Madhya Pradesh High Court Monthly Digest: March 2026

MP High Court Nullifies Congress MLA Mukesh Malhotra's Election For Non-Disclosure Of Criminal Cases, Declares BJP Candidate As Elected

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has nullified the election of Congress MLA Mukesh Malhotra for non-disclosure of criminal cases, holding that suppression or incomplete disclosure of criminal antecedents amounts to suppression of a material fact and nullifies the election. The Court observed that suppression of material information created an impediment in the free exercise of electoral rights, depriving the voters of making an informed choice and interfering with the free exercise of the right to vote by the electorate.

Case Title: Ramniwas Rawat v. Mukesh Malhotra & Ors. (Election Petition No. 24 of 2024)

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 72

MP High Court Stays Operation Of Its Judgment Setting Aside MLA Mukesh Malhotra's Election For 15 Days To Allow Him To Approach SC

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has recently granted interim relief by staying the operation of its own judgment that had earlier declared the election of Mukesh Malhotra, MLA from Vijaypur Assembly Constituency in Sheopur District, null and void and had declared the election petitioner Ramniwas Rawar as elected Representative.

Case Title: Ramniwas Rawat v Mukesh Mahotra [EP-24-2024]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 73

'Nalayak' Widely Used In Everyday Speech, Not Necessarily Obscene Or Intentional Insult: MP High Court Quashes FIR Against Former Minister

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has quashed an obscenity and intentional insult FIR registered against a former Cabinet Minister, observing that the term "Nalayak" is commonly used in everyday speech and the word by itself does not attract liability under for the offences under the Indian Penal Code.

Case Title: Bansh Mani Verma v State of Madhya Pradesh [MCRC-55648-2024]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 74

Providing Incorrect Information On Nomination Papers Amounts To Corrupt Practice: MP High Court Sets Aside Election Of Panchayat Member

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has set aside the result of the Janpad Sadashya of Ward No.1, observing that furnishing incorrect information on nomination papers by the candidate amounts to a corrupt practice.

Case Title: Rakesh Pandey v Rishiraj Mishra [WP No. 23715 of 2024]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 75

MP High Court Refuses To Quash Defamation Case Against Shahdol Bar Association President Over Allegedly False Complaint

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed the application of an Advocate and President of the District Bar Association of Shahdol, challenging the order affirming the order taking cognisance of defamation charges, noting that the allegations prima facie satisfy the ingredients of the offence.

Case Title: Dinesh Dixit v Rakesh Singh Baghel [MCRC 7000 of 2019]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 76

'Highly Educated Woman In Police Dept Couldn't Have Continued 13-Yr Relationship Without Consent': MP HC Quashes FIR Against Army Officer

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Thursday (March 11), dismissed an FIR against an Army Officer, for engaging in sexual intercourse using deceitful means, observing that the complainant was a highly educated woman working with the Police Department and could not have continued a relationship of 13 years with a married man without consent.

Case Title: X v State of Madhya Pradesh [MCRC-35779-2025]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 77

Filing Of Chargesheet In Criminal Case Doesn't Automatically Warrant Discharge From Service: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has set aside the discharge orders of a Home Guard Sainik, while holding that mere filing of a chargesheet in a criminal case does not automatically warrant discharge from service.

Case Title: Hemant Yogi V State of Madhya Pradesh [WP-4682-2026]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 78

Bringing Miscarried Fetus To Court To Evoke Sympathy 'Highly Improper': MP High Court Warns Litigant

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Thursday (March 11), dismissed the petition of a man who placed a fetus in front of the court dias to evoke sympathy of the court, observing that such conduct was objectionable, improper and lowers the dignity and decorum of the court.

Case Title: Dayashankar Pandey v His Excellency, the President of India [WP-6020-2026]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 79

MP High Court Orders Civil Imprisonment Over Sale Of Disputed Land Despite Stay, Flags Advocate's Dual Role As Counsel & Co-Sharer

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken strict action in a case involving the deliberate violation of a temporary injunction, ordering the attachment of the disputed property and civil imprisonment for several respondents, including two advocates.

Case Title: Ram Swaroop v Harimohan Singh [MCC-2141-2025]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 80

Assurance Of Jobs For Money Amounts To Cheating, Not Criminal Breach Of Trust: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Wednesday (March 18), upheld a conviction of cheating (Section 420 of IPC) against a man who impersonated as the former Collector of Neemuch and fraudulently convinced job aspirants to pay him ₹2 lakh each with false assurances of securing public employment, observing that his conduct amounted to cheating and not criminal breach of trust.

Case Title: Rameshchandra v State of Madhya Pradesh [CRR 4644 of 2025]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 81

Compliance With S.41A CrPC Notice Ordinarily Bars Arrest: MP High Court Grants Anticipatory Bail In Police Constable Recruitment Scam

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted anticipatory bail to a man accused of acting as a middleman between Police Constable Recruitment candidates and impersonators to facilitate the illegal selection, observing that compliance with the notice under Section 41A CrPC generally operates as a bar to arrest.

