Judgments of 2015

Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College applied to the Central Government for an increase in MBBS seats for the 2015-16 academic session but failed to attach the mandatory essentiality certificate, resulting in the application’s rejection. The college sought condonation of the delay and a direction for its applicatio…

The appellant, a Patwari, was accused of demanding bribes to effect a mutation of land records. The complainant testified that the Patwari first demanded Rs.1900, of which Rs.900 was paid by his mother, and later demanded an additional Rs.1000, which the complainant paid and was later recovered from the Patwari during …

The assessee, M/s EMCO Ltd., manufactures transformers and pays central excise duty on the price at which it sells them to State Electricity Boards. The Revenue argued that the transaction value for duty purposes must include freight and transit‑insurance costs, contending that the place of removal was the buyer’s prem…

The assessees, Pennar Industries Ltd., imported hot‑rolled non‑alloy steel raw material duty‑free under Notification No. 30/1997 of the DEEC scheme, subject to an export obligation. They did not export the finished goods themselves but arranged third‑party exports after the DGFT amended the licence to permit such expor…

The appellant, a former Store Keeper Technical in the Indian Army, was reinstated after a commuted court‑martial punishment but was denied promotion to Naib Subedar and the associated pay and allowances for the period from 1 August 1997 to his actual promotion on 13 November 2000. The Departmental Promotion Committee i…

The appellant lent Rs.2,20,000 to the respondent, who issued a post‑dated cheque that later bounced, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The respondent filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash the criminal proceedings, alleging that the loan was actually ta…

The petitioners challenged a bail warrant issued by a Judicial Magistrate First Class, Srinagar, after the magistrate took cognizance of a complaint under Section 500 of the Ranbir Penal Code and issued process under Section 204 of the CrPC. The High Court rejected the petition to quash the proceedings, holding that th…

The Supreme Court examined whether Magnum Equity Services Ltd., a corporate entity formed by converting a stock‑broking partnership, was entitled to a fee‑continuity exemption under Paragraph 1(4) of Schedule III of the SEBI (Stock Brokers and Sub‑Brokers) Regulations, 1992, after three of its original partners resigne…

The Supreme Court examined whether Libra Buildtech Private Ltd. and other bidders, who had paid Rs.6.22 crore as stamp duty for sale deeds of properties of a liquidated company, could claim a refund after the sale was cancelled and the sale consideration was returned. The Court held that the cancellation of the contrac…

Ganga Bai was tried and convicted for the murder of her daughter‑in‑law and two children under IPC s.302 read with s.34 and for destroying evidence under s.201, along with co‑accused Udai Lal and Daulat Ram. The trial court and the Rajasthan High Court upheld her conviction while acquitting the co‑accused. She appealed…

The Kanachur Islamic Education Trust applied to the Government of India for permission to start a new MBBS college for 2015‑16. After obtaining state‑level clearances, the Medical Council of India (MCI) inspected the college and reported numerous deficiencies in faculty, infrastructure and clinical services. The Trust …

Saraswati Medical College sought a Letter of Permission to start a new MBBS programme with 150 seats for the 2015‑16 academic year. The Medical Council of India (MCI) inspected the college, identified deficiencies, and after a second inspection raised further deficiencies, leading the Union of India to disapprove the a…

Jeles Education Society (appellant) ran a private school and advertised a vacancy for a Trained Graduate Teacher of English and Sanskrit, reserving the post for backward classes. R.T. Bhitale (respondent), an Other Backward Class candidate, was appointed on a purely temporary basis from 7 December 1987 to 30 April 1988…

The appellant, a constable with fifteen years of service, was dismissed for repeated unauthorized absences, some due to treatment for chronic tuberculosis. The disciplinary and appellate authorities deemed him unfit for police service and imposed dismissal. The High Court set aside the dismissal, remanding the matter f…

The appellants, Nihaal Ahamed and Gayathri, secured ranks 731 and 551 respectively in the merit list for MBBS admission at a private medical college and were instructed to appear for counseling on 26 September 2013. The college drafted call letters dated 24 September but posted them only on 29 September, causing the ap…

The State of Karnataka acquired agricultural land for industrial development under the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Act, 1966, and transferred it to the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), which later allotted the land to Ultra Tech Cement Ltd on a lease basis. The landowners sought compensati…

