Delay Attributable To State: Sikkim High Court Affirms Arbitral Award Of ₹5.88 Crore; Rejects State's Challenge

The High Court of Sikkim dismissed an appeal under section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (Arbitration Act) filed by the State of Sikkim and its Power Department challenging an arbitral award that granted escalation and interest to contractor for work executed on a 66/11KV sub-station project at Mangan. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder...

GST Abolished Ad Tax, Doesn't Bar Municipal Licence Fees on Hoardings: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court recently held that the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax regime does not take away the power of municipal corporations in Maharshtra to levy licence fees on hoardings and sky-signs. The court clarified that GST abolished only advertisement tax and not regulatory charges imposed under municipal law. A division bench of Justice G S Kulkarni and Justice Advait...

Power To Extend Mandate Of Arbitrator Appointed By HC Rests Exclusively With High Court: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court dismissed a revisional application filed by Cosmic MAPL JV challenging the Commercial Court's refusal to extend the mandate of an arbitrator under Section 29A(4) and 29A(5) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (Arbitration Act). Justice Shampa Sarkar held that in cases where the referral court is the High Court under section 11, it also...

National Lok Adalat At Punjab & Haryana High Court Disposes Of 303 Cases, Awards Over ₹13.36 Crore

As part of the nationwide initiative of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), a National Lok Adalat was organised today at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in coordination with the High Court Legal Services Committee (HCLSC).The Lok Adalat was held under the overall supervision of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, Patron-in-Chief of the High Court Legal Services Committee, and...

S. 321 CrPC | Mere State Govt's Intention To Withdraw Prosecution Not Binding; Independent Scrutiny By PP & Court Mandatory: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday observed that a "mere expression of intention" by the State Government to withdraw from the prosecution in a particular case neither binds the Court nor dilutes the statutory requirement of independent scrutiny by the Public Prosecutor and the judiciary. Dismissing a criminal appeal filed by four accused persons in a case involving...

Proof Of Occurrence Crucial, Victim's Minority Cannot Rescue Doubtful Prosecution: J&K&L High Court Acquits Gang Rape Accused

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has ruled that where the prosecution fails to prove the very occurrence of the alleged crime through clear, cogent and uncontradictory evidence, the minority of the alleged victim cannot be invoked as a fallback to sustain conviction.While reiterating that consent of a minor is legally irrelevant in a rape prosecution, the Court cautioned that such...

Merit Alone Governs Scale-VII Promotions; Courts Can't Re-Assess Marks: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court has held that promotion from Scale-VI to Scale-VII under the applicable Promotion Policy is governed by the sole criterion of merit, and that courts cannot interfere with or re-evaluate the marks awarded by duly constituted promotion committees unless there is a clear violation of the prescribed procedure, parameters, or evidence of arbitrariness or mala fides. A...

Allahabad HC Stays Sister's Defamation FIR Proceedings Against Bhanvi Singh Over Claims In Divorce Suit With MLA Raja Bhaiya

In a respite for Bhanvi Kumari Singh, wife of sitting MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh (Raja Bhaiya) from Kunda, the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) has stayed the proceedings in the criminal defamation case pending before a Lucknow Court against her. The proceedings were initiated pursuant to the lodging of an FIR by her own sister (Sadhvi Singh), which later culminated in a chargesheet...

Bail Granted By Magistrate Related To Accused Vitiated By Bias-in-Law: Punjab & Haryana High Court Cancels Order But Gives Interim Relief

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has quashed a Judicial Magistrate's order granting regular bail to an accused in an intimidation case after finding that the Magistrate and the accused were related—though distantly—holding that such consanguinity created a “real likelihood of bias” sufficient to vitiate the order. Justice Sumeet Goel,"A fact that cannot be lost sight of is...

GST | Non-Mentioning Vehicle Number In Part-B Of E-Way Bill Is Curable Defect: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court in a matter concerning non-uploading of Part-B of E-way Bill, has set aside the revisional order and restored the order of Appellate Authority which allowed release of seized vehicle and imposed a General Penalty of Rs. 25000. Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar directed to refund the entire amount imposed on the Petitioner as penalty excluding Rs. 25000 as...

Reservation Must Be Claimed At Time Of Submitting Application, Not Retrospectively: Himachal Pradesh High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court held that a candidate who chooses not to apply under the reserved category cannot later claim the benefit of reservation after failing in the selection process.Justice Ranjan Sharma remarked that: “…once the petitioner has chosen not to avail benefit of reservation available as OBC candidate, then, after participation and having remained unsuccessful,...

Long Possession Doesn't Grant Ownership: Gujarat High Court Directs Power Of Attorney Holder To Remove Encroachment From Footpath

The Gujarat High Court recently directed a power of attorney holder to remove encroachment over a public footpath observing that long possession will not create any ownership right adding that the party had failed to prove that they were owner of the property in question. The court was hearing a woman's plea challenging notice dated 20.11.2025 directing her to remove encroachment done on a...