Supreme Court of India Judgements

47260 Judgements hosted as on 24/05/2026 - Search (FREE), Subscribe, Read & Download

Month: May 2026

Service Matters
Constitution Service

Administrative Law — Fairness and Consistency in Public Employment — Courts examine executive action for conformity with constitutional standards, especially when the State has long relied on certain workers — Courts scrutinize the manner of discretion, not just the outcome, to ensure actions are reasoned, non-arbitrary, and constitutional.

May 23, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 523 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUKHENDU BHATTACHARJEE AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND OTHERS ( Before : Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, JJ. )…

Constitution I P C

Criminal Law — Murder and Conspiracy — Appreciation of Evidence — Supreme Court’s Role in Appeals Against Acquittal — The Supreme Court reiterated that its role in an appeal against an acquittal is to examine whether the High Court committed an error in disturbing the Trial Court’s findings, especially when two competent courts have reached opposite conclusions on the same evidence — The Court must re-appreciate the evidence to deliver a final finding.

May 21, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 507 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU Vs. PONNUSAMY AND OTHERS ( Before : M. M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma, JJ. )…

Service Matters
Service

[Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Services Commission Act, 1980, S. 13(4)] – [A waitlisted candidate cannot claim appointment to an alternative post after failing to join the initially recommended post, particularly after the repeal of the Old Act.] A. Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Services Commission Act, 1980 (Old Act) vs. Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission Act, 2023 (New Act) — Comparative Analysis — Held, the New Act does not prescribe a power to the Director akin to Section 13(4) of the Old Act — After the commencement of the New Act, the validity of the list/panel under the Old Act lapses, and authorities are bound to follow the procedure under Sections 10 and 11 of the New Act.

May 21, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 508 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. MANOJ KUMAR RAWAT Vs. STATE OF UP AND OTHERS ( Before : J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar, JJ. )…

Cr P C

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Sections 439 and 483 BNSS — Bail Jurisdiction — Power to issue directions — High Court, while exercising bail jurisdiction, cannot issue directions that extend beyond the scope of the bail application and impinge upon the statutory powers of other authorities or create new systems for accountability, as this would amount to an error of jurisdiction.

May 21, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 511 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAMBALAK Vs. STATE OF U.P ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Prasanna B. Varale, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No…..of 2026 (@…

State Laws

[MPID Act, S. 2(c) & 2(d)] – Amounts advanced with promise of return and interest qualify as “deposit” accepted by “financial establishment” under the Act. – Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 1999 Section 2(c) and Section 2(d) — Deposit and Financial Establishment — Amounts advanced to individuals with promise of repayment with interest constitute a “deposit” under Section 2(c) and the recipients are “financial establishments” under Section 2(d) of the MPID Act, irrespective of the transaction being termed as a “loan” — The nomenclature of the transaction is not determinative; the essential attributes of the transaction are key.

May 17, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 489 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ALKA AGRAWAL AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS ( Before : Manoj Misra and N.V. Anjaria, JJ. ) Criminal…

Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita Cr P C

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 432 — Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 72 & 161— Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) — Section 473 & 477 — Premature release of a prisoner — Rejection of recommendation — Non-speaking order — Order rejecting premature release must provide reasons and reflect due application of mind — Absence of reasons renders the order bald and impossible to ascertain if relevant factors were considered — Violates principles of natural justice and frustrates judicial review.

May 17, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 490 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ROHIT CHATURVEDI Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND AND OTHERS ( Before : B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, JJ. ) Writ Petition (Criminal)…

Constitution

[Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, S. 3] – No State can levy VAT on inter-State sales; taxation power for inter-State trade vests exclusively with the Union. – Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 269 — Taxes on sale or purchase of goods in the course of inter-State trade or commerce — Levied and collected by Union but assigned to States — Parliament’s power to formulate principles for determining when such sale/purchase takes place — State legislature’s power restricted to intra-State sales.

