Supreme Court
Reserved Category Candidates Securing Merit Cannot Be Excluded from Unreserved Posts; Supreme Court Sets Aside Kerala HC Directions on AAI Recruitment
Candidate Can’t Challenge Recruitment Rules After Participating And Failing: Supreme Court Allows GPSC Appeal
Supreme Court Dismisses Advocate’s Plea Challenging BCI Rule on Disqualification in Bar Council Elections as Withdrawn
SC Sets Aside Onerous Bail Condition Imposed by Madras High Court; Modifies Daily Police Reporting Requirement
High Court Overstepped Appellate Jurisdiction; Supreme Court Restores Acquittal in Circumstantial Evidence Murder Case
No Violation of Articles 14 or 16 in Requiring Diploma from Degree-Holder for State Pharmacists: Supreme Court
Supreme Court Upholds State ACB’s Jurisdiction Over Corruption Cases Involving Central Government Employees; No Exclusive Authority for CBI
No Material Linking Passenger to Contraband, Prolonged Incarceration Unjustified; Supreme Court Grants Bail
BOCW & Cess Acts Are ‘Subsequent Legislations’ Where Implementation Mechanism Was Absent; SC Upholds Arbitral Awards Against NHAI
Supreme Court Appoints Sr Adv Raghenth Basant and Adv Varun Kapoor as Amicus to Examine Liability of Deceased Doctor’s Estate in Medical Negligence Claims
Supreme Court Directs All States to Frame Media-Briefing Policies for Police Using PUCL’s “Media Manual” as Template
Change in Software May Lead to Genuine Demands Being Ignored: Supreme Court Quashes High Court Directions to CBDT on TDS Verification
NGT Lacks Jurisdiction Over Contractual Disputes on Building Plan Violations Absent Substantial Environmental Issue: Supreme Court
‘Ordinary Rate Of Wages’ Include Compensatory Allowances Like HRA; Supreme Court Decodes Calculation of Overtime Wages Under Sec 59(2) Factories Act
No Enforceability Of Delegated Legislation Without Publication into Official Gazette; SC on Enforcement Date of FTDR Act Notification
Supreme Court Stays Punjab & Haryana HC Order Barring Private Unaided Veterinary College from Charging Tuition Fee During Internship Period
SC Grants Time to Senior Citizen Complainant in ‘Digital Arrest’ Case; CBI Probe Sought Citing Suo Motu Directions
SC Cautions Against Branding Registered Sale Deeds as ‘Sham’ Without Strong Proof; Calls for Digitisation of Land Records Using Blockchain to Curb Forgery
Litigant Cannot Be Worse Off for Approaching Court; Supreme Court Sets Aside Madras HC Directions to File Chargesheets and Expedite Trials Against Savukku Shankar
Supreme Court Quashes Prohibition Act FIR Against Accused on Grounds of Parity and Abuse of Process
Supreme Court: NCLT Cannot Decide Trademark Ownership While Approving Resolution Plan; Such Declaration Beyond IBC Jurisdiction
Allahabad High Court
Allahabad High Court Quashes Minority Welfare Officer’s Order Closing Unrecognised Madrasa; Denies Grant Until Recognition
“Appearing in Examination Is Integral to Right to Live with Human Dignity,” ;Allahabad High Court Orders Special Exam
Allahabad HC: Discretionary Power to Relax Upper Age Limit Under Compassionate Rules Cannot Be Restricted by General Recruitment Norms
Maintenance Claim Not Sustainable Where Wife’s Conduct Undermines Husband’s Earning Capacity: Allahabad HC
Bombay High Court
Bombay High Court Refuses to Reduce Sentence of Man Convicted of Murdering His Wife by Setting Her Ablaze
Internal Appointments Based on Promotions in Educational Institutions Are Not Required to be Made through the Pavitra Portal: Bombay HC
Failure to Comply with Section 50 of NDPS Act Vitiates Recovery; Bombay High Court Orders Acquittal
Error in Framing Charge under Repealed Provision Caused No Prejudice; Bombay HC Upholds Rigorous Life Sentence in POCSO Case
Re-Computing Escalation For Entire 20-Year Period As Single Unit Is Contrary To Contract; Bombay HC Explains ‘Market Price Variations’ Vis-À-Vis Windfall Profit
‘Riddled With Egregious Errors, Patent Illegality & Gross Perversity’; Bombay HC Quashes Entire Award Passed Without Adjudicating Invalidity Of Contract Due To Fraud
Bombay High Court: Settlement Under Section 18(3) of ID Act Applies to Subsequently Employed Workmen and Non-Members of Signatory Union
