Judgments of 2021

The petitioners, Private Secretaries (Grade‑II) serving in the Eastern Central Railway’s zonal offices, sought pay‑scale parity with their counterparts in the Central Secretariat Stenographers Service, Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers Service and the Central Administrative Tribunal. The dispute centered on wheth…

The appellant and the first respondent were partners in a firm and later fell into a dispute involving alleged forgery of partnership documents and non‑payment of dues, leading to an FIR under Sections 405, 420, 465, 467, 468 and 471 IPC. The first respondent moved the Gujarat High Court under Section 482 CrPC to quash…

The Ministry of Environment granted environmental clearance on 5 January 2021 for expanding a refinery at Vadinar, Gujarat from 20 to 46 MMTPA. The appellant, Sanghar Zuber Ismail, challenged the clearance before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), alleging that the expansion would damage mangroves and marine biology. T…

The Supreme Court examined the legality of two towers (T-16 and T-17) constructed by Supertech Limited in the Emerald Court project in NOIDA. It held that the revised plans violated the National Building Regulations 2006 and 2010, as well as the National Building Code 2005, because the distance between the new towers a…

The Supreme Court, hearing a suo motu writ petition concerning the management of the COVID‑19 pandemic, examined the Central Government's Liberalised Vaccination Policy, which shifted free vaccination for the 18‑44 age group to State/UT governments and private hospitals and introduced differential pricing. The petition…

The accused five men were convicted by the Sessions Court for murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and related offences after violently assaulting the deceased Balveer Singh, causing multiple injuries to vital organs and ultimately his death. The High Court reduced the murder conviction to culpable homicide not amounting to murder un…

The legal heirs of a deceased patient filed a complaint before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) alleging medical negligence by Bombay Hospital & Medical Research Centre and its vascular surgeon, Dr. C. Anand Somaya, for the death of the patient who was admitted with an abdominal aortic aneury…

Abhiram Verma, an officer of the Indian Army Medical Corps, obtained a permanent commission in 1998 and applied for resignation on 15 April 2000 citing lack of promotion. The resignation was initially rejected, but after a series of statutory complaints and a High Court order, it was accepted on 31 January 2007 without…

The Indian Oil Corporation advertised for petrol pump dealerships in October 2011. Anapurna Jaiswal applied on 11 November 2011 and was placed first, leading to a lease deed dated 8 November 2011. The lease stipulated that its term of 30 years would commence only upon approval of the petrol pump, meaning no lease exist…

The Union Bank of India (financial creditor) granted loans to R.K. Infratel Ltd. (corporate debtor), which defaulted on 30‑09‑2014, leading to the account being classified as an NPA. The bank filed a recovery suit under the 1993 Recovery of Debts Act and, later, an application under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bank…

The appellant, United India Insurance Co., denied the claim of the respondent, Sushil Kumar Godara, for the theft of his Bolero car, arguing that the vehicle was being used without a valid registration, constituting a fundamental breach of the insurance contract. The car had a temporary registration that expired on 19-…

The appellant, an elder brother, purchased the southern half of a family property from his younger brother by a registered sale deed that recorded a nominal consideration of Rs 3,000, after paying Rs 12,000 to discharge the brother’s debts and avert a court‑ordered auction. The brother and his wife later claimed the de…

C.K. Karunakar, an employee of State Bank of India, was interviewed for promotion in 1984. While the promotion process was pending, disciplinary proceedings were initiated, leading to a charge‑sheet and a penalty of censure in 1987, with the appeal dismissed in 1988. The promoting authority had placed his promotion rec…

Surendran, a bus driver, caused a road accident on 16 February 1995 and was charged under Sections 279, 337 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code. The trial magistrate convicted him and sentenced him to six months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs.500, with a default month’s imprisonment for the fine under Section 337. The con…

The case involved a joint Hindu family of three brothers who executed a partition deed on 07‑11‑1960 but continued to live and conduct business together, later executing a compromise decree on 06‑08‑1984 to settle disputes. The plaintiff challenged the decree, alleging fraud, misrepresentation and lack of free consent,…

The petitioners sought mandatory ex gratia compensation for families of Covid‑19 victims under Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, arguing that the word "shall" imposes a duty on the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to prescribe uniform guidelines. The Union of India contended that "shall" sho…

The Supreme Court, exercising suo motu jurisdiction under Article 32, examined the humanitarian crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and issued directions to the Union and State governments on the supply of oxygen, essential drugs, and vaccines, as well as on hospital admission policies and protection of individuals …

