R C LAHOTI

The Supreme Court considered an appeal by the heirs of a deceased tenant (the appellants) against an eviction decree. The landlords had terminated the tenancy and sued for eviction, rent, damages and mesne profits. After the U.P. Urban Building (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972 came into force, the a…

The appellant Ganesh Lal was convicted for raping, murdering and stealing from an 11‑year‑old girl. The prosecution relied on a series of circumstantial facts: the recovery of the victim's silver ornaments (kuralias) and a blood‑stained axe at the accused's direction, possession of blood‑ and semen‑stained clothes hidd…

The Special Court under the Special Courts (Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Act, 1992, initially directed a High Court Receiver to sell certain properties to recover dues, but later ordered the Custodian appointed under the Act to act as Receiver because the High Court Receiver was unable to c…

The petitioners, a group of casual workmen employed by the Telecom Department for a temporary cable‑laying project, were terminated when the project ended in 1986‑87. They sought reinstatement, continuity of service and back wages, arguing that their termination fell under sub‑clause (bb) of Section 2(oo) of the Indust…

The Supreme Court examined an eviction suit under the A.P. Buildings (Lease, Rent & Eviction) Control Act, 1960 where the landlord, a co‑owner of a disputed property, sought possession of premises occupied by tenants who had transferred possession to third parties that had bought only part of the co‑owners' shares. The…

The appellant, D.S. Parvathamma, claimed that an agreement to purchase the suit premises made in 1970 had placed her in possession as a prospective vendor and sought protection of that possession under Section 53A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882. The respondent, A. Srinivasan, a subsequent bona‑fide transferee wh…

Harikrishna Lal and Babu Lal Marandi contested the 2001 Jharkhand Legislative Assembly election from Ramgarh. The respondent's nomination paper listed his name as "Babu Lal Marandi" while the electoral roll showed "Babu Marandi", omitting the middle name "Lal". No objection was raised at the scrutiny stage and the retu…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of a lorry driver and cleaner based solely on circumstantial evidence, including their alleged involvement in a road accident, medical treatment for injuries, recovery of a wrist‑watch belonging to the deceased, fertilizer bags and a blood‑stained wooden weapon, and their fa…

The appellant, Rakesh Vij, challenged an eviction order against his father’s tenancy in a shop‑cum‑flat in Chandigarh, arguing that the landlord could not evict a tenant from a non‑residential building under the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 as amended in 1974. The Court examined the effect of the 1956 A…

The petitioner T.P. Moideen Koya challenged a detention order issued under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974, claiming it was illegal because he was already in custody and the order failed to consider that fact. The same issue had been raised earlier in a habeas corpu…

The petitioners were disqualified from contesting or holding Panchayat offices under Sections 175(1)(q) and 177(1) of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 because they had more than two living children. They challenged the provisions as arbitrary, discriminatory and violative of Articles 14, 21 and 25 of the Constituti…

The appellants, private stage‑carriage operators, challenged a Delhi Government notification dated 31‑12‑1999 issued under Section 67 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which (i) raised the fees for using DTC bus shelters and terminals and (ii) made all DTC concessional passes binding on private operators. The Supreme Co…

The plaintiffs, owners of a plot of land, leased it to the respondents who built a commercial complex and sub-let the shops. After the respondents defaulted on lease premium, the plaintiffs sued for arrears and eviction. The trial court decreed actual possession against the respondents and only symbolic possession agai…

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) prepared a draft scheme on 13‑Feb‑1986 to nationalise 39 bus routes under Section 68‑C of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. After objections were filed, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into force and the competent authority declared the scheme to have lapsed und…

The Supreme Court dealt with a suit for specific performance of a contract to sell immovable land where the plaint failed to give a precise description of the property and no map was annexed. The trial court decreed specific performance, but the decree did not identify the land, leading to execution difficulties, inclu…

Ram Prasad Sarma, who lost the 1999 Lok Sabha election for Tezpur to Mani Kumar Subba, filed an election petition alleging booth‑capturing and rigging. The respondent moved to dismiss the petition under Section 86(1) on three grounds: the petition was filed beyond the 45‑day limitation, a candidate (Abu Khayer) was not…

In the 2002 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, Ram Bhual was declared elected. Defeated candidate Ambika Singh filed an election petition under Section 100(1)(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, alleging that the Returning Officer had wrongly rejected the nomination of independent candidate Sita…

The petitioners, the State of Haryana, appealed decrees that held a surgeon and the State liable for a woman's pregnancy after a sterilization operation performed by a surgeon employed by the State. The Supreme Court examined whether the surgeon could be held liable without proof of negligence, noting that pregnancy af…

The appellant, a co‑operative housing society, maintained a savings account with the respondent bank and alleged that the bank dishonestly honored forged cheques, debiting Rs 75,70,352. A complaint was filed before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The …

The petitioner, Smt. Shail, was a victim of offences under Sections 376 and 328 of the IPC by the respondent, Manoj Kumar, who later married her to avoid conviction but subsequently deserted her. She filed a maintenance application under Section 125 of the CrPC before the Family Court, which was delayed; the High Court…

The Forum, an environmental NGO, challenged the constitutional validity of sub‑rule (3) of Rule 5 of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, which permits State Governments to relax night‑time loud‑speaker restrictions for up to fifteen days a year during cultural or religious festivals. The petition …

The Madras City Tenants Protection Act, 1921 gave tenants who built structures on landlords' land protection against eviction and a right to compensation. The Madras City Tenants Protection (Amendment) Act, 1994 (effective 1996) amended the Act to exempt tenancies of land owned by religious institutions and charities a…

The landlords filed an eviction suit under Section 13(1)(a) of the Delhi and Ajmer Rent Control Act, 1952 alleging that the tenants had defaulted in rent for over three years. While the suit was pending, Ajmer became part of Rajasthan, bringing the premises within the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent and Eviction) A…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of Madhya Pradesh's scheme reserving 20% of postgraduate medical seats for doctors employed by the State and the procedures for their admission. It held that the quota constitutes a separate channel of entry, not a communal reservation, and therefore satisfies Article 14. The Cou…

Rajesh K. Gupta, a Supreme Court advocate, filed a writ of habeas corpus seeking custody of his daughter Rose Mala, who was residing with her mother Aruna Gupta and the maternal grandparents. He alleged that the mother suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and that the child had been abducted by the grandparents. The De…

The appellant challenged the election of Ranjit Singh Talwandi, alleging that religious leaders had appealed to voters to support him, which was claimed to be a corrupt practice under Section 123(3) of the Representation of People Act, 1951. The Supreme Court examined whether such an appeal, made by religious leaders, …

