M M PUNCHHI

The Union of India, as the revenue authority, demanded advance tax from the U.P. State Ware Housing Corporation for the assessment year 1974-75, contending that the corporation's rental income from its godowns and warehouses was not exempt under Section 10(29) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The corporation, created under…

The appellants purchased 75.51 acres of land belonging to Jagdish Chander in an auction sale ordered by a civil court in 1975 to satisfy money suits. The land was later declared surplus under the Uttar Pradesh Imposition of Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1960, and the prescribed authority refused to set aside the surplu…

The victim, a 14‑year‑old illiterate agricultural labourer, was gang‑raped by three accused. The trial court convicted them under IPC sections 376 and 114, but the Karnataka High Court acquitted them, holding that the victim's testimony was unreliable as it lacked medical corroboration. On appeal, the Supreme Court exa…

Satish Mehra appealed against the Delhi Sessions Court’s decision to frame charges under IPC sections 354 and 376 read with 511 for alleged incestuous sexual abuse of his daughter Nikita. The allegations originated from a complaint filed by his estranged wife Anita Mehra, who had previously made a false accusation in t…

Silverline Forum Private Limited, the new owner of a flat, obtained a decree for ejectment against its tenant Rajiv Trust for sub‑letting without consent. While executing the decree, the bailiff was resisted by the second respondent, a sub‑tenant of the first sub‑tenant, who claimed he was not a party to the decree. Th…

Surjit Singh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, underwent emergency bypass surgery in London while on leave and claimed Rs 3 lakh reimbursement. The State of Punjab initially refused, later paying Rs 40,000 based on AIIMS rates. Singh appealed, seeking reimbursement at the higher rates of Escorts Heart Institute, a ho…

The Supreme Court considered a petition by U.P. Jal Nigam challenging the view that downgrading entries in an employee's annual confidential report (ACR) are adverse entries requiring mandatory communication and a representation under service rules. The High Court had held that any reduction in the rating, even without…

K.R. Srinivas, son of the then Vice‑Chancellor of Andhra University, obtained a higher mark after revaluation of his answer sheets, which had been destroyed as per university regulations. Dr. R.M. Premchand, a research scholar, filed a public‑interest writ petition under Article 226 challenging the result, alleging pro…

The wife filed a complaint under Section 494 of the Indian Penal Code alleging bigamy by her husband, who claimed he had married a second time after ten years of desertion. The trial magistrate acquitted the husband, finding no evidence that a second Hindu marriage had been solemnized according to the tests laid down i…

Abdur Rahman & Ors appealed to the Supreme Court against a Karnataka High Court order that dismissed their appeal under Order 41 Rule 17 of the CPC because their counsel was absent. While dismissing the appeal, the High Court also examined the merits of the case and concluded that there was no ground for interfering wi…

The case concerned two properties of the deceased Syed Abdul Inamdar: agricultural lands that were Inams and a dwelling unit. The Inams, originally impartible and vested in the eldest son Abubakar by primogeniture, were re‑granted to him after the Bombay Merged Territories Miscellaneous Alienations Abolition Act, 1955,…

The Supreme Court examined the compensation awarded for the acquisition of 267.91 acres of land in Rohtak district for an industrial area. The original award in 1977 fixed two marginally different rates, which were later replaced by a uniform rate of Rs 7 per square yard by the District Judge. The High Court later revi…

The Government of Pondicherry challenged the inclusion of shares of two minor sons who attained majority between the appointed day (24‑Jan‑1971) and the notified date in the calculation of the family’s land‑holding ceiling under the Pondicherry Land Reforms Act, 1973. The Land Tribunal had allowed the respondent’s obje…

The appellants, food‑grain dealers who had operated for over fifty years in the old market areas of Ferozepur district, were required to shift to newly created Mandi complexes after the Punjab Government decided to auction stalls there without granting any concession to existing traders. They challenged this on the gro…

The heirs of Vrajlal J. Ganatra filed a suit seeking a declaration that they were the real owners of a property despite a sale deed showing Parshottam S. Shah as the vendee, alleging the deed was a security for a loan and that the land would be reconveyed upon repayment. The trial court dismissed the suit for lack of p…

The case involved a retiring railway employee (appellant No.2) who sought to have his married daughter, also a railway employee (appellant No.1), regularised in the railway quarter allotted to him. The Railway Board circular dated 11 August 1992 allowed regularisation only for a son or an unmarried daughter, permitting…

The writ petitioners, traders in a market, claimed that the Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti was not providing any services and therefore could not charge a market fee. The Mandi Samiti counter‑claimed that it rendered several services such as electricity, water, sanitation, tents, and was planning further infrastructure, j…

The Competent Authority initiated forfeiture proceedings under SAFEMA against Amritlal Chandmal Jain, whose detention under COFEPOSA had earlier been challenged by several writs of habeas corpus. Although the High Court had quashed the detention order and the SAFEMA proceedings, the Competent Authority later sought to …

The Central Government, under Section 2(a)(xi) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, issued a 1983 notification declaring various seeds as essential commodities and issued the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983. Earlier, a Division Bench of this Court upheld the validity of that notification and order in the Raghu Seeds & F…

Daulat Ram, a Punjab police constable, was convicted of murdering a 25‑year‑old man, Narinder Singh, under Section 302 IPC read with Section 27 of the Arms Act. The prosecution relied on two alleged eyewitnesses, the victim's uncle and a companion, and asserted that the killing occurred at 2 p.m., supported by a post‑m…

Central Coalfields Ltd. and other mining companies used dumpers and rockers within their lease‑hold areas. The State of Orissa demanded that these machines be registered under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and taxed under the Bihar and Orissa Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1930 (and the Madras Vehicles Taxation Act, 1931)…

The Union of India appealed against the Judicial Commissioner of Goa, Daman and Diu, who had held that dumpers and shovels used solely within the owners' mining premises were outside the scope of the Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1965. The respondents, mining operators, had initially registered these machines as motor v…

Shree Chamundi Mopeds Ltd., a tenant of the Church of South India Trust, defaulted on rent and faced eviction under the Karnataka Rent Control Act. The company was also declared a sick industrial company by the Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction under the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act…

The eldest male member of a joint Hindu family, acting as Karta, together with two widows who were also guardians of their minor sons, executed a sale deed of family lands. The plaintiffs, members of the same family, challenged the sale alleging fraud and contended that the Karta lacked authority because Section 8 of t…

Mahabir Biswas and Shiba (Bijoy Krishna Dutta) were convicted of murder under IPC 302/34 for the killing of two rickshaw passengers. The prosecution's case rested on retracted judicial confessions of the accused and physical discoveries (a sword, a watch, and a ring) linked to the confessions. The Supreme Court held th…