The plaintiff paid Rs.31.5 lakh of the Rs.32 lakh purchase price for land but the defendant failed to execute the sale deed. The plaintiff sued for specific performance, and the trial court ordered the defendant to execute the deed and receive the balance Rs.50,000. Before the decree was final, the land was acquired by…

The Jharkhand State Electricity Board (the Board) entered into an initial agreement with M/s Ramkrishna Forging Ltd. (the respondent) on 14 April 2004 for a 325 KVA high‑tension supply, which was subsequently enhanced to 4000 KVA through a series of supplemental agreements. In September 2007 the respondent sought to re…

Hasmat Ali filed a suit seeking a declaration that Amina Bibi was his tenant until 31‑03‑2003 and an order for eviction. The trial court decreed in part and directed the defendant to vacate the premises. The defendant's first appeal was dismissed, and a second appeal under Section 100 of the CPC was dismissed by the Or…

The Supreme Court examined the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) request to proceed with Phase‑IV of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) through areas of the Delhi Ridge, South‑Central and Morphological Ridges, which are either notified forest or deemed forest lands. The petitioners argued that the project would c…

The City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) invited a tender for leasing land for hotel development and allotted the plot to the highest bidder, Metropolis Hotels, which later changed the land use and subdivided the plot, assigning part to Shishir Realty. Complaints of irregularities led to a…

The appellants were accused of illegally purchasing, transporting and exporting iron ore without the requisite mining dispatch permits, violating the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and related environmental statutes. A Special Court, which is a Sessions Court, took cognizance of the offences o…

The case arose from the suicide of a driver who left a note alleging that his employer, a Special Land Acquisition Officer, had amassed wealth disproportionate to his known income and had threatened the driver, leading to his death. The driver’s brother filed a complaint, resulting in an FIR for abetment of suicide und…

The appellant, the son of a murdered village sarpanch, sought to overturn a High Court order that granted bail to the 60‑year‑old second respondent accused of conspiring in his father's murder. The prosecution alleged that the respondent used multiple SIM cards to communicate with a hired shooter, stored the weapons us…

The appellant, a Scheduled Caste victim, filed an FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for the murder of his brother. The first respondent was granted bail by the Rajasthan High Court without any notice or opportunity to be heard being given to the victim, contrary to the mandatory requirements of Section…

The case involved six accused persons charged under the Customs Act for allegedly exporting sandalwood and tiles clandestinely. The trial courts in two separate proceedings acquitted all accused, but the Madras High Court convicted them in a common judgment, relying on evidence from only one of the trials. The Supreme …

The case involved a robbery in which five accused, including Ganesan (A1) and Shanmugam (A3), allegedly used knives and iron rods to assault victims and steal cash and jewellery. The trial court convicted all accused under Section 397 IPC, imposing a minimum seven‑year term, and the conviction was affirmed by the appel…

The State of Jammu & Kashmir appealed against a High Court order that quashed FIR No. 32/2012 and the entrustment order authorising Inspector Nisar Hussain to investigate alleged corruption and conspiracy offences under the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006 and Section 120B of the Ranbir Penal Code. The High Court…

The appellant, a hospital director, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on 12 May 2021 for allegedly procuring fake Remdesivir injections. He filed a representation against the detention on 18 May 2021, which was communicated to the State and Central Governments, but the authorities delayed considering i…

The appellant, Dayle De’Souza, a director of Writer Safeguard Pvt. Ltd., was served with a notice and later a criminal complaint under Section 22A of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 for alleged non‑compliance at an ATM site, although the company itself was not named as an accused. The High Court dismissed his petition unde…

The State of Kerala claimed that 1534.40 acres owned by M/s Popular Estates were private forests that vested in the State under the Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, 1971. Popular Estates argued that the lands were cultivated plantations and therefore exempt under the Act’s exclusion clauses. The Ker…

Dr. Sushil Kumar Tripathi was appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science of Jagadguru Ram Bhadracharya Handicapped University under a UGC grant for the Tenth Five Year Plan. After protesting a monthly deduction of Rs.5,000 from his salary, his annual increments were stopped and the universi…

The appellant Life Insurance Corporation of India issued a life insurance policy with an additional accident benefit. The policy lapsed on 14 October 2011 due to non‑payment of premium. The insured suffered a fatal accident on 6 March 2012, and the premium was paid on 9 March 2012 to revive the policy, without disclosi…

