Res Ipsa Loquitur Not a Substitute for Proof of Negligence: Delhi High Court Affirms Acquittal in Fatal Road Accident Case NSA Detention Doesn’t Bar Framing of Charges If Prima Facie Evidence Exists: Punjab & Haryana High Court Upholds Charges in Ajnala Police Station Violence Case Continued Contractual Service Despite Sanctioned Posts Is Unfair Labour Practice: Orissa High Court Orders Regularization Of ECG Technicians After 15 Years Will Duly Proved Even If Witnesses Forget Details After Eight Years: Madras High Court Validates Bequest, Sets Aside Partition Decree Writ Petition Not Maintainable Where Commercial Appeal Remedy Exists: Karnataka High Court Dismisses Petition, Permits Conversion Under Commercial Courts Act Circumstantial Evidence Must Be Cogent, But Caste-Based Offences Demand Specific Intent: Supreme Court Draws Line Between Heinous Crimes and Caste Atrocities Court Must Step into Testator’s Shoes, Not Substitute His Intent: Supreme Court Upholds Will Excluding One Daughter Production of Arbitration Clause is Enough - Not Conduct Mini-Trials on Capacity or Consortium Structure: Supreme Court Title to Property Must Be Proven by Evidence, Not Just Claimed by Deed: Supreme Court Strikes Down Injunction

"CIVIL LAW" Digest

Co-operative Societies – Recovery Certificate – Section 101, Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 – Principles of Natural Justice – Petitioners denied disbursement of loan and alleged fabrication of loan documents by the Bank – Deputy Registrar issued recovery certificate under Section 101 without deliberating on specific defences raised by petitioners –...

Education Law – Society Dispute – Rival Church Factions – Management of educational institutions disputed between Church of North India (CNI) and Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon (CIPBC) – Multiple writ petitions filed over two decades – High Court holds Registrar acted illegally in issuing directions despite status quo order – Rival claims regarding ...

Real Estate Regulation – Interest for Delay – Section 18(1)(a) RERA – Interest is Automatic – Tribunal justified in awarding interest for delay in possession without inquiry – Delay in possession admitted by promoter – Interest for period 01.01.2020 to 13.10.2022 rightly granted at MCLR + 1% – Held: Section 18(1)(a) is mandatory in nature and operates with...

Tenancy Law – Eviction – Alternate Suitable Residence – Decree of eviction passed against tenant under Section 13(1)(l) of Bombay Rent Act – Tenant during pendency of suit acquired 2 BHK flat jointly with son – Held: Despite being joint ownership, tenant was financial contributor, helped in loan repayment, and suppressed fact during trial – Decree upheld as alte...

Property Law – Mutation – Supreme Court Judgment Recognizing Ownership – Municipal Records to Reflect Non-Thika Status – Writ Petition Allowed – Petitioner purchased property via registered deed and obtained amalgamation order – Property mutated in its favour in 2008 – Thika Controller later declared respondents’ predecessor as Thika tenants – ...

Money Laundering – Predicate Offence – Requirement of Scheduled Offence – Validity of Arrest under Section 19 PMLA – Petitioner challenged the arrest of her husband (MLA, Chitradurga Constituency) by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pursuant to ECIR/BGZO/19/2025, contending absence of a valid predicate scheduled offence – ED relied on multiple FIRs (2011–2024) a...

Arbitration – Jurisdiction Challenge – Section 16 A&C Act – Arbitrator appointed with party consent under Section 11 – Petitioner raised preliminary objection claiming dispute was non-arbitrable as it involved dissolution and asset distribution of a firm "at will" – Held: The existence of an arbitration clause and disputed dissolution status made arbitra...

Stray Animal Menace – Implementation of ABC Rules, 2023 – Court examines compliance affidavits filed by States/UTs following prior orders – Amicus Curiae report reveals serious lapses in sterilisation, vaccination, and municipal preparedness – States/UTs directed to file additional affidavits detailing remedial steps – Registry to annex summary report as part of judic...

Gram Nyayalayas Act – Appeal Bar under Section 34(2)(b) – Valuation Below ₹1,000 – Exception for Questions of Law – Appeal Held Maintainable – Original suit filed in 2000 for cancellation of will valued at ₹200 – Transferred to Gram Nyayalaya under Section 16 – Gram Nyayalaya declared will void – Appeal filed before District Judge challenged by p...

Service Law – Pension Revision – Inclusion of Special Pay – Tribunal directed that Special Pay be treated as part of Basic Pay for fixation of revised pay and pension – Tribunal relied on dismissal of SLP No. 18368/1995 and earlier precedents – Petitioners challenged direction contending excessive interest and delay of 11 years in filing OA – Held: Delay in fili...