The Supreme Court examined whether a sales‑tax appellate authority could entertain a Form‑C declaration when it had not been filed before the first assessing authority under the Central Sales Tax Act, 1957. The revenue argued that Rule 12(7) limited the filing of Form‑C to the time of assessment by the first assessing …

Surjit Singh, a serving soldier, was charged along with his brothers and two others for criminal trespass, murder of the village Sarpanch, and grievous hurt. He claimed an alibi, asserting he left the village at 4 p.m. on the day of the crime and was traveling by train to his unit, and also argued that there was confus…

In 1985 the Gujarat Government permitted the Chief Minister and other ministers to appoint persons on a purely contractual basis, co‑terminus with the ministers' tenure and without any right of absorption. Twelve such appointees were terminated in December 1989 when a new government came to power. They filed writ petit…

The appellant, Mohd. Nazir, was allotted a building in Banaras under an order dated 17 May 1995 pursuant to Section 16 of the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972. After being put in possession, he was ousted by the landlord and a dancing girl with two musicians who later occupied t…

Deokabai, an elderly widow, entered into a written agreement to sell a portion of her house to Uttam, subject to obtaining permission from the competent authority and, thereafter, securing another suitable house before the sale deed could be executed. After permission was granted, Uttam demanded immediate execution of …

The respondent, Fenoplast (P) Ltd., manufactures rexine cloth by coating 100% cotton fabric with PVC resin, plasticizers and fillers. It argued that because cotton constituted only 8% of the finished product, the cloth could not be classified as a "cotton fabric" under Tariff Item 19(III) of the Central Excise and Salt…

The case concerned whether Modi Spinning and Weaving Mills Ltd. was entitled to an allowance of development rebate on plant and machinery installed after 1 January 1958, by complying with proviso (b) to section 10(2)(vib) of the Income‑Tax Act, 1922. The Allahabad High Court had held in favour of the assessee, but the …

Savita Dey leased premises to the respondents under a registered deed dated 6 July 1964 for a term of 21 years at Rs.475 per month, later increased to Rs.501 per month in accordance with a clause linking rent to municipal tax increases. When the lease expired on 30 June 1985, Dey served a quit notice, but the tenants f…

The Solapur MIDC Industries Association filed Special Leave Petitions challenging a notification under Section 3(3) of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949 that brought their industrial estate within the limits of Solapur Municipal Corporation. The petitioners argued that the same industrial area was s…

Mis. Kashmir Electric and Hardware Corporation appealed against a decision of the Letters Patent Bench that held an arbitrator had misbehaved by conducting hearings in premises owned by the appellant and accepting tea and refreshments from them. The appellant argued that such courtesies were extended equally to both pa…

A coffee curing establishment, declared a seasonal industry, operated from September to June and was closed June to September. The workmen claimed gratuity at the rate of seven days' wages for two seasons in each calendar year, arguing that the accounting year (January‑December) split their service into two seasons. Th…

The case concerned the appointment of an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Patna Medical College. Dr. Arun Kumar Agrawal, holding an M.Ch. in Neurosurgery, was placed first in the selection panel prepared by a specialist committee and approved by the State Government, while Dr. Chandra Mohan Jha, holding an M.S. i…

The Government of Tamil Nadu complained to the Centre that Karnataka was impounding Cauvery waters in violation of inter‑State agreements, prompting the Central Government to constitute the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal under the Inter‑State Water Disputes Act, 1956. While the Tribunal was hearing the dispute, Tamil …

The landlord filed an eviction petition under Section 31 of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948, leading to a 1954 order that, by compromise, required the tenant to surrender three acres while retaining 1 acre 38 guntas. Later the landlord attempted a second eviction on the ground of bona‑fide personal …

The appellants, heirs of Pishora Singh Sial, sued the assignees of a mining lease for unpaid sums labeled as "royalty" under a 1939 assignment deed. The respondents argued that "royalty" meant the State's share in mineral extraction and could not be claimed by a private party, contending the payments made for twenty ye…

Rajesh Kumar and Harbir Singh appeared for the Institute of Engineers (India) examination in 1990. The Institute alleged copying based on similarity of answer books and cancelled their results, also disqualifying them from two subsequent exams. The appellants challenged the cancellation in civil court, which initially …

Anil Kumar Soni was confirmed as Assistant Technical Officer (ATO) in the Punjab Financial Corporation in 1976. He later applied for and was selected as Assistant Manager, a new cadre post filled by direct recruitment, and was appointed on probation in 1980. After several extensions of his probation, the corporation te…

The case involved a dacoity on 22 December 1987 at the house of Sanfula Devi, during which three persons were murdered and valuables stolen. The trial court convicted twelve accused under Sections 396 and 120‑B IPC, and the High Court added convictions under Sections 302 and 34 IPC. The Supreme Court examined whether t…

The father of three minor sons filed a title suit in which the minors were added as co-plaintiffs and a court‑appointed guardian was assigned. After the suit was compromised, the father, acting as natural guardian, sold the suit land to the first respondent without obtaining prior court sanction, and the sale was recor…

The appellant, a family waqf (Waqf Alai Aulad) created before May 1, 1959, sought exemption from land‑ceiling provisions on the ground that its income was used for charitable and religious purposes as well as for the welfare of the settler’s family. The claim was made under clause (f) of Section 6(1) of the U.P. Imposi…

The Supreme Court examined whether prisoners sentenced to rigorous imprisonment may be compelled to perform hard labour without consent and what wages they are entitled to under Article 23 of the Constitution. It held that such labour is lawful as it serves a public purpose of reform and rehabilitation, but prisoners m…

The case involved a cultural show organized by a minister where invitation letters on the minister's letterhead were forged. The appellant delivered the forged letters to the invitees but did not forge them himself. He was convicted by the High Court under IPC sections 417 (cheating), 465 (forgery), and 471 (using a fo…

The landlord sought eviction of tenants under the Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1986, claiming a bona‑fide requirement for his own occupation after demolishing and reconstructing the premises. The tenants argued that the landlord’s claim should fall under Section 21(1)(j), which provides a right of re‑entry to the tenant…

The Fertilizer Corporation of India (FCI) challenged octroi levied on its Gorakhpur factory, first by the Notified Area Committee (1979‑1982) and later by the Nagar Mahapalika after the area was incorporated into the city. The Supreme Court examined the statutory powers under the U.P. Town Areas Act, the U.P. Municipal…

Sandeep Kumar Sharma, brother of an IPS officer who had distinguished service against terrorism, applied for the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police. He satisfied all selection criteria except the minimum height requirement, falling short by 1.20 cm. The Punjab Government, invoking a policy to give special consider…

