Proof Of Occurrence Crucial, Victim's Minority Cannot Rescue Doubtful Prosecution: J&K&L High Court Acquits Gang Rape Accused

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has ruled that where the prosecution fails to prove the very occurrence of the alleged crime through clear, cogent and uncontradictory evidence, the minority of the alleged victim cannot be invoked as a fallback to sustain conviction.While reiterating that consent of a minor is legally irrelevant in a rape prosecution, the Court cautioned that such...

Merit Alone Governs Scale-VII Promotions; Courts Can't Re-Assess Marks: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court has held that promotion from Scale-VI to Scale-VII under the applicable Promotion Policy is governed by the sole criterion of merit, and that courts cannot interfere with or re-evaluate the marks awarded by duly constituted promotion committees unless there is a clear violation of the prescribed procedure, parameters, or evidence of arbitrariness or mala fides. A...

Allahabad HC Stays Sister's Defamation FIR Proceedings Against Bhanvi Singh Over Claims In Divorce Suit With MLA Raja Bhaiya

In a respite for Bhanvi Kumari Singh, wife of sitting MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh (Raja Bhaiya) from Kunda, the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) has stayed the proceedings in the criminal defamation case pending before a Lucknow Court against her. The proceedings were initiated pursuant to the lodging of an FIR by her own sister (Sadhvi Singh), which later culminated in a chargesheet...

Bail Granted By Magistrate Related To Accused Vitiated By Bias-in-Law: Punjab & Haryana High Court Cancels Order But Gives Interim Relief

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has quashed a Judicial Magistrate's order granting regular bail to an accused in an intimidation case after finding that the Magistrate and the accused were related—though distantly—holding that such consanguinity created a “real likelihood of bias” sufficient to vitiate the order. Justice Sumeet Goel,"A fact that cannot be lost sight of is...

GST | Non-Mentioning Vehicle Number In Part-B Of E-Way Bill Is Curable Defect: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court in a matter concerning non-uploading of Part-B of E-way Bill, has set aside the revisional order and restored the order of Appellate Authority which allowed release of seized vehicle and imposed a General Penalty of Rs. 25000. Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar directed to refund the entire amount imposed on the Petitioner as penalty excluding Rs. 25000 as...

Reservation Must Be Claimed At Time Of Submitting Application, Not Retrospectively: Himachal Pradesh High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court held that a candidate who chooses not to apply under the reserved category cannot later claim the benefit of reservation after failing in the selection process.Justice Ranjan Sharma remarked that: “…once the petitioner has chosen not to avail benefit of reservation available as OBC candidate, then, after participation and having remained unsuccessful,...

Long Possession Doesn't Grant Ownership: Gujarat High Court Directs Power Of Attorney Holder To Remove Encroachment From Footpath

The Gujarat High Court recently directed a power of attorney holder to remove encroachment over a public footpath observing that long possession will not create any ownership right adding that the party had failed to prove that they were owner of the property in question. The court was hearing a woman's plea challenging notice dated 20.11.2025 directing her to remove encroachment done on a...

Action Contrary To Procedure Prescribed In Programme Manual: Gujarat High Court Quashes Expulsion Of 3 Students From IIM-Ahmedabad

The Gujarat High Court recently set aside an order passed by IIM-Ahmedabad expelling three students enrolled in Doctoral of Programme in Management course, holding that the action of the institution was not in consonance with the procedure prescribed in the programme manual. The petitioners, who were selected for Doctoral of Programme in Management (DPM) at IIM Ahmedabad, had challenged a June...

Gujarat High Court Restrains Godhara Municipality From Taking Coercive Action Over Alleged Unauthorized Construction

The Gujarat High Court in an interim order on Friday (December 12) directed the Godhara Nagar Palika not to take any coercive action against residents who had challenged a notice asking them to remove alleged unauthorized construction, whose plea for regularization was pending before the Collector. The court was hearing a petition by residents challenging notice dated 12-11-2025 issued by...

Must Balance Cyber Fraud Probe With Interest Of Innocent Account Holder: Gauhati HC Permits Conditional Operation Of Frozen Bank Account

The Gauhati High Court has held that a blanket freezing of a bank account pursuant to a cyber crime complaint cannot continue indefinitely and that the interest of investigation must be balanced with the rights of a bona fide account holder. Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi, presiding over the case, observed, “After giving an anxious thought to the rival contentions, this Court is of the opinion...

Peaceful Public Protests Can't Attract Penal Action: Rajasthan High Court Allows Withdrawal Of Cases Against State Minister, Ex-MLA

The Rajasthan High Court has granted leave to the State Government permitting withdrawal of prosecution against a former MLA and State's Minister for School Education, opining that the public unrest, as alleged in the FIRs, had arisen out of the issues involving public interest and was not driven by any personal motive.The bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand took note of the fact that...

Delhi High Court Orders Blocking Of Additional Sci-Hub Mirror Websites In India In Publishers' Copyright Infringement Suit

The Delhi High Court has ordered blocking of additional mirror websites providing access to Sci-Hub which are already blocked in India in a copyright infringement suit filed by publishing houses Elsevier, Wiley and American Chemical Society.Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora extended its earlier order passed on August 19 blocking access to 40 additional websites which were found to be...