V R KRISHNA IYER

The petitioners, two army colonels, contested the appointment to the sole brigadier post heading Military Farms. The High Court directed the Defence Department to select the best officer, finding both equal in merit but recommending the senior colonel (the respondent) for promotion. The Supreme Court later allowed the …

The petitioner, an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police, was accused of subjecting a theft suspect to severe flagellation in police custody, resulting in the suspect's death by asphyxiation. The trial court convicted the petitioner under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for murder and sentenced him to life imprisonmen…

Som Nath was convicted of murdering his wife by burning her, based largely on three dying declarations made by the victim. He filed a Special Leave Petition challenging the admissibility and credibility of those declarations under Section 32 of the Indian Evidence Act. The Supreme Court held that dying declarations, be…

The appellants, who were Assistant Educational Officers (AEO) in the Kerala Education Service, were ordered by a 1977 government letter to be transferred back to the lower post of High School Assistant (HSA) after six years of service. They challenged the reversion as violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution…

The petition challenged the constitutional validity of the Kerala Joint Hindu Family System (Abolition) Amendment Act, 1978, which omitted Sections 4 and 5 of the 1961 Valiamma Thampuram Kovilakam Estate and Palace Fund (Partition) Act and excluded civil‑court jurisdiction over partition of the Cochin royal estate. The…

Six Reader posts in the English Department of Allahabad University were filled after a selection committee conducted viva voce interviews, although the statutory Ordinance 9(2) required only a first class or high second class Master's degree. Several applicants challenged the appointments, arguing that the interview pr…

Ramesh Kaushik, a life‑time inmate of Tihar Jail, filed a quasi‑habeas corpus petition under Article 32 alleging systematic torture, corruption, drug‑racketeering, sexual exploitation and class‑based privileges within the prison. The petition claimed violations of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution and sought j…

The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) was sued by passengers who lost limbs in a bus accident. The corporation argued that a sudden failure of the bus lights caused the crash and sought to avoid liability, also contesting the quantum of compensation awarded by the Accidents Claims Tribunal. The Supreme…

In 1967 the defendant agreed to sell his house to the plaintiff for Rs. 4 lakhs, subject to an equitable mortgage in favour of South Indian Bank. The trial court ordered specific performance, directing the plaintiff to deposit the mortgage amount with interest, but she failed to do so within the stipulated time and lat…

In 1967 the defendant agreed to sell his house to the plaintiff for Rs. 4 lakhs, subject to an equitable mortgage in favour of South Indian Bank. The trial court ordered specific performance, directing the plaintiff to deposit the mortgage amount with interest, but she failed to do so within the stipulated time and lat…

Residents of Ratlam filed a complaint under s.133 of the Criminal Procedure Code alleging that the Municipal Council had failed to provide sanitary facilities, construct drainage, and stop industrial discharge, creating a public nuisance. The Sub‑Divisional Magistrate ordered the municipality to construct drains, provi…

The petitioner, an under‑trial prisoner, complained that he was repeatedly handcuffed while being escorted between Tihar Jail and the court despite a trial‑court order prohibiting such treatment. He filed a writ of habeas corpus under Article 32, alleging violation of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution and invo…

Santosh Gupta, a woman employee of State Bank of Patiala, was terminated on 21 August 1974 after failing a test required for confirmation. She contended that the termination amounted to "retrenchment" under Section 2(oo) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, thereby invoking the procedural and compensation requirements…

Ashok Kumar, a 19‑year‑old college student, was convicted of scooter theft (two years' imprisonment and a Rs.2,000 fine) and car theft (converted to an offence under Section 411 IPC, resulting in six months' imprisonment and a Rs.500 fine). He appealed solely on the sentence, arguing his youth and the time already serv…

The landlords of a premises in Kirkee Cantonment sued the tenant for possession and rent under the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947. The suit was decreed, appealed, and a compromise decree was entered on 12 July 1967 giving the tenant time to vacate. After the Supreme Court’s decision in In…

