Elections | Reservation Of Seats In Constituencies With Comparatively Larger SC/ST Population Is Constitutional: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has upheld the constitutional validity of Section 9(1)(c) of the Delimitation Act, 2002 which provides for locating constituencies reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in those areas where the proportion of their population to the total population is comparatively large. It held that a voter cannot claim that his right to vote is violated merely...

State's Officers Can't Use Administrative Powers To Compel Citizens To Abandon Pending Legal Proceedings: AP High Court

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has strongly deprecated the conduct of a Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) who made the removal of land from the prohibited properties list conditional upon the petitioners withdrawing their pending writ petition, holding that executive authorities cannot use administrative powers to compel citizens to abandon judicial proceedings. [2026 LiveLaw (AP) 116]The Court...

Bombay High Court Refuses Claim Over Tribal Land, Says Notarised 99-Year Lease Agreement Has No Evidentiary Value

The Bombay High Court has exercised its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution to dismiss a revision application pending before the Revenue Minister, observing that such a course was necessary to subserve the ends of justice and curtail further litigation. The Court upheld the order of the Additional Divisional Commissioner refusing to recognise the petitioners' claim over tribal...

Chhattisgarh High Court Rejects Plea Against Recital Of Saraswati Vandana, Gayatri Mantra In Schools; Says They're 'Moral Instruction'

The Chhattisgarh High Court has upheld State's order on recital of the National Anthem, National Song, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra, Shanti Mantra and accounts of the lives of Great Personalities (Mahapurushas) in schools at the beginning day along with Rajya Geet (State Song), Gayatri Mantra and Shanti (Peace) Mantra at the end. [2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 57]The court dismissed...

Large Number Of Affected Investors Doesn't Convert Crypto Dispute Into Public Law Issue: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that the mere fact that a large number of investors are affected does not convert an essentially private dispute involving a cryptocurrency exchange into a public law issue warranting exercise of writ jurisdiction. [2026 LiveLaw (Del) 634]Dismissing an appeal filed by users of cryptocurrency platform BitBNS, the Court refused to direct a CBI or Special...

'Can't Stigmatize Over Medical Condition': Karnataka High Court Permits Priest Having Vitiligo To Perform Rituals At Chamundeshwari Temple

The Karnataka High Court has recently directed the Chamundeshwari Temple authorities to permit a hereditary priest suffering from vitiligo to perform his duties, emphasising that stigmatisation based on a non-contagious medical condition amounts to discrimination and violates Article 14 of the Constitution. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 235]The single judge bench of Justice Suraj Govindaraj...

Right To Travel Abroad Can't Be Denied Merely Because Visit Is Social Or Celebratory In Nature: AP High Court

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has held that an accused facing criminal proceedings cannot be denied permission to travel abroad merely because the purpose of the visit is social or celebratory rather than urgent or fundamental. [2026 LiveLaw (AP) 113]Setting aside the trial court's refusal, the Court held that the right to travel abroad under Article 21 extends to personal and family...

Exemption To Sikhs From Wearing Helmets Is A Reasonable Classification Under Article 14, Not Based On Religion: Bombay High Court

The exemption given to Sikhs from wearing helmets is not based on religion or caste but is a 'reasonable' classification under Article 14 of the Constitution of India and therefore does not violate any fundamental rights, held the Bombay High Court recently. [2026 LiveLaw (Bom) 304]Sitting at the Nagpur bench, the division bench of Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Justice Nivedita Mehta...

Private Media Houses Perform 'Public Function', Amenable To Writ Jurisdiction: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has observed that media organisations, despite being private entities, are amenable to writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India as they perform public functions and discharge duties affecting public rights and interests. [2026 LiveLaw (Del) 602]A division bench comprising Justice C Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla said that it would...

Kerala High Court Rejects Plea Against Withdrawal Of Twin Girls' Admission Benefit In Kendriya Vidyalaya Schools

The Kerala High Court recently dismissed a writ petition that challenged the discontinuation of the benefit of admission granted to single girl child and twin girl children over and above the approved class strength in Kendriya Vidyalaya schools. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 349]Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas rejected the petitioners' argument that the discontinuation of the scheme, that treated...

'Wholly Misconceived': Gujarat High Court Imposes ₹2 Lakh Cost On Litigant Seeking Disclosure Of ASI Survey On Somnath Temple Site

The Gujarat High Court has dismissed a PIL plea seeking disclosure of archaeological survey report, ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey, maps, structural analysis, photographs, videography and all the related documents concerning the Somnath Temple site. [2026 LiveLaw (Guj) 177]In doing so the court imposed cost of Rs. 2 Lakh on the litigant, after noting that as per the contentions in...

No Fundamental Right To Use Particular Road For Religious Rites: Allahabad High Court Rejects Plea For New Muharram Procession Route

The Allahabad High Court has observed that while Article 25 of the Constitution of India guarantees the Fundamental right to freedom of religion, it doesn't entitle a community to use a particular road for the performance of religious rites. [2026 LiveLaw (AB) 333] A bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Arun Kumar added that it is the civil and police administration that is responsible...