M/s. Holostick India Ltd. manufactures security holograms by embossing a flexible metallised plastic film, applying adhesive and release coatings, and cutting the product to size for use as security devices. The Commissioner of Central Excise classified the holograms under tariff entry 39.19 (self‑adhesive plastic shee…

The respondent, Saurabh Bakshi, was convicted under Section 304A of the IPC for causing the deaths of two persons by rash and negligent driving. The trial magistrate sentenced him to one year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine; the High Court reduced the sentence to the 24 days already served, relying on the fact that…

Oswal Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. purchased naphtha from BPCL/IOCL in September-October 1996 and paid excise duty because it did not possess a CT‑2 certificate. After obtaining the certificate through an appeal, it sought a refund of the duty paid for that period. The Assistant Commissioner rejected the refund claim o…

The appellant and respondent No.1 both applied for the post of Anganwadi Worker in Odisha. The selection committee initially appointed the appellant, but the Sub‑Collector remanded the case on 26‑12‑2009, leading to a reconsideration where the appellant again emerged as the most eligible candidate. Respondent No.1 file…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Entry 25 of Schedule VI of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957, which levies tax on the processing and supply of photographs, photo prints and photo negatives. The issue centered on whether the State could tax the goods component of a works contract after the 46th…

M.V. Jayarajan delivered a public speech in Kannur criticizing a Kerala High Court order that prohibited meetings on public roads, using language that the court deemed abusive, including calling judges "idiots" and employing the regional term "sumbhan". The High Court convicted him of criminal contempt under Section 12…

The Cellular Operators Association of India and several private mobile service providers were directed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to discontinue differential tariffs that charged higher rates for calls terminating on the BSNL/MTNL network compared to calls terminating on other private networks.…

The petitioners, a company dealing in the purchase and resale of life‑insurance policies, challenged LIC's circulars of 2003 and 2005 that refused to register assignments of policies to firms engaged in trading such policies. They argued that Section 38 of the Insurance Act, 1938 makes policies transferable and assigna…

The appellant, M/s. S.K.L. Co., challenged a notification by the Railways that leased Front Second Class Luggage Rakes (FSLR) and Ventilated Parcel Vans (VP) to private lessees through an auction, alleging that the lease violated Sections 70 and 71 of the Railways Act, 1989 by giving undue preference and that the Railw…

The Central Bank of India sued Virudhunar Steel Rolling Mills Ltd. and its directors (respondents 2‑4) for recovery of credit facilities totalling about Rs 12 lakh. The directors had executed personal guarantee deeds on 30 August 1974, but the company already owed approximately Rs 7.68 lakh before that date. The bank c…

The Supreme Court examined whether a Company Court or an Official Liquidator can control the sale of secured assets by a secured creditor under the SARFAESI Act when the borrower is a company under winding up. Pegasus Assets Reconstruction Ltd, the secured creditor, sought to enforce its security over the land of Harya…

The appellant, a senior lecturer in a private polytechnic, claimed that the vacant post of Principal must be filled by promotion under Rule 3(3) of the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1981. The Director of Technical Education rejected this claim, applying the Government Polytechn…

The Kerala Bar Hotels Association and other hotel operators challenged the Kerala government's 2014‑15 policy that restricted foreign liquor (FL‑3) licences to only five‑star hotels, alleging violations of Articles 14, 19 and 47 of the Constitution. The State argued that the policy is a reasonable classification aimed …

The appellant, a visually‑handicapped allottee of a fair‑price shop, challenged an appellate order that restored the original allottee's licence and cancelled her own allotment. The High Court dismissed her writ petition on the ground that she was not a necessary party. The Supreme Court examined whether a subsequent a…

The State of Maharashtra prosecuted 34 accused for mob assault that resulted in the death of Tanaji Rathod. All prosecution witnesses except the deceased's wife (PW‑12) turned hostile; the trial court relied on PW‑12’s detailed testimony, corroborated by medical reports, spot‑panchnama and recovered weapons, convicting…

The case concerned the murder of a village Sarpanch on 27 June 1997, for which six accused were convicted under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment. The appellants challenged the conviction on grounds that the FIR was ante‑dated, the injured eye‑witness (PW‑3) fabricated his injuries…

The deceased respondent Gurappa filed a suit in 1984 (O.S. No. 255) for declaration of title which was dismissed for lack of proper parties and proof of possession. He later filed another suit in 1993 (O.S. No. 39) seeking declaration of title, possession, injunction and correction of revenue records. The Municipal Cou…

