The Inimitable Supreme Court Practice

We Advocates on Record seem to be going through an existential crisis these days. We are being subject to lot of criticism and are facing a lot of flak in the courts, among the other advocates, in the social media and among the public. Every day we are faced with questions like 'Why is it that we require an Advocate on Record?' Why can't all Advocates be permitted to file directly in the Supreme Court? Why have another class of Advocates? These are very relevant questions regarding the...

Hidden Cost Of Algorithms: Addressing Supra-Competitive Prices In Non-Collusive Settings

If you've ever tried booking a flight or a cab online, only to make a mistake and go back to the first step to reselect your option, you might notice that the prices suddenly differ from what you started with a few minutes ago. What you've experienced is the effect of an advanced pricing algorithm in action.Flights and cab services like Uber extensively use algorithmic pricing. This allows them to quickly react to the changing dynamics of the market in real-time, based on factors like supply and...

Balancing Reform And Responsibility: Rethinking Land Conversion Policies

The Gujarat Tenancy and Agricultural Land Act, 1948 (hereinafter referred as “the Act”) was enacted with the primary objective of protecting the rights of the tenants by ensuring equitable land distribution in the state. The act regulates the use of agricultural land in Gujarat. Section 63 of the Act bars the transfer of agricultural land to non-agriculturists. However, there is an ongoing discussion regarding the relaxation of agricultural land laws in Gujarat, and whether non-agriculturists...

Grabbing Breasts, Breaking Clothes And Dragging Into A Culvert Is Not Enough For Attempt To Rape?

On 26th March 2025, the Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognizance [Suo Moto Writ Petition Criminal No. 01 of 2025] against a recent insensitive judgment of the High Court of Judicature ('HCt') at Allahabad, which arose after a letter was written by the “We the Women of India”. The bench comprising Justice B.G. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih, while granting a stay on the concerned paragraphs of the judgment, held that “observations are unknown to the cannons of law and depict totally...

A (Cautious) Case For AI In Legal Research

G. K. Chesterton in Miscellany of Men, offers the readers an insight of a modern intellectual (a character in the story) contemptuously speaking of a creature called 'Man' with 'no fur or feather' in the following words,“I doubt if such an animal is worth preserving,” he says. “He must eventually go under in the cosmic struggle when pitted against well-armoured and warmly protected species, who have wings and trunks and spires and scales and horns and shaggy hair. If Man cannot live without...

Legal Battles Faced By Punjab Government Under Former Advocate General Gurminder Singh's Tenure

During the 18-month tenure of former Advocate General Gurminder Singh(who recently resigned as the AG), the Punjab government witnessed several significant developments and challenges in the Courtroom. From the farmers' protest to the accusation of abuse of power by ruling party in Elections, Singh played a pivotal role in the state's legal battles. Here is a look back at the legal developments during the former AG's tenure and the challenges that lie ahead.ElectionsOne of the most challenging...

One Nation One Election

'One Nation, One Election' is much talked about these days and there are efforts to seek to translate the idea into a reality. The idea, and even more the slogan, sounds quite attractive and appealing. It is allright as an ideal and an aspiration to be looked forward to. But it may not stand closer scrutiny both practically and constitutionally.The Constitution of India has adopted a parliamentary system of government. One of the essential tenets of the system is the accountability of the...

Preliminary Enquiry Under Section 173(3) Of The BNSS -- The Supreme Court Solves The Riddle

Section 173(3) is a newly introduced provision in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'the BNSS'). This provision has given statutory recognition to the procedure of conducting preliminary enquiry by a police officer. However, the debate has been going on in the legal circles as to how this provision could be reconciled with the judgment of the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in Lalita Kumari,1 and whether the preliminary enquiry envisaged under the new...

To Register Or Not To Register? - MSMEs And Arbitration Act

On multiple occasions, the Supreme Court, followed by various High Courts, has emphasised upon registration being a prerequisite for availing benefits under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (hereinafter referred to as the 'MSMED Act, 2006') especially dispute resolution before the Facilitation Council. However, recently in NBCC (India) Ltd. -v- State of West Bengal and Ors.[1] (hereinafter referred to as “NBCC India”), the Supreme Court called into question the law...

AI Weds E-commerce

It is expected that AI would eventually replace every mode available in life. Love it or hate it but you cannot ignore AI. E-commerce platforms may use AI software to generate product images, catalogues, logistics, browsing, payments or even to display AI generated models for display of jewellery, apparels etc. and various other imaginable / unimaginable aspects.For a sanguine personality it would be an opportunity to grow and would consider it as a boon, however for another person it might be...

Unmasking Hardship Of Women Undertrials In India

“Women undertrials, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, suffer prolonged detention, not because they are guilty, but because they are poor."-Justice V.R. Krishna IyerThe Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023[1], defines an under-trial prisoner as a person who has been committed to judicial custody pending investigation or trial and has not yet been convicted. According to the Prison Statistics Report, 2022 released by the National Crime Records Bureau[2], the total number...

The Specific Relief Amendment -Katta Sujatha Reddy - Judgment, Review, And Riddle

In November 2024, the Supreme Court delivered its ruling in a review petition challenging its earlier decision in Katta Sujatha Reddy v. Siddamsetty Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd., (2023) 1 SCC 355 (the “2022 Judgment”).I previously published a two-part analysis of the 2022 Judgment, examining the application of the Specific Relief Amendment Act, 2018 ("Amendment"). In particular, I analysed two key questions: (i) whether the Amendment operates prospectively or retrospectively, and (ii) if...