Supreme Court Annual Digest 2025: Contract Act, 1872

Contractual Terms v. Statutory Mandates - Contractual terms, such as an arbitration clause, cannot override statutory mandates - If a statute designates a specific forum for adjudication, parties cannot, by mutual agreement, confer jurisdiction on an alternate forum - therefore, a clause providing for private arbitration is void ab initio in the context of a works contract governed by...

We Have Constitutional Duty To Ensure Electoral Rolls Don't Have Foreigners; SIR Isn't NRC : ECI To Supreme Court

In the challenge to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out across states, the Election Commission of India yesterday told the Supreme Court the Indian Constitution was 'Citizen-centric', and it is the constitutional duty of the ECI to ensure that no foreigners remain on the electoral rolls. The ECI also said that it was not concerned with 'rhetorics' run...

Supreme Court Daily Round-Up : January 6, 2026

Links to today's reports :Mere Participation In Arbitration Won't Bar Challenge To Arbitrator's Eligibility, Waiver Must Be "Express & In Writing" : Supreme CourtIn UAPA Bail Hearing, Defence Not To Be Considered; Only See If Prosecution Has Shown Prima Facie Case : Supreme CourtSupreme Court Grants Bail To Amtek Group Promoter Arvind Dham In Money Laundering CaseO 1 R 10 CPC | Plaintiff...

S. 138 NI Act | Cognizance Can't Be Taken Of Time-Barred Cheque Dishonour Complaint Without First Condoning Delay : Supreme Court

Cognizance can't be taken on a cheque dishonor complaint filed belatedly unless the delay is condoned by the Court, observed the Supreme Court. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Alok Aradhe set aside the Karnataka High Court's decision, which upheld the trial court's decision to take cognizance of a cheque dishonor complaint filed belatedly, even without condoning the delay. “we have...

OBC Youth Forced To Wash Another's Feet | Supreme Court Orders Release Of Accused Detained Under National Security Act

In the case pertaining to a young man from the OBC community, who was allegedly forced to wash another's feet due to caste discrimination, the Supreme Court today directed immediate release of one of the accused who was detained by invoking the National Security Act.A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order in the petitioner-accused's challenge to a High Court suo...

Sports Quota Admissions To MBBS/BDS: Supreme Court Quashes Midstream Policy Change In Punjab 2024 Session

The Supreme Court has set aside the midstream expansion of the zone of consideration for sports quota admissions to MBBS and BDS courses in Punjab, holding that altering admission criteria after the process has commenced violates settled principles of fairness, transparency and non-arbitrariness under Article 14 of the Constitution.A Bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Alok Aradhe allowed...

Single FIR Permissible In Mass Cheating Cases Arising From One Conspiracy : Supreme Court

Multiple FIRs need not be registered with respect to each duped individual, the Court held.

Supreme Court Seeks Report From HCs On Formation Of Committees Across Courts/ Tribunals & Bar Bodies To Address Sexual Harassment

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday sought status reports from the Registrars General of various High Courts on whether gender sensitisation committees and Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) have been constituted in High Courts, District Courts and Bar Associations to address complaints of sexual harassment against women and transgender persons.A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India...

Public Sector Enterprise Can't Initiate Disciplinary Action Against Retired Employee If Rules Don't Expressly Enable It : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (January 6) ruled that a public-sector corporation cannot initiate or continue disciplinary proceedings against an employee after retirement in the absence of an express enabling provision in its service regulations. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi quashed the post-retirement disciplinary action taken against a former employee of the...

Reserved Category Candidate Who Availed Relaxation In Prelims Can't Seek Unreserved Seat Based On Final Rank : Supreme Court

Once relaxation has been taken by a reserved category candidate, they cannot be considered for unreserved vacancies, said the Court.

Supreme Court Frowns Upon Practice Of Rich Accused Raising Constitutional Challenges To Avoid Trial

The Supreme Court today frowned upon the plea by a lawyer challenging S. 44(1)(c) of the PMLA and observed it to be an attempt to 'bypass the system' by 'affluent persons' facing trial in relation to the AugustaWestland Scam. The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a writ petition filed by lawyer Gautam Khaitan challenging the validity of S. 44(1)(c) of the...

Right To Speedy Trial Not Defeated By Gravity Of Offence; Prolonged Pre-Trial Detention Becomes Punishment: Supreme Court

The right to a speedy trial, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, is not eclipsed by the nature of the offence, the Supreme Court held, observing that prolonged incarceration of an undertrial, without commencement or reasonable progress of trial, effectively converts pre-trial detention into a form of punishment. The Court made these observations while granting bail to former...