Chinnaswamy Stadium Stampede: Karnataka Crowd Control Bill 2025 Referred For Consultation, High Court Closes Suo-Motu PIL

The Karnataka High Court recently closed a suo-motu PIL concerning the Chinnaswamy stadium stampede which occurred ahead of an event to celebrate Royal Challenger Bangalore's (RCB) victory at the 2025 IPL Final, after it was informed that a bill overseeing crowd control had been sent by the State Assembly for consultation. For context, the high court had last year taken suo-motu cognizance of...

EPF Act | Penalty For Delayed PF Contributions Can't Be Reduced Below 25% Of Arrears: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that the penalty imposed on an establishment under the Employees Provident Fund Act for delaying payment of employees' provident fund contribution cannot be reduced below 25% of the arrears. In doing so the court modified an order which had reduced a company's penalty from over Rs. 3 Lakh to Rs. 25,000.The establishment had challenged an order dated 05.12.2016...

Karnataka High Court Grants Bail To POCSO Accused Noting Minor Was Of Age To Understand Consequences Of Her Consensual Acts

Granting bail to a man accused of raping a minor girl, the Karnataka High Court observed that the 15-year-old survivor had a love affair with the accused and she is of an age where she could understand the consequences of her actions. The court was hearing the man's bail plea booked under BNS Sections 137(2)(kidnapping), 75(sexual harassment), 96(procuration of child), 126(2)(wrongful...

Karnataka High Court Directs North West Road Transport Corporation To Issue Guidelines On Transfer Of Employees In 3 Months

The Karnataka High Court has directed the North West Road Transport Corporation (NWRTC) to frame within three months guidelines governing transfer of employees, adding that till such guidelines are issued the transfer orders made on administrative grounds shall be speaking orders containing reasons. The court passed the order while setting aside the transfer of a driver, transferred from...

Remand Illegal When Offences Are Bailable: Karnataka High Court Quashes Man's Custody For Allegedly Kidnapping Wife

The Karnataka High Court has directed release of a man sent to judicial custody by the trial court for allegedly kidnapping his wife, after noting that admittedly his major wife had voluntarily gone with him and thus the offence was wrongly invoked. Noting that the offences invoked were bailable, the court said that the trial court had erred in sending the petitioner to judicial custody....

Labour Courts Continue To Have Jurisdiction Till Tribunals Are Formed Under Industrial Relations Code 2020: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that the Labour Courts, Tribunals and other statutory authorities functioning under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, will continue to exercise jurisdiction till the Tribunals are constituted and become functional under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. The Court observed that in view of the amendment to Section 104 of the Code on 16.02.2026, the repeal...

[Specific Relief Act] Opportunity To Amend Must Be Given Before Dismissing Suit U/S 34 Proviso: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that before dismissing a suit under the proviso to Section 34 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963 for want of appropriate consequential relief, the Court must afford the plaintiff an opportunity to amend the plaint or, in deserving cases, mould the relief. The Court observed that the proviso is intended to avoid multiplicity of litigation and not to...

Karnataka High Court Asks Trial Court To Continue Proceedings In Kidnapping Case Allegedly Involving JD(S) Leader HD Revanna

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (February 26) directed the trial court to continue its proceedings in a case involving the alleged kidnapping of a woman wherein one of the co-accused is Janata Dal (S) leader HD Revanna. Previously, Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav had vacated its interim order stalling framing of charges against Revanna, after taking note of lack of readiness on behalf of...

Punitive Termination Cannot Be Passed Without Hearing; Misconduct-Based Discharge Violates Natural Justice: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that termination of a punitive or stigmatic nature cannot be made without providing an effective opportunity of hearing or conducting a departmental inquiry. The Court observed that once an employee has entered service, even an order styled as termination cannot be sustained if it is founded on allegations of misconduct and passed without adherence to...

Furnishing Surety On Last Day Of Timeline Indicated In Release Order Would Not Disentitle Accused Of Benefit: Karnataka High Court

Granting relief to a murder accused, the Karnataka High Court held that merely because the accused furnished surety for release on the last day on which it could have been furnished as directed in the order, would not disentitle him from the benefit of the release order. The court was hearing a man's plea challenging a sessions court order which had rejected his application for furnishing...

Karnataka High Court Quashes Murder Case Against Man On Ground Of Parity With Co-Accused Acquitted Last Year

The Karnataka High Court quashed criminal proceedings lodged against a man accused in a rioting and murder case, after noting that his co-accused had been acquitted by the trial court as the prosecution had failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. The court was hearing a plea wherein the petitioner–accused No.14, challenging the continuance of criminal case proceedings against him...

No Requirement To Take Signature Of Accused On Record Of Test Identification Parade: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has observed that there is no mandate to take signature of the accused on the record of the test identification parade conducted in respect of an offence. The Court was hearing a man's bail plea booked for offence under Section 311 (robbery, dacoity with attempt to cause grievous hurt) BNS. The prosecution had alleged that when the complainant was walking on a road,...