Weekly Newsletter | LegalWiki | 28th January - 3rd February
Stay updated with the most recent and relevant developments in your practice area of law.
Constitutional Law
State Permission not Required for Religious Prayer Meetings in Private Premises: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court has held that no prior permission is required to conduct a religious prayer meeting within private premises, as it falls under the fundamental right to freedom of religion guaranteed by Article 25 of the Constitution. Read more
Madras High Court Says Gold Medal Cannot be Claimed as Legal Right
The Madras High Court ruled that a student does not have a legal or statutory right to claim a gold medal through a writ petition under Article 226. Read more
Advocates’ Association Bengaluru Raises Concern Over Lack of OBC Representation in Karnataka High Court
The Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru, wrote to the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, highlighting the absence of OBC and BCM-A representation in recent proposals for judicial appointments. Read more
Supreme Court Stays UGC Equity Regulations 2026, Directs Institutions to Follow 2012 Norms
The Supreme Court has stayed the operation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2026, introduced to promote equity in higher education institutions, citing concerns about their potential misuse. Read more
Supreme Court Questions Minority Claim by Upper-Caste Convert in Haryana
The Supreme Court described as a “new type of fraud” a minority claim made by an upper-caste person following religious conversion. 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
Civil Law
Weekly Rest for Pilots Mandatory, No Relaxation Granted: DGCA Tells Delhi High Court
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation informed the Delhi High Court that weekly rest for airline pilots is compulsory and no airline has been given any relaxation from this requirement. Read more
Delhi High Court Grants Refund Where Suit Was Rejected Without Merits
The Delhi High Court observed that payment of court fees should not act as a deterrent for litigants seeking justice. 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
Kerala High Court Says Bar Associations Cannot Hold POSH Act Inquiries
The Kerala High Court held that Bar Associations do not qualify as “employers” under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and therefore lack authority to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for examining sexual harassment complaints against advocates. Read more
Pune Porsche Crash: Supreme Court Grants Bail to Three Accused in Blood Sample Tampering Case
The Supreme Court granted bail to three accused named Aditya Sood, Ashish Mittal, and Santosh Gaikwad - allegedly involved in tampering with blood samples after the 2024 Pune Porsche crash that killed two software engineers. Read more
Mumbai Court Grants Interim Relief to Salman Khan in Defamation Suit Against Abhinav Kashyap
The City Civil Court at Mumbai passed an interim order restraining filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap and YouTube channel hosts from making or circulating defamatory content against actor Salman Khan and his family. Read more
Uttarakhand UCC Amendment Introduces Up to 7-Year Jail Term for Forced Marriages, Live-In Offences
The Uttarakhand government has notified the Uniform Civil Code (Amendment) Ordinance after receiving the Governor’s assent, introducing stricter penal provisions relating to marriage and live-in relationships. Read more
Karnataka High Court Flags Dangerous Trend of Litigants Filing Criminal Cases Against Opposite Party’s Lawyers
The Karnataka High Court has flagged a dangerous trend of litigants implicating lawyers representing the opposite side in criminal cases to deter them from appearing in matters. Read more
Allahabad High Court Raises Concern over Police Pressure on Judges in UP
The Allahabad High Court flagged serious concerns over police officers in Uttar Pradesh allegedly putting pressure on judicial officers to secure specific orders. 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
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
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
Google to Pay $68 Million to Settle Google Assistant Privacy Claims
Google has agreed to pay $68 million to resolve a class action lawsuit accusing the company of violating user privacy through its Google Assistant feature. Read more
Police Confession of Co-Accused Cannot be Basis for Conviction Without Independent Evidence: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has reiterated that a confession made to the police cannot be used to convict a co-accused unless it is supported by independent and substantive evidence. Read more
Supreme Court Mandates Affidavit for Complaints Against Public Servants
The Supreme Court held that complaints alleging offences by public servants in the discharge of official duties must be supported by an affidavit. Read more
Supreme Court Issues Notice to BCI on Plea Against Rule Barring Advocates With Pending Criminal Cases
The Supreme Court sought responses from the Bar Council of India and the Bar Council of Telangana on a plea challenging the constitutional validity of Rule 4 of the Bar Council of India Rules, 2023. Read more
Supreme Court Proposes Auction of Accused’s Assets to Compensate Acid Attack Victims
The Supreme Court suggested that the assets of accused persons in acid attack cases may be attached and auctioned to ensure compensation for victims. Read more
Patna High Court Cites Mahabharata in Upholding Death Sentence for Triple Murder Case
The Patna High Court upheld the death sentence awarded to two men for the murder of three members of a family in an agricultural land dispute in Rohtas district. Read more
Karnataka High Court Suggests Community Service for Rash Lamborghini Driver
The Karnataka High Court stayed criminal proceedings against a Lamborghini driver accused of rash and noisy driving in Bengaluru, noting that he had already paid a ₹8,500 fine before the FIR was registered. Read more
Madras High Court Sends Jana Nayagan Censor Dispute Back to Single-Judge, Delaying Release
The Madras High Court allowed an appeal by the Central Board of Film Certification against an order directing immediate censor clearance for the Vijay-starrer Jana Nayagan. Read more
MP High Court Confirms Death Sentence in ‘Rarest of Rare’ Rape and Murder Case
The Madhya Pradesh High Court confirmed the death sentence imposed by a trial court in a case involving the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Bhopal. Read more
Arbitration
Arbitration Law Bars Interim Relief Against Third Party once Award is Unenforceable: Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court has held that interim relief under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act cannot be granted against a third party once a foreign arbitral award is found unenforceable against it. Read more
IPR
NCLT has No Power to Decide Trademark Ownership Without Insolvency Link: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court ruled that the National Company Law Tribunal cannot exercise jurisdiction under Section 60(5)(c) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code to adjudicate trademark ownership disputes that lack a direct connection with insolvency proceedings. Read more
‘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
Delhi High Court Halts AI Film over Unauthorised Use of Pawan Kalyan’s Son Akira Nandan’s Identity
The Delhi High Court granted an ex parte interim injunction restraining the release and circulation of an AI-generated film that allegedly misused the name, image, voice, and persona of Akira Nandan, son of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, without consent. Read more
Family Law
Adopted Child Cannot be Denied Caste of Adoptive Parents: Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court held that an adopted child is entitled to the caste status of the adoptive parents. Read more
“Not Emotions, Law is Supreme”: Telangana High Court Rejects Custody Claim in Illegal Adoption Case
The Telangana High Court has refused to grant custody of a child to a couple involved in an illegal adoption, holding that emotional bonding cannot override statutory safeguards. Read more
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
Wife Cannot Claim Maintenance if Her Actions Render Husband Incapable of Earning Says Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court held that a wife cannot seek maintenance if her own conduct has caused or contributed to the husband’s inability to earn. Read more
Women’s Rights
Right to Menstrual Health Forms Part of Right to Life Under Article 21: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court ruled that the right to menstrual health and access to menstrual hygiene products is included within the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. 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
Environmental Law
“No Hope If Home Minister Also Helpless”: Karnataka HC Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Illegal Sand Mining
The Karnataka High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of rampant illegal sand mining in the State, observing that the situation is grim if even the Home Minister feels helpless in curbing the activity. Read more
Supreme Court Refuses to Halt Tree Felling for Ahmedabad Riverfront Phase-II Project
The Supreme Court declined to interfere with tree felling undertaken for the second phase of the Ahmedabad riverfront development project, observing that development and environmental protection must progress together. Read more
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