Constitutional Law

On July 8, 2026, the Chhattisgarh High Court delivered a significant ruling on the intersection of religion, morality, and public education. Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad dismissed a petition challenging a state government circular that required government-funded schools to incorporate prayers, including the Gayatri Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, and several other recitations, into their daily routines. The petitioners argued that these prayers amounted to religious instructio

In a significant ruling delivered on July 13, 2026, the Supreme Court of India set aside multiple judgments of the Gauhati High Court and orders of the Foreigners Tribunals that had declared 27 individuals as foreigners. The bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, in Sabitri Dey @ Swasthi Dey v. Union of India, held that the determination of citizenship carries profound constitutional significance and cannot be taken away except through a fair, just, a

The Madras High Court recently addressed a question that has long divided parents and private school administrators: can private unaided schools be subjected to Right to Information (RTI) requests? In a ruling cited as 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 305, Justice M Dhandapani held that private schools do not qualify as "public authorities" under the RTI Act 2005. However, the Court reinforced that these institutions must display their fee structures prominently at their entrance and on no

The Allahabad High Court, in a judgment delivered in July 2026, dismissed a writ petition challenging the constitutional validity of Section 9(1)(c) of the Delimitation Act, 2002, and held that a voter cannot claim the right to vote for a general category candidate by seeking de-reservation of their constituency. Background The petition was filed by a voter from the Kadipur Assembly Constituency in Uttar Pradesh, which has been reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates for

The Bombay High Court on July 2, 2026, quashed two externment orders issued against Saeed Ahmad Abdul Wahid Chaudhary, the general secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), holding that the right to protest is a fundamental right protected under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution. Justice Madhav Jamdar ruled that organising lawful marches, dharnas, and demonstrations against government decisions cannot be grounds for externment under the Maharashtra Police

In Chandrikaben Kishor Dafda v. State of Gujarat, reported as 2026 INSC 665, the Supreme Court held that candidates standing for municipal elections must disclose the self-acquired and self-owned properties of their spouse and dependants in the nomination affidavit. The bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh upheld the disqualification of a candidate who had omitted four agricultural land survey numbers held in her husband's name. Background of

SC: CAPF Personnel Can Invoke Delhi HC Writ Jurisdiction for Service Disputes In a significant ruling on the territorial reach of writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court held on 9 June 2026 that Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel can approach the Delhi High Court for service-related disputes, even when the cause of action arose entirely outside Delhi. The bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma allowed an appeal f

Supreme Court Rules Article 161 Remission Policy Overrides Statutory CrPC Framework On July 1, 2026, the Supreme Court of India delivered a significant ruling in Parveen Kumar @ Parveen Chauhan v. State of Haryana (2026 INSC 667), holding that a remission policy framed by a state government under Article 161 of the Constitution cannot be overridden by a subsequent statutory remission policy issued under the Code of Criminal Procedure. The judgment, delivered by a bench of Jus

The exemption that allows turban-wearing Sikhs to ride two-wheelers without a helmet is a reasonable classification under Article 14 of the Constitution and does not amount to religious discrimination. The Bombay High Court reached this conclusion in early July 2026, dismissing a petition that challenged the exemption as a violation of the right to equality. The decision explains how the constitutional guarantee of equality permits reasonable distinctions between groups, and

A remission policy framed in exercise of the Governor's constitutional power under Article 161 prevails over a later statutory remission policy issued under the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Supreme Court laid down this principle on 1 July 2026 in Parveen Kumar v. State of Haryana (2026 INSC 667), while allowing the appeal of a life convict whose premature release had been decided under a less favourable policy. The judgment clarifies the relationship between constitutional

Constitutional Remission Powers Prevail Over Statutory Framework In a significant judgment delivered on July 1, 2026, the Supreme Court of India settled a long-standing question about the interplay between constitutional and statutory remission policies. A bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh held that a remission policy framed under Article 161 of the Constitution cannot be overridden by a subsequent statutory remission policy issued

The Supreme Court of India, in Rashmirekha Tripathy v Branch Manager, Sriram General Insurance (2026 INSC 661), has laid down detailed guidelines for how courts should assess the income of victims in motor accident compensation cases. The decision addresses a longstanding inconsistency in how Motor Accident Claims Tribunals (MACTs) and High Courts have approached income determination, particularly when Income Tax Returns (ITRs) are the primary evidence available. The ruling e

The Delhi High Court has held that a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution can be filed against private media organisations, because the media performs a public function and discharges duties that affect public rights and interests. The ruling came on July 1, 2026 from a division bench of Justice C Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla, which upheld an order directing TV Today Network to pay Rs 5 lakh in compensation for violating the privacy of a child sur

On June 29, 2026, the West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill 2026 by a vote of 176 to 41. The legislation grants the state government sweeping preventive detention powers, permits confiscation of property linked to anti-social activities, and converts a wide range of offences into cognizable and non-bailable categories. Supporters call it a necessary tool against organised crime. Critics argue it revive

The Allahabad High Court on June 24, 2026 ruled that while Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees the right to practise religion, it does not confer a fundamental right to use a particular road for religious processions. The Division Bench of Justice J.J. Munir and Justice Arun Kumar dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by residents of Hazratnagar Garhi in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, who sought permission to take out a Muharram Tazia procession alo

Why the Supreme Court's Footpath Ruling Matters In a landmark decision that will reshape urban governance across India, the Supreme Court has ruled that every citizen holds a fundamental right to walk on safe, demarcated footpaths. The Court declared that pedestrian safety is an integral component of the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. This ruling places a positive obligation on municipal authorities to maintain walkable, en

Background: Why Gulf CBSE Exams Were Cancelled The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) cancelled Class XII board examinations across seven Gulf countries in early 2026 following the outbreak of hostilities in the region. While regular students affiliated with schools received assessment under an internal evaluation scheme, private candidates who had no school affiliation were left without results. Their mark sheets displayed "Result Later" (R.L.), effectively stalling

On June 24, 2026, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea that challenged the fee structure of private medical colleges in Rajasthan, ruling that Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) reservation operates only at the point of admission and does not create any right to concessional fees in private institutions. The Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi upheld the Rajasthan High Court's ruling that the fee structure fixed by the State Fee Regulatory Committee was

On June 23, 2026, Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant and the Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Moscow, marking a significant step in bilateral judicial cooperation. The agreement covers the use of artificial intelligence in court procedures, exchange of judicial training programmes, and joint seminars on legal reform. The signing took place during a high-level visit by CJI Surya Kant, accompanied by a

On June 25, 2026, the Telangana High Court raised serious questions about the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to print voter enumeration forms exclusively in Telugu for areas outside the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 exercise. Justice Pulla Karthik, hearing a petition filed by MA Mujeeb from Karimnagar district, directed the ECI's counsel to seek instructions and posted the matter for further hear