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Land Acquisition and Development — Public Purpose De-reservation — Subject land originally earmarked for High School was de-reserved by competent authority due to insufficient area; subsequent sale to private individuals was upheld by civil courts and its finality was not challenged. Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 — Sections 2(c), 19 — Criminal Contempt — Scandalising the court — An advocate’s public allegations against a sitting judge, made via a press conference and repeated in court applications, can constitute criminal contempt by scandalising the court, lowering its authority, and interfering with judicial proceedings — Such conduct is unbecoming of a legal professional and undermines public confidence in the judiciary. Recruitment Rules and Advertisement — Essential Qualifications — Work Experience — In absence of a specific rule or advertisement provision, a recruiting agency cannot relax essential eligibility criteria by treating a higher qualification as a replacement for a mandatory essential qualification — A preference for a higher qualification operates only for eligible and meritorious candidates and does not override or supplant the primary requirement of essential eligibility. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 — Section 10 — Relief of back wages and regularisation — Employee illegally terminated, ordered reinstatement with back wages by Labour Commissioner and Industrial Court — Employer challenged, but interim order for back wages deposit was made and employee reinstated as daily wager — Employee sought regularisation after completing 180 days of service, granted by Industrial Court from the date of 180 days completion as per settlement clause — Employer failed to comply timely, only regularising employee on a sanctioned post after many years, imposing new conditions contrary to prior orders — Supreme Court held that employer cannot impose new conditions limiting regularisation contrary to earlier unchallenged orders and settlement terms, and reversed High Court’s decision setting aside back wages order. Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 34 — Challenge to Arbitral Award — Legal Representatives — The Arbitration Act is a complete code for dispute resolution — Legal representatives of a deceased party are entitled to challenge an arbitral award under Section 34 of the Act, as the Act envisions continuity of proceedings after a party’s death and makes awards enforceable by or against legal representatives — Denying this right would render legal representatives remediless while making them liable to fulfill the award, contradicting the Act’s purpose.

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.

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…

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 34 — Setting aside of arbitral award — Delay in pronouncement — While undue and unexplained delay in pronouncing an arbitral award is not a ground, in itself, to set it aside, it can lead to the award being vitiated if the delay adversely affects the final decision and reflects on the findings, making it conflict with public policy or be patently illegal.

2025 INSC 1277 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA 2 JUDGES BENCH M/S. LANCOR HOLDINGS LIMITED Vs. PREM KUMAR MENON AND OTHERS ( Before : Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma, JJ.…

Transfer of Property Act, 1882 — Sections 54, 55 — Agreement to Sell vs. Sale Deed — An agreement to sell by itself does not create any interest or charge on the property. Ownership passes only upon execution of a conveyance (sale deed). An agreement to sell, even with possession, is not a conveyance and does not confer title or transfer interest, except for the limited right under Section 53-A for protection against the transferor.

2025 INSC 1245 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ZOHARBEE AND ANOTHER Vs. IMAM KHAN (D) THR. LRS. AND OTHERS ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra, JJ.…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Suspension of Sentence — Bail Pending Appeal — Appellant incarcerated for over seven and a half years, appeal pending before High Court for years — Sufficient grounds exist for suspension of sentence and release on bail during appeal pendency — Order of High Court declining to suspend sentence set aside

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MUNCHUN KHAN Vs. THE STATE OF BIHAR ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No….of 2025 [Arising out…

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — Sections 298, 299, 296, 115(2), 351(2) & Chhattisgarh Religion Act, 1968 — Section 4 — Bail in anticipation of arrest — Appellant joined investigation as directed by the court — High Court rejected bail application — Supreme Court considered materials on record and found appeal deserving acceptance — Appellant admitted to bail in anticipation of arrest.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJESH SHARMA Vs. THE STATE OF CHHATTISGARH ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No.4561/2025 [Arising out of…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 394, 395, and 397 — Robbery and Attempt to Commit Robbery — Conviction and Sentencing — Appeal for suspension of sentence and bail — Appellants convicted by Trial Court for offences under Sections 394, 395, and 397 IPC. High Court confirmed conviction under Section 397 IPC and modified sentence to 8 years rigorous imprisonment, while holding no separate conviction for Sections 394 and 395 IPC.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MUKESH KUMAR MEHTA @ MITHILESH KUMAR MEHTA AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF JHARKHAND ( Before : M.M. Sundresh and Vipul M. Pancholi, JJ.…

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.

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)…

Penal Code, 1860 — Section 302 read with Section 34 — Murder — Appeal against conviction — Appellants convicted by trial court and conviction upheld by High Court — Supreme Court re-appreciated evidence — Prosecution relied on two alleged eyewitnesses — One eyewitness, Puniya (PW-12), gave a version contradictory to FIR regarding genesis and place of occurrence; failed to assist victim; his presence at scene doubted — Declared “wholly unreliable witness” — Second eyewitness, Madho Singh (PW-5), also gave a version contradicting FIR and documentary evidence regarding genesis and place of occurrence; proximity to scene doubted due to uninjured state during assault; political rivalry admitted — Found to be “partially reliable witness” requiring corroboration — Prosecution failed to provide independent corroborative evidence — Trial court acquitted six co-accused on similar evidence, which was not challenged — Supreme Court held the testimony of both eyewitnesses to be full of contradictions and inherent improbabilities, making it unsafe to uphold conviction — Prosecution failed to establish genesis and place of incident with certainty — Conviction set aside, accused acquitted.

2025 INSC 1246 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KANNAIYA Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No. 116 of…

Penal Code, 1860 — Section 304 Part-II — Culpable homicide not amounting to murder — Sentence — Appeal against High Court’s reduction of sentence from 10 years to 8 years rigorous imprisonment — Appellant was 20 years old at the time of the incident — Victim was an innocent intervenor — Supreme Court held that the sentence imposed by the High Court was balanced and principled and did not warrant interference, emphasizing the need to maintain public confidence in the justice system and avoid excessive leniency.

2025 INSC 1250 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KOTRESH @ KOTRAPPA Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ANOTHER ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, JJ. ) Criminal…

. Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 37(1) and Section 71 — Business Expenditure — Carrying on Business — A temporary lull in business or failure to secure a new contract does not amount to cessation of business if the assessee’s conduct evinces an intention to continue business, such as through continuous correspondence and bidding for new contracts.

2025 INSC 1247 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PRIDE FORAMER S.A. @ HASH COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX AND ANOTHER ( Before : Manoj Misra and Joymalya Bagchi, JJ. )…

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