The landlord, Munni Devi, sought eviction of the tenants, Manoj Kumar and others, under Section 21(1)(a) of the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972, claiming the building was dilapidated and needed demolition for a new business and for her son’s employment. The Prescribed Authority…

The Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana notified a Town Planning Scheme under Section 192(2) of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, which incorporated land belonging to the deceased Rajinder Kaur. She objected, and the scheme was modified to reserve 25% of the area, including 3.16 kanals, as open space for a public park. After…

The appellants, R. Balakrishna Pillai (former Minister for Electricity, Kerala) and P. Kesava Pillai (Technical Member/Chairman of KSEB), were convicted under Section 5(2) read with Section 5(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly selling 1,22,41,440 units of Kerala electricity to Mis. Graphite India L…

The petitioners challenged the election of the respondent to the Assam Legislative Assembly, alleging that the election petition was invalidly presented to the Stamp Reporter of the Gauhati High Court. The respondents argued that the presentation complied with Chapter VIII‑A of the Gauhati High Court Rules and was ther…

The Supreme Court upheld the Andhra Pradesh High Court's decision that Sobha Hyma Vathi Devi, elected from a Scheduled Tribe (ST) reserved assembly constituency, was ineligible because she belonged to the forward Patnaik Sistu Karnam caste, not the Bhagatha ST community. The Court affirmed that the marriage of a non‑tr…

Ramadhar purchased a house from Hiralal, who was held by a trial court to be the absolute owner. In the earlier suit, the court found that Bhagwandas was a tenant paying rent to Hiralal and, after the sale, became a tenant of Ramadhar; the suit against him was dismissed. In a later suit for eviction and arrears, the tr…

The appellant, elected from the Naguru (ST) constituency in 1999, was challenged under Section 80 of the Representation of the People Act on the ground that he did not belong to the "Konda Dora" Scheduled Tribe but was a Kshatriya. The appellant argued that an earlier election petition (E.P. 13 of 1983) which had dismi…

Asea Brown Boveri Ltd. entered into a lease‑finance agreement with Fairgrowth Financial Services Ltd. for 56 cars, paying all rentals, security deposit and a terminal fee, after which ownership was to vest in the lessee. Fairgrowth was later notified as a party to illegal transactions under Section 3(2) of the Special …

In the 2002 Punjab Assembly election, Sukh Darshan Singh was declared elected over Sardar Harcharan Singh Brar by a narrow margin. Brar filed an election petition under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 alleging that a rival's nomination was improperly accepted and that Singh had committed the corrupt practice…

The petitioner, elected to the Bihar Legislative Council on an Indian National Congress ticket, contested a Lok Sabha election as an independent (and in a second petition as a Samajwadi Party candidate). The Chairman of the Council disqualified him under paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule, holding that he had volu…

The landlord G.V. Srinivasa Murthy leased a non‑residential premises to Mahendra Saree Emporium, originally a sole proprietorship, which later converted into a partnership with the tenant's relatives. The landlord claimed unlawful sub‑letting under Section 21(1)(t) of the Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1961 and obtained a…

The landlord sought eviction of a tenant and his sub‑tenants under Section 21(1)(f) of the Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1961, alleging illegal sub‑letting without consent. The District Judge upheld the illegal sub‑letting and ordered eviction, but the High Court, relying on A.S. Sulochana's case, refused eviction on the…

Jayendra Saraswathy Swamigal, head of the Kanchi Mutt, was charged with conspiracy to murder the in‑charge manager of Devarajaswamy Devasthanam. He and 24 co‑accused filed a transfer petition under Section 406 of the CrPC, alleging that the Tamil Nadu State machinery was fabricating evidence, intimidating defence couns…

The Gujarat Legislature enacted the Bombay Animal Preservation (Gujarat Amendment) Act, 1994, imposing a total ban on the slaughter of bulls and bullocks of any age. Butchers (Kureshis) challenged the amendment as an unreasonable restriction on their right to practice any profession under Article 19(1)(g) of the Consti…

The case concerned the nature of the power exercised by the Chief Justice of a High Court or the Chief Justice of India under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to appoint arbitrators when parties fail to do so. The petitioners argued that this power is judicial, requiring the Chief Justice to …

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) advanced Rs 2 crore to the Assam State Co‑operative Marketing and Consumers Federation Ltd (the Federation) for procurement of paddy, but the price fixed later showed that only Rs 1.60 crore was due, leaving an excess of Rs 39,36,810. FCI sued the Federation for recovery, but the tri…

The appellant, a manufacturer of laminated textile fabrics, sought classification of its waste side strips and scrap (referred to as "foam patty") as non‑excisable items under Chapter 59 of the Customs Tariff Act. The Assistant Collector and the Appellate Authority classified the material as laminated fabrics, first as…

The landlord filed an eviction petition under the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949, alleging the tenants defaulted on rent of Rs 2000 per month as stipulated in the lease. The tenants contended that the rent was actually Rs 1800 per month, a rate they had been directed to deposit during a parallel partition…

The wife of a missing insured, Anuradha, claimed the death benefit under a life insurance policy after her husband disappeared and remained unheard of for more than seven years, invoking Section 108 of the Evidence Act. The insurer, LIC, rejected the claim on the ground that the policy had lapsed due to non‑payment of …

The appellants, sons of the deceased Mast Ram, challenged the sale of their father's property by his widow Muni Devi, arguing that a statement recorded by the Registrar of Deeds on 21 May 1973 constituted a codicil that, if valid, limited the widow to a life estate. The Court examined whether a codicil must be executed…

The State of Karnataka appealed against High Court orders that had allowed a claimant, Laxuman, to file a belated application under Section 18(3)(b) of the Karnataka‑amended Land Acquisition Act seeking a court‑directed reference for enhanced compensation. The claimant had filed the initial application for reference wi…

The State of Punjab and a lady surgeon were sued by Shiv Ram and his wife for damages after the wife became pregnant and gave birth despite having undergone a tubectomy in 1984. The trial court and the High Court awarded Rs.50,000, holding the State liable for the failed sterilisation. On appeal, the Supreme Court exam…

Anand Prakash Solanki, a former Special Judge, was appointed President of the District Consumer Protection Forum (DCPF) in Pali and later transferred by the Rajasthan Government to Jalore and then Banswara. He challenged the transfer, and the Rajasthan High Court held that the concept of transfer did not exist for DCPF…

