Constitutional Law

In March 2026, the Supreme Court clarified that consumer forums lack jurisdiction to adjudicate disputes involving allegations of fraud, forgery, or unauthorized pledges of customer assets by bank officials. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 establishes a three-tiered forum structure: District Consumer Commissions, State Consumer Commissions, and the National Consumer Commission, each with jurisdiction to address deficiency in service and unfair trade practices. However, the S

In March 2026, Justice B.V. Nagarathna delivered a landmark Supreme Court judgment permitting a woman to terminate her pregnancy at 30 weeks, prioritizing reproductive autonomy over traditional fetal viability thresholds. The ruling fundamentally expands the scope of abortion rights under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 (MTP Act), as amended in 2021. This decision builds on the 2022 nine-judge bench precedent in X v Union of India, which first recognized unmarri

India generates approximately 377 million tonnes of municipal waste annually, yet only 30-40% receives scientific processing. In March 2026, the Supreme Court issued comprehensive directions to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to enforce the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 with accountability and measurable timelines. The ruling marks a significant escalation in judicial oversight of environmen

The Supreme Court of India has scheduled the commencement of hearings before a nine-judge Constitution Bench on April 7, 2026, with a timetable that targets conclusion by April 22, 2026. The Bench will address the constitutional questions that emerged from the review petitions filed after the Supreme Court's landmark 2018 judgment in Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala, which permitted women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple. The 2026 hearings involve

In Mohammad Kaleem v. State of Uttar Pradesh, decided in March 2026 and reported as 2026 INSC 251, the Supreme Court of India clarified the legal standard applicable when a trial court is asked to summon additional accused during the course of a criminal trial under Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The judgment confirms that the correct standard is one of strong and cogent evidence, which sits above a prima facie case but well below proof beyond reasonable

In Charul Shukla v. State of U.P., decided on March 25, 2026 and reported as 2026 INSC 297, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan quashed an FIR, chargesheet, and criminal case filed against a woman's sister-in-law and parents-in-law under Sections 498A and related provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Dowry Prohibition Act. The judgment reinforces significant and developing limits on the use of criminal proceedings

A signed, formal contract is not always necessary for an arbitration agreement to be valid in India. In Exelixi Management Co. (P) Ltd. v. Nishi Retails (P) Ltd., decided on 23 February 2026 and reported as 2026 SCC OnLine Bom 1753, the Bombay High Court held that an exchange of correspondence between parties can constitute a valid arbitration agreement under Section 7 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, even where no formally executed contract bearing both parties

Can a financial creditor initiate Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) proceedings simultaneously against both a principal borrower and its corporate guarantor for the same underlying debt? This question, which had divided NCLTs and NCALTs across India, was settled by the Supreme Court in ICICI Bank Limited v. Era Infrastructure (India) Limited, decided on 26 February 2026 and reported as 2026 INSC 201. The Court, speaking through Justice Dipankar Datta, held that s

A straightforward question has generated considerable litigation in Indian arbitration: when exactly does an arbitration proceeding commence? The answer matters for calculating limitation periods, determining which version of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 applies to a dispute, and assessing whether procedural steps were taken in time. In Regenta Hotels v. Hotel Grand Centre Point, decided in early 2026, the Supreme Court of India settled the issue with clarity, h

The Supreme Court resolved a significant conflict between two major enforcement statutes in February 2026. In S. Rajendran v. The Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax (Benami Prohibition), reported as 2026 INSC 187 and decided on 24 February 2026, the Court held that an attachment order passed under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 cannot be challenged before the National Company Law Tribunal or the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal under the Insol

India's Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognizance of a growing problem in the country's judicial system: the citation of fictitious case laws generated by artificial intelligence tools. On 27 February 2026, a bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe issued notices to the Attorney General, the Solicitor General of India, and the Bar Council of India, following the discovery that a trial court in Andhra Pradesh had based a judicial order on four fabricated judg

Over one lakh crore rupees is estimated to lie unclaimed in Indian bank accounts, insurance policies, and post office funds, most of it belonging to deceased account holders whose legal heirs are unaware of these assets. This systemic failure in India's financial system has prompted the Supreme Court of India to intervene, directing the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India to formulate a comprehensive policy to ensure that families of deceased depositors can be informed about

A post-dated cheque bounces. The creditor files a criminal case. The drawer faces charges of cheating under the Indian Penal Code. This scenario has played out thousands of times in Indian courtrooms, often creating severe consequences for individuals engaged in legitimate business disputes. However, a landmark March 2026 Supreme Court ruling has fundamentally redrawn the line between civil disputes and criminal liability. The Court held that dishonour of a post-dated cheque,

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is one of India's most stringent criminal statutes. Unlike ordinary criminal cases where bail is more readily granted, PMLA cases have historically involved prolonged undertrial detention. However, a landmark 2026 Supreme Court ruling has clarified that the right to speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution cannot be overridden by the severity of the offence or the nature of the statute. This article explains the constitut

In a landmark judgment reported as Pannalal Bhansali v. Bharti Telecom (2026 INSC 213), the Supreme Court of India has definitively settled a contentious issue regarding the composition of benches at the National Company Law Tribunal and the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. The Court held that technical members of these tribunals perform adjudicatory functions equivalent to judicial members and that NCLT and NCLAT benches do not require a majority of judicial members.