Unilaterally Appointed Sole Arbitrator’s Award Non-Est and Unenforceable; Bombay High Court Dismisses L&T Finance’s Execution Plea
Pay Disparity Among Identically Placed Employees Is Discriminatory: Bombay HC Orders State to Pay Arrears with Interest
Bombay HC Restores HSC Centres Cancelled for One Cheating Case; Demands Reasoned Orders and Targeted Anti-Copying Measures
Post-Employment Restrictive Covenants Void as Restraint of Trade Under Section 27; Bombay HC Rejects ‘False Urgency’ Plea by German Subsidiary
Existence of a ‘Loan’ Is a Sine Qua Non for Invoking Section 13(1) of the Maharashtra Money-Lending (Regulation) Act, 2014; Bombay High Court Rejects Suits Filed by Unlicensed Moneylenders
Interim Measures Can Be Granted Against Third Parties to Protect Arbitral Claims: Bombay HC directed Axis Bank To Deposit Title Deeds in Loan Takeover Dispute
Instigating Messages Circulated On WhatsApp Like ‘Dushmani Ka Anjam Kya Hota Hai’ Before Murder Backs Accusation; Bombay HC Denies Bail In UAPA Case
“It has Become Regular Practice to Make Allegations Against Advocates in Matters of Delay Without Impleading or Taking Action Against the Advocate”: Bombay HC
Presumption Under Section 113-B Evidence Act Inapplicable Without Proximate Link; Bombay HC Upholds Acquittal in Death Within 7 Years of Marriage Case
Bombay HC Grants Singer Kumar Sanu Ad-Interim Injunction Against Ex-Wife’s Personal Remarks in Media Interviews
Gram Sabha Lacks Power to Grant or Deny NOC for Property Development Under Goa Panchayat Raj Act: Bombay High Court
Section 18 of SC/ST Act Imposes Absolute Bar Where Specific Allegations of Public Caste Abuse Exist; Bombay High Court Denies Anticipatory Bail
Bombay HC Denies Interim Relief to Developer After 11-Year Delay in Redevelopment; Appoints Justice Anuja Prabhudesai (Retd.) as Sole Arbitrator
Bombay HC: Employee Can’t Plead ‘Equal Pay For Equal Work’ After Expressly Waiving His Right To Claim Benefits For Past Service As Condition Of Regularization
Calcutta High Court
Decision Taken by Illegally Constituted Board Unsustainable;Calcutta HC Sets Aside CSE’s Penal Order for Want of Proper Quorum
Past Living Conditions of Landlord No Bar to Claim for Better Accommodation; Calcutta High Court Upholds Eviction Decree
Tribunal Cannot Demand Impossible Compliance After Recording Undue Hardship; Calcutta HC Sets Aside ?2.20 Crore FEMA Pre-Deposit
Gujarat High Court
Gujarat HC Includes Allowances, Gratuity, and HRA in Salary to Enhance Compensation for Accidental Death; Rejects Appeal by Reliance Insurance
Gujarat HC Refuses to Condone ASI’s 718-Day Delay, Slaps Personal Costs for “Negligent and Mala Fide” Attempt to Stall Landowners’ Compensation
‘Not a Bhumiswami, Merely a Servant of the Deity’: Gujarat HC Dismisses Pujari’s Second Appeal Claiming Possession of Temple on Public Road
Delhi High Court
Delhi High Court Rejects IOC’s Bid to Expand Section 34 Challenge Against Arbitral Award as Time-Barred
Delhi High Court Quashes Reassessment Notices Against Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy; Imposes ?2 Lakh Costs on Income Tax Department
Delhi High Court Dismisses Somnath Bharti’s Election Petition Challenging Malviya Nagar Result for Non-Joinder of Necessary Party
FIR Disclosure Mandatory Only After Cognizance or Framing Of Charges; Delhi HC Dismisses Election Petition Against Manish Sisodia
Delhi High Court Stays Defamation Trial Against Santanu Sinha; Binds Amit Malviya to Undertaking
Pre-Institution Mediation Under Commercial Courts Act Not Mandatory in Urgent Matters: Delhi High Court Reiterates Dhanbad Fuels Ruling
Letters of English Alphabet Cannot Be Monopolised: Delhi HC Vacates Interim Injunction in ‘A TO Z’ Trademark Dispute
Unnao Rape Case: Delhi HC Refuses to Suspend Sentence of Kuldeep Singh Senger, Cites Gravity of Offence and Threat Perception
‘Bar Associations are Purely Private Entities and Cannot in Any Manner be Termed ‘State’ or its Instrumentality under Article 12’: Delhi HC
Broadcast Rights Limited to Live Telecast; Payments to Sri Lanka Cricket Not ‘Royalty’: Delhi HC
