Abuse Hurled Over Telephone Cannot Satisfy 'Place Within Public View' Requirement Under SC/ST Act: P&H High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld a trial court's order discharging an accused of offences under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, holding that caste-related abuse allegedly hurled over a telephone call could not be said to have occurred in a "place within public view" as required to attract...

'Being An Advocate, Presumed To Be Well-Aware Of Consequences': P&H High Court Denies Bail To Lawyer Accused In Land-Grabbing Case

The Punjab and Haryana High denied regular bail to a practising advocate accused of colluding with co-accused persons to legitimize forged trust documents and manipulating court proceedings.[2026 LiveLaw (PH) 246]Justice Manisha Batra observed, "Being an Advocate by profession, he is presumed to be well-aware about the consequences of the actions done by him, by manipulation of the...

P&H High Court Issues Directions On LADC Scheme Considering Lawyer's Objections

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a set of seven administrative directions to Judicial Officers and Secretaries of the District Legal Services Authorities across the State, aimed at ensuring greater transparency and more effective enforcement of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel (LADC) System. The development comes after the Court received multiple representations alleging misuse of...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar Association Resolves To Suspend Work In Support Of Lawyers Protesting LADC Policy

The Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar Association has called upon the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana to suspend the licenses of LADC counsel functioning across the State of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh. The Association also resolved to suspend work in the Punjab and Haryana High Court with immediate effect, in support of the stir launched by the Joint Action Committee of the...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Issues Guidelines To Ensure Transparency, Effective Enforcement Of Legal Aid Defense Counsel System

The Punjab and Haryana High Court's Registrar General has issued a set of recommendations aimed at ensuring better transparency and effective enforcement of the Legal Aid Defense Counsel System, directing that these be circulated among Judicial Officers and Secretaries of the District Legal Services Authorities across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)...

Right To Peaceful Protest Is Fundamental, But Can't Block Access To Justice: P&H High Court To Lawyers Protesting LADC Scheme

The Punjab & Haryana High Court today orally said that right to peaceful protest is a fundamental right but lawyers protesting over Legal Aid Defence Counsel Scheme (LADC) cannot block access to justice.Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor orally observed, “Access to justice cannot be blocked, peaceful protest doesn't mean you will deny the litigant to...

P&H High Court Acquits Two In 20-Year-Old Double Murder Case, Says Last Seen Theory Alone Insufficient

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted two persons nearly 20 years after the murder of a woman and her 11-year-old son, holding that the prosecution failed to establish a complete chain of circumstances beyond reasonable doubt and that the "last seen" theory, without corroborative evidence, could not sustain their conviction. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 244]Justice Rajesh Bhardwaj and...

P&H High Court Closes Suo Moto Case On Missing Girls From Ludhiana After Status Report Shows 8 Of 10 Girls Traced

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has disposed of a suo moto PIL concerning the disappearance of girls in Ludhiana within a span of 48 hours, after the Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, filed a status report indicating that eight of the missing girls had already been traced and handed over to their families, with efforts continuing to trace the remaining two.Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar...

P&H High Court Calls On Lawyers To Reconsider Strike Against Legal Aid Defence Counsel Scheme

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has urged members of the Bar to reconsider their decision to go on strike in protest against the implementation of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel Scheme, emphasising that such actions disrupt access to justice.These observations were made while hearing a Public Interest Litigation alleging denial of access to justice to litigants across Punjab on account of...

P&H High Court Imposes ₹1 Lakh Cost On Villager For Harassing Panchayat Members Over "Progressive" Power Project

Such developmental project is rarely undertaken by Panchayats in this part of country, Court said.

'Can't Shut Our Eyes': P&H High Court Halts Construction, Land Transfers In 16 Villages Near Chandigarh Pending Forest Land Demarcation

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has restrained all construction and development activity in sixteen villages in the Shivalik foothills near Chandigarh, including Karoran, Nada and Siswan and directed the State of Punjab to complete the demarcation of forest land in the area within six weeks, more than a decade after the Supreme Court first directed such an exercise to be carried...

"Crass & Ignorant": High Court Slams Haryana Govt For Denying Compassionate Appointment To Son Of Officer Who Died During Galwan Operation

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has allowed a writ petition filed by the son of a Brigadier-rank Army officer who died while serving in "Operation Snow Leopard", directing the State of Haryana to grant him compassionate appointment as a dependent of a "Battle Casualty," and expressing sharp displeasure at the State's stand rejecting his claim. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 240] Operation Snow Leopard...