Acquittal Under Essential Commodities Act Doesn't Automatically Entitle Trader To Interest Or Higher Compensation: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has recently held that an acquittal in a criminal trial under Section 3(1) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1995 does not by itself entitle a trader to compensation with interest under Section 6C(2), unless the statutory preconditions under that provision are strictly satisfied.For context, Section 3 deals with the power of the Central Government to control...

Delhi High Court Relaxes Deadline For Constituting School-Level Fee Regulation Committees Till Feb 20

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed that schools in the national capital which have not yet constituted the School-Level Fee Regulation Committee (SLFRC) shall not be compelled to do so until February 20, while it considers challenges to the Delhi School Education (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2026. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas...

Mere Apprehension Of Adverse Order Not Ground To Transfer Suit U/S 24 CPC: Telangana High Court

The Telangana High Court has rejected a transfer petition seeking transfer of a civil suit from the Court of the Additional Senior Civil Judge, Medchal, reiterating that mere apprehension of an adverse order is not a ground for transfer under Section 24 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. Rejecting allegations of influence, the Court observed that it is “almost impossible” for...

Calcutta High Court Upholds Group-D Status For Polytechnic Hostel Workers, Refuses State's Challenge Against Regularisation Benefits

The Calcutta High Court has dismissed a batch of appeals filed by the State of West Bengal and the Director of Technical Education and Training challenging orders that granted permanent government employee status and full Group-D service benefits to hostel/mess employees working in Government and Sponsored Polytechnics.A Division Bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha...

S.23 Senior Citizens Act | Express Recital In Gift Deed For Maintenance By Transferee Not Mandatory: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that a gift deed through which a senior citizen transfers his property to the transferee need not contain an "express recital" of maintenance of the senior citizen, to claim that such transfer is void under Section 23 Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act.In doing so the court held that maintenance of senior citizen under Section 23...

Land Acquisition For Industrial Park Is 'Public Purpose', Not For Private Company; Subsequent Lease To Industry Valid: Calcutta High Court

Emphasising that land acquired for “employment generation and socio-economic development” cannot be invalidated merely because the implementing agency changes, the Calcutta High Court has held that acquisition for setting up an industrial park constitutes a clear “public purpose” under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and cannot be attacked as acquisition for a private company...

Mere Claim Of Short, Discontinuous Cohabitation Not Enough To Seek DNA Test Of Child: Karnataka High Court Rejects Husband's Plea

The Karnataka High Court rejected a man's plea seeking DNA test of the child born to his wife suspecting the child's paternity on the ground that they did not cohabit for a long time. In doing so the court said that DNA test on paternity of a child can't be ordered as a matter of course, finding that the petitioner did not dispute that he had cohabited with the wife and also not disputed...

Sambhal Violence | Allahabad High Court Stays CJM Order For FIR against Cops; Grants Complainant 2 Weeks To File Counter

The Allahabad High Court today stayed the operation of an order passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Sambhal, directing the registration of an FIR against Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anuj Chaudhary and other police officials in connection with the Sambhal violence of November 2024.A bench of Justice Samit Gopal passed this order on a petition moved by former Sambhal...

'After 20 Yrs, Sending Accused To Jail Serves No Purpose': Calcutta High Court Grants Probation In Assault Case

The Calcutta High Court has upheld the conviction of a man for voluntarily causing hurt in a 2005 assault case but extended the benefit of probation in view of the passage of time, observing that after two decades and absence of criminal antecedents, sending the accused to jail would serve little purpose. The Court modified the sentence and directed payment of bonds and compensation instead...

'Barbaric, Must Be Curbed With Iron Hands': Karnataka High Court Upholds Death Penalty Of 3 For Gang Rape, Murder Of Minor Girl

The Karnataka High Court upheld a 2024 trial court order imposing death penalty on three men convicted for gang rape and murder of a minor girl, observing that the offence was barbaric and such acts must be curbed with iron hands. A division bench of Justice HP Sandesh and Justice Venkatesh Naik T in its 176 page order observed:"Having considered all these factors into...

'Attestation Of Vakalatnama Is Mandatory Safeguard Against Impersonation, Unauthorised Litigation': Andhra Pradesh High Court

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has observed that attestation of vakalatnana is not a mere formality, but a mandatory safeguard to ensure genuineness of authorisation and to prevent impersonation or unauthorised institution of proceedings.For reference, a vakalat is a written authority executed by a litigant authorising an advocate to appear and conduct proceedings before a Court. Justice...

Partition Decree Becomes Executable Only After Stamp Duty Is Paid; Decree Holder Can Recover Amount From Co-Sharers: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has held that a final decree in a partition suit cannot be fully executed unless it is duly engrossed on stamped paper upon payment of the requisite stamp duty, observing that compliance with the Stamp Act is a condition precedent for execution. At the same time, the Court clarified that to avoid delay in enforcement, the decree holder may deposit the entire stamp duty...