Unexplained Delay By Public Authority In Deciding Citizen's Application Attracts 'Doctrine Of Malice In Law': Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that where a public authority sits over a citizen's application for an indefinite period without any reasonable or plausible justification, the inaction by itself attracts the doctrine of malice in law and shows arbitrariness. It held that an unjustified delay in permitting a citizen to carry on a lawful trade or business must answer to the “golden...

'Gone Are Days When 'Contempt' Would Send Shivers': Madras High Court Issues Notice To Two IAS Officers Over Non-Compliance Of Orders

The Madras High Court has issued contempt notice to two IAS officers – SP Amrith IAS (former Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services) and Mr Krishna Unni IAS (current Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services) for not complying with an earlier court order regarding the appointment of a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon. Justice GR Swaminathan in his order noted...

Res-Judicata Bars Different Trustees From Relitigating Same Trust Property Dispute: Gujarat High Court

The Gujarat High Court has held that a trust application regarding a dispute over trust property cannot be maintained if the dispute has already been conclusively decided in an earlier proceeding, even if the subsequent suit is brought by a different set of trustees. [2026 LiveLaw (Guj) 213]Justice JC Doshi was hearing an appeal by trustees of Shri Agarwal Samaj Trust, challenging the order...

Trial Court Can Rely On Accused's Plea Of Guilt Recorded At Charge Stage Even After Full Trial: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court has held that an accused's plea of guilt recorded at the stage of framing of charge does not lose its evidentiary value merely because the Trial Court proceeds to record evidence before deciding the case.A Division Bench of Justice Michael Zothankhuma and Justice Rajesh Mazumdar observed, "Section 229 Cr.P.C provides that if the accused pleads guilty during framing...

Delhi High Court Orders Takedown Of Derogatory Content Against Actress Tabu In Suit To Protect Personality Rights

The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered takedown of derogatory and obscene content posted against Bollywood actress Tabassum Jamal Hashmi, famously known as Tabu. [2026 LiveLaw (Del) 737]Justice Jyoti Singh will be passing the interim order in the actress' suit seeking protection of her personality rights.The Court will be ordering removal of various social media posts and links uploaded on...

Does Wife Asking For Separate Residence From Husband's Family Amount To Cruelty? Kerala High Court Answers

The Kerala High Court recently held that a wife demanding separate residence away from husband's family without sufficient reason would amount to cruelty. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 431]The Division Bench of Justice Satish Ninan and Justice P. Krishna Kumar held:“A demand for a separate residence away from the husband's family, without sufficient reason, by itself constitutes an act of...

Srinagar Jail Riot Case: J&K&L High Court Directs Reconsideration Of UAPA Charges, Says Further Probe Can't Reassess Old Material

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has held that while further investigation under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (now Section 193(9) BNSS) is legally permissible, a supplementary charge-sheet introducing graver offences must ordinarily be founded on fresh oral or documentary evidence and not merely on a re-evaluation or reassessment of material already...

Breaking | Bombay High Court Convicts Journalist Tarun Tejpal In 2013 Rape Case, Sets Aside Acquittal

The Bombay High Court Goa Bench on Thursday (August 6) set aside the judgment of a Sessions Court in Mapusa which had acquitted Tehelka Magazine's former editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal in a rape case lodged against him by a junior colleague in November 2013.A division bench of Justice Dr Neela Gokhale and Justice Amit Jamsandekar, allowing the appeal filed by the Goa Government, convicted...

'Silence Of Grave Can't Be Substituted By Signature Of Heirs': MP High Court Refuses To Quash Culpable Homicide Case On Compromise

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has refused to quash an FIR arising out of the death of a bystander who was allegedly hit by a bullet during an unauthorised target shooting practice, holding that a compromise with the deceased's legal heirs cannot be a ground to quash proceedings for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and allied offences, which are crimes against society. [2026 LiveLaw...

Debarment And Blacklisting Are Distinct; Cannot Blacklist Bidder Where NIT Only Provided For Debarment: Patna High Court

The Patna High Court has held that a tendering authority cannot blacklist a bidder where the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) only provides for debarment. It held that blacklisting carries wider civil consequences and cannot be substituted for a contractual debarment merely because a bidder failed to execute the agreement.The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice...

Rajasthan High Court Flags 'Gross Negligence' In Restoring Ramgarh Lake Near Jaipur, Directs Action Against Encroachments

The Rajasthan High Court has observed that there has been "gross negligence" on the part of the administration in restoring Ramgarh Lake, the main water resource for Jaipur and nearby districts, while hearing a batch of public interest litigations concerning the protection of rivers, lakes and water bodies. The bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Bhuwan Goyal...

Contractor Cannot Indirectly Challenge Govt Action Against Another Entity Through Writ Petition: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that a contractor cannot indirectly challenge Government action taken against another entity by filing a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. A bench of Justice Shekhar B Saraf and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary added that where the grievance essentially arises out of contractual rights flowing from Letters of Intent, the appropriate remedy...