Latest Post

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.

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Sections 166, 173 — Award of Tribunal reversed by High Court — Claimant appealing — Death in hit and run accident alleged — Victim’s family claiming compensation — Husband of first appellant died in alleged accident — Accident witnessed by neighbour — High Court found accident and vehicle involvement not proved — Appeal dismissed.

2025 INSC 1176 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJAMMA AND OTHERS Vs. M/S. RELIANCE GENERAL INSURANCE CO. LTD. AND ANOTHER ( Before : K. Vinod Chandran and N. V.…

. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 — Section 62 — Appeal to Supreme Court — Limited to questions of law — Concurrent findings of fact by NCLT and NCLAT ordinarily not to be interfered with — Unless view taken in ignorance of statutory provisions, based on extraneous consideration or ex-facie arbitrary/illegal.

2025 INSC 1165 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH KALYANI TRANSCO Vs. M/S BHUSHAN POWER AND STEEL LIMITED AND OTHERS ( Before : B.R. Gavai, CJI, Satish Chandra Sharma and…

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Sections 166, 173 — Motor Vehicle Accident Claim — Quantum of Compensation — Medical Expenses — Insurance company unable to verify medical bills from hospitals in places other than victim’s hometown is not a valid contention. Explanation for treatment in other locations due to victim’s medical condition (paraplegia and pneumonia) and climatic conditions is accepted.

2025 INSC 1164 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHARAD SINGH (DEAD) THROUGH LR. Vs. H. D. NARANG AND ANOTHER ( Before : K. Vinod Chandran and N.V. Anjaria, JJ.…

Service Matters

Telangana State Judicial Rules, 2023 — Rule 5(5.1)(a) and Rule 2(k) — Interpretation of “practicing as an Advocate in the High Court” — Rejection of candidature for District Judge post — High Court’s dismissal of writ petitions based on interpretation that “High Court” refers solely to the Telangana High Court — Supreme Court’s decision to permit appointment as a special case without unsettling the rules — Orders for declaration of results and appointment of qualified candidates — Clarification that the order is not a precedent and does not grant arrears of monetary benefits or claim to pre-existing seniority.

2025 INSC 1169 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH USHA KIRAN KSHATRI AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF TELANGANA AND OTHERS ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih,…

Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961, as amended by Haryana Act No. 9 of 1992 — Section 2(g)(6) — Validity — Land reserved for common purposes under East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948, vesting with Gram Panchayat — Held valid — Amendment did not suffer from constitutional infirmity — Land reserved for common purposes cannot be re-partitioned amongst proprietors.

2025 INSC 1122 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH THE STATE OF HARYANA Vs. JAI SINGH AND OTHERS ( Before : B.R. Gavai, CJI, Prashant Kumar Mishra and K.V. Viswanathan,…

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 142 — Supreme Court’s inherent powers — Invoking powers for divorce by mutual consent after mediation settlement and agreement to withdraw all cases — Parties having irretrievable breakdown of marriage and living separately for over five years — Court grants decree of divorce by mutual consent and quashes pending criminal cases and FIRs.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ISHA JAIN (AGGARWAL) Vs. NISHANT JAIN AND OTHERS ( Before : J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi, JJ. ) Transfer Petition (Criminal) No. 999 of…

Penal Code, 1860 — Sections 302, 364, and 201 — Conviction for murder, kidnapping, and causing disappearance of evidence — Circumstantial evidence — “Last seen” theory — Prosecution failed to prove essential elements of the crime — Witnesses turned hostile and could not identify the accused or prove the alleged kidnapping — Evidence did not establish that the deceased was last seen with the accused

2025 INSC 1124 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THAMMINENI BHASKAR Vs. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH ( Before : Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B. Varale, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Indian Penal Code, 1860 — Section 498A — Cruelty by husband or relatives of husband — Quashing of FIR — Abuse of process of law — FIR filed by respondent-wife after divorce proceedings initiated by appellant-husband and a foreign court order for child’s return — Respondent’s conduct questionable regarding child’s return to Australia and allegations in the complaint not supporting the offence of cruelty under Section 498A IPC as defined — FIR quashed as a retaliatory measure and abuse of process.

2025 INSC 1128 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NITIN AHLUWALIA Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND ANOTHER ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

You missed