Sansa Law Desk

The distinction between a lease and a licence is one of the most practically important concepts in Indian property law, and one of the most frequently litigated. Whether an arrangement is a lease or a licence determines the rights of the occupier, the protections available, and the ease with which the grantor can recover the property. The label that parties put on a document is not decisive; courts look at the substance of the arrangement. This guide explains the statutory de

One of the most common and costly misunderstandings in Indian property transactions is the difference between an agreement to sell and a sale deed. People often assume that signing an agreement to sell, or paying part of the price, makes them the owner of the property. In law, it does not. Ownership of immovable property passes only through a properly executed and registered sale deed. This guide explains the difference between the two documents, the governing law, the regist

Restitution of conjugal rights is one of the older and more debated matrimonial remedies in Indian law. It allows a spouse who has been deserted, without reasonable excuse, to ask a court to direct the other spouse to return and resume cohabitation. The remedy is available under several personal laws and is most commonly invoked under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. This guide explains what the remedy means, the statutory provisions that govern it, how the process

Live-in relationships in India occupy a space that is socially debated but legally recognised. The law does not prohibit two consenting adults from living together without marriage, and the higher judiciary has repeatedly confirmed that such relationships are not illegal. At the same time, a live-in relationship does not carry the full bundle of rights that flow from a valid marriage. This guide explains the legal status of live-in relationships, when they attract legal prote

The Supreme Court has held that a consensual pre-marital relationship between two unmarried adults cannot, by itself, be treated as a reflection of poor moral character, and has restored the police constable selection of a candidate whose appointment was cancelled on that basis. In Gajula Thirupathi v. The Telangana State Level Police Recruitment Board (2026 INSC 493), the Court set aside a Division Bench judgment of the Telangana High Court and reinstated the order of the Si

The Kerala High Court has held that removing a child in violation of a subsisting Family Court decree granting custody is unlawful, and has restored the child to the mother in whose favour the decree stood. The Court also directed that Family Courts in the State follow established child custody and access guidelines until a committee set up for the purpose makes its recommendations. The decision is a clear reaffirmation that custody orders are binding and that the welfare of

The Supreme Court has set aside a direction to demolish a fully operational shopping and hotel complex in Navi Mumbai, holding that ordering destruction after seventeen years of commercial use would be disproportionate and contrary to the public interest. In K. Raheja Corp. Private Limited v. State of Maharashtra (2026 INSC 551), the Court ruled that where the wrong arising from an irregular land allotment is financial rather than physical, the appropriate remedy is monetary

The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez in a terror funding case investigated by the National Investigation Agency under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, after he spent more than four years in custody. The order, pronounced in June 2026 by a Division Bench reported to comprise Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Ravinder Dudeja, rests on a principle that has become central to bail jurisprudence under special statutes: the c

The Karnataka High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation that challenged the constitutional validity of the new Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, holding that the petition rested on a basic misreading of Article 164(1A) of the Constitution. A Bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha described the plea as a publicity stunt and an unjustifiable use of judicial time, and imposed costs of Rs 50,000 on the petitioner. T

A GST refund lets a registered taxpayer recover tax that has been paid in excess or that the law allows to be returned, and claiming it correctly can free up significant working capital. The right to a refund and the procedure for claiming it are set out mainly in Section 54 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, and the claim is filed electronically in Form RFD-01. This guide explains who can claim a GST refund, the time limit, the step-by-step process and the time

An income certificate is an official document, issued by the state revenue authorities, that certifies the annual income of a person or family from all sources. It is one of the most frequently requested documents in India because it is needed for scholarships, fee concessions, reservation benefits and economically weaker section claims. This guide explains how to get an income certificate, the documents required, where to apply online and offline, and how long it stays valid

Anyone planning to import goods into India or export goods and services from India usually needs an Import Export Code, commonly called an IEC. It is a ten-digit identification number issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, and it is a basic prerequisite for cross-border trade. The application is entirely online, and this guide explains how to apply, what documents you need, the fee, and the one

To register a sole proprietorship in India, it helps to understand one key point at the outset: there is no single incorporation step the way there is for a company or a limited liability partnership. A sole proprietorship is the simplest business form, owned and run by one individual, and it gains legal recognition through a combination of registrations such as GST, Udyam (MSME) and a Shop and Establishment licence. If you later expand, you can move to a more formal structur

If a person dies without a will in India, the law decides who inherits their property, and the outcome can be very different from what the deceased may have intended. Dying without a valid will is known as dying intestate, and intestate succession is governed by separate personal laws depending on the religion of the deceased. Understanding these rules helps families avoid disputes, and it is also the strongest argument for making a valid will in India while you still can. Wh

Businesses that rely on advance rulings to plan their GST positions now have greater clarity on where to go when state authorities disagree with one another. A Finance Ministry notification dated 7 May 2026 empowers the Principal Bench of the GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) in New Delhi to hear appeals against orders of the National Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling (NAAAR) under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The change builds on the wider rollout of the t