The appellant, a private firm, obtained a three‑year licence from the Government of Tamil Nadu to collect chank shells from coastal sites, the agreement containing Clause 7 which allowed the government to terminate the licence at any time without cause. After commencing operations, the government invoked Clause 7 and t…

A senior District & Sessions Judge (the appellant) granted bail to two accused under Section 20(b)(i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The Patna High Court Single Judge cancelled the bail and harshly criticised the judge, alleging extraneous considerations, ignorance of Section 37, an…

The State of Karnataka appealed a High Court judgment that reduced the charge against Vedanayagam from murder to culpable homicide. The accused had stabbed the deceased, Sugumaran, on the left side of the chest with a dagger, causing instant death. The trial court convicted him under Section 302 IPC, but the High Court…

The tenants appealed against an eviction order issued by the appellate authority and affirmed by the High Court, which was based on the alleged non‑payment of increased rent that included a newly levied house tax. Under Section 8(1) of the Haryana Urban (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1973, a landlord may shift the…

Kavita was accused of throwing her two children into a well and then jumping in, after which she allegedly made an extra‑judicial confession to three villagers that she could no longer endure her husband's torture. The trial court and the Madras High Court convicted her of murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and attempted suicide (S…

The State of Bihar issued 1983 rules requiring owners of saw‑pits and timber depots to obtain licences, invoking powers under sections 41, 42 and 76 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The Patna High Court held that the statutes did not empower such regulation and set aside the rules. The State appealed, arguing that the p…

The Supreme Court considered two appeals: one under Section 409 IPC where the appellant sought discharge under Section 167(5) of the CrPC after the two‑year investigation period expired, and another under Section 7(1)(a)(ii) of the Essential Commodities Act concerning the limitation bar under Section 468 of the CrPC. I…

Nathu, who was in utero when the limitation period began, filed a suit to challenge an ancestral land gift made by Puran's adoptive mother to a stranger, also contesting Puran's adoption. Birbal and Aaidan, other reversioners, were defendants but later sought to be transposed as plaintiffs. Nathu settled with Puran and…

Arul Nadar, a landowner, was found to possess surplus agricultural land beyond the ceiling prescribed under the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961. He claimed that two settlement deeds executed in favour of his minor sons on 28‑April‑1970 and 2‑May‑1970 were valid under Section 21‑A, which …

The appellant Ranjit Singh was named in an FIR for an unlawful assembly in which a rifle was seized and used to fire at the deceased; the police investigation under Section 173 exonerated him and the case was committed to the Sessions Court. The complainant filed a petition before the Sessions Judge seeking to have the…

The appellant, a tenant, occupied the land on Tillers' Day (1‑April‑1957) when the landlord was a joint family. After a partition on 31‑March‑1958, the respondent obtained a share and applied for a Section 88C exemption certificate on 14‑April‑1959 without notifying the tenant. The respondent later sought possession un…

Smt. Udhwantia, a limited owner, gifted her estate to her grandson Ramdas Mahto, who later sold the property twice and it was eventually sold at a court‑ordered auction. Ram Deiya sued to recover the property, and the trial court and lower appellate courts decreed in her favour. After her death, her son Ram Das Mahto s…

Three brothers sold land to Harbhajan Singh; the fourth brother, Ujagar Singh, filed four pre-emption suits which were decreed on the condition that the pre-emption money be paid by 30 August 1970. The pre‑emptors appealed for a reduction of the amount and obtained an extension of time for deposit, but their appeals we…

The Supreme Court examined five civil appeals concerning the grant or renewal of road‑transport permits on routes in Tamil Nadu. The Regional Transport Authority had awarded permits to the State Transport Undertaking (STU) and denied them to private operators, including Anna Transport and Safe Service. The State Transp…

The Nagri Praccharini Sabha, a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, was sued by five of its members in a civil court challenging the election of its managing committee and seeking rendition of its accounts. The society contended that Sections 23 and 25 of the Act barred the suit. The Supreme C…

Contract workers employed by Tata Iron and Steel Company, Jamshedpur, performed permanent and regular tasks before 11‑Feb‑1981 and sought permanent employment with the principal employer. The Bihar Government referred the dispute to the Industrial Tribunal under s.10 of the Industrial Disputes Act. The Tribunal held th…

Four members of the General Reserve Engineers Force (GREF) were tried by a Court‑Martial convened under a warrant of the Chief of the Army Staff authorising the Chief Engineer and were convicted of offences under Sections 63, 39(a) and 41 of the Army Act. They challenged the jurisdiction of the Court‑Martial, the effec…

Organon (India) Ltd., later known as Infer (India) Ltd., obtained a wholesale licence for poppy husks in Madhya Pradesh and entered into a contract to export 1,000 tonnes to the Netherlands. The company sought a permit from the Collector of Excise, Mandsaur, to move the husks to Bombay for export, claiming that no exci…

HICO Products Ltd., a manufacturer of medicinal silicone products such as dimethicone and simethicone, claimed that these goods should be classified under the residuary Tariff Item 68 and therefore be exempt from excise duty under government notifications of 1982. The Central Excise authorities directed classification …

The Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (the appellant) objected to the grant of stage‑carriage permits to private operators for a route that overlapped the Ranchi‑Chaibasa segment, which was a nationalised route under a notified scheme dated 1‑April‑1960. The State Transport Authority rejected the corporation’s obj…

The appellant, a sepoy in the Indian Army, was accused of murdering his wife whose headless, highly decomposed body was found in a well. He made a voluntary extra‑judicial confession to military officers admitting to strangling his wife, and later, at his suggestion, the police recovered the victim’s head from another …

The appellant, a member of the Friends Central Government Employees House Building Society Ltd., had fully paid for a plot and was not in arrears. Under a compromise order of the Delhi High Court, the Society was directed to send notices to members in arrears demanding affidavits and payment, failure of which would dis…

Bhupendra Singh purchased land from a tribal (Kisana) in 1958. The Maharashtra Restoration of Lands to Scheduled Tribes Act, 1974, later restored that land to the tribal's heirs in 1976‑77. The Surplus Land Determination Tribunal, applying the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act, 1961, treated the …

The case involved a mass murder in which 24 persons were accused of killing five members of a family, including the brutal decapitation of three victims and the burning alive of a ten‑year‑old boy, allegedly as revenge for the earlier murder of A‑1's brother. The prosecution relied on two eye‑witnesses who were close r…

Hindustan Steelworks Construction Ltd, a government-owned company, extracted limestone from its own mines and used it in construction work for expanding the Bhilai steel plant, which manufactures iron and steel. The company challenged the levy of a cess under Section 3 of the Limestone and Dolomite Mines Labour Welfare…