The case concerned a century‑old building in Lucknow covered by the Uttar Pradesh Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972. The landlord, Anil Kalra, obtained a release order under s.16(1)(b) for demolition, but several occupants, allegedly placed by the respondents through a cooperative soc…

Essar Teleholdings Ltd. and other petitioners challenged a Delhi High Court order and a Delhi government notification that appointed a Special Judge to try all offences, including those under the Indian Penal Code, arising from the 2G spectrum scam. They sought a joint trial of the main case and a second supplementary …

The appellant Neeru Yadav challenged the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to respondent No.2, a repeat offender accused of multiple heinous offences including murder and armed assault. The High Court had relied primarily on the doctrine of parity, noting that other co‑accused had been released on bail, and ha…

The Union of India challenged the validity of Notification Nos.102/87‑CE and 103/87‑CE which granted exemption from excise duty on iron and steel scrap from ship‑breaking only to importers who had paid customs duty at Rs.1,400 per Light Displacement Tonnage (LDT). The respondent, N.S. Rathnam & Sons, had paid a lower c…

Dharm Chand, a hawker who had been allotted a Tehbazari kiosk opposite the Supreme Court, was ordered by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to relocate his stall to a site near Baroda House on security grounds following a bomb blast near the Delhi High Court in 2011. He challenged the order, invoking his constituti…

The appellant, Rajeshwar Baburao Bone, claimed membership in the Kali Mahadev scheduled tribe to obtain a post reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the Zilla Parishad, Beed, and was issued a tribe validity certificate after a Scrutiny Committee verification in 2010. After it emerged that his brother's tribe certificate had…

The petitioner, convicted under the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts and sentenced to death by a TADA court, sought a writ under Article 32 to stay the execution of the death warrant dated 30 April 2015, alleging procedural irregularities and that his curative petition had not been decided by a bench constituted as per Supreme …

The case concerned a show‑cause notice issued under the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944 for alleged short levy of excise duty by a sole proprietor who died in 1989. The legal heirs challenged the notice, arguing that the Act contains no provision to continue assessment against a dead person’s estate. The Supreme Cou…

The appellants, landowners in five villages of Raipur district, challenged the Kamal Vihar Township Development Scheme (KVTDS) prepared by the Raipur Development Authority (RDA) under the Madhya Pradesh Nagar Thatha Gram Nivesh Adhiniyam, 1973. They alleged that the scheme was formulated without the required zonal plan…

The case involved the murder of Nand Karan, for which three appellants were convicted of conspiracy and murder based largely on confessional statements recorded while they were in police custody and the recovery of a scooter allegedly used in the crime. The appellants challenged the admissibility of those confessions u…

The Himalayan Co‑operative Group Housing Society expelled several members, including Balwan Singh, for defaulting on deposit payments. The expulsion was approved by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies and upheld by the Revisional Authority. The respondents approached the High Court under Articles 226/227 seeking to …

The appellant, a partner in a firm assessed under the Bombay Sales Tax Act, 1959, claimed that a settlement with the State Minister for Finance had discharged his individual liability for the firm’s tax dues, and that the Commissioner had acted on this settlement. The Revenue contested the existence and effect of such …

The appellant, Ariane Orgachem Pvt. Ltd., took over the Wyeth Ltd. pharmaceutical factory and its workers under s.25FF of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. It later introduced a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) which 45 of the 143 workers accepted. The Wyeth Employees Union later demanded reinstatement of those worke…

The Supreme Court examined whether the transmission assembly, an intermediate component produced during the manufacture of tractors by M/s. Escorts Ltd., attracted excise duty under the Central Excise and Salt Act. The Court held that transmission assemblies are distinct, commercially known products and therefore quali…

The Supreme Court examined the appointment of Khub Ram as Chief Inspector in Haryana Roadways, finding that his experience certificates were fraudulent and did not satisfy the statutory requirement of two years in a Government or semi‑government undertaking. Consequently, his appointment was declared invalid and the di…

The Commissioner of Customs appealed against the CESTAT order that had allowed M/s Aryan Electronics to overturn the valuation of imported VCD lens parts. The importer had declared a transaction value of Rs.36 per piece, which the Commissioner rejected and, applying Rule 6 of the Customs Valuation Rules, 1988, fixed th…

The Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) leased industrial plots to several companies under licence agreements and lease deeds that contained clauses prohibiting any transfer, assignment or alteration of the lessee's interest without the lessor's written consent. The lessees later changed the…

Manoj Deswal, a trainee Store Hand Technical in the Army Supply Corps, was absent without sanctioned leave for 108 days between April and July 2005 and was declared a deserter after a summary enquiry. He was discharged on 27 August 2005 by the Commanding Officer under Rule 13(3) of the Army Rules, 1954, as a non‑attest…

The plaintiff, Chintaman Patil, filed a suit seeking declaration of ownership and an injunction over a parcel of land. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the first appellate court reversed that decision and decreed in the plaintiff's favour. The respondents appealed to the High Court, which admitted two substantia…

The landlord, Samar Pal Singh, sued his tenant, Chitranjan Singh, for eviction and arrears of rent under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972. The tenant deposited the full arrears with interest and costs, invoking protection under Section 20(4) of the Act. The High Cou…

K.P. Singh was convicted under Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for accepting a bribe of about Rs 700 and was sentenced by the trial court to two years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. The High Court reduced the imprisonment term to one year (with a two‑month default sentence) but uphel…

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) bought 17% NPCL bonds from Andhra Bank Financial Services Ltd (ABFSL) and later discovered that the bonds had been misappropriated by broker Hiten P. Dalal and Canara Bank Mutual Fund (CMF). SCB filed a suit for conversion and amended it to implead Dalal and CMF, but the Special Court held…

The CBI alleged that Maninder Singh, together with a co‑accused, obtained credit facilities from New Bank of India by submitting forged documents and colluding with a bank manager, thereby cheating the bank of over Rs 10.62 lakh. After a lengthy investigation, a charge‑sheet was filed under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 …

The petitioner Yakub Abdulrazak Memon, whose death sentence under the TADA Act had been confirmed by the Supreme Court, filed a review petition and a curative petition challenging the order dated 9 April 2015. The curative petition was considered by a bench of the three senior-most judges, but not by the judges who had…

The appellant, Commissioner of Central Excise, challenged the classification of the product "Close‑Up Whitening" by the respondent, Global Health Care Products, which the respondent had placed under sub‑heading 3306.90 of the Central Excise Tariff as a dental cleaner. The Revenue argued that the product was a toothpast…

The Supreme Court examined the death of Archana Mishra, who died of poisoning within six weeks of marriage, and determined that she had been subjected to cruelty and harassment by her husband and in‑laws in connection with dowry demands. The prosecution established the essential ingredients of Section 3048 IPC and the …

The appellants were acquitted by the trial court for a murder under IPC s.302 read with s.149, but the High Court convicted them on the basis of testimonies of two related witnesses, PW‑4 and PW‑5, who were brothers of the deceased. The Supreme Court examined two issues: the scope of an appellate court's power in an ap…

Hari Shanker and three others were convicted for the murder of Shiv Shanker under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The prosecution's case rested on the eye‑witness PW2 who said Hari fired the first shot, striking the victim's wrist, while other accused fired the fatal abdominal shot. The High Court acquitte…

The Central Bank of India had mortgaged a residential property to recover a loan taken by the borrowers and obtained a settlement award from a Lok Adalat, which was signed by the borrowers and one of the guarantor's sons but not by the guarantor herself, C.L. Vimla. Vimla filed multiple writ petitions challenging the a…

The complainant, owner of a theatre, alleged that the defendant, a film distributor, borrowed Rs.5 lakh in May 2006 and later issued a cheque on 16 January 2007 which was dishonoured. The trial court convicted the defendant under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, a decision upheld by the Fast Track Court, …

The appellant Upendra Pradhan was convicted for murder under IPC sections 302 and 34, based on the High Court's reversal of an acquittal granted by the Additional Sessions Judge. The appellant contended that he was a juvenile at the time of the offence and that the benefit of doubt should apply, also challenging the re…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the amendment to Section 2(1)(o) of the SARFAESI Act, which altered the definition of a non‑performing asset (NPA) to allow different regulators to prescribe classification guidelines for their respective creditors. The petitioners argued that this amounted to c…