Respondent No.2 sued Respondent No.1 for refund of part sale consideration. Summons sent by registered post were returned with a "refusal" endorsement, which under Order V Rule 9(5) and Section 27 of the General Clauses Act is deemed to have been served. An ex‑parte decree was passed in favour of Respondent No.2, and t…

The dispute concerned a property on GT Road, Shahabad Markanda, where the plaintiffs alleged that the defendants had illegally broken the lintel of the first‑floor roof and constructed a staircase to take possession of their house. The trial court and the first appellate court, after considering the evidence including …

The appellant owned 1.80 acres of land in Anniyalam, Tamil Nadu, which was acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Collector initially fixed compensation at Rs 16,000 per acre, but the Reference Court enhanced it to Rs 2,183.33 per acre, relying on a sale deed dated 11‑01‑1990 in which the landowner sold a 5…

The Suraz India Trust, chaired by Rajiv Daiya, filed a large number of public interest litigations that the Supreme Court deemed frivolous and ordered the Trust and its chairman to refrain from filing further petitions, imposing exemplary costs of Rs. 25 lakh. Daiya failed to pay the costs, repeatedly sought modificati…

The State of Jammu & Kashmir sought to appoint a Re‑T (teaching guide) under its Rehbar‑e‑Taleem scheme. An advertisement dated 29‑Nov‑2002 stipulated an upper age limit of 35 years as on 1‑Jan‑2002, with the phrase "as far as possible" regarding age qualification. Respondent No.2, born on 28‑Dec‑1965, was selected des…

The appellants were convicted of offences under the IPC and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention) Act for assaulting the complainants in separate incidents in 2000 and 1995. After the convictions, the parties entered into amicable settlements, and the appellants sought to have the non‑compoundable offe…

The case concerned disputes arising under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (MSMED Act) where a supplier (Silpi Industries) claimed unpaid amounts from Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the corporation raised counter‑claims. The issues before the Supreme Court were whether …

The Supreme Court considered several interim applications concerning the La‑Residentia residential project, which was marketed as an Amrapali Group development promising delivery within 36 months. After a forensic audit, the Court had earlier ordered that 19.75% of the project (632 flats) be surrendered to the Amrapali…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, examined the hardships faced by migrant labourers during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the lack of food and welfare benefits. It noted that many migrants were not covered by the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and therefore could not access dry rations. The Court directed the C…

The Tamil Nadu legislature enacted three land‑acquisition statutes (1978, 1997 and 2001) which were later held repugnant to the Central Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The Madras High Court declared the three state statutes void and quashed acq…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the AICTE issued a circular relaxing admission criteria for PGDM/MBA courses, which the first respondent sought to extend to B.Tech engineering admissions in Odisha. The High Court directed the State Government to admit B.Tech students based on qualifying exam marks, issuing a mandamus des…

The appellant, Dr. Pooran Chand, was appointed Assistant Professor at King George Medical University in August 2005 following a proper advertisement, selection committee recommendation and Executive Council approval. Respondent No.4, Dr. Jitendra Kumar Rao, was initially appointed Lecturer and promoted to Assistant Pro…

The petitioners, wards of serving railway employees, sought appointment under the Largess Scheme, which allowed entry into railway service without competitive examination. The Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court had earlier directed the Union of India to reconsider the scheme on constitutional grounds. …

The appellants were named in FIRs for several offences and an informant sought their summons under Section 319 of the CrPC. After the Sessions Judge initially rejected the application, the High Court allowed a revision, leading to an order summoning the appellants on 17‑08‑2019. The appellants failed to appear, resulti…

The Supreme Court examined bail applications of two accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) for alleged offences under Sections 38, 39 and 13. The Court held that the charge‑sheet material did not show reasonable grounds to believe that the accusations under Sections 38 and 39 were prima fac…

The Union of India challenged a Delhi High Court order that read down paragraph 4 of a GST circular dated 29‑12‑2017, which barred rectification of Form GSTR‑3B for the month in which an error occurred. Bharti Airtel Ltd. (respondent No.1) argued that due to the non‑operability of Form GSTR‑2A in July‑September 2017 it…

The plaintiff filed a suit in a civil court seeking permanent and mandatory injunctions to protect his possession of a piece of land that was admitted to be a waqf property. The defendant, who also admitted the waqf status, moved to dismiss the suit on the ground that under the Waqf Act, 1995, such disputes must be dec…

