Supreme Court Brings Back Bribery Cases Against Police Officers, Ruling That High Courts Must Not Weigh Evidence Too Early
The Supreme Court set aside the Karnataka High Court's quashing of FIRs under the Prevention of Corruption Act, holding that delay and lack of direct recovery are trial issues, not…
Supreme Court Clarifies That Adultery Can Bar Interim Maintenance Only If Proved with evidence
Supreme Court holds that a Section 125(4) CrPC application alleging adultery must be decided on merits at the interim stage and cannot be deferred to final disposal; interim maintenance continues…
Supreme Court Restores Refund Decree, Denies Specific Performance on Equity Grounds
The Supreme Court denied specific performance of a property sale agreement, ruling that the buyers failed to prove readiness and willingness, lacked clean hands, and the two-decade delay caused hardship.…
Supreme Court Holds a 19-Year Wait Would Leave a Stray-Cattle Victim’s Widow Remediless
Supreme Court held that after nearly two decades, directing a widow to sue in civil court would render her remediless; since the facts were undisputed, it decided her compensation claim…
Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd. v. S.P. Singh: Supreme Court Rules Statutory Land-Acquisition Benefits Attract Ad Valorem Court Fee
An appeal challenging only statutory benefits in a land acquisition case must carry ad valorem court fee, the Supreme Court ruled, as solatium, interest and additional amount are integral parts…
Supreme Court Rules That a Failed Joint Development Agreement Is Not Cheating or Criminal Breach of Trust
The Supreme Court quashed criminal proceedings against landowners in a joint development dispute, ruling that the allegations disclosed only a civil breach of contract and that cheating and criminal breach…
Director of Income Tax v. Star Cruises: On-Board Hospitality Does Not Take a Cruise Outside India’s Presumptive Shipping Tax Regime
The Supreme Court affirmed that round-trip cruise services with ancillary on-board hospitality constitute 'carriage' of passengers under Section 44B of the Income Tax Act, 1961, upholding concurrent findings for the…
Supreme Court Restores 13-Year-Old Bank Promotion and Clarifies How Delegated Rules Can Be Amended
The Supreme Court restored a cooperative bank employee's promotion, ruling that the Registrar had power to amend service rules and the rule-laying requirement was directory. It ordered reinstatement with protected…
Supreme Court Rules Insurer Not Liable Where Driving Licence Validity Is Not Proved: *Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd. v. Om Parkash & Ors.*
The Supreme Court set aside a High Court judgment that had made an insurer liable for a motor accident award, ruling that the driver lacked a valid licence; liability for…
Property Bought in Wives’ Names Belongs to Them, Not the Husband: Supreme Court Clarifies Christian Intestate Succession in *Shakuntala v. Robert Anthony*
The Supreme Court held that property purchased in the names of a Christian man's two wives belonged to them, not his estate under Section 33 of the Indian Succession Act.…