The Supreme Court examined a lease granted by the Corporation of the City of Bangalore to the Karnataka Chalana Chitra Kalavidara Sangha, a society of film artists, for constructing a theatre and training school on land earmarked in the Comprehensive Development Plan for a public or semi‑public purpose. The petitioners…

Rajinder Singh was charged with murder under Section 302 IPC and illegal use of a pistol under Section 27 of the Arms Act for allegedly shooting Chamkaur Singh, who later died of injuries. The prosecution relied on two eye‑witnesses (Harbans Singh and Hakam Singh) and two dying declarations of the deceased, one recorde…

The incident occurred on 10 November 1979 when Wazir Singh, armed with a kulhari, and his accomplices Darbara Singh and Dalip Singh attacked Sadha Singh, inflicting a fatal incised wound and multiple blunt injuries. The trial court convicted all three under Section 302/34 IPC and sentenced them to life imprisonment, wh…

Lilasons Breweries (Pvt.) Ltd. obtained licences to operate a brewery in Madhya Pradesh and was required to pay, under Rule 22 of the Madhya Pradesh Brewery Rules, 1970, any excess of the officers' pay beyond five per cent of the excise duty levied on its beer. The brewery challenged the demand, and the Madhya Pradesh …

The case concerned a dacoity that occurred on the night of 5-6 April 1970 at the house of Dhaniram Singh (PW‑11) in Awadhiya village. The prosecution alleged that five of the accused, including Munni Singh, participated in the robbery and murder of the victim's uncle. Four sets of eyewitnesses were produced, but three …

The Punjab government acquired about 50 acres of land for the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the District Collector awarded Rs.30,000 per acre. Both the landowners and FCI sought references under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894; the reference court barred FCI’s reference but fixed compensation at Rs.1…

M.W. Mohiuddin, a Special Auditor in the Local Fund Accounts Department, demanded and received Rs.400 from a Gram Panchayat Sarpanch in exchange for removing audit objections. He was caught in a police‑arranged trap at a hotel, and the prosecution proved that he took possession of the money, wrapped it in a handkerchie…

The Supreme Court examined the murder trial of three inter‑related accused (two sisters, A‑1 and A‑2, and the husband of a younger sister, A‑3) who were convicted for killing a devotee, Ramakoti Reddy, based largely on the testimony of a single maid‑servant (PW‑1) and a disputed letter. The Court found PW‑1’s evidence …

The appellants, a Tehsildar and a Village Assistant, were convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC for demanding a bribe in a land‑patta case. The main issue was whether the testimony of the bribe‑giver, who was an accomplice, required corroboration before a conviction could be sustained. The Supreme Co…

The Supreme Court examined a petition for pre-emption filed under Section 8 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1959, concerning two sale deeds where the land purchased was described as a 'tank' (Matsyasheho Pushkarini) or 'doba'. The respondents claimed co‑sharer status to invoke pre‑emptive rights, but the trial and…

The respondent, a police constable, was prosecuted for bigamy after his wife alleged he had contracted a second marriage. He was discharged in the criminal trial for lack of evidence, but was suspended and a departmental enquiry was initiated under Rule 28 of the Karnataka Civil Service Rules, which prohibits a governm…

M/s. Rajasthan Prem Krishan Goods Transport Co. (the appellant) and M/s. Rajasthan Prem Krishan Transport Co. (the third respondent) were two partnership firms that shared the same address, telephone numbers, management, and ten out of thirteen partners. The Inspectorate under the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscella…

The appellant, owner of a Tata truck insured by Oriental Insurance, suffered vehicle damage in a collision while nine persons were aboard, exceeding the policy’s limit of six workmen (excluding the driver). The insurer denied the claim, citing the policy’s exclusion for carrying passengers beyond the permitted number. …

A charitable institution in Kanganpur, claimed to be a Sikh Gurdwara, was the subject of a petition under Section 7 of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925. Uttam Das, asserting himself as the hereditary office‑holder of the institution, filed a petition under Section 8 claiming the place was an Udasi dera and not a Sikh Gurdw…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed the acquittal of Harban Sahai and others, who had been convicted for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The High Court had set aside the trial court's findings on the basis of alleged inconsistencies between the FIR and eyewitness testimony, the weight given to…

The Assistant Collector of Central Excise, acting as complainant, appealed to the High Court against the sentences imposed on V. Krishnamurthy and others for offences investigated by a Customs Officer, invoking Section 377(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Supreme Court examined whether a Customs Department off…

Neelam Rani died from burns in 1987. The husband (appellant) and his father were convicted by the Sessions Court of murder (Sec. 302 IPC), dowry death (Sec. 304B IPC) and cruelty for dowry (Sec. 498A IPC). The High Court upheld the murder conviction and acquitted the father. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that the e…

The trial court dismissed a suit by the Sri Anjaneya Swami Temple seeking title to 29 acres of agricultural land, holding that the grant of land to the Archaka was personal to him. A Single Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court affirmed this finding on appeal. The temple then filed a Letters Patent Appeal, and the Let…

Mansu, a tenant, claimed pre-emption rights over a suit property sold by co‑sharers (male and female) under the Punjab Pre‑emption Act as applicable to Haryana. Shadiram, the vendee, argued that the female vendors' share was not pre‑emptable under Section 15(2) and that, as a successor‑in‑interest, he became a co‑share…

The appellants, senior officers of the Rajasthan Administrative Service, challenged the 1987 amendment to the Rajasthan Administrative Service Rules that created a Super Time Scale, contending that these posts were merely “higher posts” and should be filled on a 50:50 merit‑seniority basis. The High Court held that the…

Gangabai Gopaldas Mohata (appellant) owned Nazul land that was leased to several lessees. After a compromise decree required the lessees to vacate, the Municipal Council attached the property for alleged tax arrears and auctioned it. The court ordered that the sale would be cancelled if the appellant paid the arrears; …

Badlu, the father of Hakim Ali, filed a suit under Section 229‑B of the U.P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 seeking a declaration of bhumidari rights. The suit was dismissed, but the Additional Commissioner reversed the decision, leading the respondent to file a second appeal before the Board of Revenue…

The appeals concerned two students who fell short of the required marks for honours in their final degree examinations at Utkal University. Both argued that, under the University's Hard Case Rule, they were entitled to a 0.5% grace addition calculated on the combined total of pre-degree and final degree marks (800), wh…

Ashok Kumar and Prem Kanwar, who were in a long‑standing extramarital relationship, plotted to murder Prem's husband Mahabir Singh so they could live together. They travelled to Delhi, booked adjacent rooms in Hotel Eagle, and Mahabir was later found dead in Prem's room, having been struck on the head with a stone. The…