Gazi Saduddin was served a notice under Section 59 of the Bombay Police Act, 1951 alleging criminal proceedings, communal disharmony, links with SIMI, a false caste certificate and extortion. The Deputy Commissioner of Police issued an order of externment under Section 56(1)(a), (b) and (bb), which the High Court uphel…

Harjeet Rice Mills, insured with National Insurance Co., claimed loss of stock after a fire in its godown, asserting the fire was accidental and caused by a short circuit. The insurer contested, alleging the fire was arson, the loss exaggerated, and that the claim was fraudulent, relying on a private investigator’s rep…

The State of Bihar appealed a Patna High Court judgment that held Sections 15(1) and 15(2) of the Bihar Consolidation of Holdings and Prevention of Fragmentation Act, 1956 to be ultra‑vires Articles 13 and 14 of the Constitution and diluted the effect of Sections 4(b), 4(c) and 37. The High Court also declared the earl…

West Coast Paper Mills Ltd and Dandeli Ferro Alloys Ltd transported goods by rail and were charged a flat freight rate that denied them the benefit of the telescopic rate system, resulting in higher charges. They filed complaints under Section 28 of the Railways Act, 1890; the Railway Tribunal held the rates illegal bu…

The Municipal Board leased premises to the respondents, who sublet them to the appellants. After the lease expired, the Board demanded rent, and the appellants deposited the rent in court under Section 30(2) of the U.P. Urban Building (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972, citing doubt as to the rightful…

The State of Kerala acquired land for its Public Health Engineering Department under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and the Collector made a compensation award in 1986. Claimants sought enhancement of compensation before a civil court, which rendered awards between 1989 and 1991. In 1984 the Kerala Water Authority (KW…

Miss Sardar Construction Co. entered into a works contract with the State of Gujarat and an arbitration award was made before 1 January 1994, the date on which the Gujarat Public Works Contracts Disputes Arbitration Tribunal Act, 1992 came into force. The award had not become final when the Act became operative. The pe…

The tenant, N.D. Thandani (deceased), repeatedly failed to make monthly rent deposits as required by the A.P. Buildings (Lease, Rent & Eviction) Control Rules and did not furnish the prescribed deposit particulars to the landlord. Despite a Supreme Court order directing the tenant to clear arrears within two months and…

The petitioners challenged the Indian Council of World Affairs Act, 2001, alleging that it violated Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(c) and 300A of the Constitution by taking over the assets of the Indian Council of World Affairs Society and by being enacted in defiance of a prior High Court judgment that had struck down a…

The Supreme Court examined the appointment of District Munsiff magistrates in Andhra Pradesh where a number of women and SC/ST candidates were selected under Rule 22‑A(2) of the Andhra Pradesh State and Subordinate Service Rules. The petitioners argued that the rule, even after amendment, only created a preference for …

The appellants' land was acquired under the Rajasthan Land Acquisition Act for a public development scheme, and the Land Acquisition Officer awarded them monetary compensation together with residential plots of 1,000 or 2,000 square yards. A tripartite settlement later reduced the compensation and confirmed the plot al…

The tenant held premises under a lease that required payment of monthly rent of Rs 100 and, additionally, Rs 111 as half of the annual property tax. The tenant failed to pay rent for January‑March 1990 and the agreed tax for three years. After a two‑month notice demanding the arrears, the tenant tendered only the rent,…

The landlord, Ram Dass, filed an eviction suit against his tenant, Davinder, under Section 13(2)(v) of the Haryana Urban (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1973, alleging the tenant had ceased to occupy the shop for four months without reasonable cause. The Rent Controller decreed in favour of the landlord, a decision…

The tenant, G. Reghunathan, leased a room for a jewellery shop under the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965 and subsequently altered the premises without the landlord's consent while also defaulting on rent. The landlord sought eviction on two grounds: non‑payment of rent under Section 11(2) and materi…

The landlord sought eviction of three tenants occupying tenements where each unit comprised a front commercial room and a rear residential room, filing suit under the Transfer of Property Act on the ground that the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging, House Rates Control Act, 1947 (Bombay Act) did not apply to dual‑purpose…

The tenant, P.M. Punnoose, paid rent by money orders but the landlords, K.M. Munneruddin et al., disputed the amounts and refused some payments, leading to an eviction petition under Section 10(2) of the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960. The Rent Controller held the tenant in wilful default and o…

The Supreme Court examined a landlord‑tenant suit where the landlord obtained an ex‑parte decree for rent arrears and eviction. The tenant contended that he never received a summons because the process server’s report was unreliable and he testified under oath that no summons was served. The Court evaluated the require…

The landlord filed eviction petitions under Sections 21(h) and 21(j) of the Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1961, seeking possession of premises for his own residence and for demolition and reconstruction. The trial court dismissed the petitions, finding the landlord had not proved the building was dilapidated. The Karnata…

Jayaramdas & Sons filed a suit for a permanent preventive injunction against Mirza Rafatullah Baig and others, which was dismissed by the trial court. The appellants sought to introduce additional certified copies of public records in the first appellate court under Order 41 Rule 27 of the CPC, but their application wa…

The State of Orissa appealed a decree based on an arbitration award made against the estate of the late Sudhakar Das. The arbitration agreement lacked an escalation clause, and the arbitrator had awarded escalation charges, pendente‑lite interest, and interest for the pre‑reference period. The Supreme Court held that, …

The appellants, lessees of two granite quarry leases in Karnataka, operated the quarries and exported granite after the Supreme Court’s interim orders allowing renewal of leases and issuance of transport permits, even though the underlying leases had been quashed by the High Court. After the Supreme Court dismissed the…

Kamaleshwar Kishore Singh filed a partition suit valued at Rs 16 lakhs and paid a fixed court fee of Rs 29.25, assuming it was a simple partition case. Defendant No. 20 objected, leading the trial court to order payment of ad‑valorem court fee on 10% of the sale‑deed value of certain properties. The defendant later cla…

The landlord of a shop in Shimla sued the widow and minor son of the deceased tenant for eviction under Section 14(2)(ii)(a) of the Himachal Pradesh Urban Rent Control Act, 1987, alleging that the tenant had sublet the premises to a partner and that the subletting continued after his death. The Rent Controller, the app…

The State of Rajasthan, under the Rajasthan Sales Tax Act, 1954, issued an incentive scheme in 1987 exempting new industrial units, including oil extraction and manufacturing, from sales tax. In 1990 the State withdrew this exemption for oil industries by a notification issued under both the Rajasthan Sales Tax Act and…