In a suit concerning land, the Subordinate District Council Court of the United Khasi‑Jaintia Hills Autonomous District granted an ex‑parte ad‑interim injunction on 30 September 2009. The aggrieved party appealed to the District Council Court within 30 days, which stayed and later set aside the injunction. The High Cou…

The case involved an altercation in 1994 where the complainant Jagdish and his sons were cutting reeds on land also claimed by the accused Jage Ram and his sons. During the fight, the second accused Rajbir (Raju) delivered a pharsi blow to the head of the son Sukhbir, causing grievous injuries that required emergency s…

The appellant, a Municipal Corporation of Delhi employee, was accused of demanding a bribe of Rs.1,500 for issuing a licence. The CBI organised a trap involving the complainant, a shadow witness and a middle‑man who handed over the money, after which it was recovered. The trial court and the Delhi High Court convicted …

The Supreme Court considered two criminal appeals: A.C. Narayanan, who challenged the taking of cognizance of a complaint filed by a power‑of‑attorney (POA) holder on behalf of six complainants under Sections 138 and 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, and G. Kamalakar, who contested a conviction for a dishonoured c…

The Supreme Court examined whether the construction of multi‑storeyed residential buildings on two adjacent plots allotted to Sadananda Gowda and D.N. Jeevaraj violated condition No. 4 of their lease‑cum‑sale agreements with the Bangalore Development Authority (BOA). The petitioners alleged that the plots had been amal…

The dependants of Rishi Parkash filed a claim petition under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 against the driver, owner and insurer of a Maruti car and the driver of a tempo, seeking compensation for his death in a collision. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal held both drivers negligent and awarded Rs.5,81,000 with inter…

The petitioners challenged the domicile‑based reservation for admission to super‑specialty medical courses in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, arguing that it violated Articles 14 and 16 and was contrary to national interest. The States relied on the 1974 Presidential Order issued under Article 371‑D and the 1…

The case concerned the validity of several amendments to the Export-Import (EXIM) Policy 2002-2007 made by Notification No. 28 (Jan 28, 2004) and subsequent public notices and notifications (Jan 28 2004 Public Notice, Apr 21 & 23 2004 Notifications). Exporters alleged that these changes were retrospective, ultra vires,…

M/s GMR Energy Ltd. imported hot‑section turbine parts under a Long‑Term Assured Parts Supply Agreement (LTAPSA) with GE USA, re‑exporting the used parts and paying customs duty on the invoice value. The Customs Commissioner, relying on Rules 4 and 9 of the Customs Valuation Rules, added one‑third of the invoice value,…

The case involved a fake currency racket in Rajasthan where accused Mehboob Ali and Firoz, while in police custody, gave statements that led to the identification and arrest of co‑accused Anju Ali, Majhar, Liyakat Ali and others, and to the recovery of forged notes. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether such s…

Cargill India Pvt Ltd exported soyabean meal and filed free shipping bills without claiming duty drawback. It later applied to convert those bills into drawback shipping bills under Rule 12(1)(a) of the Customs, Central Excise Duties and Service Tax Drawback Rules, 1995, invoking Circular No 04/2004 which the Commissio…

The appellants, both small‑scale industrial units, manufactured their own branded medicines and also performed job‑work for third parties, producing goods bearing the third parties' brand names. While they paid excise duty on the third‑party branded goods, they also claimed MODVAT/CENVAT credit on the inputs used. The …

M/s. Meridian Industries Ltd., a 100% Export Oriented Undertaking, manufactured cotton yarn using indigenous cotton and imported wax for coating. It claimed concessional excise duty under Notification No.8/97‑CE, which is available only to products made wholly from indigenous raw material. The central issue was whether…

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated a bus owned by a private individual under a lease agreement. An accident caused by the bus led claimants to seek compensation. The dispute centered on whether liability for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 rested on the registered owner, the…

The appellant sought registration of the word "RAMAYAN" with a crown device for incense sticks, which the respondent opposed on the ground that the term is the title of a Hindu holy book. The Assistant Registrar dismissed the opposition, but the Intellectual Property Appellate Board set aside that order, prompting the …

The respondents filed a suit for perpetual injunction which was dismissed by the trial court; the first appeal to the District Judge also dismissed the suit. The respondents then filed a second appeal before the Bombay High Court. The High Court reversed both the trial court and the first appellate court judgments with…