The petitioners, a minor represented by her guardian and father, sought admission to an MBBS course in Kerala, arguing that because she belonged to the backward Calicut district she should be treated as a Calicut University student and benefit from that university's quota. The State of Kerala allocated seats on a unive…

The University of Delhi reserved 70% of its 250 post‑graduate medical seats for its own graduates, denying admission to a Madras University graduate who had qualified in the entrance test. The petitioner challenged the rule under Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution, arguing it was discriminatory. The Supreme Cou…

The Union of India, acting through the Railway Department, removed a railway inspector, Satish Chandra Sharma, for alleged misconduct and later ordered his reinstatement and back pay through an interim injunction. Sharma failed to comply with the injunction, prompting the trial court, under Order 39 Rule 2(3) of the CP…

The Assistant Collector of Central Excise filed a Special Leave Petition challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that granted relief under Article 226 of the Constitution despite the existence of a statutory remedy under the Central Excise Act. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court had erred in ex…

The Supreme Court reviewed a petition by the Palace Administration Board challenging its earlier order on the partition of the Cochin royal family's assets. The Board sought clarification on three points: whether the Kerala Joint Hindu Family System (Abolition) Act, 1975 applied to the royal family, whether the Board w…

Mantoo Majumdar and Basdev Singh were detained for over seven years in Bihar prisons on the basis of alleged involvement in 1971-72 offences, without any charge sheet or completed investigation. They filed a habeas corpus petition under Article 32 of the Constitution challenging the legality of their continued detentio…

The appellants, film producers of "Satyan, Shivam, Sundaram", were summoned by a Metropolitan Magistrate under sections 292, 293 and 34 of the IPC after a complaint alleging obscenity. They challenged the summons before the Delhi High Court under section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code, but the High Court treated th…

The petitioners, licensed manufacturers of firearms, challenged the Union of India's reduction of their monthly production quotas after the Arms Act, 1959 came into force. They argued that the curtailment caused hardship, was arbitrary, and that they were denied a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(g) to carry on th…

Sunil Kumar Banerjee, an IAS officer, was subjected to a disciplinary enquiry under Rule 8 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The Commissioner for Departmental Enquiries, Vigilance Commission, West Bengal acted as the Enquiry Officer and recommended reduction in rank. The appellant challenge…

Two government servants, including K.R. Tahiliani, were compulsorily retired under Rule 56(j)(i) of the Fundamental Rules after turning 50 while serving in an officiating capacity in Class I or Class II posts. They challenged the retirements through petitions under Article 226, and the Union appealed to the Supreme Cou…

The State of Punjab sought to acquire land for a grain market, initially notifying the land of respondents 1‑21 in 1969, later withdrawing it, and re‑notifying in 1971. The High Court struck down that acquisition as mala fide. The State then re‑initiated acquisition using the emergency provisions of Section 17 of the L…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978, which imposes a total ban on prize chit schemes. Petitioners argued that the ban violated the fundamental right to trade under Art.19(1)(g), was discriminatory under Art.14, and exceeded Parliament's l…

The petitioner, Devki alias Kala, was convicted under Sections 366 and 368 of the Indian Penal Code for abducting, seducing, and selling a 17‑year‑old girl. The High Court upheld the conviction under Section 366 and set aside the conviction under Section 368, imposing three years of rigorous imprisonment. The petitione…

The Tamil Nadu Government, after successive takeovers of Panchayat and District Board schools, created two separate wings ('A' for Government schools and 'B' for former District Board schools) within its Educational Subordinate Service. Petitioners challenged a 1978 Government Order (GO No. 1968) that integrated the wi…

The appellants, workmen of a bank, were terminated for failing to pass tests for permanent absorption. The Labour Court held the terminations violated Section 25F of the Industrial Disputes Act and were therefore invalid, but it refused reinstatement with full back wages, granting only compensation. The Supreme Court e…

Organo Chemical Industries failed to remit provident‑fund and family‑pension contributions and was assessed damages of Rs 94,996.80 under s. 14B of the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. The petitioners challenged the provision on the ground that it violated Art. 14 by giving the Regional…