The respondent (landlord) sued the appellants (father and son) for mandatory injunction to vacate a shop premises, alleging that a deed of licence executed in 1981 had terminated. The trial court and first appellate court found the appellants to be tenants, but the High Court reversed, treating the deed as a licence to…

Mis. Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL), a Central Government company appointed as custodian of coking coal mines, claimed recovery of excess payments made to New Govindpur Coal Co. for the management period (17 Oct 1971 to 30 Apr 1972) under Section 25 of the Coking Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1972. The claim was su…

Kuladhar Phukan, a judicial officer of the Assam Judicial Service, was appointed ad‑hoc as Deputy Secretary in the Assam Legal Service in 1986 after his application was forwarded by the High Court and his services were spared. He was later regularised and promoted in the Legal Service without any consultation with the …

Ugar Sugar Works Ltd., a manufacturer of Indian Made Foreign Liquor, challenged a Delhi Administration notification issued under the Punjab Excise Act, 1914 and Delhi Liquor Licence Rules, 1976 that imposed Minimum Sales Figures (MSF) as a condition for obtaining an L‑1 licence for the excise year 2000‑2001. The petiti…

The appellant, a member of a scheduled tribe, purchased a parcel of land in Sundergarh that had previously been transferred among tribal owners and later sold to a non‑tribal with statutory permission. The respondent encroached on the land and claimed title by adverse possession, arguing that more than twelve years of …

The landlord, Jagat Pal Dhawan, filed a suit under Section 14(3)(c) of the Himachal Pradesh Urban Rent Control Act, 1987 seeking eviction of his tenant, Kahan Singh, on the ground that the over‑100‑year‑old building was required bona‑fide for reconstruction into a modern three‑storeyed house. The trial court and the Hi…

The landlord sought eviction of a tenant occupying a piece of land with a small wooden structure under the A.P. Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1960. The tenant claimed he only rented the land and owned the wooden structure, arguing that the structure was not a "building" within the meaning of Section…

The West Bengal Power Development Corporation invited tenders for a water intake package, but the tender notice was vague, leading to seven clarifications and allowing bidders to submit revised offers. L&T, after clarification, reduced its original bid by Rs 64 crore, while Subhash Projects increased its bid; the Power…

The appellant claimed entitlement to a plot allotted by the Burmah Shell Co‑op Housing Society under the Delhi Cooperative Societies Act, 1972. The dispute was referred to an arbitrator, but the society challenged the appointment and obtained an interim restraining order from a civil court. The society failed to appear…

Bombay Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (the licensee) supplied electricity to Laffans (India) Pvt. Ltd. (the consumer). Several meters installed at the consumer's premises either burnt out or were found running slow, leading the licensee to replace them without referring the dispute to the Electrical Inspe…

The Patna High Court, exercising its Article 226 jurisdiction, issued an interim order that halted construction activities on Bailey Road, prompting seven builders to seek special leave to appeal before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dismissed the SLP, directing the petitioners to approach the High Court, but lat…

The tenant failed to pay rent for June 1983 to November 1984 and the landlord served a notice under the Explanation to Section 10(2)(i) of the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960. The tenant informed the landlord that the rent had been deposited in other court proceedings, but the landlord filed an …

The appellant, Paul George, was convicted under Sections 279 and 304A of the IPC and sentenced to fine and imprisonment. He appealed, and the High Court dismissed his criminal revision under Section 397 of the CrPC by a non‑speaking order stating merely that no illegality, impropriety or jurisdictional error was found.…

The appellants (vendors) entered into a sale agreement with the respondent (buyer) for Rs.40.25 lakh, conditioning the sale on obtaining clearance under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 by a stipulated date. When the clearance was not obtained, the vendors cancelled the agreement and refunded part of t…

The appellant entered into a construction contract with the respondent that contained clauses making the decisions of the Executive Engineer and the Managing Director final and binding on the parties. Disputes arose over payments and work, and the appellant sought appointment of an arbitrator under Section 8 of the Arb…

The landlord, Swami Ashanand, a sanyasi, owned a building in Haridwar occupied by four tenants. He filed an eviction suit under Section 21(1)(a) of the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972, seeking demolition and reconstruction to create a residence, temple, and satsang hall for his…

The appellant and respondent owned adjoining properties in Chennai, where the appellant opened windows and a ventilator that overlooked the respondent's land. The respondent's mother sued in 1976 for an injunction to close the openings, but the trial court dismissed the injunction claim without deciding any easement ri…

In a title suit filed in 1978, the trial court dismissed the suit, the first appeal upheld the dismissal, and the High Court allowed the second appeal but only directed that a decree be drawn up by the trial court. The trial court prepared a decree that mentioned only costs, omitting the numerous reliefs claimed in the…

The tenant, Vithal N. Shetti, had occupied premises in Pune and erected a permanent structure (dining hall, kitchen, lavatory) in 1961. The landlord, Prakash N. Rudrakar, claimed the construction was done without his written consent and without municipal plan sanction, invoking Section 13(1)(b) of the Bombay Rents, Hot…

The respondents filed a declaratory suit claiming joint ownership of the suit property and seeking to declare certain gift and sale deeds ineffective. The trial court dismissed the suit on the grounds of limitation and that a prior decree (O.S. No. 93/71) operated as res judicata against Defendant No. 1 only, despite s…

In the first suit, the tenant defaulted on rent but deposited the arrears in court under Section 13(4) of the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1950, and the trial court denied eviction. The landlord appealed, withdrew the appeal, and meanwhile filed a second suit alleging a new default for the per…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of luxury‑tax statutes enacted by Uttar Pradesh (1995), Andhra Pradesh (1987) and West Bengal (1994) which imposed tax on the supply of tobacco and other goods described as "luxuries". The central issue was whether Entry 62 of List II of the Seventh Schedule permit…

During a suit concerning an immovable property, respondents 2 and 3 sold the suit property to respondent 4, who was unaware of the pending litigation. An ex‑parte decree was later passed against respondents 2 and 3. Respondent 4 filed an application under Order 9 Rule 13 CPC to set aside the decree and sought to be bro…

Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd. imported machinery under a specific contract registered with customs under tariff heading 84.66 and had already received concessions on basic and additional customs duties under Notification 268/76. The company later claimed a total exemption from auxiliary duty under Notification 6…

V.C. Perumal, a directly recruited police officer, challenged the year his name was placed on the select list for promotion to the Indian Police Service, arguing it should have been in the 1977 list rather than the 1978 list. The Court examined Regulation 5 of the IPS (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations, 1955, which…