The petitioners, graduate Assistant Engineers of the general category, challenged the seniority of reserved‑category Junior Engineers who had been promoted to Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADE) under Rule 12 of the Tamil Nadu Highways Engineering Service Rules. The issue was whether Article 16(4A) of the Constitution …

The petitioners Shabnam and Salim, convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death, challenged the issuance of death warrants by the Sessions Judge merely six days after the Supreme Court dismissed their appeals. The Court held that the warrants were issued in haste without allowing the convicts to exhaust their s…

The appellant, a police officer, was summoned in a private complaint alleging assault, kidnapping and other offences while investigating a death. He moved the High Court under CrPC s.482 to quash the proceedings, contending that the magistrate could not take cognizance without prior sanction from the State Government u…

The case arose from the transfer of a corruption trial involving J. Jayalalithaa from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka. Karnataka appointed Bhavani Singh as Special Public Prosecutor for the trial, but Tamil Nadu later attempted to authorize him to appear before the Karnataka High Court for the appeal. The Supreme Court held th…

Workmen employed as safai kamdars by Umralagram Gram Panchayat were classified as daily‑wage workers despite having served for periods ranging from five to eighteen years and performing the same duties and hours as permanent employees. They raised an industrial dispute seeking permanency and associated benefits. The La…

Hari Krishan Verma, an Additional Assistant Engineer with Punjab State Electricity Board, faced disciplinary actions and was deemed inefficient. Upon attaining the age of 55, a High Empowered Integrity Committee examined his entire service record, including past misconduct, and recommended his premature retirement unde…

The plaintiff‑buyer entered into a sale agreement and obtained a decree for specific performance, which required him to deposit the balance consideration of Rs.33,60,000 within one month of the decree and in the form of a demand draft. The trial court extended the time by two months, making the final deadline 26‑May‑20…

The appellant, a small‑scale rubber products manufacturer, produced goods under its own "VIR" brand and also manufactured parts for automobile companies, marking those parts with the buyers' brand identifiers (e.g., "HM", "PAL"). It claimed exemption from excise duty under Notification No. 1/93, which requires that the…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by the complainant, Ranbeer Singh, against the Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of three co‑accused (Balbir Singh, Karua and Vinod) who had been convicted for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The trial court had found all four accused – including the main sh…

The appellants were convicted under Sections 498A and 3048 of the IPC for the death of the appellant's wife, who died from severe burns allegedly after a dowry demand. The prosecution proved, on a pre‑ponderance of probability, that the death occurred within seven years of marriage, was unnatural, and was linked to rec…

The appellant, State of Himachal Pradesh, appealed against the High Court's order that substituted the imprisonment of the accused, Ram Pal, with a fine of Rs 40,000 for causing the death of a 20‑year‑old girl by rash and negligent driving. The Supreme Court examined whether the fine was adequate and whether compensati…

The Supreme Court examined the operation of Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. It held that an acquisition proceeding is deemed to have lapsed when an award under Section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 was passed at leas…

Shyam Lal, the appellant, claimed continuous possession of agricultural land in Faridabad for about 27 years under a lease that expired in May 2005, asserting that he became a statutory tenant protected by the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953. The respondent, Deepa Dass Chela Ram Chela Garib Dass, argued that …

Surya and Mayura Vadanan, both British citizens, married in India and had two daughters in the UK. In August 2012 Mayura brought the children to India and filed for divorce. Surya obtained an interim order from the High Court of Justice in England making the children wards of that court and directing the mother to retu…

The appellant purchased an evacuee property and filed a suit in 1980 seeking specific performance of the sale, possession and the appointment of a court receiver. The trial court denied the receiver, but the High Court on appeal appointed one to take possession, collect rent and account for profits. The suit was finall…

The plaintiff, Mohd. Farooq, filed a suit for a permanent prohibitory injunction to restrain the defendants, Zarif Ahmad and another, from interfering with his possession of plot No. 358, describing the land by its boundaries and municipal number. The trial court decreed in favour of the plaintiff, but the first appell…

The State of Uttar Pradesh leased a Nazul (government) property at 19 Clive Road, Allahabad to a private company, which later mortgaged its leasehold interest to United Bank of India without obtaining prior State sanction. The Bank obtained a mortgage decree and later sought conversion of the leasehold into freehold, i…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court that had set aside its termination of several District Government Counsels and ordered a reconsideration of their renewal. The core issue was whether the State, under Section 24 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Uttar Prade…