High Courts
Cut-Off Marks Can't Be Introduced Midway In Recruitment; Similarly Placed Candidates Entitled To Same Relief: Calcutta High Court
The Calcutta High Court has held that recruiting authorities cannot introduce qualifying or cut-off marks for interview after commencement of the selection process, and once such illegality is struck down in respect of one candidate, other similarly placed candidates must ordinarily be granted the same benefit to avoid discrimination under Article 14.A Division Bench comprising Justice...
Kerala High Court Orders Director Of Health Services To Conduct Safety Audit Of All Three Mental Health Centres In State
The Kerala High Court on Monday (February 16) directed the Director of Health Services to conduct a safety of the mental health centres in the State after being informed of an incident in Thrissur in which a Nepali native escaped from the Mental Health Centre and attacked three persons after entering into their houses at night.The Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice...
Advocate's Unauthorized Statement In Court Can't Make Client Liable For Contempt: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) recently observed that a statement made by a counsel without specific instructions from the client can't be treated as a binding undertaking for the purpose of contempt proceedings. A bench of Justice Manish Kumar thus withdrew contempt charges for alleged wilful disobedience of a Court order against the respondent. The single judge...
Jharkhand High Court Drops Contempt Case Against Advocate After SC Intervention; Says Senior Lawyers Must Show Greater Restraint
On 16 February 2026, the Jharkhand High Court dropped suo motu contempt proceedings against Advocate Mahesh Tewari after accepting his unconditional apology for statements made in open court which were captured in a video clip that later went viral on social media platforms.A Five-Judge Bench comprising Chief Justice M.S. Sonak and Justices Sujit Narayan Prasad, Rongon Mukhopadhyay, Ananda...
Fabricated Or False Documents In Probe Will Invite Departmental Action: MP High Court Issues Stern Warning To Police
The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently set aside the life sentences of two individuals in a 2017 murder case from Panna District, observing that the chain of circumstantial evidence was incomplete and tainted by serious investigative lapses. Further, the division bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Rajendra Kumar Vani observed that the memorandum based on disclosure of the accused was...
'No Public Interest, Should Not Engage Judicial Time': Karnataka High Court Rejects PIL Seeking Change Of Ward Name, Imposes ₹5K Cost
The Karnataka High Court dismissed a PIL seeking change of name of Beereshwaranagara Ward to Chunchaghatta, observing that no public interest had arisen in the matter nor were any fundamental rights of the petitioners violated. The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation petition challenging a notification dated 19.11.2025 passed by respondent No.3–Under Secretary of State's...
State Cannot Have 'Win-Win' Situation By Sitting Over Contractors' Dues For Years & Only Paying Principal Amount: J&K&L High Court
The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has held that the State cannot delay payments to contractors for years and yet seek to discharge its obligation by paying only the principal amount, without any consequence.Tailoring its opening to this core principle a bench of Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal categorically observed that “the State cannot have a 'win-win' situation, where it delays...
Intimating Arrest Grounds On WhatsApp Sufficient When Relative Unwilling To Appear: Kerala High Court Denies Relief To NDPS Accused
The Kerala High Court recently denied bail to an NDPS accused on finding that there is prima facie material to connect him to the offence and that the mandatory requirement of communication of grounds of arrest to relative was substantial complied with.Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath noted that as per the remand report, the accused's relative was asked to appear before the arresting officer...
High Court Seeks Delhi Govt's Stand On Steps Taken To Fill Vacancies In Delhi Commission For Women
The Delhi High Court has sought stand of the Delhi Government on a public interest litigation seeking filling up of vacant position of Chairperson and other staff members of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that there cannot be any reason for not filling up the vacancies and providing for adequate staff of...
Family Pension Received By Heirs Of Deceased Has No Bearing While Considering MACT Compensation: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court has held that pension being received by the claimant and the family pension received by the legal heirs of the deceased in a motor vehicle accident should not be considered at the time of calculating compensations under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.Referring to the decision of the Apex Court in Sebastiani Lakra and others vs. National Insurance Company Limited and...
Telangana High Court Quashes Criminal Proceedings Against Licensed Hookah Lounge Operators, Calls Police Action Abuse Of Process
The Telangana High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against the operators of a hookah lounge booked for alleged offences under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 20(2) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA).Justice Tirumala Devi Eada, while holding that the allegations in the complaint did not disclose a violation of the...
'Patentee Can't Be Made To Suffer For Negligence Of Agent': Orissa High Court Allows Restoration Of Expired Patent Beyond Deadline
The Orissa High Court has recently allowed a patentee to file application before the Controller for restoration of patent, even after expiry of the permissible restoration window of eighteen months, which ceased to have effect due to non-payment of renewal fees by the patent agent.While granting relief, the Bench of Justice Bibhu Prasad Routray held that a patentee cannot be made to suffer...