Utkal Commercial Corporation entered into a contract with Central Coal Fields Ltd to supply alumina ferric, which expired in August 1975. A dispute arose and the appellant served a notice on 12 September 1976 demanding the respondent concur in the appointment of an arbitrator under Section 8 of the Arbitration Act, 194…

The appellants, Ganga Retreat and Towers Ltd., bought a prime property at a public auction on the basis that it was free‑hold, ceiling‑free and had a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 2.0. After paying the full consideration, they obtained possession and applied for building‑plan approval, but the municipal bye‑laws were amend…

A student discovered that his date of birth was incorrectly recorded on the Board of Secondary Education, Assam certificate and applied for correction eight years after the certificate was issued. The Board, relying on Regulation 8, rejected the application because it was filed beyond the three‑year period prescribed f…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal against the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s order upholding the rejection of a candidate’s nomination in a bye‑election. The Election Commission had instructed Returning Officers to require candidates to fill a proforma disclosing information relevant to disqualification under Section 8…

The landlord sought eviction of the tenant under Section 13(2)(i) of the Haryana Urban (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1973 for non‑payment of rent. The High Court ordered eviction, but the Supreme Court, on special leave, set aside that order and remitted the matter to the Rent Controller to apply the law laid dow…

The Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) floated a limited tender for survey services and shortlisted Master Marine Services Pvt. Ltd. (appellant) and Metcalfe & Hodgkinson Pvt. Ltd. (first respondent). The appellant’s bid was 25% lower, but the first respondent challenged the award on the ground that the appellant …

The landlord filed an eviction suit in 1985 against the tenant of a shop in Risod, before the city was declared a municipality. In 1989 Risod was notified as a municipality, bringing the Central Provinces and Berar Letting of Houses and Rent Control Order, 1949 into force for the premises. The tenant argued that, becau…

Ranjit Singh, a stenographer of a High Court judge, forged a bail order that was never signed by the judge to obtain bail for an accused. He was convicted under IPC Sections 466 and 468 for making a false document and for forgery of a court record, while the Sessions Court granted him probation under Section 4 of the U…

Five students from a rural background in Uttar Pradesh were admitted to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) and later migrated to a JNV in Kerala as per the scheme's national integration policy. They faced language and cultural difficulties, leading to alleged indiscipline and their discharge on disciplinary grounds. The …

The respondent filed two revision petitions against a High Court order under the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease & Rent) Control Act, 1960, but applied for a certified copy of the order after the 30‑day limitation period had expired. The Supreme Court held that, under Section 12(2) of the Limitation Act, 1963, the time req…

The State of Uttar Pradesh issued a government order to lease sand mining rights on the Yamuna river bed for a term of three to five years. The appellant was initially granted a one‑year lease, which the Collector later extended by two years on the ground that the original lease should have been for a minimum of three …

Hindustan Lever Ltd. challenged the levy of stamp duty by the State of Maharashtra on the High Court order sanctioning its amalgamation with Tata Oil Mills Ltd. The appellants argued that the order was a judicial decree, not an "instrument" under the Bombay Stamp Act, and that the State lacked constitutional competence…

Nihal Singh, a life convict under Section 302 IPC, filed a writ petition in the Punjab & Haryana High Court seeking classification as a Class‑B prisoner under para 576‑A of the Punjab Jail Manual, which provides facilities based on classification. The Single Judge declared the classification scheme ultra‑vires of Artic…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Division Bench decision of the Madras High Court in M. Varadaraja Pillai's case merged into the Supreme Court's order of 10 September 1986, which dismissed appeals on the ground of non‑joinder of the State as a necessary party. The Court held that the Supreme Court order did not d…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ filed by engineer Anil K. Mittal after a 13‑year‑old girl died because loudspeaker noise prevented her cries from being heard. The petition sought stringent enforcement of laws restricting loudspeakers, firecrackers, vehicular horns and other high‑volume sound system…

The driver of a goods truck insured by National Insurance Co. Ltd. died in an accident, and his family claimed compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal dismissed the claim, but the Madhya Pradesh High Court awarded Rs. 2,10,000 and directed the insurer to pay th…

The plaintiffs, owners of a leasehold premises in Gurgaon, sued the defendants for recovery of rent arrears and ejectment. The defendants failed to appear on the scheduled date, leading the trial court to proceed ex-parte and later set aside the ex-parte order under Order 9 Rule 7, imposing a condition that the defenda…

The landlord, Ranjeet Singh, sought eviction of his tenant, Ravi Prakash, on the grounds of bonafide requirement for his own fertilizer business and the need to reconstruct the dilapidated shop after a municipal demolition notice. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the appellate court allowed eviction. The tenant …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control, Bombay Land Requisition and Bombay Government Premises (Eviction) (Amendment) Act, 1996, which converted occupants of requisitioned premises into statutory tenants and ended the requisition. The petitioner…

Ms. S. Janani, a B.Sc. Home Science student, failed her April 2000 examination and applied for re‑evaluation within 20 days of the result but without the original detailed marks card (DMC). The university rejected the application, and after receiving the DMC on 6 Nov 2000 she re‑applied on 8 Nov 2000, was re‑evaluated …

The appellant, a tenant, was evicted by decree for non-payment of rent. He sought relief on the ground that a subsequent event – the Haryana Urban Development Authority's (HUDA) resumption proceedings against the landlord – had been set aside, claiming that this extinguished the landlord's title and amounted to evictio…

Mohammed Idris Ali filed an election petition challenging the 1996 election of Mustafa Shahidul Islam to the Assam Legislative Assembly. He later applied to withdraw the petition under Section 109 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the withdrawal notice was published in the Official Gazette on 20 Septem…

The petition sought a re‑consideration of the five‑Judge Constitution Bench decision in Sardar Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb v. State of Bombay, which held the Bombay Prevention of Ex‑communication Act, 1949 ultra‑vires. The matter had been listed before a seven‑Judge Bench, but the respondent filed an interim applicati…

The Himachal Pradesh government sought to fill a vacancy for President of the State Consumer Redressal Commission by appointing a sitting High Court judge, Justice Surinder Swaroop. The government initially sent a proposal to the Chief Justice, but the High Court pointed out that the appointment process should be initi…

The landlady Sushila purchased a shop in 1977 and sought its eviction under Section 21(1)(a) of the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972, to accommodate her married, unemployed son Prem Prakash who had an electrical‑wiring certificate and wanted to start a business. The tenant, Baij…

