Punjab & Haryana High Court Forms Committee Including Sitting Judges, For Holistic Planning Of HC Building Expansion

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has constituted a committee comprising sitting judges to oversee the comprehensive planning and execution of its building expansion project.Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry said, "The Administrative Committee shall comprise of two sitting Judges of this High Court (Senior of whom would preside over the Administrative Committee), with two...

State As Employer Must Lead By Example, Can't Demand Undertakings To Deny Lawful Benefits To Employees Violating Constitution: P&H High Court

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has held that seeking undertakings from employees—wherein they are made to forgo their lawful service benefits, is not only exploitative but also unconstitutional.The plea was filed challenging the order of the State authorities denying service benefits to a municipal worker, on the ground that he signed an undertaking forfeiting any claim to back...

P&H High Court Refuses To Entertain Plea Seeking Action Against News Channels Conducting Allegedly 'Communal' Debates

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today declined to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the Central Government and regulatory authorities to take strict action against news channels allegedly airing debates with communal undertones.Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry asked the petitioner, "Why should we entertain this plea when the same issue is...

Drug Overdose Case: Punjab & Haryana High Court Says Risk Higher With Pure Or Unadulterated Drugs, Grants Bail To Accused

The Punjab and Haryana High Court while granting bail to a man booked after alleged drug overdose death of a youth, observed that pure drugs can often be more lethal than adulterated substances.Perusing the pleadings, the Court found that the cause of death was drug overdose and at this stage it could not be ascertained whether the accused-petitioner forcibly administered an overdose of the...

Punjab Police Rules| State Can't Award Punishment Other Than Dismissal Where Police Officer Is Sentenced To Over 1 Month R.I : P&H High Court

In a detailed judgment interpreting the Punjab Police Rules (as applicable in Haryana) (PPR), the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that the State government cannot impose any punishment other than dismissal from service in cases where a police officer has been sentenced to more than one month of rigorous imprisonment. The Court emphasized that the Rules leave no discretion with...

Ram Rahim Case: High Court To Hear On Whether Haryana Govt Was Complicit In 2017 Panchkula Dera Violence

In a pivotal development stemming from the 2017 Panchkula Dera violence case, the High Court will now hear on question whether the Haryana government was complicit in or failed to prevent—the mass gathering of Dera Sacha Sauda supporters that led to one of the most violent episodes in recent state history.On 25 August 2017, widespread rioting in Haryana's Panchkula broke out after Gurmeet...

BBMB Has No Jurisdiction: Punjab Govt Tells High Court In Plea Challenging Release Of Extra Water To Haryana

The Punjab Government has submitted before the Punjab & Haryana High Court that the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has no authority to release water beyond the share allocated to each state under binding agreements. The submission was made before Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry in a petition filed by the Punjab Government challenging the BBMB's April 23, 2025,...

S.138 NI Act | Court Must Decide Appeal In 90 Days If Convict Can't Get Bail Due To Non-Payment Of Compensation: P&H High Court

In a significant observation, the Punjab & Haryana High Court has held that if an appellate court is convinced that a convict under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, is genuinely unable to deposit the 20% compensation amount under Section 148 and, as a result, cannot secure bail, then the appeal must be decided within a maximum period of 90 days.Section 148 of the NI...

'Sketchy Petition': P&H High Court Imposes ₹25K Cost In PIL Questioning Educational Qualification Of Minority Commission Chairman

Calling it a “sketchy petition” built on unverified claims, the Punjab & Haryana High Court has imposed a cost of Rs. 25,000 in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that alleged the Chairman of the Punjab State Minority Commission was only an “8th pass.”Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry frowned upon the “misuse of judicial process” under the garb of...

S.138 NI Act | Right To Bail Can't Be Denied By Appellate Court Solely Due To Non-Deposit Of Compensation: P&H High Court

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has clarified that the right to bail of a convict under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (NI Act), cannot be denied by the appellate court merely due to non-payment of 20% of the compensation amount as stipulated under Section 148 of the Act.Section 148 of the NI Act, allows an appellate court, in an appeal against a conviction for...

Owing To Flood Situation In Punjab, High Court Allows De-Silting Of Waterbodies In PIL Alleging Commercial Sand Mining

In light of the ongoing flood situation in Punjab, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has permitted de-silting operations in the State while hearing a PIL alleging illegal commercial sand mining.Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry said, "considering the present day situation owing to the floods in the State of Punjab and in the interest of justice and also taking into account...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Upholds Acquittal Of Rape Accused, Says Defence Was Able To Make Case For False Implication

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a recent judgment, upheld the acquittal of an accused in a rape case, observing that the testimony of the prosecutrix suffered from serious infirmities and inconsistencies and the "defence has successfully raised a plausible case of false implication.”Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul and Justice H.S. Grewal said, "we are satisfied that the prosecution has...