Supreme Court Daily Round-Up : February 16, 2026

Links to today's reports :Know The Law | Principles On Secondary Evidence Production : Supreme Court ExplainsSupreme Court 9-Judge Bench To Hear Reference Over 'Industry' Definition On March 17Supreme Court 9-Judge Bench To Hear Sabarimala Reference Issues From April 7'Why Should Youngsters Suffer?': Supreme Court Dismisses Delhi Govt Challenge To Retrospective Pay Hike For HC Law ResearchersSupreme Court Rejects Abu Salem's Plea For Release On Claim Of Completing 25 Years' Imprisonment'Some...

Actress Prathyusha's Death : Supreme Court Rules Out Murder; Convicts Siddhartha Reddy For Abetment Of Suicide

The Supreme Court today dismissed the plea filed by Gudipalli Siddhartha Reddy, who challenged his conviction on the charge of abetment to suicide in 23 years old case of the suicide of Telugu/Tamil actress Prathyushya.A bench comprising Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Manmohan pronounced the judgment. The bench also dimissed the plea by Prathyushya's mother Sarojini Devi who alleged that death was due to murder.It ruled out murder by strangulation and observed that the overwhelming ocular and...

'No Disability Pension For Brain Stroke Caused By Smoking' : Supreme Court Rejects Ex-Army Officer's Claim

The Supreme Court has dismissed the disability compensation claim of a former Army personnel, holding that a disability attributed to his habit of smoking around ten beedis a day could not be linked to military service.Referring to Regulation 173 of Pension Regulations for the Army, 1961 and paragraph 6 of the Guide to Medical Officers, 2002, the Court observed that “compensation cannot be awarded for any disablement or death arising from intemperance in the use of alcohol, 'tobacco' or...

Punjab Regional Town Planning Act | Illegal 'Change Of Land Use' Permission Can't Be Post Facto Legalised : Supreme Court

A permission invalid from inception remains a nullity regardless of subsequent approval, the Court said.

Condonation Of Delay Can't Be Claimed As Matter Of Right; Entirely Court's Discretion : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has reiterated that condonation of delay cannot be claimed as a matter of right and that it was entirely the discretion of the Court.The Court made this observation while dismissing a Special Leave Petition filed by the State of Odisha as time-barred.In the judgment, the Court pulled up the State of Odisha for its lethargic approach in filing a time-barred appeal with a substantial delay of four months, rejecting the State's plea for condonation that was founded on a weak and...

Why Rules Under Shariat Application Act Not Framed? Supreme Court Seeks Responses Of Union, UP Govt

The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Union Government and the State of Uttar Pradesh on why rules under Section 4 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 have not been framed.A Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Augustine George Masih issued notice to the Union of India and the State of Uttar Pradesh, calling for clarification on whether Section 4 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 has been effectively implemented in Uttar...

Regularisation Can't Be Denied To Casual Workers If Other Similarly Situated Daily Wagers Were Regularised : Supreme Court

Applying the principle of parity, the Supreme Court has regularized the services of four sweepers, noting that similarly situated employees cannot be treated differently once regularisation has been granted to others who are similarly situated.A Bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar set aside the Madhya Pradesh High Court's order, holding that it had erred in declining to interfere with the Central Administrative Tribunal's refusal to regularise the appellants'...

Know The Law | Principles On Secondary Evidence Production : Supreme Court Explains

The Supreme Court has reiterated the settled principles governing the admissibility of secondary evidence under Sections 64 and 65 of the Evidence Act, emphasising that primary evidence remains the rule and secondary evidence an exception.A bench comprising Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice SVN Bhatti summarised the principles in the case Tharamel Peethambaran And Another Versus T....

Supreme Court Unsatisfied With FSSAI, Asks It To Consider Front-of-Pack Labels Warning Of High Sugar, Fat & Sodium In Food

Front of Package Labelling is something which is internationally prevalent, the Court said.

Complete Supreme Court Annual Digest 2025 [Part-III]

Section 482 Cr.P.C. - Penal Code, 1860; Section 498A - Matrimonial Disputes - Malafide Complaints - Quashing of FIR - High Court's Duty under Section 482 CrPC - Vague Allegations - The Supreme Court quashed proceedings under Sections 498A and 411 IPC against the father-in-law and mother-in-law, while allowing continuation against the husband. Allegations raised after 14 years of marriage,...

Absconding Accused Not Entitled To Anticipatory Bail On Sole Ground Of Co-Accused' Acquittal : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has held that the principle of parity cannot be invoked by an absconder who deliberately evades trial, to seek an anticipatory bail merely because a co-accused has been acquitted in a trial.The Court observed that "granting the relief of anticipatory bail to an absconding accused person sets a bad precedent and sends a message that the law-abiding co-accused persons who...

Police Failure To Apply IPC Provisions Results In Acquittal Of Contractor for Stockpiling Decontrolled Cement : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has set aside the conviction of a contractor accused of stockpiling cement meant for a public works project, holding that investigative lapses in failing to invoke IPC provisions against the contractor resulted in an untenable conviction under the Essential Commodities Act, since no statutory or regulatory control over cement existed at the relevant time. “…in the...