Case Title: Ashok Gurjar v State of Madhya Pradesh, MCRC-9910-2026

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 82

'Unfortunate': MP High Court Laments IAS Officer Blindly Passing Order In Illegal Mining Case Without Verifying Facts, Imposes Costs

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has quashed a penalty order passed by the Chhindwara Collector, holding that the authority acted mechanically by blindly accepting the Mining Officer's report without verifying the underlying facts, thereby wrongly fastening the liability on an unrelated person.

Case Title: Sarang Raghuwanshi v State of Madhya Pradesh, WP-11018-2025

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 83

Exclusion In Section 2(2) HMA Not A License For Tribals To Practice Or Justify Polygamy Without Proven Tradition: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has clarified that the statotory exclusions provided to Scheduled Tribes under Section 2(2) of the Hindu Marraige Act, 1955 cannot be used to justify polygamy in the absence of proven customary practices.

Case Title: Munna Bai v Phootmat Pav [CR-257-2026]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 84

Quashing Of Subsequent FIR Doesn't Extinguish PMLA Proceedings If Earlier FIR Subsists: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, while quashing a petition filed by a milk manufacturer and exporter, has held that proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act can continue even if a subsequent FIR is quashed, provided an earlier FIR forming the basis of the alleged offence is subsisting.

Case Title: M/s Jayshri Gaytri Food Products v Directorate of Enforcement [WP-9694-2025]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 85

Liquor Business Is Not A Fundamental Right: MP High Court Upholds License Suspension Of Distilleries

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has upheld the suspension of multiple licenses held by Som Distilleries, observing that the liquor trade is not a fundamental right and is subject to strict statutory regulations.

Case Title: Som Distilleries v State of Madhya Pradesh [WP-4915-2026]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 86

'Listed 22 Times, Yet No Compliance': MP High Court Orders Imprisonment Of Govt Officials For Contempt In Service Matter

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sentenced the Medical and Health Department officials for failing to comply with its orders, observing that the matter had been listed as many as 22 times without compliance with the previous court order.

Case Title: Ashok Kumar Padeyar v Shri Mohammad Suleman [CONC-1582-2024]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 87

MP High Court Sets Aside Rejection Of SSC Candidate Over Domicile Mismatch, Says Technical Error Can't Be Treated As Suppression

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Wednesday (March 25), set aside the rejection of the Staff Selection Commission aspirant, holding that stringent clauses in the advertisement cannot be applied mechanically to penalise a bona fide candidate who possessed a valid domicile certificate but was merely a victim of a data entry error at a cyber kiosk.

Case Title: Rohit Gami v Union [W.P. No. 19419/2020]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 88

'Consent Immaterial In Legal Marriage': MP High Court Quashes S.377 IPC Charge Against Husband

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has partly allowed a husband's petition seeking quashment of the FIR filed for sexual abuse and dowry harassment, observing that in light of exceptions provided under rape provisions, any sexual intercourse or sexual acts committed by a husband upon his adult wife do not constitute rape and therefore the aspect of consent within a marriage is legally immaterial.

Case Title: X v State of Madhya Pradesh [MCRC-23881-2024]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 89

MP High Court Stays Teacher's Suspension Allegedly Over LPG Crisis Video, Says Order Passed Without Application Of Mind

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has stayed the suspension of a Government Primary School Teacher allegedly for posting a Facebook video discussing the LPG gas shortage and has asked the District Education Officer (DEO/respondent no 3) to consider the issue afresh, noting that the order was passed in haste and allegedly under the dictates of an MLA from the constituency.

Case Title: Saket Kumar Purohit v State of Madhya Pradesh [WP-10356-2026]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 90

University Lecturer Not A 'Public Office', Writ Of Quo Warranto Not Maintainable: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a plea seeking a writ of quo wattanto against the appointment of a University lecturer, holding that teachers, professors and readers do not hold a public office and therefore such a relief was not maintainable.

Case Title: Dr Kshamasheel Mishra v State of Madhya Pradesh [W.P. No. 5927/2024]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 91

Section 166 MV Act | Not Impleading Offending Vehicle's Driver Renders Claim Defective And Non Maintainable: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has held that non-impleadment of the offending vehicle's driver renders a motor accident claim petition defective and non-maintainable.

Case Title: State of MP v Smt Premwati Jatav [MA-265-2006]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 92

Ex-Gratia Payments Last Hope Of Dependents; Rules Must Be Considered Liberally: MP High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Central Madhya Pradesh Gramin Bank to pay the wife of the deceased employee ₹ 7 Lakh, observing that such payments represent the dependent's last hope and therefore must be considered with liberal, rather than strict, interpretation of the rules.

Case Title: Rekha Jain v Central Madhya Pradesh Gramin Bank [WP. No. 3058 of 2014]

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 93