Supreme Court Annual Digest 2025: Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

Distinction between 'delivery' and 'presentation' illustrated - Supreme Court distinguished delivery (Section 46 NI Act) from presentment (Section 64 NI Act) - Held that delivery involves the drawer handing the cheque to the payee, and, in case of account-payee cheques, the payee delivering it to his own bank - This stage is covered by Section 142(2)(a) - Presentment is the act...

Lok Adalat Settlement Must Be With Parties' Free Consent, Counsel Cannot Compromise Case Without Written Authority: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court, while considering the validity of a settlement recorded in a National Lok Adalat, held that settlement under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 must be arrived at by the parties themselves with free consent, and that in the absence of written authority authorising counsel to sign a compromise, such settlement cannot be treated as valid.Justice Sanjay Kumar...

Constitutional Law: All India Annual Digest 2025

Supreme Court75 years into our republic, we cannot be seen to be so shaky on our fundamentals that mere recital of a poem or for that matter, any form of art or entertainment, such as, stand-up comedy, can be alleged to lead to animosity or hatred amongst different communities. Subscribing to such a view would stifle all legitimate expressions of view in the public domain which is...

Supreme Court To Examine Citizenship Claim Of Woman Deported To Bangladesh

The Supreme Court is set to examine the plea of a woman deported to Bangladesh after the Foreigners Tribunal declared her as a "foreigner of post-1971 stream".A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi recently issued notice on the woman's plea, limited to the purpose of examining genuineness of certain documents relied upon by her brother to prove Indian citizenship.The petitioner...

Report Student Suicides Immediately; None Should Be Barred From Classes, Exams For Delay In Scholarship Disbursal : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court recently said that it is deeply saddened and disturbed to acknowledge the increasing number of unfortunate incidents of suicides in higher educational institutions(HEIs) across the country. To prevent such incidents, it has issued some interim directions, which include that all HEIs must report incidents of suicide irrespective of whether it takes place in the hostel,...

Ernakulam Consumer Commission Holds Jet Airways Liable For Denying Boarding To Minor, Calls Act “Sadistic Pleasure”

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Ernakulam, comprising comprising Presi-dent D.B. Binu, and Members Ramachandran V. and Sreevidhia T.N , has held Jet Airways (India) Ltd. liable for deficiency in service for refusing boarding to a minor child on baseless grounds. The Commission rejected the airline's plea of non-service of notice, holding that Jet Airways had full knowledge...

In Tiger Global Case, Supreme Court Explains Distinction Between 'Tax Planning' & 'Tax Evasion'

The Supreme Court has held that while an assessee is permitted in law to plan transactions to avoid tax, such planning must strictly conform to the framework of the Income Tax Act, the applicable rules, and notifications. The Court said that once a transaction structure is found to be illegal, sham, or lacking commercial substance, it ceases to be permissible tax avoidance and...

“Fraud Tag Led To 'Civil Death', Audit Was Inconclusive & Incompetent”: Anil Ambani Tells Bombay High Court

Punching holes in the forensic audit report, relied by the consortium of banks to declare his loan accounts as 'fraud', industrialist Anil Ambani on Friday told the Bombay High Court that the auditor, who carried out the exercise to prepare a report was 'incompetent' and has given an 'inconclusive' finding.A division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad is...

Supreme Court Daily Round-Up : January 16, 2026

Links to today's reports :Supreme Court Rejects Justice Yashwant Varma's Challenge To Lok Sabha Speaker's Formation Of Inquiry Committee In Impeachment MotionSupreme Court Flags Prolonged Service Litigations Blocking Appointments, Calls For Judicial IntrospectionJustice SC Sharma Reveals He Was Targeted By Fake Traffic Challan SMS, Flags Cyber Fraud MenaceSupreme Court Stays Calcutta HC...

Rubbing Penis Against Child's Private Part Not 'Penetrative Sexual Assault' Under POCSO Act: Delhi High Court Modifies Man's Conviction

The Delhi High Court has held that rubbing of a male genital against a child's genital, in the absence of proof of penetration, does not constitute “penetrative sexual assault” under Section 3 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.Justice Chandrasekharan Sudha observed,“The rubbing of the penis of the accused against the private part of PW1 does not apparently...

“Symbols Of Rajput Pride Reduced To Picnic Spots”: Rajasthan High Court Flags Littering, Encroachments At Haldighati & Rakht Talai

“These sites, once symbols of Rajput pride and national heritage, are now marred by modern encroachments, environmental pollution, littering, and administrative indifference, resulting in irreversible damage to their cultural, historical, and ecological integrity,” court said.

Kerala High Court Directs RTA To Finalise Time Gap Norms For Stage Carriages Entering Kochi

The Kerala High Court has recently directed the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to finalise the revision in timing in respect of the vehicles of the stage carriages entering Kochi city.Justice Viju Abraham gave the directions while considering a writ petition concerning bus timing in Kochi.The Court has previously urged the need to regulate bus timings in the State and directed the...