Yatin Narendra Oza, a former designated Senior Advocate and President of the Gujarat High Court Bar Association, was stripped of his senior advocate gown after making repeated allegations against judges, which the Gujarat High Court deemed contemptuous. Oza filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the withdra…

The petitioners, teachers with B.Ed. (Special) and D.Ed. (Special) qualifications, sought a mandamus directing the Union and State governments to appoint regular special teachers for children with special needs (CwSN) in accordance with a 1:5 pupil‑teacher ratio. The Court examined the interplay of the Right of Childre…

The appellant advanced Rs 2 crore to respondent No.2 as a business loan, secured by cheques described as "security" and promised to be repaid by June/July 2015. The cheques were presented for encashment in October 2015 after the repayment deadline and were dishonoured for insufficient funds. The appellant filed crimina…

Arbind Jee was appointed to the Bihar Home Guard on 10 February 1996 following a Supreme Court order for a compassionate appointment after his father's death. Six years later he sought to have his seniority counted from 20 November 1985, the date of an earlier tentative appointment order. The Patna High Court granted t…

Khatema Fibres Ltd. (appellant) filed a claim for loss of waste paper after a fire, estimating the loss at Rs.13 crore. The insurer, New India Assurance Co., appointed a surveyor who used volumetric analysis and assessed the loss at about Rs.2.86 crore, which the appellant contested. The National Consumer Disputes Redr…

Adani Gas Limited sought to overturn the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) Board's exclusion of three disputed areas from its city gas distribution (CGD) authorization and to challenge the validity of Regulation 18 of the CGD Regulations, 2008, claiming a "deemed authorization" under the proviso to Sec…

The appellants were appointed as clerks on an ad hoc basis in 1975‑76 and were regularized on 3 May 1977 with seniority backdated to 1 April 1977. A 1991 writ petition had granted them seniority by counting their ad hoc service, but the High Court later redrew the seniority list excluding ad hoc periods, a decision cha…

The Royal Garden Residents Welfare Association (the complainant) entered into a maintenance agreement with M/s Padmini Infrastructure Developers (India) Ltd (the opposite party) on 15 November 2003 and later filed a consumer complaint in 2007 alleging incomplete and non‑functional amenities. The National Consumer Dispu…

During the 2015 Kerala budget presentation, several opposition MLAs climbed onto the Speaker's dais and damaged furniture, leading to a criminal case under IPC sections 427, 447, 34 and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. The public prosecutor sought to withdraw the prosecution under Section 321 of t…

The petitioner, a Spanish citizen, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a habeas corpus order for custody of his two minor children who were residing with their mother (respondent No.6) in Kolkata. The petitioner had already instituted a petition under Section 12 of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890, for cust…

The plaintiff filed a suit for recovery of possession and damages, claiming purchase of the property by a registered sale deed dated 1 October 1992. The defendant contended that the deed was a security for a loan and that he had repaid part of the consideration. The trial court dismissed the suit, finding the deed was …

The case concerned the seniority of Assistant Engineers in Uttar Pradesh who were initially appointed on an ad‑hoc basis in 1985 and later regularised in December 1989 under the Uttar Pradesh Regularisation of Ad hoc Appointments Rules (1979, 1989). The petitioners challenged a seniority list prepared in 2016 that coun…

The dispute arose from a BOT concession for the seventh berth at V.O. Chidambaranar Port, where PSA SICAL Terminals (SICAL) sought to replace a royalty payment model with a revenue‑sharing model, alleging a change in law under Article 14 of its licence agreement. The arbitral tribunal awarded SICAL relief, finding that…

The appellant kidnapped a 13‑year‑old schoolboy and demanded a ransom of Rs 2 lakhs, but the prosecution failed to prove that he threatened the victim’s death or hurt, nor that his conduct created a reasonable apprehension of such harm. The Sessions Court and High Court convicted him under IPC s.364A, interpreting the …

The State of Kerala appointed Leesamma Joseph on compassionate grounds despite her 55% locomotor disability and later denied her promotion benefits under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. The respondent claimed that sections 32, 33 and 47 of the 1995 Act guarantee reservation in promotion for persons with disabi…

The appellants, Nathu Singh and other complainants, challenged orders of the Allahabad High Court that, after rejecting anticipatory bail applications under Section 438 of the CrPC, granted the accused a 90‑day protection from coercive action and directed them to surrender for regular bail. The Supreme Court examined w…