Ametep Machine Tools, a manufacturer employing 250 workers, entered into a settlement under Section 12 of the Industrial Disputes Act on June 20, 1969, which barred further financial demands for two years. In August 1970 a fresh demand for dearness allowance led to a sit‑down strike, and the management alleged that wor…

Gian Singh Mann, a judicial officer of the Punjab Civil Service (Judicial Branch), challenged the High Court's order withdrawing his judicial work and his subsequent premature retirement, seeking reinstatement and promotion to the Selection Grade and the Punjab Superior Judicial Service under a reservation claim. He fi…

Sharif Alimed was convicted under sections 7 and 16 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act for mixing a prohibited coal‑tar dye with powdered chillies. The Allahabad High Court reduced his sentence on the ground that the Public Analyst's report did not specifically state that the colour was injurious to human life.…

Northern India Caterers (India) Ltd., which runs a hotel and restaurant, challenged a Delhi sales‑tax assessment on the ground that meals served to casual diners were taxable as a sale. The Supreme Court had earlier held that such service was not a sale because diners could not take away unconsumed food and the transac…

The petitioners, allottees of Middle‑Income Group flats constructed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), challenged the levy of a surcharge added to the purchase price, alleging it violated Article 14’s equality clause and the DDA’s statutory ‘no‑profit‑no‑loss’ policy. They also contended that the Supreme Court c…

The petitioner, N.K. V. Bros (P) Ltd., owned a stage carriage that, after nightfall, struck an over‑hanging high‑tension wire, killing eight passengers and injuring many others. The driver was tried under IPC s.304A but was acquitted on the ground that the accident was an act of God. The Accident Claims Tribunal, apply…

The appellant, D.D. Mehta, a government servant appointed by the Comptroller & Auditor General, was compulsorily retired under Rule 56(j) of the Fundamental Rules by an order issued by the Director of Commercial Audit. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether the Director of Commercial Audit was a competent autho…

Sunil Batra, a death‑row convict, wrote to the Supreme Court alleging that another prisoner, Prem Chand, had been brutally tortured by a warder in Tihar Jail to extort money. The Court, acting on a habeas corpus petition under Article 32, appointed amicus curiae who verified the injury and the attempts to conceal it. T…

M. P. Sinha, the Government Pleader for Patna district, was authorized to represent the State in all civil matters. When the Bihar Government appointed nine Assistant Government Pleaders and assigned a large batch of land‑acquisition cases to one of them, Sinha refused to hand over the briefs, claiming an exclusive rig…

The Supreme Court dismissed a Special Leave Petition filed by Vasant Narayan Pawar, who was convicted for allegedly burning his wife to death. The petitioner argued that the dying declaration of the victim, in which she said her husband should not be beaten even as she was dying, should exonerate him under Section 32 o…

Mani Subrat Jain, an advocate, was a tenant of a building owned by Raja Ram Vohra. The landlord sued for possession and the parties entered a compromise whereby Jain agreed to vacate by a specified date, and a decree for possession was passed on 9‑Oct‑1972. The East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 was extended …

Gujarat Steel Tubes Ltd. and its workers' union, Gujarat Steel Tubes Mazdoor Sabha, clashed after the company terminated 853 employees during an illegal strike. The dispute was referred to arbitration under Section 10A of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and the arbitrator upheld the dismissals. The union challenged …

The case concerned three categories of Assistant Engineers in the Uttar Pradesh Service of Engineers (Irrigation Branch) – direct recruits, promoted subordinate engineers and temporary engineers – and their claim to seniority. The petitioners argued that temporary engineers, having fulfilled qualifications, passed prob…

The Kerala State medical colleges reserved 2% of post‑graduate ophthalmology seats for candidates from outside the state, and allowed extra marks for diploma holders even when diploma certificates were not attached to the application. The High Court struck down the 2% reservation and quashed admissions based on diploma…

Baldev Raj, an Accounts Officer appointed by the Comptroller and Auditor General, was compulsorily retired on 27 August 1975 under F.R. 56(j)(i) by the Accountant General in the name of public interest. He challenged the retirement, arguing that the Accountant General was not the "appropriate authority" and that the de…