Delhi High Court Declines Interim Relief to Catering Licensee Against IRCTC; Refuses to Interfere with Arbitrator’s Order
Evidence Shows Aggravated Sexual Assault, Not Penetrative Assault: Delhi HC Modifies POCSO Conviction, Reduces Sentence to Seven Years
Delhi High Court: Former Directors of a Corporate Debtor Cannot Be Vicariously Liable Under Section 138 of the NI Act After Initiation of CIRP
No ‘Good Faith’ Shield Under Section 23 SAFEMA: Delhi HC Backs Housing Ministry’s Claim for Mesne Profits
Delhi HC Grants Interim Relief To ‘Slayy Point’ Against Deepfake, Morphed Pornographic Content; Orders Takedown, De-Indexing & Blocking of Websites
Loan Agreement and Deed of Guarantee Form Single Composite Transaction; Delhi HC Appoints Sole Arbitrator
Recovery of Terminal Benefits Not a ‘Commercial Dispute’: Delhi HC Returns Plaint to Proper Court
Delhi High Court Refers Defamation Dispute Between Astrologers Trishla Chaturvedi and Umang Taneja To Mediation
Prescription of Higher Academic Qualifications for Career Progression Lies Within AICTE’s Domain: Delhi HC Upholds Higher Pay Scale for PhD Holders
Law Student Cannot Be Debarred From Exams Solely for Attendance Shortfall; Delhi HC Directs Bar Council to Revisit Norms
Stereotyped Tag of ‘Lifestyle Disease’ Not a Ground to Deny Disability Pension to Armed Forces Personnel: Delhi HC
No Cause of Action Arose In Delhi; Delhi HC Sets Aside Labour Court Award for Lack of Territorial Jurisdiction
Delhi High Court Slams Accused for Filing Two Bail Pleas in Different Courts, Calls Conduct Bid to ‘Hoodwink Court’
Delhi High Court Upholds Dismissal of CAG Auditor for Unauthorised Audits and Impersonation
Delhi High Court: Expression ‘Public Servant’ Under Rule 11(2) Of Export Inspection Agency Employees Rules, 1978; Includes ‘Retired Public Servant’
Delhi HC: Eviction Under Senior Citizens Act Cannot Be Ordered as a Matter of Course; Rights of All Parties Must Be Balanced
Section 340 of the CrPC Does Not Require a Preliminary Inquiry or Prior Hearing for the Prospective Accused Before a Court Files a Complaint: Delhi High Court
New Prior Art Document Of Comforter System Not Introduced In FER; Delhi HC Endorses Second Examination Report To Identify ‘Inventive Step’ Under Patent Act
Delhi HC Upholds ?25 Lakh Liquidated Damage to Carlsberg as Genuine Pre-Estimate u/s 74 of ICA; Modifies Award on Equipment Rent
Separate BCCI Contract Cannnot Be Imported To Modify Express Global Rights Agreement; Delhi HC Orders Prasar Bharti To Indemnify Shortfall On Pro-Rata Basis
Relief For Sun Pharma Over Diabetic Drug Patent; Delhi HC Awards Damages Based On Profits Earned By Advertising Infringing Product For Sale On E-Pharmacies
J&K and Ladakh High Court
“Penal Acts Do Not Pass on to Legal Heir of Accused”; J&K and Ladakh HC Quashes Suspension Order of Government Employee
Kerala High Court
Merely Carrying More than One Pillion Rider Not Contributory Negligence Unless Cogent Evidence Establishes Direct Connection with Accident: Kerala HC
Carrying Two Pillion Riders Alone Doesn’t Amount to Contributory Negligence; Kerala HC Enhances Compensation in Motor Accident Claim
Schooling, Family Residence, & Ancestral Roots Satisfies Belongingness To State: Kerala HC Allows Domicile Certificate For ‘Agniveer’ Post In Indian Army
Karnataka High Court
Bike Taxis Are Lawful Trade Under Article 19; Karnataka HC Lifts De-Facto Ban; Allows Ola, Uber, Rapido to Seek Permits Under MV Act
Punjab & Haryana High Court
Legitimate Criticism Of Government Is No Yardstick For State Action; Punjab & Haryana HC Upholds Constitutional Protection To Fair Reporting
Patna High Court
Sovereign Immunity Is No Defence For Gross Violation Of Fundamental Right To Liberty; Patna HC Awards 5 Lakh Compensation For Unlawful Arrest & Detention
Rajasthan High Court
Rajasthan HC: Difference In Age For Contractual Position Vs Permanent Appointment To Same Post,Violates Fundamental Right To Equality In Public Employment
“Even an Accused Continues to be Clothed with Basic Human Rights”; Rajasthan HC Rules Against Police for Clicking and Circulating Humiliating Photos of Arrestees
Rajasthan HC Partially Unfreezes “Cybercrime-Flagged” Account, Directs Bank to Freeze Only Disputed Amount and Release Rest
