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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Sections 165, 166 — Death allegedly caused by murder inside a motor vehicle — Claim for compensation — Requirement of causal link between death and “use” of motor vehicle — Held, mere presence of a motor vehicle in the chain of circumstances leading to death does not attract liability under MVA — Some nexus between the vehicle and the death must be established. Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Act, 1976 — Section 2(25) — “Occupier” — Scope of definition — The MHAD Act defines only “occupier,” which includes any person liable to pay rent, an owner in occupation, a rent-free tenant, a licensee, or one liable to pay damages for use and occupation — Occupancy is not a statutory tenancy dependent on the owner’s will, and even a person in possession without formal rent liability may claim occupancy status for reallotment purposes. Stamp Act, 1899 — Section 26, proviso — Mining lease — Stamp duty on instrument with indeterminate value — Determinant of stamp duty — Where value of subject-matter is indeterminate at execution, proviso to S.26 specifically governs mining leases, directing that estimated royalty or value of share, as estimated by the Collector where State is lessor, suffices for stamp duty purposes — Proviso held not inconsistent with main provision — actual value of mining lease is ascertainable only once mining operations commence Service Law — Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) — Grade Pay convergence — Effect on promotions within cadre — Convergence of Grade Pay pursuant to Sixth Central Pay Commission does not obliterate separate identity of promotional posts within a cadre — Promotions carry promotional increments, enhanced running-duty allowances and post-specific benefits, remaining financially meaningful notwithstanding constancy of Grade Pay. Multiple FIRs across States cannot be quashed or clubbed under Article 32 where they relate to distinct transactions, victims, and offences despite similar modus operandi. A. Cyber Fraud — Multiple FIRs across States — Clubbing declined — Clubbing/consolidation of FIRs registered in different States was declined where each FIR was lodged by a different complainant induced to part with money on separate occasions, with distinct victims, amounts and transactions, notwithstanding a common bank account and similar modus operandi; clubbing at a nascent investigation stage involving complex cyber-forensic tracing would impede fair investigation and cause hardship to complainants.

Arbitration Act, 1940 — Section 21 — Arbitration in suits — Mandatory requirement of court order of reference — For arbitration proceedings to be validly initiated or continued during pendency of a suit, parties must obtain an order of reference from the court under Section 21 — Failure to comply renders the award legally ineffective as a bar to the suit.

2026 INSC 591 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ASHOK AND OTHERS Vs. PADAM CHAND AND OTHERS ( Before : J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Land Acquisition Act, 1894 — Section 4 and 6 — Compensation for acquired land — Challenge to compensation awarded by High Court — Supreme Court upholds High Court’s decision based on a previous judgment dealing with the same acquisition and village — Appellant denied further enhancement.

2026 INSC 593 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH GOPALA AGRI FARMS PVT. LTD. Vs. THE STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ( Before : Surya Kant, CJI. and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar…

Service Matters

Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) — Section 23 — Applicability to in-service teachers — Sub-section (1) governs eligibility for future appointments (prospective), while the first proviso to sub-section (2) specifically addresses teachers already in service, allowing them time to acquire qualifications — The second proviso, added by the 2017 Amendment Act, further extends this window for teachers appointed or in service as of March 31, 2015 — The legislative intent is to recognize existing appointments while providing a time-bound mechanism for qualification, not to invalidate past appointments retrospectively or impose immediate disqualification

2026 INSC 597 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF U.P. Vs. ANJUMAN ISHAAT-E-TALEEM TRUST AND OTHERS ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Manmohan, JJ. ) Review Petition (Civil)…

Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 133 and Illustration (b) to Section 114 — Accomplice Testimony — Testimony of an approver/accomplice is not illegal merely because it is uncorroborated, but as a rule of prudence, it is unsafe to convict solely on the basis of uncorroborated testimony — Corroboration must be in material particulars and should come from independent sources.

  2026 INSC 598 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH GOPI CHAND @ PAPPU Vs. STATE (NCT OF DELHI) ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Manoj Misra, JJ. )…

Succession Act, 1925 — Section 263 — Revocation of probate — Limitation — No specific period of limitation prescribed for application for revocation of probate — Article 137 of Limitation Act, 1963 applies — Right to apply accrues when applicant has knowledge of the facts justifying revocation.

2026 INSC 602 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DHIRAJ DUTTA Vs. ANIRBAN SEN AND OTHERS ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Vipul M. Pancholi, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No.…

Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 112 — Presumption of legitimacy — DNA test can be directed to determine paternity only when there is sufficient prima facie material to dislodge the presumption under Section 112.– Section 114(h) — Adverse inference — Not applicable at the stage where the Court is considering the need for a DNA test.

2026 INSC 600 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CHATURBHUJ PRADHAN Vs. AMAR PRADHAN AND ANOTHER ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No…..of…

Constitution of India, 1950 — Articles 21, 32, 226 — Illegal detention — Definition — Illegal detention may be defined as the deprivation of liberty by the State without lawful authority or in violation of provisions of the Constitution — It involves actual custody such that the individual is not free to leave — The detention must lack a valid legal basis, including situations where authority is void or expired — Even where a law permits detention, it becomes illegal if the procedure followed is not just, fair and reasonable, including failure to observe essential safeguards — Also covers situations where the power to detain is exercised arbitrarily, for an improper purpose, or in bad faith.

2026 INSC 599 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DAUDAYAL Vs. THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN AND OTHERS ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Augustine George Masih, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Service Matters

Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 (1987 Act) — Section 51(2) — Principles of Natural Justice — Failure to supply charge memo and supporting documents to the appellant — Enquiry conducted ex-parte — Order of removal vitiated — High Court erred in holding that opportunity at show cause stage cured the defects — Supreme Court set aside the removal order, confirmation order, and enquiry report.

  2026 INSC 592 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ARJUN DASS Vs. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH AND OTHERS ( Before : J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar, JJ.…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 12 Rule 6 — Judgment on Admissions — Scope and Exercise of Discretion — Provision allows for speedy relief where there is no substantial dispute requiring trial, but cannot deprive a party of adjudication if controversy involves disputed questions of fact and requires evidence — Admission must be categorical, unambiguous, unconditional, and unequivocal — Admissions should be clear and intentional, and discretion to pass judgment without trial should be used cautiously, only when admission is absolute, clear, categorical, and unconditional.

2026 INSC 603 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PUSHPA AND OTHERS Vs. DAYAWATI AND OTHERS ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Vipul M. Pancholi, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No…..of…

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