Miss C. B. Muthamma, a senior Indian Foreign Service officer, challenged her denial of promotion on the grounds that two service rules discriminated against women. She argued that Rule 8(2) required women to obtain government permission before marriage and allowed forced resignation, while Rule 18(4) barred married wom…

D.D. Suri, an emergency recruit from the open market, was appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1950 and was assigned a year of allotment of 1944 by the Government of India, affecting his seniority. He sought a higher year of allotment (1942), additional pay for holding two posts simultaneously, and p…

The petitioners, candidates from the Hindi belt, challenged a 1979 notification that exempted candidates from the North Eastern States and Union Territories (Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland) from taking Paper I on Indian Languages in the Civil Services Examination, alleging discrimination and v…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Hydel Upper Bari Doab Construction Project, undertaken by the Punjab Hydel Department, qualified as an "establishment" under Section 1(3)(b) of the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, and whether the retrenchment of its workers entitled them to gratuity. It held that the project fell w…

A landlady repeatedly let her premises to a tenant for residential purposes under Section 21 of the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958, obtaining the Controller's sanction each time. When the lease expired, she sought summary eviction via an execution petition, which the Controller rejected on the ground that the petition om…

The Supreme Court dismissed a Special Leave Petition filed by Dharmabir and another appellant challenging their conviction for murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and the imposition of life imprisonment. While upholding the conviction and sentence as beyond judicial interference, the Court expressed conce…

Aladankandu Puthiyapurayil Abdulla filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court challenging the delay in his trial for alleged food adulteration offences under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. The alleged incident occurred in 1972, but the trial was not conducted until 1977, causing prejudice to the …

The producer of the film "Satyam Shivam Sundaram" was prosecuted under Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code for alleged obscenity after a complaint was filed. The film had been granted an "A" certificate for public exhibition by the Central Board of Film Censors under Section 5A of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The prod…

The Akhil Bharatiya Soshit Karamchari Sangh and other petitioners challenged a series of Railway Board circulars that provided reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in recruitment and promotion, introduced a "carry forward" rule for unfilled reserved vacancies, allowed lower qualification standards, and…

The accused were convicted under sections 304 Part I read with 149 IPC and sentenced to imprisonment. They filed an appeal under section 377 CrPC against their conviction and sentence, while the State filed an appeal under section 302 IPC and a revision petition under section 401 CrPC seeking enhancement of the sentenc…

Rafiq was convicted by the trial court and affirmed by the High Court for raping a middle‑aged Bal Sewika who was sleeping in a girls' school, and was sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment. He filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court, contending that the absence of physical injuries on the vict…

The petitioners, New Satgram Engineering Works and related properties, challenged the takeover of their engineering unit, bungalow and guest house by the Central Government under the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973, seeking a mandamus. The High Court declined to decide whether these assets fell within the defini…

The appellant, Ved Prakash, was convicted of a firearm offence arising from a land dispute. The trial court sentenced him without considering the provisions of Section 360 of the Code of Criminal Procedure or the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the sentencing court had a …

Som Prakash Rekhi, a clerk of Burmah Shell Oil Storage Ltd., retired with a pension of Rs.165.99 per month under a 1950 trust deed and was also covered by the Employees Provident Fund Act, 1952 and the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. The employer deducted amounts for PF contributions and gratuity, reducing his pension t…

The Accountant General of Tamil Nadu and the Comptroller and Auditor‑General appealed against judgments that had allowed seniority claims by several former Upper Division Clerks who argued that their length of service should be counted under paragraph 143 of the Manual of Standing Orders. The respondents relied on a 19…

The Supreme Court examined an award by the Maharashtra Industrial Tribunal that revised wage scales for Tata Consulting Engineers' workmen, made the revisions retrospective to 1 January 1976, and added a flat increase of Rs 150 for draughtsmen and Rs 100 for other categories. The workmen sought to have the flat increas…

Gopalana Chari, a 71‑year‑old inmate, filed a writ petition under Article 32 alleging illegal detention under Section 110 of the Criminal Procedure Code. He claimed he was taken from his home at night, held for ten days without trial, and labeled a "habitual" thief despite no conviction. The Court examined whether the …