Rajasthan High Court Rejects Pension Claim After 26-Year Silence; Orders Probe into Missing Service Records
Orissa High Court
Objective of Benevolent Section 119(2)(b) Is to Alleviate Genuine Hardship; Orissa HC Criticises I-T Dept for Pedantic Approach
Madhya Pradesh High Court
Over 4,800 Industries Found Operating without Valid Pollution Consents; MP High Court seeks Coordinated State Response
MP High Court Expresses Displeasure Over Misleading Submissions by Senior Counsel; Permits Bail Plea Withdrawal
Madhya Pradesh HC Directs State to Inform Number of Govt. Schools to Decide Matter Regarding Non-Availability of Teaching Staff
Madras High Court
Madras High Court: Collection Of Sensitive Information From Students Without Clear Explanation Violates Right To Privacy Under Art. 21
Interviews
[Interviews] Showing Up and Taking Ownership: Sanchari Chakroborty on Building a Law Firm and Leading from the Front
Delhi High Court Amends Rules to Include Complainant/Victim as ‘Party’ in Criminal Cases
MoRTH Notifies New Dispute Resolution Regime for Highway Projects
Ink & Insight
[Ink & Insight] The Mamata Banerjee–ED Faceoff: From the Legal Lens
By Bharat Chugh
[Ink & Insight] Judicial Risk Aversion in Bail Adjudication: An Analysis of Institutional Disincentives
By Noor Shergill
Tribunals
NGT Transfers Matter Regarding Dumping of Hazardous Garbage by Poladpur Nagar Parishad in River Savitri to Western Zone Bench at Pune
NGT Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Noida Techie’s Drowning; Flags Prima Facie Environmental Violations and Administrative Lapses
Statements Under Section 108 and Email Printouts Inadmissible Without Compliance with Sections 138B and 138C; CESTAT Sets Aside Customs Undervaluation Demand
CAT Directs West Bengal Govt, UPSC To Expedite Empanelment Process For Appointment Of State DGP; Sets Strict Timelines
GST Exemption for Legal Services Limited to Advocates Practising in India; West Bengal AAR Upholds Tax on Reimbursement of Foreign Patent Attorney Fees
District Court
No Vicarious Criminal Liability Without Direct Supervision Or Control: Delhi Court Discharged Former MP in Labourer Death Case
Delhi Court Rejects ?1.58 Crore Recovery Suit Against Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority as Time-Barred; Clarifies Limitation in E-Filed Suits
Roundup
Weekly Bulletin [12th -18th January, 2026]
News
Supreme Court Issues Notice in YEIDA’s Challenge to HC Ruling on Transfer Charges; Stays Refund Claims of Non-Parties
Supreme Court Entertains Plea Challenging Delhi High Court Order in NDPS Case; Grants Interim Protection
[WB SIR Matter] SC Orders Public Display of ‘Logical Discrepancy’ Voter Lists in West Bengal
SC Directs ICA to Appoint Former Supreme Court Judge as Sole Arbitrator Amid Dispute Over Administrative Fees
Registration Open | 2nd APCAM International Metaverse Mediation Competition (AIMMC), 2026
Rani Kapur Moves Delhi HC Alleging Fraudulent Trust; Seeks Restoration of Estate
[Aravali Case] SC Orders Continuation of Interim Directions; Issues Notice
SC Directs Implementation of CAQM’s Long-Term Measures to Tackle Delhi Air Pollution; Seeks Action Plans in 4 Weeks
‘You Missed The Bus’: Supreme Court Dismisses Contempt Petition As Barred By Limitation Under Section 20 Of Contempt Of Courts Act
IIAM | Certificate Course on Arbitration: Advocacy & Drafting (CAAD)
Supreme Court Issues Notice on Curative Plea of Red Fort Attack Convict Mohammad Arif Challenging Death Sentence
Delhi Court Issues Notice to Kunal Kamra Over Allegedly Defamatory Remarks Against Shiv Sena and Eknath Shinde
Delhi Court Acquits Arvind Kejriwal in ED Cases Over Non-Appearance on Excise Policy Summons
Indo-French Legal & Business Conference to Be Held in Paris | Register by 25 January
KHCAA Opposes Proposal for Regular Saturday Sittings; Flags Impact on Bar, Work-Life Balance and Institutional Functioning
Madras High Court Declines to Cancel Interim Bail of YouTuber Savukku Shankar; Imposes Additional Restrictive Conditions
Supreme Court Allows Jharkhand Lawyer to Tender Unconditional Apology in Suo Motu Criminal Contempt Case