BSES Ltd., a distribution licensee, and Tata Power Co. Ltd. (TPC), a bulk licensee, disputed the amount BSES should pay for a 275 MVA standby power facility provided by TPC, which itself paid charges to the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) for a 550 MVA standby capacity. The State Government had earlier direc…

The Madhya Pradesh High Court Bar Association challenged a notification issued under Section 74(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 that abolished the Madhya Pradesh State Administrative Tribunal, alleging that the provision was ultra‑vires Article 323A, amounted to excessive delegation of legislative pow…

The tenants (Mis. M. Subbarao & Sons) were ordered to vacate non‑residential premises under the Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1961. The Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1999 came into force on 31‑12‑2001, repealing the 1961 Act and containing a savings provision (Section 70). The tenants argued that, because the new Act did n…

The Supreme Court was asked to clarify the effect of its earlier judgment in Dr. Saurabh Chaudhary (2003) which increased the All‑India quota for postgraduate medical seats from 25% to 50% and mandated a common entrance test. The Union of India sought a prospective application of that judgment because the admission pro…

The landlord filed an eviction suit under clause (a) of Section 21(1) of the Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1961, alleging that the tenant was in arrears of rent. The tenant argued that the advance rent paid at the commencement of tenancy should be adjusted against the arrears, and that Section 18, which limits advance re…

The respondent Ram Phal sued for specific performance of a land sale agreement, while the appellants Banarsi et al. sued to cancel the agreement claiming it was a loan. The trial court denied specific performance, granting only a money decree and a conditional order for specific performance if the appellants failed to …

The Supreme Court heard Special Leave Petitions filed by dairy owners (including Ramji Patel) who had set up dairies in the villages of Lalpur and Gwarighat, which were earlier listed as "excepted villages" under the Madhya Pradesh Cattle (Control) Act, 1978. The petitioners argued that a municipal resolution dated 21‑…

The plaintiff filed a suit for declaration of title and possession of a property measuring 1,817 sq. ft. after purchasing it. The defendant denied the plaintiff's title and pleaded adverse possession, but did not raise a defence of res judicata in the trial court or first appeal. The High Court, on a second appeal, hel…

The appellant, a member of an aboriginal tribe, purchased land from tribal bhumiswamis during the period covered by Section 1708 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1959. He failed to submit the required information within the prescribed two‑year period, prompting the Sub‑Divisional Officer to issue a show‑cause n…

The case concerned Indian medical graduates who obtained their MBBS‑equivalent degrees from institutions in the former USSR and sought provisional or permanent registration to practice medicine in India. The petitioners argued that, under the pre‑amendment Indian Medical Council Act, they were entitled to registration …

The plaintiffs, three co‑plaintiffs, filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement. One plaintiff died, and his legal representatives applied for condonation of delay, setting aside the abatement of the suit and to be brought on record. The Single Judge of the High Court allowed the application, finding suf…

In-service doctors employed by the State of Rajasthan challenged the first proviso of Regulation 9 of the Post‑Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, which fixed a minimum qualifying mark of 50% for general candidates and 40% for reserved categories for admission to postgraduate medical courses. The Rajasthan Hi…

Petitioners filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the Uttar Pradesh Government's failure to act on the Parekh Commission Report on the 1982 Meerut riots, which had been submitted in 1988. The State Cabinet eventually decided to table the report, not take any further action, and consign it to records, citin…

The Supreme Court considered whether the 1995 amendment to Sections 4 and 4A of the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923, which increased compensation amounts and interest rates, applied to claims arising from accidents that occurred before the amendment’s effective date of 15 September 1995. Relying on the earlier decisio…

Padmasinhji Bajirao Patil and others challenged the constitutional validity of Section 144‑T of the Maharashtra Co‑operative Societies Act, 1960, which makes the order of the Commissioner or a specified officer in election disputes final and conclusive with no provision for appeal or revision. The petitioners argued th…

Hardeep and his father Maha Singh were charged with the murder of Rajinder Singh. The trial court convicted Hardeep under IPC 304 Part I and acquitted Maha Singh, while the High Court upheld Hardeep's conviction, upgraded it to IPC 302, and retained the father's acquittal. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the cred…

Thimmegowda, having no male issue, adopted his nephew Narayani and executed a settlement deed on 1 August 1969 entrusting six agricultural properties to Narayani and his natural father Subbegowda for management, subject to a clause reserving the power of revocation to Thimmegowda. Thimmegowda later sued to set aside th…

The appellants, owners of fish seed farms engaged in pisciculture, claimed that the Tamil Nadu government’s 1990 notification granting free low‑tension electricity to "agriculture" also covered their fish‑farming activities. The respondents, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, denied the claim, holding that pisciculture is n…

The Union of India (Southern Railway) entered into a construction contract with TECCO Trichy Engineers, which later gave rise to arbitration. The arbitral tribunal delivered a copy of its award to the General Manager's office on 12 March 2001, but the Chief Engineer, who signed the contract and represented the Railways…

The appellants filed a suit for declaration of title and permanent injunction over ancestral A and B Schedule properties, claiming inheritance rights. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the first appellate court allowed it, finding the appellants entitled to the properties. The respondents appealed to the Madras H…

The appellant, a constable in the Delhi Police, fell ill during training and, on medical advice, went to his hometown for treatment, submitting leave applications supported by medical certificates. The competent authority later sanctioned leave without pay for the period of his illness, but the police department issued…

The appellant Narayanan (vendee) purchased a disputed parcel of land that the owner Kunjan had retained despite executing a settlement deed for his daughters. The first respondent Kumaran, a close relative, fraudulently altered the deed's schedule to claim title over the disputed parcel and sued for a permanent injunct…

The respondents, who purchased urban properties at auction under Section 29 of the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951 and under the Official Liquidator in winding‑up proceedings under the Companies Act, 1956, sought fresh electricity connections for those premises. The appellant, Gujarat Electricity Board, demanded…

The appellant, a non‑redeeming co‑mortgagor, claimed a 9/12 share in a jointly owned mortgaged property and sought declaration of title, possession, or partition after another co‑mortgagor fully redeemed the mortgage and took possession. The trial court and first appellate court decreed partition, ordering the appellan…

The plaintiff, Rame Gowda, was in peaceful possession of a piece of land and began construction, which the defendant, M.V. Naidoo, contested claiming ownership. The plaintiff filed a suit for declaration of title and possession; although he could not prove title, the trial court found he had settled possession and gran…

The President, under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, established a permanent bench of the Rajasthan High Court at Jaipur and defined its territorial jurisdiction over eleven districts, while retaining a discretionary power to transfer cases to the principal seat at Jodhpur. The Acting Chief Justice later issued an…

