Admitted Signature, No Defence, Yet Acquitted: Madras High Court Finds Trial Court Erred, But Dismisses NI Act Appeal As Infructuous After Accused's Death Trial Court Cannot Dismiss Suit While Returning Plaint for Lack of Jurisdiction Without Complying with Order 7 Rule 10-A: Madhya Pradesh High Court Mutation Entry Cannot Be Denied Merely Because It Is Based on a Will – Supreme Court Clarifies Scope of Mutation under MP Land Revenue Code Dismissal for Second Marriage While First Wife Alive Not Harsh or Disproportionate: Supreme Court Restores CISF Constable’s Removal, Slams High Court for Acting as Appellate Body “Revisions Do Not Die With the Revisionist”: Supreme Court Says Criminal Revision Cannot Abate Merely Because the Informant Dies Forest Officer Cannot Decide Land Ownership: Supreme Court Cancels Claim Over 102 Acres in Telangana's Gurramguda Forest Block Vicarious Liability Under Section 141 Doesn't Automatically Exempt Deposit Under Section 148 — 'Whether a Director Can Escape Statutory Deposit Due to Company’s Legal Snag Must Be Decided Case-by-Case'" – Supreme Court Dowry Is Not Just A Crime, It’s A Constitutional Betrayal: Supreme Court Issues Nationwide Directions For Dowry Law Enforcement Once Proved Cruelty Inflicted Soon Before Her Death, Presumption Under Section 113B Evidence Act Applies Automatically: Supreme Court Age Determined by Medical Test Must Allow Margin of Error; A Juvenile Cannot Be Treated as an Adult: Supreme Court Section 45A of Employees’ State Insurance Act Cannot Be Used When Records Are Produced: Supreme Court Quashes ESI Corporation’s Order Against Carborandum Universal No Constitutional Bar on MPs Becoming State CM or Deputy CM: Allahabad High Court Upholds 2017 Appointments, Dismisses PIL Challenging Dual Role Review Is Not an Appeal in Disguise: Bombay High Court Slams Frivolous Review, Imposes ₹50,000 Cost

"CIVIL LAW" Digest

Lease Agreement – COVID-19 – Force Majeure Clause – Appeal Dismissed – Rent partially waived for lockdown period – Liquidated damages and penal rent claims rejected due to lack of actual loss – Amendment to Section 10 of Specific Relief Act held inapplicable to pre-2018 contracts [Paras 26-27, 44-46, 60-68]. Force Majeure – Lease Interpretation – ...

Service Law – Regularization – Long-Term Engagement Without Absorption – Petition Dismissed – The petitioner claimed continuous service under BCCL since 1979 as a piece-rated worker and sought regularization and pensionary benefits – Held: There was no official appointment or evidence of sanctioned post – Despite long engagement, petitioner failed to demonstrate...

Civil Revision – Withdrawal of Earlier Suit – Order 23 Rule 1 CPC – Permission to file fresh suit implied – Plaintiff withdrew earlier Title Suit No.160/1979 with prayer for liberty to file fresh suit – Trial Court allowed withdrawal but did not expressly mention liberty – Held: Order must be construed as granting composite prayer – Fresh suit not barred &...

Chandigarh Housing Board Allotment – Transfer before expiry of 10 years and without conveyance deed – Invalid – Will unproved – Parties held entitled as co-heirs – Appeals partly allowed and disposed of [Paras 16–27]. Property Dispute – Allotment under Chandigarh Housing Board – Clause 12 – Transfer of house to daughter prior to completion o...

Adoption – Consent of Biological Father – Inference Permissible – Petitioners, mother and stepfather, applied for adoption – State Authority insisted on father’s written consent though he had relinquished custody/visitation rights in matrimonial settlement – Biological father remained silent before Court – Held: silence and prior relinquishment justify inf...

Judicial Service Recruitment – Clause 8.4 prescribing minimum 40% in each paper and 50% aggregate upheld – Administrative instructions can supplement Rules when silent – Petition dismissed [Paras 12-20]. Scope of Rules – Rules of 2007 for Punjab & Haryana provide for written test (750 marks) and viva voce (250 marks) but are silent on qualifying marks – Notific...

GST – Search and Seizure – Section 67 CGST Act – Delhi HC upholds July 2025 raids on Gumber family firms; validates “reasons to believe” but directs safeguards on CCTV privacy, lawful access, official communications, and adjudication of coercion allegations. GST Search and Seizure – Section 67 CGST Act – Validity and Safeguards – Surprise search o...

Registration of Sale Deed – Role of Registering Officer – Refusal Held Illegal – The Sub-Registrar and District Registrar, Samba, refused registration of a sale deed on the ground that petitioner’s title was unclear, relying on the Advocate General’s opinion – Held: Registering Officer has no adjudicatory role to assess title – Registration cannot be refus...

Local Body Elections – Ward Formation/Delimitation – Const. Arts. 243-O & 243-ZG – High Court cannot interfere once objections heard and final notification issued – Petitions dismissed; elections to proceed per SC mandate. Local Body Elections – Ward Formation – Constitutional Bar – Arts. 243-C, 243-K, 243-O, 243-ZG, 329(a) – Delimitation and ...

Civil Writ - Foreigners Tribunal – Ex-Parte Declaration – Delay in Challenge – Petition Dismissed – The petitioner challenged the ex-parte opinion of the Foreigners' Tribunal after nearly six years – High Court held that the petitioner was aware of the proceedings, had appeared through counsel, and failed to adduce evidence despite multiple opportunities – D...