(201) M/S SRI OM SALES Vs. ABHAY KUMAR @ ABHAY PATEL AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-12-2025 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Inherent powers of High Court — Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 — Section 138 (Dishonour of cheque for insufficiency of funds) — Quashing of criminal proceedings — Scope of inquiry at pre-trial stage — When complaint discloses all necessary ingredients of Section 138 of N.I. Act, High Court should not conduct a roving inquiry into disputed questions of fact, such as whether the cheque was issued for the discharge of a legally India Law Library Docid # 2437138
(202) SYED SHAHNAWAZ ALI Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-12-2025 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Sections 397 and 401 — Criminal Revision — Abatement on death of Revisionist — Distinction between Abatement of Appeal (Section 394) and Revision — Lack of specific provision for abatement of revision and substitution of legal heirs — Revisional power is discretionary, exerted suo motu, to ensure justice and examine correctness/legality of subordinate court India Law Library Docid # 2437128
(203) RATNANK MISHRA AND OTHERS Vs. HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD THROUGH REGISTRAR GENERAL[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-12-2025 Service Law — High Court Staff — Regularization — Discrimination — Appellants (Operator-cum-Data Entry Assistants/Routine Grade Clerks) appointed by Chief Justice under Rules 8(a)(i), 41, and 45 of Allahabad High Court Officers and Staff (Conditions of Service and Conduct) Rules, 1976 — High Court refused regularization of Appellants while regularizing numerous similarly situated employees appointed through the same channel — Justification based on whether India Law Library Docid # 2437129
(204) MAYANKKUMAR NATWARLAL KANKANA PATEL AND ANOTHER Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-12-2025 Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973 — Section 311 — Power to summon material witness, or examine person present — Principles governing exercise of power — Application seeking to examine minor child (aged 4 years 9 months at time of incident) seven years after incident and after examination of 21 prosecution witnesses — Necessity of witness for 'just decision of the case' — The power under India Law Library Docid # 2437130
(205) SHARP BUSINESS SYSTEM THR. FINANCE DIRECTOR MR. YOSHIHISA MIZUNO Vs. COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX-III N.D[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-12-2025 Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 37(1) — Revenue Expenditure vs. Capital Expenditure — Non-compete fee — Whether payment of non-compete fee constitutes allowable revenue expenditure or capital expenditure — Non-compete fee is paid to restrain a competitor, which protects or enhances the business profitability and facilitates carrying on the business more efficiently — Such payment neither creates a new asset nor increases the profit-earning apparatus for the payer, meaning the India Law Library Docid # 2437131
(206) RAMJEE PRASAD KAMKAR AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF BIHAR[PATNA HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 366A (Procuration of minor girl), 120B (Criminal conspiracy), and 376 (Rape) — Appeal against conviction — Appreciation of Evidence — Minor Victim — Age of victim: Medical evidence was inconclusive regarding the exact age of the victim, merely suggesting it was around 17 years and stating that third molar eruption range (17–25 years) made precise age determination difficult. India Law Library Docid # 2437159
(207) SULEMAN BARBHAIYA LAKHIMPUR Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM[GAUHATI HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Criminal Law — Murder (Section 302 IPC) — Appeal against conviction and sentence — Circumstantial Evidence — Last Seen Theory — Burden of Proof (Section 106 Evidence Act) — The appellant was convicted for the murder of his wife; no direct eye witnesses existed — Evidence indicated the appellant and deceased were last seen together, and the appellant admitted being with her when she India Law Library Docid # 2437230
(208) PANKAJ DIXIT Vs. THE UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS[GAUHATI HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Service Law — Promotion — Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) — Below benchmark grading — Communication of ACR entries — The petitioner, an Executive Engineer (Civil) in the Border Roads Engineering Service (General Reserve Engineering Force), was denied promotion in 2010-11 due to "average" (below benchmark) ACR gradings for 2005-06 and 2006-07 — Petitioner contended that these gradings, being a downgrading compared to other years, should have been India Law Library Docid # 2437231
(209) SRI CHIRANJEEB DAS Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND OTHERS[GAUHATI HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964 (Rules of 1964) — Rule 9 — Disciplinary Proceedings — De Novo Enquiry — Powers of Disciplinary Authority — Absence of specific provision in Rules of 1964 for initiating de novo/fresh enquiry merely because Disciplinary Authority disagrees with Enquiry Officer's finding in favour of delinquent officer is established law — However, de novo enquiry is permissible to rectify serious defects or lapses in procedure (e.g., failure to furnish India Law Library Docid # 2437232