Punjab Singh was granted a Freedom Fighters Pension under the 1972 scheme, but the pension was suspended when his income exceeded the Rs.5,000 ceiling. The Government later introduced the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme in 1980, removing the income ceiling and granting him a fresh pension effective 1 August 19…

The landlord (B.C. Bhutada) let the first floor of a building for residential use and part of the ground floor for non‑residential use to the tenant (G.R. Mundada), who also used a portion as a godown. The landlord sought eviction under the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates (Control) Act, 1947 on the ground o…

The respondent, a conductor employed by Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, was removed from service for two periods of unauthorized absence in 1982 and 1992. He raised a dispute under Section 2(A)(2) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and the Labour Court reinstated him with continuity of service but w…

The appellants Limbaji and two others were charged with murder and robbery of Baburao, whose ornaments were recovered after the accused, while in custody, pointed to their locations. The High Court had convicted them of both murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and robbery (Sec. 394 IPC) using the presumption under Section 114(a) of …

Mis Coromandal Fertilisers Ltd imported rock phosphate and sulphur and was responsible for unloading the cargo at its own wharf in Visakhapatnam. Customs assessed landing charges at 1.4% of the CIF value of the goods and the Assistant Collector additionally levied stevedoring charges, arguing they were not covered by t…

The Supreme Court examined the provisions of the Dentist Act, 1948 and the Dental Council (Election) Regulations, 1952 to determine the permissible duration of a Dental Council member's term when elections are not held within the prescribed five‑year period. Section 6(1) states that a member holds office for five years…

The plaintiffs, Mis. Shivalik Agro Poly Products Ltd. and others, were allotted an industrial plot and, to secure loans, executed a mortgage deed that required payment of stamp duty and registration fees as per a Himachal Pradesh Government notification under Sections 78 and 79 of the Registration Act. They sued to dec…

The victim, Pragnesh Kumar, died from severe burns after allegedly being attacked by a group of accused. Four dying declarations were recorded by a medical officer, a police sub‑inspector and two executive magistrates, none of which were accompanied by a medical certificate confirming the victim's mental fitness. The s…

The respondent, Rudhan Singh, was employed on a daily‑wage, class IV basis by Haryana Roadways from 16 March 1988 to 28 February 1989 with intermittent breaks. His services were terminated without notice or retrenchment compensation and he later demanded reinstatement. The State Government referred the dispute to the I…

The respondent, Constable Sukhwinder Singh, was discharged under Punjab Police Rule 12.21 after unauthorised absence, and he sued for a declaration that the discharge was illegal because it was punitive and made without a formal inquiry. The High Court held the discharge was punishment requiring a departmental inquiry …

The Election Commission notified elections for the Uttaranchal Legislative Assembly and the appellant, Anil Baluni, filed four sets of nomination papers on 22 January 2002 along with Forms A and B of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. The Returning Officer later rejected the papers, claiming …

The State of Maharashtra sought to convert Jalgaon Municipal Council into a Municipal Corporation after the 2001 provisional census showed the urban population exceeded three lakh. The High Court quashed the conversion notifications on four grounds: an alleged unconstitutional hiatus, reliance on provisional population…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute between tenant M.C. Pal and landlady Smt. Shanti Agarwal concerning eviction under the U.P. Urban Building (Regulation, Letting and Eviction) Act, 1972. The key question was the meaning of "date of first hearing" for the purpose of Section 20(4), which shields a tenant from eviction…

Nirma Ltd. filed a Special Leave Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution seeking to appeal an order of the City Civil Court, Ahmedabad, which had decided an appeal under sub‑section (2) of Section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The petition raised the question of whether a second appeal is bar…

The tenant (R. Kapilnath, deceased, through LRs) occupied a house owned by a temple and paid rent to the temple's pujari, Krishna, who filed an eviction suit under the Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1961. The Munsif Court granted eviction under clause (p) of Section 21(1) but not clause (h); the decision was upheld by the…

The State of Madhya Pradesh enhanced the royalty payable on coal and sought recovery of the differential amount from South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (the Coalfields) and the ultimate consumers. The Coalfields, bound by their mining lease and Mineral Concession Rules, were required to pay simple interest of 24% on delayed…

Rattan Dev filed a suit for a permanent injunction which was decreed by the trial court. The defendant appealed and the first appellate court reversed the decree, dismissing the suit on the ground that the plaintiff did not appear as a witness and an adverse inference was drawn. Rattan Dev filed a second appeal under S…

The plaintiff filed a suit in 1988 for a permanent injunction over agricultural land. In 1999, before trial commenced, he sought to amend the plaint under Order VI Rule 17 of the CPC to add relief for declaration of title and recovery of possession, alleging dispossession by the defendant in 1989. The trial court and t…

The appellant, a widow who had undergone a kidney transplant, filed an eviction petition under Section 14 of the Bihar Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1982, alleging that the respondent, her employee, occupied the premises as a tenant and was in arrears. The respondent sought leave to defend, denying …

The landlord, Balvant N. Viswamitra, sued the heirs and legal representatives of a deceased tenant for possession of land after the tenant defaulted on rent. The landlord attempted service of notice by registered post, certificate of posting and affixing it on the premises, but could not obtain the heirs' names and add…

The landlord sued Singer India Ltd for eviction under Section 14(1)(b) of the Delhi Rent Control Act, alleging that the American tenant had transferred possession to the Indian company without the landlord's written consent. The transfer resulted from a court‑sanctioned amalgamation compelled by a Reserve Bank of India…

In the 1999 election for the Amgaon Legislative Constituency, the appellant was declared elected and the defeated respondent filed an election petition under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 alleging corrupt practices such as unaccounted money and distribution of goods. The appellant moved the High Court unde…

In a partition suit, a final decree was passed on 7 August 1981 but was not engrossed on stamp paper until the respondents furnished the required stamp papers on 25 May 1982. The appellant filed an execution application on 21 March 1994, arguing that it was barred by the 12‑year limitation period under Article 136 of t…

Sanjeev Bhatnagar, an advocate, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a direction to the Union of India to delete the word “Sindh” from the National Anthem, arguing that Sindh is no longer part of India after Partition. The petition, previously dismissed, was re‑filed and opposed by several Sindhi organisation…

The case arose from an incident on 18 November 1997 in Bhagalpur where police officers, not in uniform and armed with lathis, forcibly entered the courtroom and chambers of Additional District and Sessions Judge D.N. Barai, assaulting him, court staff and lawyers while demanding the unconditional release of an investig…

