Supreme Court of India Judgements

47260 Judgements hosted as on 23/05/2026 - Search (FREE), Subscribe, Read & Download

Category: Service

Service Matters
Service

Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University Act, 2013 — Section 46(b) — Appointment of First Registrar — Appointment of the first Registrar was made by the Visitor [President of India] on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor for a term of three years — The power to appoint necessarily includes the power to dismiss or terminate the services of the appointee — Therefore, the Visitor, who was the appointing authority, was competent to take disciplinary action against the First Registrar.

May 23, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 520 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VICE CHANCELLOR, RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL AVIATION UNIVERSITY Vs. JITENDRA SINGH AND OTHERS ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Alok Aradhe,…

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. )…

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. )…

Service Matters
Service

. Canara Bank Officer Employees’ (Discipline and Appeal) Regulations, 1976 — Regulation 10 — Common Proceedings — The word “may” in Regulation 10, which empowers the competent authority to direct common disciplinary proceedings against multiple employees, is directory and not mandatory — This interpretation allows for discretion to be exercised by the employer based on the circumstances and the varying roles of the employees involved — The failure to hold a joint inquiry does not automatically vitiate individual disciplinary proceedings.

May 14, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 478 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CANARA BANK Vs. PREM LATHA UPPAL (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. ( Before : S.V.N. Bhatti and Vijay Bishnoi, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Service Matters
Service

Service Law — Recruitment Rules — Eligibility Criteria — Date of Possession of Qualification — For recruitment to the post of Assistant Prosecution Officer, the essential educational qualification must be possessed by the candidate on the date of submission of the application, not at a later stage like the interview or examination date.

May 12, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 444 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJASTHAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Vs. LAVANSHU SANKHLA AND OTHERS ( Before : Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Service Matters
Service

Public Administration and Service Rules — Interpretation of merger of departments and promotion rules — The Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s judgment that questioned a government order (G.O.) granting a notional promotion to an employee — The Court found that the original G.O — was issued in compliance with prior High Court orders and a merger policy that was not challenged by any party, thus validating the promotion and subsequent advancements.

May 12, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 446 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU AND ANOTHER Vs. R. SASIPRIYA AND ANOTHER ( Before : Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan, JJ.…

Service Matters
Service

Recruitment Process — Advertisement and Selection — While filling vacancies, State instrumentalities must adhere to comparative merit and avoid discrimination — A candidate in a select list does not gain an indefeasible right to appointment without specific rules to that effect.

May 11, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 459 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DURGAPUR STEEL PLANT AND OTHERS Vs. BIDHAN CHANDRA CHOWDHURY AND OTHERS ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Alok Aradhe, JJ.…

Service Matters
Service

Police Manual, Jharkhand, Rule 828 read with Appendix 49 — Procedure for imposition of major penalties — Respondent No — 1 was provided with charge memorandum, relevant materials, afforded adequate defence opportunity, participated in enquiry, received enquiry report, and submitted representation, satisfying procedural fairness.

May 10, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 466 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF JHARKHAND AND OTHERS Vs. RANJAN KUMAR AND OTHERS ( Before : Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan, JJ. )…

Service Matters
Service

Civil Services — Tenure Curtailment — Not Punitive Unless Stigmatic — Curtailment of tenure and reversion to a lower post is not punitive or stigmatic merely because it is premature or based on unsatisfactory performance reports, as long as the order itself does not impute misconduct or stigma beyond unsuitability for the role.

Apr 30, 2026 sclaw

2026 INSC 427 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SADACHARI SINGH TOMAR Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS ( Before : Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul M. Pancholi, JJ. )…

You missed

Acquittal Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) — Section 223(1) first proviso — Applicability of — Proceedings under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) filed before commencement of BNSS — Cognizance taken after commencement of BNSS — Accused not given opportunity of hearing at cognizance stage — Provision mandates hearing of accused before taking cognizance — Non-compliance is an illegality vitiating cognizance order — High Court judgment set aside.

May 23, 2026 sclaw
Constitution

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 142 — Extraordinary powers of Supreme Court — Directions issued by Supreme Court cannot supplant substantive law or disregard express statutory provisions unless necessary for complete justice, considering public policy and balancing equities. [Paras 50-54] – Stray Dog Management — Public Safety vs. Animal Welfare — Supreme Court must strike a balance between public safety under Article 21 and humane treatment of stray animals, prioritising human life and safety

May 23, 2026 sclaw
Acquittal

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 — Offences under Sections 10(a)(i), 10(a)(iv), and 38(1) — Indian Penal Code, 1860 — Section 120B — Poisons Act, 1919 — Section 6 — Foreigners Act, 1946 — Section 14(c) — Passport Act, 1967 — Section 3 read with Section 12(1)(a) — Conviction for charges including conspiracy to revive banned organization LTTE — Appeal against conviction and sentence — Supreme Court’s finding that appellant was falsely implicated due to mistaken identity — Reliance on oral testimony of two key witnesses who introduced crucial alias name “Ranjan” years after the alleged incident and only after appellant’s arrest — Inconsistencies and material improvements in their testimonies — Failure of prosecution to establish identity with reliable oral or documentary evidence — Absence of any contemporaneous description, documentary linkage, or independent corroboration connecting appellant to the alleged absconding accused “Sri” — Appellant residing openly and lawfully as a refugee, pursuing visa to Switzerland inconsistent with being an absconding accused — Conviction and sentence set aside — Appeal allowed; appellant acquitted.

May 23, 2026 sclaw
Land Acquisition Municipal Laws

Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 (MRTP Act) — Section 126(1)(b) — Transferable Development Rights (TDR) — Compensation for land acquisition reserved for public purpose — Landowner entitled to TDR against land surrendered and ‘further’ TDR for development of amenity on the surrendered land — Corporation’s argument that agreements (LOI, Undertaking, Maintenance Agreement) waived landowner’s right to claim additional amenity TDR rejected — Held, statutory rights cannot be derogated from by executive circulars or agreements.

May 23, 2026 sclaw