May 17, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 491 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS Vs. RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LIMITED AND OTHERS ( Before : J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar,…

C P C

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 15 Rule 5 — Striking off defence for non-deposit of rent — This is a drastic consequence and the power to strike off a defence is not to be exercised mechanically — The court must consider whether there has been substantial compliance and whether the default is wilful or contumacious. [

May 17, 2026 sclaw

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DHARMENDRA KALRA AND OTHERS Vs. KULVINDER SINGH BHATIA ( Before : S.V.N. Bhatti and Prasanna B. Varale, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No…..of 2026 (@…

Rent

Landlord and Tenant — Eviction Suit — Pleading and Proof Satisfied — In this case, the plaint contained material facts of co-landlord status and eviction grounds — Evidence, including affidavits and documents like share certificates, was provided to support these pleaded facts, fulfilling both pleading and proof requirements.

May 17, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 496 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MARIETTA D’ SILVA Vs. RUDOLF CLOTHAN LACERDA AND OTHERS ( Before : Manoj Misra and Manmohan, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No…..of…

Accident

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 — Claim for compensation — Deduction of Mediclaim benefits — Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal — Award of compensation — Mediclaim policy is a contract of insurance purchased by an individual to cover uncertainties of life, with no specific accidental coverage — Compensation under Motor Vehicles Act is a statutory remedy arising from negligence and injury — Mediclaim reimbursement is a contractual benefit independent of the Motor Vehicles Act claim — Deduction of Mediclaim benefits would denude claimant of benefits from premiums paid and unduly benefit insurer of offending vehicle — Compensation awarded under Motor Vehicles Act is a beneficial legislation intended to put the injured in the position as if the accident had not occurred — Medical expenses claimed and paid under Mediclaim are not deductible from compensation awarded by the Tribunal under the Motor Vehicles Act — These two stand on different footing; one is statutory, the other is contractual.

May 17, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 498 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NEW INDIA ASSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED Vs. DOLLY SATISH GANDHI AND ANOTHER ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Vipul M. Pancholi, JJ.…

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Constitution

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 32 — Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Sections 154, 173 — Clubbing/Transfer of FIRs — Multiple FIRs registered against petitioners in different jurisdictions arising from same set of transactions relating to a real estate project — Held, multiplicity of FIRs and parallel investigations on same facts leads to avoidable multiplicity of proceedings, conflicting findings and serious prejudice to the accused — Principle laid down in T.T — Antony v — State of Kerala, (2001) 6 SCC 181, that there cannot be multiple FIRs for the same occurrence or transaction, squarely applies — FIR No. 30/2019 (EOW, Delhi) directed to be transferred and clubbed with FIR No. 439/2024 (Gurugram, Haryana) for investigation — Blanket direction restraining coercive steps in future FIRs declined, but petitioners permitted to avail remedies in law if future FIRs are based on the same transaction.

May 24, 2026 sclaw
Cr P C

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Abuse of Process of Court — Discharge of Accused — Vague Allegations — Where allegations in FIR and charge sheet are general and do not specify the role of the accused, continuation of criminal proceedings amounts to abuse of process of court and may cause prejudice.

May 24, 2026 sclaw
C P C

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Section 2(2), Order 20 Rule 18 — Preliminary vs. Final Decree — A Preliminary Decree declares rights and liabilities, leaving actual results to be worked out in further proceedings — A Final Decree is passed after further inquiries, completely disposing of the suit — A Preliminary Decree cannot be executed directly unless it is partly final — Provisions of Order 20 Rule 18 allow a court to pass a Preliminary Decree declaring rights and giving further directions if partition cannot be conveniently made without further inquiry in suits for partition of immovable property — The Supreme Court noted that the High Court erred by focusing on the nomenclature of the decree rather than its executable portions, especially when the property was not divisible by metes and bounds.

May 24, 2026 sclaw
Constitution Narcotics Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 — Section 43-D(5) — Bail — Constitutional Courts’ power to grant bail — The Supreme Court reiterated that statutory restrictions on bail under the UAP Act do not oust the power of constitutional courts to grant bail on grounds of violation of fundamental rights, particularly the right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution — The Court emphasized that the rigors of Section 43-D(5) can “melt down” when there is no likelihood of trial completion within a reasonable time and the period of incarceration is substantial.

May 24, 2026 sclaw