LiveLaw Punjab & Haryana High Court Monthly Digest: May 2026

Nominal Index [Citations 134 - 175]XXXX v. XXXX 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 134Nirmal Singh Dhanoa and others v. Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Punjab, Department of Finance, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 135XXXX v. XXXX 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 136SXXXXX v. RXXXX 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 137Amrit Pal Singh v. Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board and others 2026 LiveLaw...

P&H High Court Holds Chandigarh Golf Club Falls Within RTI Act, Cites Indirect Substantial Govt Financing

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Chandigarh Golf Club to put in place a mechanism to comply with the Right to Information (RTI) Act within a month. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 203]The Court dismissed its plea against a 2012 Central Information Commission (CIC) order that declared it a “public authority”.Justice Kuldeep Tiwari said, "Enough is enough. The time has now come to tell...

Land Acquisition | Courts Deciding Compensation References Not Bound By Section 26 Market Value Parameters: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that the parameters prescribed under Section 26 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 are not binding on courts or authorities while adjudicating references for enhancement of compensation. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 199]The Court clarified that these parameters serve only as...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Upholds Facebook's Removal Of Copyrighted Song From User's Page

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has disposed of a petition challenging the removal of content from a Facebook page, holding that the platform acted in accordance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 after receiving a copyright complaint. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 202]Justice Jagmohan Bansal said, "it is evident that petitioner was...

If Officials Can Pay Costs For Disobedience, Frivolous Litigants Must Pay For Abuse Of Contempt Jurisdiction: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a contempt petition with costs of ₹50,000, holding that the proceedings were a clear abuse of the judicial process and were pursued despite full knowledge that the underlying order had already been set aside in appeal [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 201].Justice Sudeepti Sharma said, "the time has come when not only deterrent costs must be imposed upon...

Legal Heirs Can't Continue Suit Filed By Deceased Trustee In Representative Capacity, Right Vests In Surviving Trustee: P&H High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that legal heirs of a deceased trustee cannot be impleaded to continue a suit filed by the trustee in a representative capacity, reiterating that the right to pursue such litigation vests only in surviving or duly appointed trustees. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 200].Justice Vikas Bahl dismissed a revision petition challenging the trial court's refusal...

High Court Grants Bail To Ex-Finance Director Of Haryana Power Firm In CBI Case Alleging Financial Fraud

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted bail to Amit Dewan, former Director (Finance) of Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL), in connection with two CBI cases involving an alleged large-scale financial fraud concerning diversion of public funds. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 198]The Court allowed two connected petitions, noting that prolonged pre-trial incarceration cannot...

'3-4 Senior Advocates In P&H HC Creating Havoc' : Supreme Court Asks HC Judges Not To Recuse From Ex-Judicial Officer's Plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over repeated recusals by judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a case concerning a former judicial officer's challenge to his dismissal from service, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant remarking that "three or four so-called senior advocates" in the State were "creating havoc."The Court requested the Acting Chief Justice of the...

Claiming Influence Over Judges To Extract Money Erodes Public Faith In Justice System: P&H High Court Denies Bail

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused regular bail to a man accused of participating in a fraud scheme wherein large sums of money were allegedly extracted from a litigant on the false pretext of securing favourable court orders through influence with High Court judges.[2026 LiveLaw (PH) 197]Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj said, "This Court is also unable to ignore the specific...

Can Live-In Couples Seek Police Protection Without Fulfilling Legal Pre-Conditions?: P&H High Court Answers

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a plea filed by a couple seeking protection from alleged harassment by their relatives over their live-in relationship, holding that such protection cannot be granted in the absence of fulfillment of legally recognized conditions for live-in relationship. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 196]Justice Sandeep Moudgil noted that the petitioners were living...

Punjab Govt Opposes Journalist Rattandeep Dhaliwal's Plea Against Complaints By AAP MLAs, Calls It 'Premature'

In the plea filed by journalist and YouTuber Rattandeep Singh Dhaliwal challenging multiple complaints lodged against him by AAP MLAs, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today was informed by the Punjab Government that the petition is premature and not maintainable.On May 21, Dhaliwal in his podcast said that about 32 sitting MLAs might not be considered as party candidates for the upcoming...

Is Sole Surviving Widow Entitled To Full Family Pension Despite Being 'Second Wife'? P&H High Court Answers

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that where a deceased government employee is survived by only one widow and there are no eligible claimants from a pre-deceased spouse, the surviving widow is entitled to full (100%) family pension.The Court clarified that the State cannot retain any portion of the pension by misapplying provisions meant for cases involving multiple...