The Supreme Court examined appeals by several accused convicted under IPC s.302 read with s.149 and s.325 for a murder. The High Court had reduced both convictions and sentences, but the appellants challenged the convictions and argued that the sentences were excessive. The Court held that, under Article 136, it would …

The Supreme Court considered five civil revision petitions filed under Section 115 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) that were dismissed by the Allahabad High Court on the ground of lack of jurisdiction. The Court examined whether the High Court could exercise revisional jurisdiction under Section 115 of the CPC ove…

The petition challenged a condition imposed by the Regional Transport Authority that contract carriage permits could not be renewed for buses older than seven years, alleging it was ultra vires Section 51(2)(x) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and violated Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court examined…

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Delhi, invoked sections 47 and 50 of the Delhi Police Act, 1978 to issue an externment order against Prem Chand Paniwala, alleging that his presence in certain areas of Delhi posed a danger to residents. Paniwala challenged the order under Article 32, contending that the proceedings w…

Swami Saran Saksena, a temporary judicial officer appointed in 1954, faced multiple terminations and reinstatements before being allowed to cross the second Efficiency Bar in June 1973. In August 1974, the Uttar Pradesh Government compulsorily retired him under Note 1 to Article 465-A of the Civil Service Regulations, …

Pritam Nath Hoon was detained under Section 5(a) of the Conversion of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 after customs seized silver bars from him. While in custody he repeatedly requested copies of the statements and documents on which his detention was based so that he could make an eff…

B.R. Kapur and Harjeet Singh, directly recruited into the Punjab Police Service in 1951, were promoted to the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1969. The dispute centered on the assignment of their "year of allotment" and seniority under Rule 3(3)(b) of the IPS (Regulation of Seniority) Rules, 1954, specifically whether c…

The Supreme Court considered an appeal by R. R. Verma and other direct recruits against the Union of India challenging the Delhi High Court’s dismissal of their writ petition as infructuous and the grant of a certificate of fitness under Article 133. The petitioners argued that Rule 3 of the All India Services (Conditi…

The case concerned V.K. Ahluwalia, a former Deputy Superintendent of Police who had been appointed Superintendent of Police (a cadre post) before being inducted into the Indian Police Service (IPS). He claimed that his year of allotment in the IPS should be fixed as 1961, reflecting his continuous officiation in a cadr…

The Supreme Court examined writ petitions filed by former coal‑mine workers alleging that Section 3(3) of the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Amendment Act, 1976, which bans coal mining by any agency other than those specified, violated Article 14 by discriminating against them. The petitioners also claimed that private m…

The Supreme Court examined whether Section 3(3) of the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Amendment Act, 1976 barred the extraction of coking coal. Petitioners argued that the amendment applied only to ordinary coal mines, not to coking coal mines, relying on the separate legislative history of coking‑coal legislation. The C…

The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and its workmen entered into two 1974 settlements under the Industrial Disputes Act (ID Act) that provided a cash bonus to Class III and IV employees. After the settlements expired, LIC issued notices under s.19(2) and s.9A of the ID Act and the Central Government amended Regulation…

The petitioners, senior officers of the Central Secretariat Service, challenged the Central Secretariat Service (Amendment) Rules, 1979 and the regulations that introduced a limited departmental competitive examination exclusively for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates to fill 27 reserved Grade‑I promotion …

Alijan Nanhe Pehalwan Qureshi was convicted of murder under s.302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court. The High Court affirmed the conviction but issued a judgment without any reasoning. A Special Leave Petition was filed before the Supreme Court, which held that in serious offences like murder, t…

Phul Singh, a 22‑year‑old, was convicted of raping his cousin's wife and sentenced to four years' rigorous imprisonment by the Sessions Court, a decision affirmed by the High Court. On appeal before the Supreme Court, the appellant argued his youth, lack of prior convictions, and the forgiveness of the victim's family …