The appellants were convicted for dowry death (Sec. 304B IPC) and abetment of suicide (Sec. 306 IPC) after the victim died from severe burns within a year of marriage, allegedly following dowry harassment. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved the essential ingredients of Sec. 304B, including th…

Gurmeet Singh was convicted under Section 304‑B of the IPC for the dowry‑related death of his wife, who died after consuming poison within four years of marriage. The appellant challenged the conviction, arguing that the prosecution had not proved the "soon before" dowry demand, that the presumption of causation under …

The Assessing Officer limited the deduction under Section 80‑IA of the Income Tax Act to the assessee's business income, but the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) and the Tribunal allowed the deduction to be set off against the gross total income. Reliance Energy Ltd. appealed the revenue's challenge, arguing that S…

The appellants, three villagers, were convicted for the murder of Gokalbhai and the assault of two others after a quarrel over rent and animosity. The prosecution presented 32 witnesses, medical and post‑mortem reports, serological evidence and the testimony of injured witnesses who identified the accused. The defence …

The State of Odisha appointed a government teacher (Respondent No.1) after a higher‑ranked candidate (Respondent No.2) failed to join due to a mis‑addressed appointment letter. The Odisha Administrative Tribunal ordered that the post be given to Respondent No.2 and that the person appointed in her place (Respondent No.…

Rajendra Khare, who lodged FIR No.39/2016, was not made a party to a transfer petition filed by the accused seeking to move the trial of Criminal Case No.3483 of 2017 from Delhi to Allahabad. The Supreme Court transferred the case on 18 May 2018 without issuing notice under Order XXXIX Rule 2, and the petitioner’s subs…

The Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) sought to acquire land of Gillapukri Tea Company for a plastic park. Notifications under Sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 were issued in 2008‑2009 and the award and estimate were sent to the State Government on 30‑Jan‑2010. The Government approved th…

Musunuri Satyanarayana, a cultivating tenant, claimed under Sections 14, 15 and 16 of the Andhra Pradesh Tenancy (Andhra Area) Act that he retained his tenancy and was entitled to purchase the land leased to him. The Tribunal upheld his claim, finding that he had never surrendered his tenancy and that a payment of Rs 4…

The appellant, a 21‑year‑old pillion rider, suffered severe head injuries and 69% permanent disability in a 2001 motor accident, leaving him cognitively impaired, immobile and unable to earn. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.5,74,320 compensation, which the High Court increased to Rs.9,38,952 but omitted a…

The petitioners alleged that the Israeli NSO Group's Pegasus spyware was used to infiltrate the mobile devices of Indian citizens, including journalists and activists, thereby violating their fundamental right to privacy under Article 21. They sought an independent investigation, arguing that the Union of India had fai…

The appeal arose from a High Court order dismissing a writ petition that had confirmed the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal's (DRAT) order attaching shares of XLO India Ltd (appellant No.1) during the pendency of Appeal No.1/2020 before the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT), Jaipur. The DRAT had also directed that recover…

The Supreme Court examined the State of Haryana's practice of granting licences for group housing colonies on a "First Come First Serve" (FCFS) basis under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975. The Court found that neither the public notice nor the Final Development Plan or the 2012 policy in…

The appellants, daily‑wage non‑teaching staff of Sree Sankaracharya University, were regularised in 1996 and de‑regularised in 1997, leading to their termination. The University argued that the appointments were irregular and therefore fell outside the protection of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The Industrial Tri…

The State of Uttar Pradesh issued Government Orders in 2010 and 2011 directing that Class IV posts in aided schools be filled only through outsourcing, abolishing permanent recruitment. Regulation 101 under the Intermediate Education Act, 1921 was subsequently amended to give effect to this policy. Several aided instit…

The appellant, Mahadev Meena, filed a complaint after his son, an IB officer, was found dead under suspicious circumstances. The FIR alleged that the first respondent, Praveen Rathore, an anti‑corruption bureau constable, had a close relationship with the deceased's wife and was involved in a conspiracy to murder, with…

The Madras High Court, in an interim order, altered Rule 29(4) of the Copyright Rules, 2013 by allowing broadcasters to furnish notice details within fifteen days after a broadcast and treating the 24‑hour exception as a routine procedure. Saregama India Ltd and other appellants challenged this order, arguing that the …

The respondent, a supervisor at New Victoria Mills, applied for the Modified Voluntary Retirement Scheme (MVRS) by submitting a resignation on 12 July 2002. He later requested that his resignation be kept suspended until his provident fund dues were cleared, but the employer accepted his resignation on 28 May 2003, sim…

