Constitutional Law

In a landmark decision, India's Supreme Court has clarified the enforceability of foreign judgments in Indian courts, establishing that a judgment rendered without a full trial on the merits cannot be enforced in India. This ruling significantly impacts cross-border litigation, international commercial disputes, and the principles governing recognition and enforcement of foreign decrees under the Civil Procedure Code (CPC). For litigants involved in international disputes, un

On April 25, 2026, Justice Kirti Singh of the Punjab and Haryana High Court delivered an important judgment clarifying the distinction between workplace misconduct and criminal sexual harassment. The court quashed a first information report (FIR) against a private company director who had used the phrase "f*** off" in a workplace email directed at a complainant. While acknowledging that such language is "uncouth and discourteous," the court held that the remark was devoid of

On April 19, 2026, the Karnataka High Court clarified an important procedural principle: conversion of probate proceedings into a full suit enables the probate applicant to invoke the full evidentiary and procedural apparatus of civil litigation, including cross-examination of witnesses and detailed factual findings. This article explains probate proceedings, the conversion mechanism, and the implications for succession disputes and estate litigation. Probate and Its Limited

In April 2026, the Bombay High Court issued an order directing the Central Government to decide by May 4, 2026, on whether to confer the Padma Vibhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, on the late wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav posthumously. The case presents an interesting intersection of sports law, national honors, and the scope of judicial review of government decisions. This article explains the legal principles governing national honors, the Padma Vibhushan

The Supreme Court of India recently overturned a decision by the Punjab and Haryana High Court that had reduced compensation awards for land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Supreme Court restored the enhanced compensation determined by the Reference Court, reaffirming principles of equitable valuation and the potentiality principle. This article explains the legal framework governing land acquisition compensation, the Supreme Court's reasoning, and the prac

The Supreme Court has dismissed a Rs 2.92 crore insolvency petition against GLS Films, holding that a pre-existing dispute between the parties barred the petition's admission under Section 9 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. The decision clarifies that when operational creditors and debtors have an existing dispute regarding the debt itself, the IBC is not the appropriate forum to resolve that dispute. The creditor must first establish the legitimacy of the debt through

On April 20, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a critical order highlighting severe delays in the National Company Law Tribunal's approval of resolution plans under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan heard a case where NCLT approval of a resolution plan had been pending for nearly two years, an unacceptable timeline that undermines the entire purpose of the IBC. The Court directed the NCLT Principal Bench and the Insolvency and Bankrup

On April 21, 2026, a significant development in prisoners' rights jurisprudence emerged when a bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued directions addressing the critical issue of prisoners with disabilities. The Court directed that issues relating to prisoners with disabilities, including the provision of assistive devices and support mechanisms, be referred to the High Powered Committee constituted in the Suhas Chakma case. This de

The Supreme Court reaffirmed that even in ex parte civil proceedings where defendants are absent and do not defend cases, courts must deliver reasoned judgments complying with Order XX Rule 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC). This judgment protects defendants from unfair ex parte decrees and ensures courts do not issue judgments without considering relevant facts and legal principles. The judgment has set aside multiple ex parte orders issued without proper reasoning, sig

The Supreme Court clarified that statutory maintenance obligations under family law take priority over voluntary loan repayments in cases of financial hardship. If persons earning limited incomes face a choice between paying court-ordered maintenance to spouses or dependent children and repaying voluntary loans, the maintenance obligation must take precedence. Loan repayments resulting in asset creation or acquisition are voluntary in nature, whereas maintenance obligations a

The Supreme Court clarified that mere allegations of illicit relationships or moral wrongdoing are insufficient to establish the crime of abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code. The Court held that abetment requires clear evidence of a positive act of instigation, intentional aid, or deliberate encouragement. Suspicion, moral disapproval, or circumstantial evidence of a problematic relationship alone cannot sustain a criminal charge. This judgment prot

The Supreme Court held that a bank's failure to present a cheque for clearing within its validity period (typically six months) constitutes deficiency in service under consumer protection laws. This judgment protects banking customers and establishes clear bank accountability in the cheque clearing process. If banks delay cheque presentation beyond validity without justification and the cheque is subsequently dishonored due to expiry, banks are liable to compensate customers

The Supreme Court struck down Haryana's 2014 ad hoc employee regularization policy. The Court held that regularizing ad hoc or casual employees without proper advertisement, interviews, or competitive selection violates the constitutional scheme of public employment and equality principles. The judgment has broad implications for government employers relying on ad hoc workforces. It reaffirms that access to public office requires transparent, competitive, merit-based processe

The Chhattisgarh High Court, in a judgment by Justice Bibhu Datta Guru, held that Article 137 of the Limitation Act 1963 does not apply to complaints filed under Section 31(1) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). This ruling has profound implications for homebuyers, developers, and RERA authorities. There is no time limit for filing RERA complaints, unlike civil law complaints. Homebuyers discovering defects years after purchase can still file wit

In April 2026, the Supreme Court recognized highway commuter safety as a component of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. This decision expands Article 21's protective scope beyond unlawful killing to mandate positive state action for safe public spaces. The Court issued nationwide interim directions on accident prevention, placing direct obligations on state governments and highway authorities. This judgment affects administrative law,