Inderjeet filed a writ petition under Article 32 challenging the constitutionality of Section 7 read with Section 16 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, which imposes absolute liability and a mandatory minimum six‑month imprisonment for anyone found guilty of selling adulterated food, irrespective of mens rea. …

The petitioner, a complainant, alleged that police officers abducted and murdered his brother. A private complaint led to an inquiry under Section 202 Cr.P.C., after which non‑bailable warrants were issued. The accused police applied for bail; the Sessions Court granted bail with conditions, and the High Court added fu…

The Supreme Court considered a series of appeals and writ petitions filed by traders who had paid market fees at a 3% rate under Haryana Act No. 32 of 1977, which was later held ultra vires for exceeding the authorized 2% rate. The Court examined whether the market committees were liable to refund the excess collection…

A large number of suits involving a religious community in Kerala were pending in various courts. The High Court and the State Government selected eight significant suits and created an Additional District Court to try them. After evidence was recorded, an application under Section 24(1)(b) of the Code of Civil Procedu…

Fazlunbi, a Muslim woman, was deserted by her husband K. Khader Vali who obtained a divorce and paid a meager mahar of Rs.500 and iddat maintenance of Rs.750, after which the magistrate cancelled the earlier maintenance order under Section 125 CrPC. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether such payment satisfied …

Rattan Lal sold land to Sri Ram and later agreed to reconvey it for a price. Sri Ram sued for specific performance and obtained a decree, which Rattan Lal assigned to Dhani Ram Gupta and another. The assignees filed an execution application under Order XXI‑Rule 16, giving notice to both the judgment‑debtor and the orig…

Industrial Supplies Pvt. Ltd. and another company were managing/raising contractors of two coking coal mines under long‑term agreements that required them to install machinery and other plant. The mines were taken over by the Central Government under the Coking Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1972. The contractors cl…

The landlady purchased shop No. 66 in Jhansi in 1969 and let the ground floor to the tenant in 1970, claiming the building was a "new construction" erected in 1965. In 1975 she filed an eviction suit invoking the exemption under Section 2(2) of the Uttar Pradesh Rent Control Act, which shields landlords from the Act fo…

The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by special leave concerning the convictions of Munni Marandi and Babua Marandi for offences under Section 149 read with Section 326 of the IPC. Munni, an adult, was found to have participated in a crowd that chased the deceased and was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonmen…

The respondent, T.N. Aravinda Reddy, sold his own house and, to avoid capital gains tax, acquired the family house jointly owned with his three brothers by executing three release deeds, each for a consideration of Rs. 30,000. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether such release deeds amounted to a "purchase" of…

The Supreme Court examined whether Section 4(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Motor Vehicles (Taxation of Passengers and Goods) Act, 1952 empowered the State Government to make rules with retrospective effect. The State had deleted certain sub‑rules, making the deletion operative from a date earlier than its enactment, and sou…

The Azad Rickshaw Pullers Union and other petitioners challenged the Punjab Cycle Rickshaws (Regulation of Rickshaws) Act, 1976, alleging it violated their fundamental rights under Articles 32 and 38 of the Constitution. The Act prohibited owners of cycle rickshaws from obtaining licences unless they themselves were th…

The Supreme Court examined the Delhi Municipal Corporation's Cycle Rickshaw Bye‑Law (1960, amended 1976) which required that only owners of a cycle rickshaw could obtain a licence to ply for hire. Petitioners challenged this provision, arguing that the criteria for granting licences were arbitrary and that a ceiling on…

The landlord sought eviction of the tenant under the Madhya Pradesh Accommodation Control Act, 1961, for failure to pay rent arrears. The trial court allowed the tenant to claim protection under section 12(3) after he deposited the arrears, and dismissed the eviction suit. While the appeal was pending, the tenant appli…

Three prisoners filed a writ petition alleging illegal solitary confinement for 8‑11 months and the imposition of iron fetters on flimsy grounds. The Supreme Court ordered their immediate release from solitary confinement, examined the circumstances of alleged police violence during transit, and directed medical treatm…

