrishna and proponent Baba Ramdev, violated an undertaking given to the Supreme Court on 21 November 2023 by holding a press conference on 22 November 2023 and publishing advertisements that claim…

The dispute concerned the inclusion of Rajni Kant and Anjani Kumar as heirs of the late Chandra Deo Singh in land records (khata) under Section 9A(2) of the U.P. Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953. The respondents claimed they were legitimate children born out of a long‑standing live‑in relationship between the deceas…

The case concerns the management of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, which has been historically managed by the Travancore royal family. After the integration of princely states, a Covenant in 1949 and the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950 preserved the Ruler's control over the …

The Supreme Court upheld its earlier order that any prayer for stay or to impede the progress of investigations or trials in the coal block allocation cases must be made only before the Supreme Court, thereby limiting the High Court's jurisdiction under Articles 226 and 227. The Court held that this restriction is perm…

The writ petition filed by V. Vasanthakumar sought a mandamus directing the Supreme Court to consider proposals for establishing National/Regional Courts of Appeal to alleviate the massive backlog and improve access to justice. The petitioner argued that the Supreme Court has increasingly functioned as a regular appell…

The case arose from political turmoil in Arunachal Pradesh where the Governor, without the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, preponed the 6th session of the Legislative Assembly from 14 January 2016 to 16 December 2015 and issued a message directing the manner of proceedings, including the removal of the Spea…

The Delhi Race Club challenged the constitutional validity of the Mysore Race Courses Licensing Act, 1952 (as extended to Delhi) and its 2001 amendment that raised the licence fee for horse racing ten‑fold. The club argued that Section 11(2) gave the Administrator unfettered power to fix fees without guidance, amountin…

The accused Mustkeem, Nandu and Arun were convicted for the murder of Ram Pal Yadav under IPC s.302/34 and the Arms Act based largely on circumstantial evidence, hostile eyewitnesses, and weapons recovered after the accused’s disclosure. The Supreme Court found that key witnesses had turned hostile, statements were ret…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against the Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of two accused (Mohd Iqram and another) in the murder of Rashmi. Police, on routine patrol, heard shrieks, saw three persons scaling a wall, apprehended two, and were led to the victim who later died of strangulation. The trial court convi…

The Supreme Court examined the procedure for designating Senior Advocates after concerns were raised in Jitender @ Kalla regarding the 100‑point assessment and the role of bar members in the Permanent Committee. It considered whether the point‑based system introduced in Indira Jaising I and modified in Indira Jaising I…

Vijaya Bank required its senior middle‑manager, Prashant B. Narnaware, to serve a minimum of three years and to pay Rs 2 lakhs as liquidated damages if he resigned earlier, as stipulated in clause 11(k) of his appointment letter. The employee resigned after less than two years and paid the amount under protest, subsequ…

The appellant's land was acquired in 1976‑77 under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, but no compensation was ever paid. After repeatedly seeking payment, the appellant filed a writ petition which was dismissed by a single High Court judge on the ground of a 42‑year delay. The Division Bench of the High Court then directe…

The petitioners, victims of Endosulfan pesticide use in Kerala's Kasargod district, sought enforcement of a Supreme Court order dated 10 January 2017 that directed the State Government to pay Rs 5 lakhs compensation to each affected person and to arrange medical facilities. Five years later, only eight petitioners had …

The petitioners, a group of MBBS graduates who had participated in the NEET‑PG 2021 counselling process, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking the quashing of the National Board of Examinations' notification fixing the NEET‑PG 2022 exam for 21 May 2022, a postponement of the exam, a fresh date after eight week…

Common Cause and Centre for Public Interest Litigation filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking to restrain the Union and State governments from using public funds for advertisements that project individual functionaries or political parties, and asked the Supreme Court to lay down guidelines. The Court, invoking…

The Supreme Court considered appeals by Hindustan Zinc Ltd. and other captive power generators challenging the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (RERC) Renewable Energy Obligation Regulations of 2007 and 2010, which require them to purchase a minimum quantum of electricity from renewable sources. The appell…

Assistant Sub‑Inspector Risal Singh was dismissed by the Superintendent of Police under Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution, who dispensed with a disciplinary inquiry and gave no reasons for the dismissal. The appellant challenged the order, arguing that a reason must be ascribed when an inquiry is waived, and the Hi…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of a 2010 notification issued by the Medical Council of India (MCI) introducing the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to postgraduate medical courses across India. Petitioners challenged the MCI's competence under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, to imp…

Thirteen BJP MLAs wrote to the Governor withdrawing support from Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, prompting the Governor to ask the CM to prove his majority and the CM to file a disqualification application under the Tenth Schedule against them. The Speaker issued show‑cause notices, gave only three days to respond (in…

The appellants, tenants of two 240 sq ft shops, were originally paying Rs 60 per month. After a landlord‑tenant dispute, the High Court Single Judge stayed their eviction and first raised the rent to Rs 600 per month (Sept 2005). In Feb 2007, following a landlord’s offer and the tenants’ acceptance, the Judge further i…

The former Jharkhand minister Anosh Ekka was convicted in two separate cases arising from the same set of allegations of acquiring disproportionate assets and misusing his office. The High Court rejected his application for suspension of sentence and bail during the pendency of the appeal, prompting a special leave pet…

The husband and wife, married in 2000, lived separately from 2022 and entered into a mediated Settlement Agreement in May 2024 that provided for a mutual‑consent divorce, payment of Rs 75 lakh, a car purchase, jewellery hand‑over and other financial transfers. The first motion for divorce was granted after the husband …

M/s Neeharika Infrastructure Pvt Ltd lodged an FIR alleging forgery and fraud against three respondents under several IPC sections. The respondents filed a petition under Article 226 and Section 482 of the CrPC seeking quashment of the FIR and obtained a blanket interim order from the Bombay High Court directing the po…

In Madhya Pradesh, twenty‑two INC legislators tendered resignations, six of which were accepted by the Speaker. The Chief Minister, fearing loss of majority, sought a floor test, and the Governor, on the basis of material indicating a possible loss of confidence, directed a trust vote on 16 March 2020. The Assembly was…

The Tamil Nadu Medical Officers’ Association challenged the amendment to Regulation 9(4) and (8) of the Post‑Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, which allowed reservation of 50% of state‑quota seats for in‑service medical officers. The petitioners argued that such reservation exceeded the legislative competen…

K.K. Mishra, a Congress spokesperson, allegedly made three statements about the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh during a press conference. The State Government sanctioned the public prosecutor to file a complaint under Section 199(2) of the CrPC on the same day, leading to Mishra's conviction under Section 500 IPC for…

The plaintiff, a holder of agricultural land exceeding the ceiling prescribed under the Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms (Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings) Act, 1973, sold the land to the respondents on 16 July 1975, after the Act had come into force. The Land Ceiling Tribunal in 1976 declared the sale void and the land dee…

The Mizo Chief Council filed a writ petition under Article 32 on behalf of tribal chieftains alleging that the State had acquired their traditional lands without paying due compensation, violating their fundamental right to property. The petition was filed in 2014, more than six decades after the 1955 notification that…

The respondent was appointed as Veterinary Compounder in the Central Cattle Breeding Farms in 1999 by the then Director In‑charge without obtaining prior written approval of the competent authority as required by the Central Cattle Breeding Farms (Class III and IV) Recruitment Rules, 1969. The Department later issued a…