Gangeshwar Ltd., a sugar mill in Uttar Pradesh, purchased 31 bighas of agricultural land in 1971 before the amendment to the U.P. Imposition of Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1960. After the amendment became effective in 1973, the mill sought exemption of the land from ceiling calculations by obtaining a certificate und…

The Supreme Court examined three sets of appeals arising from a bus‑driver case, a food‑exporter case, and several petitions seeking expunction of adverse judicial remarks. In the bus‑driver appeal, the Court held that the High Court had erred in overturning the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s acquittal because the evidenc…

The Union of India filed a writ petition under Article 226 challenging demand notices issued by the Purna Municipal Council for service charges of Rs.28,400 on railway property for the years 1954‑1960. The Union relied on Article 285 of the Constitution read with Section 135 of the Indian Railways Act, 1890, which perm…

The appellants, members of a family that had a long-standing feud with their neighbours, entered the victims' house on 26 October 1989 and murdered four persons, including a five‑year‑old child, using weapons such as kulhari and hansia. The trial court and the Allahabad High Court convicted them under IPC Sections 302 …

The appellants, rice millers, were required under the U.P. Rice and Paddy (Levy and Regulation of Trade) Order, 1985 to sell rice to the State Government. The Market Committee demanded that the millers pay a market fee under Section 17(iii)(b)(3) of the U.P. Krishi Utpadan Mandi Adhiniyam, 1964. The millers contended t…

The deceased Sudha was shot dead in her husband Santosh Singh's house in 1982. The husband was seen with a gun and, together with eyewitness testimony, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC. The father‑in‑law Onkar Singh and mother‑in‑law Rajeshwari were also convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Sect…

Smt. Jaya Devi, an assistant teacher, was terminated by the Bihar Directorate of Education in 1990 and successfully obtained reinstatement through a writ petition before the Patna High Court. In a later, unrelated writ petition filed by another teacher, the same High Court judge, believing his earlier order to be erron…

The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly pouring kerosene on his wife and setting her on fire. The victim survived for about twenty days after the incident, during which she gave two statements to a police Sub‑Inspector and a magistrate accusing her husband. The defence argued that thes…

Police officers were accused of murdering a man identified as Kantuji Mohan Singh after beating him during interrogation at a police station. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including the discovery of a decomposed body in a jungle and identification of the body by relatives based on clothing and arti…

The appellant, Bhana Khalpa Bhoi Patel, was charged under Sections 135(1-A) and 135(1-B) of the Customs Act, 1962 and Section 25 of the Gold Control Act, 1968 for involvement in the smuggling of contraband gold. The prosecution relied on statements recorded under Section 108 of the Customs Act from several co‑accused a…

A motor accident gave rise to a compensation claim by Santro Devi and others against National Insurance Co. Ltd. The Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal found that the driver of the offending vehicle held a valid licence that had been duly renewed, and the Punjab & Haryana High Court affirmed this finding. The High Court, h…

Sheshrao Bagde, a senior geologist with a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Geology, applied for direct recruitment as Deputy Director in 1983 but was rejected for lacking ten years of practical experience after his postgraduate degree. He was later promoted to Deputy Director in 1986 under Rule 3(1)(a) (promotion) but this promotion…

The Action Committee on Issue of Caste Certificate filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging Maharashtra's denial of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe benefits to persons who had migrated from other states. The petition argued that the denial violated Articles 14, 15(1), 16(2), 19 and the spirit of Articles …

K.N. Roy, a charge sessions judge in Munger, granted bail to accused in a dacoity case on 17 August 1991, relying on doubts about the identification parade evidence. The Patna High Court cancelled the bail and, in its order, harshly criticized Roy, suggesting he had exceeded his jurisdiction and recommending administra…

The case concerned importers of specialised transhipper vessels who claimed exemption from customs duty under Notification No. 262‑Customs dated 11 October 1958, which exempted "ocean‑going vessels". The Customs authorities insisted that the vessels were not "ocean‑going" and required the importers to file Bills of Ent…

Shiva Prasad Tripathi, a former employee of Life Insurance Corporation of India, was allotted corporation premises which he was required to vacate after his service ended. He refused to leave, prompting the Estate Officer to issue a notice and subsequently an eviction order under Section 7 of the Public Premises (Evict…

Rup Lal Sharma, a retired government servant, continued to occupy a government‑allotted quarter after retirement. The State of Uttar Pradesh sought eviction under the U.P. Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1972, but the prescribed authority dismissed the first application on the ground that the …

The petitioners challenged the award of additional compensation under Section 23(1‑A) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, claiming it should apply to their case where the acquisition proceedings began before the 1984 amendment but the court award was rendered after the amendment came into force. The Supreme Court examin…

The Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) supplied hot rolled steel strips to Ambica Mills Ltd. under an Import‑Export Policy scheme that required the importer to hold a valid advance licence, duty exemption certificate, export bond and an irrevocable Letter of Credit. The importer submitted a licence on 20‑Aug‑1983 tha…

Allied Motors Pvt. Ltd. displayed eight neon sign boards showing the names of the commodities it sold. The New Delhi Municipal Committee (NDMC) demanded advertisement tax on these signs. The Delhi High Court Single Judge held the signs were advertisements and dismissed the petition, but the Letters Patent Bench reverse…

The Rajasthan Co‑operative Dairy Federation Ltd. issued a Letter of Intent to Sh. Maha Laxmi Mingrate Marketing Service Pvt. Ltd. (respondent No.1) appointing it as a selling agent, subject to conditions including submission of a Rs.15 lakh irrevocable bank guarantee, execution of an agreement, and submission of financ…

Yogendra Prasad, an ex‑treasurer of a cooperative society, was alleged to have misappropriated Rs.95,790.54. The society initiated recovery proceedings under section 48 of the Bihar and Orissa Cooperative Societies Act, 1935. The Registrar referred the dispute to the Assistant Registrar, who passed an award; the Deputy…

The Punjab Government, after the High Court allowed six‑month continuance of ad‑hoc Patwari appointments, amended Rule 2(a) of the Punjab Revenue Patwari Class III Service Rules, 1963 to permit district committees to recruit. A district committee in Patiala, comprising the Deputy Commissioner, District Revenue Officer,…

V.N. Enterprises supplied goods to the Chief General Manager, Telecom and others, raising bills of Rs 66,09,669.36, of which only part was paid. The appellants, a statutory authority, claimed a loss of Rs 43,16,400 due to high quotations and therefore withheld that amount. The Orissa High Court entertained a writ petit…

A motor accident involving a Fiat car insured by a comprehensive policy resulted in injury to a gratuitous passenger, Kishan Sarup Thapar. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded compensation against the car owners, drivers and the insurer. The High Court enhanced the award but held the insurer not liable, reasoning…