B.S. Narwal enrolled in the five‑year integrated M.A. programme in Russian at Jawaharlal Nehru University but failed to clear any core courses in the first three semesters despite being allowed to repeat them. The Centre of Russian Studies recommended, and the University acted on, his removal from the rolls for unsatis…

In V.K. Gupta v. Nirmala Gupta, the husband filed a petition for divorce under Section 13(1)(b) of the Hindu Marriage Act. The Delhi High Court, both the single judge and the division bench, refused to dissolve the marriage. On appeal, the Supreme Court emphasized that the court's primary role in matrimonial disputes i…

The case concerned railway employees classified as Commercial Clerks and Assistant Station Masters/Station Masters (ASM/SM) whose pay scales were revised under a "New Deal" in 1956, resulting in some ASM/SM receiving lower pay than Commercial Clerks. The employees claimed this constituted discrimination violating Artic…

The appellants, judgment‑debtors, had decrees for payment of money against the Bank of Cochin and their properties were attached with a receiver appointed. The execution court issued a warrant for their arrest and detention in civil prison under Section 51 of the Code of Civil Procedure and Order 21 Rule 37, without in…

Rattan Singh, a heavy‑vehicle driver, was convicted under Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code for causing the death of a scooterist through rash and negligent driving and was sentenced to two years' rigorous imprisonment. He filed a Special Leave Petition (Crl. No. 953 of 1979) before the Supreme Court, contending th…

The appellant, a practising advocate, certified the solvency of a surety for his client in a bailable offence, violating Rule 10 of the Bar Council of India’s professional conduct rules. The Disciplinary Tribunal of the Bar Council suspended him for one month, and his appeal to the Supreme Court was dismissed by the Tr…

The Supreme Court considered three Special Leave Petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court's refusal to entertain revisions under Section 115 of the CPC on the ground that Section 3 of the Uttar Pradesh Amendment Act, 1978 bars such revisions when the original suit is valued below Rs 20,000. The Court examined the…

The Supreme Court examined two matters concerning the withdrawal of criminal prosecutions under Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. In Criminal Appeal No. 287 of 1979, the Court held that a committing magistrate can grant consent to withdraw even when the offence is exclusively triable by a Court of Sessi…

The appellant, a working woman tenant, paid all rent arrears to her advocate, who failed to deposit the amounts with the court or pay the landlord. The Delhi Rent Controller, relying on Section 15(7) of the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958, struck out the tenant's defence and proceeded with the eviction. The High Court dis…

The petitioners, owners of twelve sugar undertakings, challenged the constitutional validity of the U.P. Sugar Undertakings (Acquisition) Act, 1971, which transferred those undertakings to a government corporation. They argued that the State legislature lacked competence because sugar is a "declared industry" under the…

In 1966 the Jorehaut Tea Co. Ltd. retrenched 23 workmen; 16 received compensation calculated under s.25F of the Industrial Disputes Act and were selected according to the 'last come, first go' rule of s.25G, while the remaining seven were dismissed out of turn. The Industrial Tribunal upheld the retrenchment of the 16 …

The State of Kerala appealed against a Kerala High Court judgment that struck down Sections 34(1) and 34(2A) of the Cochin Town Planning Act as violative of Article 14. The Supreme Court examined whether the Act's differential treatment of compensation, particularly the exclusion of solatium, constituted unreasonable c…

The petitioner was convicted under Section 376 IPC for raping a girl under 16 years who was sleeping outside her house. He appealed, arguing that the victim's testimony lacked substantial corroboration. The Supreme Court held that in rape cases involving minors, the victim's testimony, when supported by circumstantial …

The accused, S. R. Sadhanantham, was acquitted by the Madras High Court of murder (s.302 IPC) and assault (s.148 IPC). The victim's brother, Arunachalam, filed a special leave petition under Article 136 of the Constitution, obtained leave, and the Supreme Court set aside the acquittal, restoring conviction and life sen…

The petitioners challenged the amendment to Order XL, Rule 3 of the Supreme Court Rules, which allows review petitions to be disposed of by circulation without oral arguments, alleging violations of Articles 14, 19, 21 and the right to a public hearing under Article 32. The Court examined whether the rule was ultra vir…