Supreme Court Strikes Down Expulsion of Bihar MLC as Disproportionate, Orders Immediate Reinstatement Private Banks Not Subject to Writ Jurisdiction Under Article 226: Punjab & Haryana High Court Mere Allegation of Forgery is Not Enough: Madhya Pradesh High Court Dismisses Second Appeal in Partition Dispute When a Case is Made Out for Bail, Courts Should Not Hesitate: Kerala High Court Allows Bail Despite Commercial Quantity of Drugs Seized Retailers Cannot Be Prosecuted for Manufacturer’s Fault" – Karnataka High Court Quashes Case Against Pesticide Dealers Mere Issuance of a Cheque Does Not Prove Legally Enforceable Debt": Delhi High Court Upholds Acquittal in Cheque Dishonor Case Courts Cannot Ignore Urgent Repairs When Public Safety is at Stake: Calcutta High Court Upholds Trial Court's Order Mutation Entries Do Not Confer Ownership: Bombay High Court Rejects Premature Dismissal of Partition Suit No Substantial Question of Law – High Court Cannot Re-Appreciate Evidence Under Section 100 CPC: Andhra Pradesh High Court Injunction Cannot Be Granted Without Proof of Possession: Allahabad High Court Quashes Relief in Land Dispute Section 197 CrPC | Sanction for Prosecution is a Shield, Not a Sword: Supreme Court Quashes Criminal Case Against BIS Officer Landlord is the Best Judge of His Needs: Supreme Court Orders Eviction in Favor of Landowner Vijaya Bank TT Scam | Supreme Court Acquits Jeweller in ₹6.7 Crore Vijaya Bank Fraud Case, Orders Return of 205 Gold Bars Procurement Preference for Small Enterprises is a Legal Mandate, Not a Mere Policy: Supreme Court Rules in Favor of MSMEs Revisional Jurisdiction Cannot Be Invoked Against Interlocutory Orders of Commercial Courts: Orissa High Court Declares Section 8 Bar Absolute Victim’s Testimony Must Be of Sterling Quality to Be Sole Basis of Conviction: Kerala High Court Reduces Sentence of Pastor Convicted for Repeated Rape of Minor Providing Set-Top Boxes to Subscribers Constitutes Sale”: Karnataka High Court Upholds VAT on Tata Play Limited Mere Registration of FIR Cannot Justify Denial of Passport Renewal: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court

"MATRIMONIAL & FAMILY LAW" Digest

Family Law – Permanent Alimony – Assessment of Husband's Financial Capacity – The husband challenged the trial court's award of ₹10 lakhs to the wife and ₹5 lakhs to the minor daughter as permanent alimony, while the wife sought enhancement of the amount – Evidence established that the husband had adequate financial means, including agricultural land, a petrol p...

Criminal Law – Maintenance for Children – The revision petition arose from the judgment of the Additional Sessions Judge-III, Mavelikkara, affirming the trial court’s decision granting maintenance to the petitioner’s children under the PWDV Act. The petitioner challenged the continuation of maintenance payments after the children reached majority. The Kerala High Court emph...

Divorce by Mutual Consent – Settlement Under Article 142 of the Constitution – Petitioner sought transfer of restitution of conjugal rights proceedings – Parties agreed to dissolve marriage amicably with the respondent paying ₹25 lakhs to the petitioner as full and final settlement – Supreme Court exercised its powers under Article 142 to dissolve the marriage solemnized ...

Matrimonial Law - Muslim Personal Law – Maintainability of Divorce Suit by Muslim Male – Section 7 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 – Maintainable - The Family Court erred in dismissing the appellant’s suit for divorce, holding it as non-maintainable under Muslim personal law – Section 7 of the Family Courts Act empowers Family Courts to adjudicate suits for dissolution...

Eviction Under Senior Citizens Act – Necessity of Maintenance Claim – Non-maintainability Without Section 23(1) Basis – The appellant, mother of the writ petitioners, sought eviction of her sons and their families under the Senior Citizens Act, claiming the property was her deceased husband's self-acquired asset – The Tribunal ordered eviction without examining competin...

Maintenance for Wife – Allegations of Infidelity Without Proof – Section 125(4), Cr.P.C. – Maintenance Upheld – The husband alleged infidelity of the wife without providing any evidence – The Court held that a wife is justified in living separately when her chastity is questioned by her husband without proof – Such allegations amount to character assassination, ...

Matrimonial Law - Cruelty – Grounds for Divorce – Section 13(1)(i-a) of Hindu Marriage Act – Mere allegations of the respondent's alcohol consumption, association with male friends, and behavioral changes do not constitute cruelty without substantive proof – The appellant failed to establish specific acts of cruelty that rendered the marital relationship untenable &ndas...

Alimony - Interim Maintenance - Husband's Suppression of Income – Interim alimony of Rs.1 lakh per month claimed by the wife – The husband disclosed monthly income of Rs.11,85,730/- in earlier court affidavits but now claims income of Rs.3 lakh plus fluctuating bonus – Held: Suppression of income by the husband established; monthly alimony awarded – The court rejected t...

Criminal Writ - Habeas Corpus – Custody of Minor – Applicability of Section 6 of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 – The petitioner, a biological father, filed a habeas corpus petition alleging illegal custody of his minor son (aged 9 years) with the maternal grandparents (respondents) – Held: The petitioner, being the natural guardian under Section 6 of the Hin...

Custody of Minor – Interim Custody – Modification of Orders – Error Apparent on Record – The petitioner sought review of an earlier order granting interim custody of the minor child to the respondent, citing errors in considering the correctness of family court orders on custody. The court recognized a patent error in its earlier judgment where substantive issues regarding ...