Top Legal Updates for January, 2026 I January 16th- 31st I LegalWiki Updates!
Stay updated with the most recent and relevant developments in your practice area of law.
Constitutional Law
Right to Appear in Exams is Part of Right to Dignity under Article 21: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court held that a student’s right to appear in examinations forms part of the right to live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. Read more.
Freedom of Speech Not a Licence to Defame or Run Malicious Social Media Campaigns: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has clarified that the fundamental right to freedom of speech does not permit individuals to publish defamatory, abusive, or malicious content on social media. Read more.
Bar Associations are Not ‘State’ Under Article 12: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has held that a bar association is a private body and does not qualify as “State” or an instrumentality of the State under Article 12 of the Constitution. Read more.
Civil Law
Bombay High Court Slams Practice of Blaming Advocates for Delays Without Action
The Bombay High Court has deprecated the growing tendency of litigants blaming their advocates for procedural delays without initiating any action against them or impleading them as parties. Read more.
Bombay High Court Imposes Costs for Unverified AI-Generated Submissions
The Bombay High Court held that the Revisional Authority exceeded its jurisdiction by relying on extraneous documents and misconstruing a registered leave and license agreement meant solely for residential use. Read more.
Central Govt: Indigo Faces ₹22 Crore Penalty and Senior VP Exit After December Flight Chaos
After Indigo cancelled a large number of flights in December, the Central government told the Delhi High Court that a ₹22 crore penalty had been imposed on the airline and that its senior vice president had been directed to step down from duty. Read more.
Criminal Law
Telling Someone “Go Away And Die” in Heat of Quarrel Not Abetment of Suicide: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has held that casual or angry remarks made during a quarrel, without the requisite mens rea, do not amount to abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the IPC. Read more.
Delhi High Court: Accused Cannot be Forced to Create Evidence Against Himself, Upholds Quashing of CBI Notice
The Delhi High Court upheld the quashing of a CBI notice issued to a former High Court judge, holding that an accused cannot be compelled to create evidence against himself. Read more.
Bail Can’t be Denied Merely because Petition is Bulky or Voluminous: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has held that a bail application cannot be rejected solely on the ground that it is bulky or voluminous, stressing that courts must decide matters on substance rather than form. Read more.
Arbitration
Bias of Even One Arbitrator Vitiates Award, Co-Arbitrators’ Neutrality No Cure: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court held that bias on the part of even a single arbitrator is sufficient to vitiate an arbitral award, and the presumed neutrality of co-arbitrators cannot cure such a defect. Read more.
‘Warring Couples Can’t Make Courts Their Battlefield’: Supreme Court Urges Mediation in Matrimonial Disputes
The Supreme Court expressed concern over the sharp rise in matrimonial litigation and urged parties to make sincere efforts at reconciliation before initiating civil or criminal proceedings. Read more.
Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response on Plea for Constitution of Arbitration Council of India
The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Union government on a plea seeking the constitution of the Arbitration Council of India (ACI), a statutory body envisaged under Sections 43A and 43B of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, inserted by the 2019 amendment. Read more.
IPR
‘VAPORIN’ Doesn’t Infringe ‘VICKS VAPORUB’ Mark: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court rejected Procter & Gamble’s request to remove the trademarks “VAPORIN” and “VAPORIN COLD RUB” from the register. Read more.
Madras High Court Grants Interim Protection Against Piracy of Mardaani 3
The Madras High Court granted an ad-interim anti-piracy injunction to prevent unauthorised broadcast and online circulation of the film Mardaani 3. Read more.
Chinese AI Voice Platform Moves Delhi High Court Against Salman Khan’s Personality Rights Injunction
The Delhi High Court has issued notice to Salman Khan on a plea filed by a China-based AI voice platform seeking to vacate the interim injunction granting him personality rights. Read more.
Family Law
MP High Court Rejects Husband’s Plea Seeking Wife’s Virginity Test in Divorce Case
The Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed a husband’s request to subject his wife to a medical examination in a divorce matter. Read more.
Delhi High Court Upholds Validity of Rule Permitting Family Pension to Childless Widow
The Delhi High Court upheld the constitutional validity of Rule 54 of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, which allows a childless widow to continue receiving family pension even after remarriage, subject to income conditions. Read more.
Kerala Law Reforms Commission Proposes Decriminalising Act of ‘Giving Dowry’: State Tells Kerala High Court
The Kerala government informed the High Court that the State Law Reforms Commission has proposed amendments to the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, to decriminalise the act of giving dowry, while retaining punishment for demanding or accepting dowry. Read more.
Legal Updates
AIBE to be Conducted Twice a Year; Final-Year Law Students Eligible to Appear Says BCI
The Supreme Court recorded the submission of the Bar Council of India that the All India Bar Examination will now be conducted at least twice a year. Read more.
Delhi High Court Includes Complainant, Victim Within Meaning of ‘Parties’ in Criminal Cases
The Delhi High Court has amended its Rules to clarify that, in criminal proceedings, the term “parties” will include the complainant and/or the victim. Read more.
Rajasthan Government Clears Draft Law on Property Transfers in Disturbed Localities
The Rajasthan Cabinet approved a draft law to restrict transfer of immovable property in areas declared “disturbed”, making any transfer without prior government permission invalid and void. Read more.
Advocates Rights
Young Lawyers Should Begin Practice in District Courts: CJI Surya Kant
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasised that young lawyers should begin their litigation careers in district courts, calling them the true foundation of the legal profession. Read more.
Supreme Court Seeks Views of High Courts, NLUs on Three-Year Practice Requirement for Judicial Services
The Supreme Court of India has invited views from all High Courts, National Law Universities (NLUs), and law schools on the minimum three-year legal practice requirement for entry-level judicial services examinations. Read more.
BCI Writes to CJI After Kerala HC’s Remarks on Bar Council Election Fees, Flags Judicial Overreach
Following critical observations by the Kerala High Court on the steep hike in Bar Council election nomination fees, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has written to the Chief Justice of India expressing strong institutional concern. Read more.
Women’s Rights
MP High Court Rejects Husband’s Plea Seeking Wife’s Virginity Test in Divorce Case
The Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed a husband’s request to subject his wife to a medical examination in a divorce matter. Read more.
Delhi High Court Upholds Validity of Rule Permitting Family Pension to Childless Widow
The Delhi High Court upheld the constitutional validity of Rule 54 of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, which allows a childless widow to continue receiving family pension even after remarriage, subject to income conditions. Read more.
Punjab and Haryana High Court Holds Custom Cannot Limit Woman’s Right to Inherited Property
The Punjab and Haryana High Court set aside two lower court rulings that had denied a widow her right to deal with property inherited from her husband based on Meo community custom. Read more.
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