In the 2000 Bihar Assembly election for Sitamarhi, petitioner Hari Shankar Prasad lost to Shahid Ali Khan by 35 votes. The Returning Officer rejected 90 ballot papers marked with a distinguishing‑mark stamp, deeming them invalid, despite a directive from the Election Commission that such ballots should be counted if th…

In 1995 Janki Devi Pal was elected Zila Panchayat Adhyaksha in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Complaints against her led the State Government to order a preliminary inquiry under Rule 4 of the Uttar Pradesh Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat (Removal of Pramukhs, Up‑Pramukhs, Adhyakshas and Upadhyakshas) Enquiry Rules, 19…

The Bombay Port Trust (BPT), an instrumentality of the State, engaged consultants to value its land and proposed a massive rent revision for its lessees, issuing notices of termination and higher rent. Lessees challenged the revision as arbitrary and violative of Article 14, leading a Single Judge to strike down the no…

The landlord, a retired Indian Revenue Service officer, constructed a house in Moga and later let part of it to the tenant. After a decade he sought eviction on the ground of needing the premises for his own occupation because of age, health and lack of alternative residence. The Rent Controller and the Appellate Autho…

Four siblings purchased a commercial premises to start their own businesses, particularly plaintiff No. I who intended to run a clothing shop. The premises were occupied by the respondents as tenants. The trial court, applying Section 11(1)(c) of the Bihar Buildings (Lease, Rent & Eviction Control) Act, 1882, held that…

Pradyut Bordoloi, a Clerk Grade‑I in Coal India Ltd., filed his nomination for the Margherita Legislative Assembly seat. A complaint alleged that his employment constituted an "office of profit" under the Government of India, invoking disqualification under Article 191(1)(a) of the Constitution and Section 10 of the Re…

The Supreme Court examined the extent to which State governments may regulate admissions, fee structures, and quota allocations in unaided professional educational institutions, both minority and non‑minority, following the earlier decisions in T.M.A. Pai Foundation and Islamic Academy. It held that while the State may…

The Supreme Court examined a public‑interest writ petition challenging the constitutionality of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act, 1983 (IMDT Act) and its 1984 Rules, which were applicable only to Assam for detecting and deporting illegal migrants. The Court held that the Act and Rules were ultra‑vi…

The appellants filed a complaint alleging that police officers, who had arrested and detained them, failed to produce them before a magistrate within 24 hours and beat them while in custody. The magistrate, relying on a Maharashtra Government notification under Section 197(3) of the CrPC, discharged the officers on the…

The landlord sought possession of two shop premises to demolish and reconstruct them under Section 12 of the Andhra Pradesh Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1960. After the landlord completed the work, he offered the rebuilt premises back to the tenants at a higher rent, but the tenants filed execution…

The landlady, who occupied a portion of a building for residential use, leased another portion to a tenant for non‑residential purposes. She sought eviction of the tenant under Section 10(3)(a)(iii) of the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960, claiming a bona‑fide need for the premises to start her s…

The landlord filed an eviction suit against the tenant, which was upheld by the Rent Controller and affirmed by the appellate authority. The landlord then sought revision under Section 15(5) of the East Punjab Rent Restriction Act, 1949, but a single High Court judge dismissed the revision. The tenant filed a review pe…

The Supreme Court examined whether a confession recorded under Section 15 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA) remains admissible for offences under other statutes when the accused is acquitted of TADA charges but tried together with those offences under Section 12. The Court held th…

The landlord filed an eviction petition under Section 12 of the Tripura Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1975 alleging non‑payment of rent and a bona‑fide requirement. The Rent Control Court found the tenants in arrears and ordered eviction; the tenants’ appeal under Section 20 was dismissed by the Civil Judge b…

The State of Orissa appealed an arbitral award that granted interest for the pre‑reference period of 31‑Mar‑1977 to 20‑Mar‑1980, a period that preceded the commencement of the Interest Act, 1978. The award was made on 12‑Oct‑1982, after the Act had come into force, raising the question whether the arbitrator could awar…

The State of Orissa, through its industrial policy, promised Mangalam Timber Products Ltd. a fixed price for raw material, inducing the company to set up an industry in the state. Later the State attempted to retrospectively revise the royalty rate and raw material price, backdating the change. The Orissa High Court st…

Nine persons were charged with murder and related offences arising from a 1989 assault in Singpur, Gujarat. The appellant, Jayantibhai Bhenkarbhai, claimed an alibi, asserting he was in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar attending legal proceedings on the day of the incident. The trial and High Courts rejected his alibi, convic…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal concerning the allotment of a LPG dealership in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. The eligibility notice required the applicant to be a "resident" of Kangra, but the respondent argued that her marital connection to a husband owning property there satisfied the criterion. The trial …

The landlord (Achal Misra) sought to set aside orders of allotment of two floors of a building to tenants under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972, arguing that the earlier declaration of vacancy was erroneous and that the High Court erred in holding that the vacancy …

An election petition was presented to the designated election judge of the Patna High Court at 4:25 pm on the last day of the 45‑day limitation period, after the judge had retired from open court but was still in chambers. The judge refused to accept the petition, citing High Court Rules that required presentation only…

Vithalbhai Pvt. Ltd., the lessor of a lease that expired on 24 June 1984, served a notice to the lessee demanding vacant possession and filed a suit for eviction on 16 April 1984, twelve weeks before the lease term ended. The defendant argued that the suit was premature and not maintainable. The High Court Single Judge…

Bolin Chetia, a losing candidate in the Assam Legislative Assembly election, appealed to the Supreme Court under Section 116A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 after his election petition was dismissed by the High Court. The Court considered whether a statutory first appeal of right must automatically be ad…

The appellant filed a probate suit seeking probate of a will, which the respondents alleged was forged and filed a criminal complaint under various IPC sections. The trial court dismissed the complaint invoking the bar under Section 195(1)(b)(ii) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). On revision, the Sessions Court…

Madhav Mareshwar Bhokarikar, a practising advocate, obtained a dealership for petroleum products and later entered into a partnership with his brother, remaining a sleeping partner. The State Bar Council, after finding him guilty of professional misconduct under s.35(3)(c) of the Advocates Act, 1961, suspended his lice…

The appellant, Pied Ade Filomena Gonsalves, replaced a thatched-roof beach structure with a pucca building on her property in Colva, Goa, between 13-17 July 1994. Two writ petitions were filed: a neighbor’s petition (CWP 76/1995) seeking demolition of the new building, and the appellant’s petition (CWP 237/1999) seekin…