Rajasthan Municipal Elections Will Be Completed By April 2026, State Assures Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday recorded the Rajasthan government's assurance that elections to urban local bodies in the State will not be postponed beyond April 2026, while declining to interfere with a Rajasthan High Court order permitting the polls to be held within that timeline.A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi was hearing...

'Last Seen' Theory Alone Can't Sustain Conviction Without Corroborative Evidence : Supreme Court Acquits Murder Accused

The Supreme Court set aside an individual's conviction for murder, holding that a prosecution case resting entirely on circumstantial evidence cannot be sustained solely on the “last seen” theory in the absence of other corroborative evidence. “The present is a case where except for the evidence of last seen together, there is no other corroborative evidence against the...

Forest Land Cannot Be Leased Or Used For Agriculture Without Centre's Prior Approval Under Forest Conservation Act: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday held that forest land cannot be leased or used for agricultural purposes without the prior approval of the Central Government under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and that any such lease granted in violation of the law is illegal and cannot be continued.“This Court in a catena of decisions has passed numerous mandatory directions prohibiting...

S. 389 CrPC | Gravity Of Offence And Role Of Accused Must Guide Suspension Of Sentence : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court set aside the Patna High Court's order suspending sentence of a murder convict, holding that the relief was wrongly granted in ignorance of the gravity of the offence and the accused's active role.“…having regard to the relevant considerations such as nature of accusation, events in the crime and even the attribution of role of the appellant, it has to be held that the...

S. 37 Arbitration | Arbitral Awards Not Liable To Set Aside On Mere Error In Law Or Misappreciation Of Evidence : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday (December 18) overturned the Chhattisgarh High Court's judgment, holding that the High Court had exceeded its jurisdiction under Section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 by effectively acting as an appellate court, re-appreciating the evidence, and substituting its own interpretation in place of the arbitral award. “High Court, in exercise...

Will Hold Vacation Sitting On December 22 To Hear Urgent Matters : CJI Surya Kant

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday said that a special vacation sitting of the Supreme Court will be held on December 22 to hear urgent matters. He will take a call on how many benches should sit after seeing the number of matters.The CJI made this observation when some lawyers orally mentioned some matters for urgent listing today itself, since the Court is closing for winter...

Cash For Query Row: Delhi High Court Sets Aside Lokpal's Order Granting Sanction For CBI Chargesheet Against Mahua Moitra

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted relief to Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra and set aside an order passed by the Lokpal of India granting sanction to the CBI to file chargesheet against her in relation to the cash for query row.A division bench comprising Justice Anil Kshetarpal and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar passed the order. The Court ruled that the Lokpal of India erred...

CUSAT Act | When Selected Candidate Resigns, Vacancy To Be Filled By Communal Rotation & Not From Rank List : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has held that the rule of communal rotation in university appointments continues to operate even during the validity period of a rank list, and that a waitlisted candidate does not acquire an automatic right to appointment merely because a selected candidate resigns.A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria dismissed appeals filed by Radhika T., a Scheduled...

LiveLawBiz: Business Law Daily Round-Up: December 18, 2025

TAX Centre Notifies Reallocation Of Territorial Jurisdiction Of DRTs In West Bengal Under RDB ActService Tax | Windmill Installation, Commissioning Services Construable As 'Input Service', Credit Admissible: Gujarat High CourtCustoms Act | No Time Bar For Shipping Bill Conversion Under Section 149: CESTAT MumbaiIPRCommercial Courts Act Bars Intra-Court Appeals In Patent Disputes: Madras...

Permission To Cut Trees Must Follow Definition Of 'Forest' In Godavarman Decision Though Land Not Notified As Forest: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has clarified that any permission to cut or remove trees has to be given by following the definition of forest given by the Court in its 1997 T.N. Godavarman Thirumulkpad v. Union of India, irrespective of whether the land in question has been formally notified as a reserve forest.As per the 1997 judgment, the Court gave a wider meaning to forest land and said that it will...

Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Judicial Officer's Plea Against High Court Calling Her Negligent

The Supreme Court today refused to interfere with a Rajasthan High Court order making adverse remarks against the conduct of a judicial officer who overlooked the fact that accused had not complied with earlier directions while seeking for bail. The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition by the Judicial officer challenging the adverse observations made by...

Parliament Passes VB G RAM G Bill To Replace MNREGA On Rural Job Guarantee After Midnight Debate

The Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MNREGA).The VG-G Ram Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha yesterday afternoon amidst strong opposition. It was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on the same day, and was passed in the midnight. Opposition...