The dispute arose from a leasehold property originally owned by a Tarwad, which was taken by an ex parte decree in 1942 and sold at a court auction to the decree‑holder Mohammed Haji. The decree‑holder subsequently leased the land to Raghavan Nair, whose rights were later assigned to P.K. Abdulla, the respondent. The e…

Sundaramurthi (A‑2) was charged with murder, robbery and house‑trespass under Sections 302/34, 392 and 449 IPC. The prosecution relied entirely on circumstantial evidence: four eyewitnesses saw A‑2 and co‑accused A‑1 enter a car shed at the mill and emerge two hours later; fingerprints matched A‑1; bags of cash and a b…

The plaintiff, a widow, adopted Amaresh Sarkar on 24 August 1965 under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, and executed a registered deed acknowledging the adoption. The natural father later executed a deed acknowledging the adoption. The trial court held the adoption valid, but the High Court reversed, draw…

The appellant, widow of Bipin Kumar Rai, claimed family pension after her husband, who had been employed by Indian Railways first as a casual worker and later as a "substitute" from 27‑04‑1983 until his death on 05‑01‑1987, died. While the Railways paid the death gratuity, they denied the family pension, and the Centra…

The Supreme Court examined whether the State of Karnataka and its universities could increase the admission capacity of medical colleges despite the provisions of Sections I0A, I0B and I0C of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (as amended in 1993). The Court held that the Medical Council of India, under the Central A…

The appellants, employees of Air India, were dismissed after disciplinary proceedings and were paid one month's salary reduced by Rs.10-15 for tax deducted under the West Bengal State Tax Act, 1979. Air India sought approval of the dismissal under Section 33(2)(b) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, which was rejecte…

The State of Gujarat had trifurcated its Electrical Engineering Branch into Junior Engineers and Supervisors and, by a 1975 resolution, introduced a quota rule fixing a 2:1 ratio for promotion to Deputy Engineer posts. The Gujarat High Court struck down this ratio as unjustified and issued a mandamus, prohibiting its e…

The Municipal Council of Waraseoni granted a one‑year lease to Satish Chandra Jain for the collection of cattle registration and market fees at a local cattle fair, with a contract sum of Rs 1,75,000. Jain withheld Rs 29,592.63, prompting the Council to initiate recovery proceedings under Sections 164(2) and 164(3) of …

The Faridabad CT Scan Centre, a private diagnostic centre not attached to any hospital, sought exemption from customs duty on imported hospital equipment under Notification No. 64188 dated 1‑3‑1988. It argued that similar centres had been granted the exemption and that denial violated Article 14 of the Constitution. Th…

The Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) levied a development fee on property owners under Sections 119(1) and 119(2)(c) of the Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act, 1976. The petitioners challenged the levy, arguing that the statute did not expressly empower AUDA to impose such a fee, that there was…

The appellants, owners of several plots acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, had received awards from the Collector (10‑June‑1968) and a reference court (30‑August‑1972) and sought enhanced compensation on a belt‑wise basis before the High Court, which awarded varying rates. They appealed to the Supreme Court…

Betal Singh was convicted of murdering his wife Kamla by setting her ablaze, an offence under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The conviction was based primarily on Kamla's dying declaration recorded by a police officer under Section 32 of the Evidence Act, which alleged that her husband had doused her with kerose…

Gayatrilaxmi Bapurau Nagpure, a medical course aspirant, claimed membership in the Halba Scheduled Tribe and applied to the Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee for a caste certificate. She submitted 17 documents, including school certificates, caste certificates of her father, and a 1981 government ord…

The appellants, former employees of the Army School, Jalandhar, claimed that the school had failed to pay the minimum wages fixed by the State Government and filed an application under Section 20(2) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. The Authority initially granted relief, but the Punjab & Haryana High Court set aside tha…

The State of Andhra Pradesh entered into a contract with contractor R.V. Rayanim for constructing an earth dam. A dispute led to arbitration, where the arbitrator issued a non‑speaking award of Rs.19.39 lakhs in favour of the contractor, mentioning consideration of escalation damages but not quantifying any amount for …

In an administrative suit concerning the sale of a property at Ootacamund, the Court appointed receivers who effected the sale. The purchasers of the property (appellants) challenged objections raised under Order 21, Rule 90 read with Section 151 of the CPC, arguing that such objections were not maintainable. The Trial…

The appellant, a tenant, challenged a High Court order that upheld the landlord’s right to eject him under the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948. The dispute centered on whether the tenant’s arrears of rent exceeded three years, which would invoke Section 25(2) of the Act, or whether relief under Section …

The plaintiff, Satya Gupta, sued for partition of a house that had been purchased by her late husband Battu Mal in the joint names of himself and the plaintiff, alleging that half of the property belonged to her. The trial court held that the plaintiff had not shown how the claim arose but nevertheless found that Battu…

The plaintiff filed a suit on the last day of limitation against a deceased defendant, Mariappa Gounder, for a promissory note. After learning of the defendant's death, the plaintiff sought to substitute the deceased's heirs as parties. The trial court dismissed the applications, holding the suit barred by limitation, …

A petition under Section 7(1) of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, was filed by more than fifty Sikh worshippers seeking a declaration that Gurdwara Sahib Bara was a Sikh Gurdwara. The respondent, Mihan Singh, claimed hereditary rights and objected under Section 8, asserting the shrine was not a Sikh Gurdwara. The Sikh Gurd…

The case concerned a gift of land made by Kehar Singh in 1947 to his second wife, Basant Kaur, as maintenance. After the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, the widow’s step‑grandsons claimed the gift gave her only a limited estate under Section 14(2) and that the estate could not be enlarged. The High Court held the gift fell…

The Punjab Public Service Commission conducted a competitive examination for 71 posts in the Punjab Civil Services (Executive Branch) and Allied Services. Candidate V.M. Bansal, whose father was a commission member, changed his preference to the Punjab Civil Service before the result was declared and the change was app…

The Delhi Stock Exchange sought to increase its membership by 250, half through a public issue of shares and half by diluting existing shareholdings, subject to a higher non‑refundable deposit for public‑issue applicants. The Central Government approved the scheme, and an Expert Committee was constituted to select the …

The Supreme Court examined the murder of 12‑year‑old Arun Rai, alleged to have arisen from a dispute over the price of milk. The trial court convicted Mithilesh Rai (Sec.302 IPC, death sentence) and Madan Rai (Sec.302 read with Sec.109 IPC, life imprisonment); Raj Naresh Rai was acquitted. On appeal, the High Court set…

