Supreme Court of India Judgements

47070 Judgements hosted as on 26/03/2026 - Search (FREE), Subscribe, Read & Download

Category: Constitution

Constitution

Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 — Section 45A — Determination of contributions in certain cases — Preconditions for invoking Section 45A — Section 45A is a special provision for best-judgment assessment applicable only when an employer fails to submit, furnish, or maintain returns, particulars, registers, or records as required by Section 44, OR obstructs an Inspector or official in discharging duties under Section 45 — It is not an alternative mode of assessment available at the option of the Corporation — When records (ledgers, cash books, vouchers, etc.) are produced and the employer cooperates by attending multiple personal hearings, the mere allegation of inadequacy or deficiency of supporting documents does not satisfy the statutory threshold of “non-production” or “obstruction” to invoke Section 45A — Mere inadequacy of records does not confer jurisdiction under Section 45A. (Paras 14.6, 14.7, 24, 25, 27, 30)

Dec 19, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1455 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S. CARBORANDUM UNIVERSAL LTD. Vs. ESI CORPORATION ( Before : Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No. 14858…

Constitution

Constitution of India, 1950 — Articles 14, 21 — Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act) — Substantive Equality and Inclusion — Scope and Spirit — The measure of a just society demands the removal of barriers for all citizens to realize their potential, transforming formal equality into substantive inclusion — Constitutional vision requires every person, regardless of physical or sensory limitation, to participate with dignity — Rights guaranteed to persons with disabilities are expressions of the constitutional promise of equality, dignity, and non-discrimination, not acts of benevolence. (Paras 1, 12, 13)

Dec 4, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1376 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MISSION ACCESSIBILITY Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS ( Before : Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, JJ. ) Writ Petition (C)…

Constitution Environment

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 21 — Right to Life and Healthy Environment — Environmental Degradation: Pollution of Jojari, Bandi, and Luni Rivers in Rajasthan due to untreated industrial effluents and municipal sewage threatens the lives of 2 million people and the ecosystem — This constitutes a gross dereliction of constitutional duty and a direct constitutional injury — The right to a healthy environment, including pollution-free water and air, is an indispensable facet of the right to life under Article 21, reinforced by Articles 48A and 51A(g) — Judicial intervention is warranted when environmental degradation strikes at the foundation of these guarantees. (Paras 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 28)

Nov 30, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1341 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH IN RE: 2 MILLION LIVES AT RISK, CONTAMINATION IN JOJARI RIVER, RAJASTHAN ( Before : Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, JJ.…

Constitution I B C

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 32 — Writ Petition (Criminal) — Seeking registration of FIR and investigation into attempt to influence judicial outcome — Relief for criminal investigation based on disclosure in a judicial order of NCLAT, Chennai Bench — Issues raised are of vital public importance but deemed capable of administrative resolution by Chief Justice of India — Writ Petition treated as a representation to bring material information for consideration of Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, allowing law to take its course — Petition disposed of on administrative treatment of investigation request.

Nov 23, 2025 sclaw

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S A.S. MET CORP PRIVATE LIMITED Vs. THE REGISTRAR AND OTHERS ( Before : Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, JJ. ) Writ Petition(s)(Criminal) No(s).440/2025…

Constitution Service

Constitution of India, 1950 — Articles 233, 235, 309, 32, 141, 142 — Higher Judicial Services (HJS) — Determination of Seniority — Source of Recruitment — Recruitment to HJS is through Regular Promotees (RP), Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations (LDCE), and Direct Recruits (DR) — Supreme Court has jurisdiction under Article 142 and other provisions to lay down uniform guidelines for judicial services across the country, independent of High Courts’ control under Article 235, to ensure a unified and robust judiciary — Overarching guidelines framed do not foreclose powers of High Courts but establish a homogenous framework for superintendence over judicial services.

Nov 22, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1328 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH ALL INDIA JUDGES ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS ( Before : B.R. Gavai, CJI, Surya Kant, Vikram…

Constitution

Constitution of India, 1950 — Articles 14, 32, 136, 141, 142, 226, 227, 323-A, 323-B, 368 — Separation of powers — Judicial Independence — Constitutional Supremacy — Judicial Review — Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 (Impugned Act) — Challenge to vires — The Impugned Act, which reproduces provisions previously struck down in Madras Bar Association v. Union of India (MBA) cases, is unconstitutional as it constitutes an impermissible legislative override of binding judicial pronouncements and violates the doctrine of constitutional supremacy, separation of powers, and judicial independence; the repetition of invalidated provisions without removing the underlying constitutional defects is impermissible; the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence are structural pillars of the Constitution and justiciable, not merely abstract ideas, especially concerning adjudicatory bodies.