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) sought to evict Ganga Devi and others from a stall at Baba Kharag Singh Marg, alleging sub‑letting and unauthorised construction. The occupants claimed ownership under a 1998 licence deed, a 2001 public notice granting ownership rights in certain markets, and a cut‑off date of 20‑…

The appellant, Ravindranatha Bajpe, filed a private complaint alleging that two companies and their senior officers conspired to lay a water pipeline beneath his property, demolish a stone wall and cut down about 100 trees, causing loss of over Rs.27 lakh. The Judicial Magistrate issued summons against all thirteen acc…

The legal heirs of the late S.V. Srinivasulu Naidu claimed that Union of India had illegally grabbed 7,128.5 sq. yards of land that their father had purchased, relying on a prior suit where the plaintiffs were declared owners of 4,971.5 sq. yards. The Union appealed the Tribunal's order under the Andhra Pradesh Land Gr…

The appellant, a known acquaintance of the victim's family, entered the home of a blind Scheduled Caste woman and raped her, after which he was apprehended at the scene. The trial courts convicted him under Section 376(1) of the IPC and Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocit…

Electrosteel Castings Ltd., a guarantor, filed a civil suit seeking a declaration that an assignment deed executed by the financial creditor in favour of UV Asset Reconstruction Co. was fraudulent and that the assignee was not a secured creditor. The suit was dismissed by the High Court on the ground that Section 34 of…

The respondent, a Head Constable of the Railway Protection Force, was dismissed under Rule 161 of the RPF Rules, 1987 on the allegation of colluding in a theft of stamp papers worth about Rs 1 crore. The dismissal was effected without conducting a disciplinary inquiry and the order did not record any reasons for dispen…

Head Constable Surinder Singh entered the complainant's residential office while intoxicated, drew his service pistol, aimed it at the complainant and fired a shot that struck the ceiling. The prosecution proved the bullet was fired from his pistol and that he intended to kill, despite no motive being established. The …

The case involved the brutal honour killing of a Jat girl, a Jatav boy and another Jatav youth who were tortured for twelve hours and murdered by a large group of villagers after the couple attempted an inter‑caste marriage. The trial court convicted 35 persons under IPC sections 147, 149, 302, 323, 324, 201 and s.3(3)…

M/s Sai Baba Sales Pvt. Ltd. (the Project Proponent) obtained environmental clearance (EC) from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) in 2017 after an amendment to the EIA regime made the local authority the competent body. Subsequent judicial invalidation of parts of the 2016 MoEFCC notification raised que…

Caparo Engineering India Ltd. transferred nine long‑serving workmen from its Dewas plant to a Chopanki facility 900 km away, changing their roles from labourers to supervisors and reducing the workforce at Dewas. The workmen contended that the transfer violated Section 9A of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 because it…

The appellants, employees of a canteen operating in the Steel Club of Bhilai Steel Plant, challenged their dismissal under Section 58 of the Madhya Pradesh Shops and Establishments Act, 1958, arguing that the Act applied to the club. The respondents contended that the club was a "club not being a residential club" and …

Sughar Singh sued for specific performance of an agreement to sell land executed in 1976, where part consideration had been paid and extensions of time were granted. The trial court and first appellate court found the agreement valid and held that the plaintiff was always ready and willing to perform his part, granting…

The case concerned candidates selected in the 1983 Western Command panel of the Military Engineering Service (Non‑Industrial Class III and IV) recruitment who were appointed only in 1987‑88. They claimed that their seniority should be fixed by the order of merit in the 1983 select panel, while the authorities had grant…

The appellant-builder company entered into a Joint Development Agreement and a subsequent MoU with Respondent No.2 to develop a property and sell flats, but a dispute arose over the alleged sale of four excess flats beyond the agreed share. Respondent No.2 filed a criminal complaint alleging cheating and criminal breac…

The case involved a partnership firm that was reconstituted in 1992 and again in 1995, altering the profit‑and‑loss sharing ratios of the partners. The plaintiff‑appellants claimed a 50% share based on the 1995 Deed, while the respondents argued that the plaintiffs were entitled to only a 10% share because the conditio…

The Azam Jahi Mill was closed in 2002 and its workers were allotted quarters. While 134 ex‑employees continued to occupy the quarters and were later allotted 200 sq yds of developed plots free of cost as a rehabilitation measure, 318 ex‑employees vacated the quarters and were denied similar plots. The Workers Associati…