Sansa Law Desk

When a government employee dies while in service, the family is often left in sudden financial distress. To address this, the central and state governments operate a Compassionate Appointment Scheme that allows one dependent family member to be appointed to a government post on priority, bypassing the regular recruitment process. However, this is not an automatic right. The appointment is granted only after a rigorous assessment of the family's financial condition confirms ge

Motor vehicle accident claims in India can take years to resolve through regular courts and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT). Lok Adalats offer a significantly faster alternative, allowing accident victims and their families to settle compensation claims in a single sitting, without paying any court fees, and with results that are final and binding. Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, Lok Adalats are organized at the district, state, and national levels s

When an employee who is a member of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) passes away during service, the accumulated provident fund balance does not lapse. The nominee, family member, or legal heir has the right to claim the deceased member’s PF accumulations, pension benefits under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), and insurance payout under the Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) scheme. This guide explains who can file the claim, what forms are neede

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is one of the most significant housing welfare programmes in India, designed to provide affordable housing to economically weaker sections of society. Launched in 2015, the scheme has been extended as PMAY Urban 2.0 for the period 2024 to 2029, with a target of constructing one crore additional houses. Under PMAY Urban 2.0, eligible beneficiaries can receive financial assistance of up to Rs 2.5 lakh for constructing a pucca house or an in

The Supreme Court of India on August 5, 2026, heard arguments from a petitioner who urged the Court not to permit the Union Government and State Governments to withdraw criminal cases registered against student protesters involved in recent agitations over examination paper leaks. The case, Maneesh Kumar Solanki v Union of India, W.P.(C) No. 958/2026, was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana. Advocate Rizwan Ahmed

The Supreme Court of India, on August 5, 2026, clarified that its July 24 interim order restricting the unauthorized sharing of livestreamed court proceedings on social media does not prevent news organisations from reporting judicial proceedings. The clarification came in the suo motu case In re: Live Streaming of Court Proceedings, where the Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana addressed the confusion that had ari

The Supreme Court of India, during the hearing of Sunil Prabhu v Eknath Shinde, SLP(C) No. 1644-1662/2024 and connected petitions on August 5, 2026, made significant oral observations on defection disputes. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana indicated that under existing law, a political party retains subsisting control over its legislature party, and any decision of the political party, validly demonstrated, must prevai

In a landmark ruling delivered on August 5, 2026, the Supreme Court of India held that state governments cannot oppose the proposal to raise the retirement age of judicial officers from 60 to 62 years solely on the grounds of increased financial burden. The decision, rendered in the long-pending All India Judges Association case, carries significant implications for the district judiciary across India. The case addresses a question unresolved for years: whether the retirement

The Supreme Court of India, in a significant judgment delivered on August 4, 2026, acquitted Arjun Jani, a man who had spent 22 years in prison after being convicted for the murder of three women. The two-judge bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K Vinod Chandran set aside the conviction, finding that the prosecution's case rested on shaky and unreliable evidence. The Court described the ordeal as a collective failure of the criminal justice system, where the trial cour

Introduction The Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) is a compulsory savings scheme for salaried employees in India, governed by the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. Under this scheme, both the employee and the employer contribute 12% of the employee's basic salary and dearness allowance to the EPF account each month. When an employee retires, resigns, or faces a financial emergency, they can withdraw their accumulated EPF balance. The Employees'

Introduction The Shops and Establishments Act is a state-level legislation in India that regulates the conditions of work and employment in shops, commercial establishments, restaurants, theatres, and other places of business. Every state and union territory has enacted its own version of this Act, and registration under it is mandatory for virtually all commercial establishments. This registration, commonly known as the 'Gumasta License' in Maharashtra, serves as the foundat

Introduction Changing your name in India is a legal process that involves three main steps: executing a notarized affidavit, publishing the name change in newspapers, and obtaining publication in the Official Gazette of India. A Gazette notification serves as official, legally recognized proof of your name change. Whether you wish to change your name after marriage, for personal or religious reasons, to correct a spelling error, or for any other legitimate purpose, a Gazette

In a deeply distressing case that raises urgent questions about India's obligations toward its citizens abroad, Anshu Kumar, the wife of Captain Ashish Kumar, has filed a habeas corpus writ petition before the Supreme Court of India under Article 32 of the Constitution. The petition, titled Anshu Kumar v Union of India, was filed on August 4, 2026, seeking directions to the Union Government to trace, locate, and produce Captain Ashish Kumar, who has been missing since an atta

In a landmark judgment delivered on August 3, 2026, the Supreme Court of India significantly enhanced the motor accident compensation awarded to Shreejita Pattnaik, a minor who was left paralyzed after a devastating road accident in Odisha. The bench comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice NV Anjaria raised the total compensation from Rs 45.40 lakh, as determined by the Orissa High Court, to Rs 83.38 lakh. The Court held that when a minor child suffers severe permanent ph

Introduction When a person dies without leaving a valid will (intestate), their legal heirs often face difficulties in claiming the deceased's financial assets such as bank deposits, shares, mutual funds, fixed deposits, and other securities. A Succession Certificate, issued under the Indian Succession Act, 1925, is a legal document that authorizes the holder to collect debts due to the deceased and to receive or transfer securities belonging to the deceased. This certificate