The State of U.P. appealed against the Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of Raghubir Singh (A‑2) in a murder‑kidnapping case involving the death of a six‑year‑old boy, Ashok. The trial court had convicted both accused, Manpal Singh (A‑1) and Raghubir Singh, under IPC sections 364, 302 and 34 based on the testimony of th…

Selvaraj, one of four brothers, stabbed his brother Dasan and another relative during a family property dispute. Three eye‑witnesses (PW1, PW5, PW6) testified to the incident, and a post‑mortem report showed a fatal chest wound and evisceration. The trial court acquitted Selvaraj, but the Madras High Court convicted hi…

Syed Khadim Waris, an Executive Engineer, was compulsorily retired by Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam at age 50 under Rule 56‑C of the Financial Handbook. The Allahabad High Court set aside the retirement, holding that an adverse service entry for 1983‑84, though communicated, could not be used while the employee's representat…

The appellant mortgagor and his co‑heirs mortgaged two‑thirds of a property for a loan. A mortgage suit was filed and the trial court passed a preliminary decree on 25‑July‑1962 ordering payment in instalments and authorising a sale on default. Because of non‑payment, a final decree for sale was passed on 6‑March‑1963 …

D.C.M. Ltd. owned two sugar factories and expanded them after receiving a licence in February 1975. The Government announced an incentive scheme in November 1975 offering a higher quota of levy‑free sugar to factories that expanded between 1 Nov 1975 and 20 Oct 1980. The sugar market was decontrolled from August 1978 t…

The appellant, widow of a saw‑mill owner who defaulted on employer's provident fund, challenged the auction sale of the owner's land on the ground that the successful bidder (first respondent) failed to deposit the balance of the bid within the two‑month period prescribed by Sections 202 and 203 of the Maharashtra Land…

The Supreme Court heard the appeal of M. Govindaraju, who sought a one‑seventh share in his father's joint Hindu family property. Govindaraju was born to Pappammal, who had earlier been married to Koala Gounder but left his house in 1942‑43 and thereafter lived with Munisami Gounder, the father of the appellant. The Hi…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition under Article 32 after a letter complained of bonded labour in stone quarries of Faridabad, Haryana. It appointed commissioners and investigators to examine the working conditions and the implementation of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 and related statutes.…

In execution of a money decree, three parcels of agricultural land belonging to the judgment‑debtor were sold at a court‑sale, the decree‑holder purchasing the property. The debtor retained possession of two parcels while the purchaser occupied the third. The debtor filed a petition under Section 20 of the Kerala Agric…

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) challenged orders of the Rajasthan High Court that allowed certain students, who did not meet eligibility criteria, to appear for board or university examinations. The petitioners argued that such orders contravened the statutory eligibility requirements and amounted to a…

The case involved Col. AnilteJ Singh Dhaliwal, an army officer convicted by a General Court Martial on four charges relating to alleged false statements, fraud, and omission in reporting losses. He appealed to the High Court, which quashed the Court Martial’s findings on the basis that key evidence – a letter (Ex Q‑10)…

The appellant, a landlady, sought determination of reasonable rent under Section 43-B of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Land Act, 1948, alleging that the contractual rent was inadequate. The respondents, tenants, contended that they became absolute owners of the land on the tiller's day (1 April 1957) under Sectio…

Five suits were filed by appellants seeking declaration that they became Khatedars under Section 5(4) of the Rajasthan Zamindari and Biswedari Abolition Act, 1959, based on possession evidenced by jamabandi records. The closest jamabandi to the abolition date was not produced, and oral evidence was used. The Assistant …

The plaintiff, Joyce Primrose Prestor, sought letters of administration for her mother’s estate, relying on a holograph will dated 19 June 1964 that bequeathed equal shares to her three daughters. The husband and two other daughters contested the will, alleging undue influence by the plaintiff. The trial court held the…

Respondent No.3 obtained a permanent injunction against the State of U.P. and its Forest Department to prevent interference with his right to cut trees on his land. Later, Smt. Lagan Devi secured a temporary injunction restraining Respondent No.3 from cutting trees on her plot, invoking the earlier decree. She reported…

The appellants were tenants of shops in a building completed in 1977. Their tenancies were terminated by notice and the landlords filed suits for possession in 1983. Decrees granting possession were passed in December 1988, after the ten‑year exemption period under Section 1(3) of the Haryana Urban (Control of Rent & E…

Pammi (Brijendra Singh) and accomplices, armed, went to the house of PW‑5 to settle a business dispute. The three deceased arrived to pacify the situation, leading to a heated altercation during which Pammi and the others opened fire, killing all three. Pammi pleaded private defence, claiming the deceased attacked with…

The husband, Lakhmi, was alleged to have killed his young wife by striking her head with a spade (phali) and a blunt instrument (kunda). Several eyewitnesses saw the assault, and the accused, when examined under Section 313 of the CrPC, admitted killing his wife with a kunda, denying the use of the phali. The trial cou…

The appellant Govindasamy's father transferred 17.615 standard acres to Govindasamy's unmarried daughter Sumathi between the commencement (15‑Feb‑1970) and notified date (2‑Oct‑1970) of the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961. The land authorities included this gifted land in Govindasamy's f…

Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, whose security is covered by the Special Protection Group (SPG) Act, was summoned as an accused before the Tis Hazari Court. The Commissioner of Police, Delhi and the Director of the SPG sought a change of venue, arguing that the court complex could not provide the "proximate s…

The V.P. Temple appealed against an order of the Special Appellate Tribunal that dismissed its earlier appeal as time‑barred under Section 30(1) of the Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Royatwari) Act, 1963. The Act permits a maximum of six months to file an appeal, but the temple filed after this p…

The Supreme Court examined a partition suit between two branches of a Hindu family concerning self‑acquired agricultural lands left by a father (A) who died intestate without grandsons. The issue was whether the lands passed to his three sons as joint Hindu family property (joint tenancy) or as tenants‑in‑common by inh…

The appellants, Ashok alias Somanna Gowda and Rajendra, applied for Assistant Engineer positions in Karnataka's Public Works Department but were not selected because the interview component, weighted at 33.3% of total marks under the Karnataka State Civil Services (Direct Recruitment by Selection) Rules, 1973, gave an …

The petitioners (SIEL Ltd. and others) challenged the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Sheera Niyantran Adhiniyam, 1964 and subsequent state notifications controlling the supply, distribution and price of molasses, arguing that the State lacked legislative competence because the sugar industry fell under Un…

Ashok Kumar was charged with murdering his sister‑in‑law, Asha Rani, by burning her to death in a dowry‑related dispute. The trial court acquitted him, finding no motive, contradictions in medical testimony, and a defective investigation. The Rajasthan High Court, invoking Sections 378 and 386 of the CrPC, set aside th…