Nov 22, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1330 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MADRAS BAR ASSOCIATION Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ANOTHER ( Before : B.R. Gavai, CJI and K. Vinod Chandran, J. )…

Constitution

Public Interest Litigation (PIL) — Environmental Protection — Monitoring Committee — Powers and Scope — A PIL was filed concerning environmental issues in Delhi, leading to the appointment of a Monitoring Committee. The Supreme Court clarified that the committee was appointed to prevent misuse of residential premises for commercial purposes and not to interfere with residential premises used as such. Their power was limited to making suggestions to a Special Task Force regarding encroachments on public land, not to summarily seal premises.

Nov 2, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1274 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA 2 JUDGES BENCH M.C. MEHTA Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS ( Before : B. R. Gavai, CJI. and K. Vinod Chandran, J.…

Advocates Act Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita Constitution

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 — Section 179 — Summoning of Advocate by Investigating Agency — Advocate representing accused cannot be summoned directly to elicit case details as it violates advocate-client privilege and constitutional rights of the accused, unless specific exceptions under Section 132 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) apply.

Nov 2, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1275 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA 3 JUDGES BENCH IN RE: SUMMONING ADVOCATES WHO GIVE LEGAL OPINION OR REPRESENT PARTIES DURING INVESTIGATION OF CASES AND RELATED ISSUES. ( Before…

Constitution

Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and Rules, 2020 — Implementation — Lethargy, apathy, inaction on part of Union and States — Non-state establishments also in cold freeze of compliance — Serious concern — Community faces discrimination, marginalization, scarcity of healthcare, economic opportunities, non-inclusive education policies — Despite recognition of rights in statutes, reality is empty formality — Union and States need to do more to translate rights into reality.

Oct 26, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1248 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JANE KAUSHIK Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS ( Before : J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, JJ. ) Writ Petition (Civil)…

Constitution State Laws

Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 — Section 4 (unamended) — Person competent to lodge FIR — Essential Nature — Prohibition Act is a special legislation and its procedure must be followed, overriding general CrPC provisions for FIR registration by police — Prior to 2024 Amendment, Section 4 restricted FIR lodging to aggrieved persons or their relatives by blood, marriage, or adoption — This restriction is not a mere procedural nicety but a deliberate legislative choice to protect individual autonomy and prevent frivolous litigation in matters of personal religious faith — FIR lodged by complainant not falling within these categories is ab initio void and liable for quashing.

Oct 26, 2025 sclaw

2025 INSC 1249 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJENDRA BIHARI LAL AND ANOTHER Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS ( Before : J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, JJ.…

You missed

Service

Indian Air Force — Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs) — Reinstatement and consideration for Permanent Commission (PC) — Dismissal of appeal challenging AFT order — Delay in approaching legal forum.

Mar 26, 2026 sclaw
Service

Short Service Commission Women Officers (SSCWOs) — Eligibility for Permanent Commission (PC) and pensionary benefits — Applicability of Air Force Human Resource Policy — Refusal of benefits due to not meeting minimum average Annual Confidential Report (ACR) grading of 6.5 — Court’s refusal to grant benefits where minimum criteria not met and no demonstrated mitigating circumstances exist compared to other successful applicants.

Mar 26, 2026 sclaw
Service

Air Force Act, 1950 — Short Service Commission Women Officers (SSCWOs) — Permanent Commission (PC) — Denial of PC — Assessment of performance and eligibility — HRP 01/2019 — Minimum Performance Criteria — ACR gradings — Mandatory In-Service Courses (MISCs) — Categorisation — Arbitrariness — Hurried implementation — Inadequate opportunity to meet criteria — Pregnancy — Deemed qualifying service for pension — One-time measure.

Mar 26, 2026 sclaw
Service

Army Act, 1950 — Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs) — Permanent Commission (PC) — Annual Vacancy Cap — The Supreme Court examined the annual cap of 250 vacancies for PC, finding it not to be an immutable rule and that it had been breached historically for exigencies of service and policy changes, thus it should not act as an absolute bar to corrective relief, especially when the method of assessment was found to be unfair.

Mar 26, 2026 sclaw