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Matrimonial law — Maintenance — Deductions from husband’s salary — Voluntary deductions for asset creation (e.g., loan repayments) cannot dilute primary maintenance obligation — Husband’s duty to maintain spouse is primary and continuing, enabling wife to live with dignity. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 7 Rule 11(d) and Order 2 Rule 2 — Rejection of Plaint — Bar by Law — Applicability of Order 2 Rule 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure does not by itself constitute a ground for rejection of plaint under Order 7 Rule 11(d) — Rejection of plaint under Order 7 Rule 11(d) is based on the suit being barred by law, where the bar is apparent from the plaint itself — A plea under Order 2 Rule 2 requires evidence to establish the bar, and therefore cannot typically be a basis for rejecting a plaint at the initial stage. Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 — Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Translation and Transmission of Records for Legal Aid Appeals and Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) — The Supreme Court has approved and directed implementation of an SOP to streamline the process of translation, digitization, and filing of records in legal aid cases, with specific timelines and responsibilities for various stakeholders to ensure timely access to justice. Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 22(3)(b) — Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA) — Sections 3(1), 8(c), 8(e) — Right to legal representation before Advisory Board — A detenu does not have a right to be represented by a legal practitioner before the Advisory Board — This right only arises if the detaining authority or government uses a legal practitioner, in which case the detenu must also be allowed legal representation — Mere assistance by officials in producing records does not grant this right Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 306 — Abetment of Suicide — Essential Ingredients — For a charge under Section 306, the prosecution must prove that the accused contributed to the suicide through a direct or indirect act of instigation or incitement — This act must reveal a clear intention (mens rea) to abet suicide and leave the victim with no other option — The act of instigation must be in close proximity to the suicide and form a direct nexus, indicating the suicide was a direct result of the instigation.

Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 — Section 88 — Khatedari rights — Claim for declaration of Khatedari rights and recovery of land unlawfully encroached upon — Trial Court decreed suit based on plaintiff’s inherited Khatedari rights from his father — Defendant contested case, later declared ex-parte — Appeal filed after significant delay rejected — Second appeal remanded by Board of Revenue, affirmed by High Court — Supreme Court held that original authority provided no opportunity to adduce evidence after specific date — Trial court proceeded ex-parte without proper service of summons, denying reasonable opportunity to defend — Sale deed not summoned, mutation ignored — Defendant’s unawareness of decree due to non-execution and delayed mutation change — High Court favoured defendant noticing her status as widow and illiterate.

2026 INSC 350 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HARI RAM Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN AND OTHERS ( Before : Sanjay Kumar and K. Vinod Chandran, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) — Sections 20(b)(ii)(C), 25 and 29 — Conviction and Sentence — Separate punishments for offences under Section 20 as well as offences under Sections 25 and 29 are permissible, as these are distinct and independent offences, even if they arise from the same transaction.

2026 INSC 332 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HEM RAJ Vs. THE STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH ( Before : Prashant Kumar Mishra and N.V. Anjaria, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 — Section 33C(2) — Maintainability of claim petition — Labour Court and High Court dismissed the appellant’s case on the technical ground of non-maintainability of the petition under Section 33C(2) of the ID Act, primarily because proceedings under this section are in the nature of execution proceedings — The issue of grant of pension was disputed by the respondent-Bank and therefore could not be held to be a pre-existing right — Dismissal of the case at the threshold by both the Labour Court and High Court was upheld.

2026 INSC 333 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH K.G. SESHADRI Vs. THE TRUSTEES OF STATE BANK OF INDIA AND ANOTHER ( Before : Prashant Kumar Mishra and N.V. Anjaria,…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 1 Rule 10 — Impleadment of parties — Principles for impleadment — A necessary party is essential for effective order, while a proper party aids complete adjudication — In writ proceedings, a person directly affected by an interim order can be joined even if not an original party.

2026 INSC 335 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S CHOPRA HOTELS PRIVATE LIMITED Vs. HARBINDER SINGH SEKHON AND OTHERS ( Before : Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, JJ. )…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 374 — Appeal against dismissal of criminal appeal by High Court — Conviction under Section 302 IPC and Section 27 Arms Act — Prosecution case based entirely on circumstantial evidence — No eyewitnesses — Reliability of prosecution witnesses critically examined — Admission by key witness regarding darkness and identification by voice only, materially undermining credibility — Evidence found insufficient to meet standard of proof in criminal law and exclude reasonable hypotheses of innocence — Conviction set aside and appellant acquitted.

2026 INSC 317 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JAY PRAKASH YADAV Vs. THE STATE OF JHARKHAND ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 294(b) — Conviction for uttering obscene words — Held, mere use of the word “bastard” is not sufficient to constitute obscenity, especially in heated conversations during the modern era — Conviction under Section 294(b) IPC is not sustainable and is liable to be set aside.

2026 INSC 318 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SIVAKUMAR Vs. STATE REP. BY THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Manoj Misra, JJ. ) Criminal…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of criminal proceedings — Medical negligence — Consent for surgery — Allegation of interpolation in consent form for Orchidectomy — Medical Board’s opinion that Orchidectomy was an appropriate procedure in cases of undescended testicle and that consent should have been obtained — No evidence of interpolation in consent form (different ink or handwriting) — Consent form indicated both Orchidopexy and Orchidectomy as options. Held, continuance of criminal proceedings would be an abuse of process of court and liable to be quashed. Appeals allowed, impugned High Court judgment set aside, and proceedings quashed

2026 INSC 319 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. S. BALAGOPAL Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU AND ANOTHER ( Before : Pamidigantam Sri Narasimha and Manoj Misra, JJ. )…

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 14 — Public power, allocation of public resources, award of public contracts, execution of public works — State bound to act transparently, fairly, and consistently with equality — Process must withstand objective scrutiny and be free from arbitrariness, favouritism, or undisclosed conflicts of interest — Public confidence in governance requires equality, integrity, and accountability.

2026 INSC 320 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH SAVE MON REGION FEDERATION AND ANOTHER Vs. THE STATE OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH AND OTHERS ( Before : Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta…

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