The tenant, P.R. Deshpande, filed a revision petition under Section 50 of the Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1961, but failed to deposit the arrears of rent required by Section 29(1) at the time of filing. The Karnataka High Court dismissed the revision petition for this deficiency, gave the tenant six weeks to vacate the…

The dispute concerned a double‑storeyed building within the Jallowkhana complex at Kapurthala, occupied by the Punjab Public Works Department. Brigadier Sukhjit Singh, a heir‑apparent of the erstwhile Maharaja, claimed ownership based on a 1925 farman that vested the entire complex in each succeeding heir, while the St…

Chand Dhawan (wife) appealed against the Punjab & Haryana High Court’s order dismissing her claim for permanent alimony under Section 25 of the Hindu Marriage Act and also setting aside the maintenance pendente lite granted under Section 24. The wife had filed a petition for permanent alimony and maintenance after a di…

The Bihar State Board of Homeopathy Medicine, constituted under the Bihar Development of Homeopathy System of Medicine Act, 1953, passed a resolution on 14 May 1988 abolishing eight Homeopathic Chikitsak posts, six of which were held by petitioners. The Patna High Court held that the Board was not duly constituted beca…

The State of Orissa leased 569.6 acres to the Steel Authority of India for extracting limestone and dolomite, with an agreement that royalty be paid on the minerals extracted. The Authority processed the run‑of‑mine material to remove waste before weighing the product, and argued that royalty should be calculated on th…

Amrutlal Someshwar Joshi, a domestic servant, was convicted of murdering three members of his employer's family and an infant in their Bombay flat and stealing valuables. The prosecution relied on a series of circumstantial facts, including eyewitness testimony that Joshi was present in the flat until early afternoon, …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Sections 4, 4‑A and 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Entertainment Tax Act, 1939 (as amended by Act 24 of 1984 and later amendments) which levy tax on cinema shows based on a percentage of the gross collection capacity per show and provide an optional weekly consolidated…

The appellant, Ram Nath Mahato, was alleged to have participated in a night robbery on a train, during which a passenger was killed and others injured. A witness (PW 6) identified Mahato in a test identification parade conducted by Judicial Magistrate PW 7, but at trial PW 6 refused to recognize him, claiming fear. The…

The husband and wife, married in 1970, lived separately from 1983 and filed a joint petition for divorce by mutual consent under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act in 1984. The husband later moved a sole application for decree, while the wife withdrew her consent after the statutory 18‑month period, and the husband …

Karumanda Gounder appealed against a High Court order that upheld the sale of a parcel of land originally gifted by his brother Komaraswamy Gounder to a third party and then sold to Muthuswamy Gounder. Karumanda claimed the land was joint family property and that his brother, being a "mild lunatic," lacked capacity to …

The Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) operates a fleet of buses to transport its employees and had been paying tax under Item 3 of the Orissa Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1975, as goods carriers. In December 1990 the State of Orissa re‑classified the vehicles under Item 4, which imposes a higher rate for vehicles use…

The case concerned a motion of confidence in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on 21 October 1997, after which twelve Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs voted for the government despite a whip issued by BSP leader Mayawati. Mayawati petitioned the Speaker for their disqualification under paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Tenth…

The Life Insurance Corporation of India issued a life insurance policy on 31 March 1990, which the insured back‑dated to 10 May 1989 and paid premiums for that period. The insured’s minor daughter committed suicide on 15 November 1992. Clause 4‑B of the policy limits the insurer’s liability to the total premiums paid i…

The appellant, a practising doctor, was accused of murdering his wife, Madhu Bala, who was found dead hanging in their residence with a dupatta around her neck and her legs tied to a cot. Post‑mortem and chemical examination revealed ante‑mortem injuries and the presence of a lethal dose of organophosphorus compound mi…

The appellants, owners of a parcel of land covered by a patta, claimed that land had gradually accreted to their estate as the Barak river receded over 15‑16 years. They sought a declaration of title over the accreted land, which was also claimed by the respondents under an annual patta granted by the Deputy Commission…

The State of Rajasthan sought licences for dealers selling Bajra seeds that had been coated with insecticides, invoking the Rajasthan Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961. The respondents, seed dealers, contended that such processed seeds were not "agricultural produce" within the meaning of Section 2(1)(i) and the S…

Syed Fatima Nachi, a divorced Muslim woman, filed a petition under Section 4(2) of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 seeking maintenance from the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board, alleging that her children, parents and other relatives were unable to pay. The Wakf Board appealed to the High Court to qua…

Shangrila Food Products Ltd., a sub‑tenant of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), was evicted under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971 and an order for damages of about Rs 12 lakhs was made by the Estate Officer. The City Civil Court upheld the eviction but set aside the damages a…

The dispute concerned the succession to the Partapner Raj estate, an ancient impartible zamindari governed by the rule of lineal primogeniture. After the death of the minor adopted heir Raja Maha, competing claims arose: Kalka Singh of the senior branch asserted his right to the impartible estate (Lists A and C) while …

Harish Kumar and Ram Sharan were convicted by the Madhya Pradesh High Court for murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and attempt to murder (Sec. 307 IPC) after a trial court had acquitted them. They pleaded private defence of person, claiming that earlier hostile incidents and injuries to their father and themselves created a genuine…

Bhaiya Bahadur Singh, a government school teacher, drove his tractor onto a disputed boundary and allegedly trampled a portion of the victim's wheat field. Angered, he fetched a licensed single‑barrel gun, returned, and fired two shots, injuring two persons and killing a third. He pleaded that the shooting was in self‑…

In a partition suit, a house was auctioned and the sale was confirmed by the court on 7 August 1984. The auction purchaser obtained a sale certificate only on 9 November 1989 and filed an application for delivery of possession on the same day. The appellant contended that the application was barred by the one‑year limi…

Pratibha Co‑operative Housing Society Ltd. constructed eight unauthorized floors in a 36‑storey building, exceeding the permissible Floor Space Index (FSI) by about 24,000 sq ft. The Bombay Municipal Corporation issued a show‑cause notice and ordered demolition of the upper eight floors, which the Society challenged th…

Pawan Kumar (husband) and his parents-in‑law were convicted for the death of his wife, Urmil, who died from severe burns within seven years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the husband and his relatives repeatedly demanded a scooter and refrigerator as dowry, subjected the wife to mental cruelty and harassment…

The Union of India leased a site in a reserved forest in the Union Territory of Daman to Kamath Holiday Resorts for a snack bar and restaurant. The Conservator of Forests objected, invoking Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, which restricts de‑reservation or non‑forest use of forest land without prior Ce…