Latest Post

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.

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of criminal proceedings — Four-step test for assessing prayer for quashing — The Supreme Court, in Pradeep Kumar Kesarwani v. State of Uttar Pradesh, outlined a four-step test: (i) Is the material relied upon by the accused of sterling quality? (ii) Does it rule out the allegations in the complaint? (iii) Has it not been refuted by the prosecution/complainant? (iv) Would proceeding with the trial be an abuse of process and not serve the ends of justice? If all answers are affirmative, High Court should quash proceedings.

2026 INSC 322 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH SAJAL BOSE Vs. THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND OTHERS ( Before : Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N. V. Anjaria,…

Service Matters

Central Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2008; Seventh Central Pay Commission Recommendations — Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) to Level 9 — Recommendation 7.4.13 (iv) (b) — Eligibility criteria — Completion of four years in Level 8 on seniority-cum-suitability basis — Interpretation of — Held, denial of NFU on the ground that Junior Engineers did not enter service at Grade Pay of Rs — 4,800/- amounts to adding an additional condition not contemplated by the recommendation.

2026 INSC 311 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS Vs. SUNIL KUMAR RAI AND OTHERS ( Before : Pankaj Mithal and S.V.N. Bhatti, JJ. )…

Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) — Section 37A — Seizure of assets — Adjudication proceedings are independent of seizure proceedings — The order of the Competent Authority confirming seizure of equivalent assets continues until the disposal of adjudication proceedings — The Adjudicating Authority then passes appropriate directions regarding further action on the seizure — However, this does not apply to a situation where seizure has not been confirmed.

2026 INSC 309 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH J. SRI NISHA Vs. THE SPECIAL DIRECTOR, ADJUDICATING AUTHORITY, DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT AND ANOTHER ( Before : Vikram Nath and Sandeep…

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 11 — Appointment of Arbitrator — Scope of jurisdiction under Section 11 is confined to existence of an arbitration agreement — Issue of res judicata not considered at Section 11 stage — Principles of Order 23 Rule 1 of CPC apply to proceedings under Section 11 — A fresh application under Section 11 is not maintainable if the earlier application was withdrawn without liberty to file a fresh one.

2026 INSC 302 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJIV GADDH Vs. SUBODH PARKASH ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Alok Aradhe, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No….of 2026 (@…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 197(1) — Requirement of sanction for prosecution of public servants — Protection under Section 197(1) applies only to public servants who are not removable from office except by or with the sanction of the government — Subordinate police officers not falling under this category are not entitled to the benefit of this protection, even if the alleged offence was committed while acting or purporting to act in the discharge of official duty.

2026 INSC 304 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SAMARENDRA NATH KUNDU AND ANOTHER Vs. SADHANA DAS AND ANOTHER ( Before : J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, JJ. ) Criminal…

Service Matters

Service Law — Dismissal from Service — Disciplinary Proceedings — Violation of Natural Justice — Requirement of Oral Enquiry — Employer’s Burden of Proof — The Apex Court held that unless the charged employee clearly admits guilt, a disciplinary enquiry must be held — The employer must first present evidence and witnesses, allowing the employee to cross-examine — Only then should the employee be given an opportunity to present their defense — The Court emphasized that relying solely on documents without examining witnesses or making them available for cross-examination when charges are denied, vitiates the enquiry.

2026 INSC 305 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JAI PRAKASH SAINI Vs. MANAGING DIRECTOR, U.P. COOPERATIVE FEDERATION LTD. AND OTHERS ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Manoj Misra, JJ.…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 9 Rule 13 — Setting aside an ex parte decree — A minor who was not properly represented in succession proceedings, despite being a legal heir and known to respondents, can file an application under Order 9 Rule 13 CPC after attaining majority to challenge the ex parte proceedings.

2026 INSC 306 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DEEPESH MAHESWARI AND ANOTHER Vs. RENU MAHESWARI AND ANOTHER ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Augustine George Masih, JJ. ) Civil…

Companies Act, 2013 — Section 185 — Loan to directors — Violation of Section 185 — Loan from company to director for securing bail without special resolution — Deposit of Rs. 50 Crores for bail sourced from company funds without proper approval — Held to be not sustainable in law.

2026 INSC 310 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SATINDER SINGH BHASIN Vs. GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI AND OTHERS ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, JJ.…

Contract Law — Termination and Blacklisting — Principles of Judicial Review — Courts must apply distinct standards of legality, rationality, and proportionality when reviewing administrative actions related to contract termination and blacklisting, considering the differing gravity of these measures and their consequences.

2026 INSC 312 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S A.K.G. CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPERS PVT. LTD Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND AND OTHERS ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Alok…

Service Matters

Service Law — Disciplinary proceedings — Punishment — Judicial review — The court’s power to review punishment is limited and generally does not allow substitution of its own judgment for that of the disciplinary authority unless the punishment is illogical, suffers from procedural impropriety, or shocks the conscience of the court

2026 INSC 313 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PUNJAB AND SIND BANK Vs. SH. RAJ KUMAR ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

You missed