(210) SMT. NISHA DEVLIYA Vs. SMT. NANDINI AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT (INDORE BENCH)] 19-12-2025 M.P. Municipal Corporation Act, 1956 — Section 441-F(2), 441, 441-B, 441-D, 441-H — Setting aside election of Councillor — Disqualification for non-disclosure/false information in nomination affidavit — Scope of judicial review in Civil Revision — Trial court erred in setting aside the election based on assumptions (surmises and conjectures) about potential tax arrears if municipal records were updated, rather than on proof of existing arrears or substantial non-compliance with India Law Library Docid # 2437148
(211) JYOTINDER SINGH SALUJA AND OTHERS Vs. BHARAT HEAVY ELECTRICAL LTD.[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971 — Section 2(g), 5, 7 — Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants — Unauthorised Occupation — Licence Expiration — Where a licence for an industrial plot expired in 2011 and was not formally renewed, the occupant's continued possession falls under the definition of India Law Library Docid # 2437150
(212) P.V. RAVI, Vs. SPE/CBI KOCHI[KERALA HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 — Section 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2) — Criminal Conspiracy – Indian Penal Code, 1860 — Section 120B — Misappropriation of loan amount — Allegation that public servant (Bank Manager, A1) conspired with a builder (A2) to misappropriate a housing loan sanctioned in the name of a third party (PW18) without house construction — Evidence showing loan amount (Rs. 3 Lakh) was sanctioned and almost entirely encashed using cheques by the builder (A2) through his st India Law Library Docid # 2437153
(213) SAYED HUSSAIN HYDROSE THANGAL Vs. K.J. PAUL AND OTHERS[KERALA HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 6 Rule 17 (Amendment of Pleadings) — Admissibility of amendment after completion of evidence — Res Judicata (Section 11 C.P.C.) — The court must ensure that a proposed amendment does not cause injustice or prejudice to the opposite party or circumvent a legal bar, such as res judicata; otherwise, it would be unjust and impermissible — The fundamental principles of res judicata, which confer finality and conclusiveness to decisions to India Law Library Docid # 2437154
(214) N.SUBRAMANYA SARMA Vs. E.N.NARAYANA SARMA AND OTHERS[KERALA HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Hindu Succession Act, 1956 — Section 4 — Hindu Law and Customary Law — Ascetic life (Sanyasa) — Civil Death — The concept of "civil death" resulting from a Hindu adopting an ascetic life (Sanyasa) and renouncing worldly affairs, as recognized under Mitakshara law, is not abrogated or overridden by Section 4 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 or the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956. India Law Library Docid # 2437155
(215) SUJATHA KRISHNAN AND OTHERS Vs. RADHA MOHANDAS AND OTHERS[KERALA HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Indian Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 32(5) — Admissibility of statement of deceased person concerning relationship — Exception to Hearsay Rule — Verbal statement made by deceased father (Krishnan) confirming paternity of child (Plaintiff No. 2) conceived before marriage, when admitted by a person who heard it (PW1, father of Plaintiff No. 1), is admissible and relevant under Section 32(5) — Essential conditions: statement relates to existence of relationship by blood, maker had special India Law Library Docid # 2437156
(216) ANUSHREE SRIVASTAVA AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF BIHAR AND OTHERS[PATNA HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of Criminal Proceedings / Cognizance Order — Matrimonial Dispute — Allegations of intimidation, changing medicines, theft of valuable items, and secretly video recording the mother-in-law while bathing (under IPC Sections 354C, 504, 506/34) — Counterblast Theory — Where the nature of allegations (videographing during bath, theft, and abuse) constitutes a serious prima facie case, subsequent filing of India Law Library Docid # 2437157
(217) RAJ KUMAR GUPTA Vs. THE STATE OF BIHAR AND OTHERS[PATNA HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 — Coverage and Continuous Service — Employer's Defenses — Finding that the employer's establishment was covered under the Act based on the number of employees (over 10) mentioned in official records — Finding that the employee rendered continuous service for over five years, satisfying the condition under Section 4, despite the employer's denial and lack of proper India Law Library Docid # 2437158
(218) KOUSIK PAL Vs. B.M. BIRLA HEART RESEARCH CENTRE AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-12-2025 West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Act, 2017 — Sections 2(c), 2(v), 29, 33, 36, 38(1)(iii), 38(1)(x) — Scope and Jurisdiction of West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (Commission) — Power to adjudicate deficiency in patient care service and award compensation — Commission's jurisdiction extends to monitoring qualifications of service pro India Law Library Docid # 2437355
(219) RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT AND ANOTHER Vs. RAJAT YADAV AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-12-2025 Constitution of India, 1950 — Articles 14 and 16 — Equality in Public Employment — Reservation — Migration of Meritorious Reserved Category Candidates — A candidate belonging to a reserved category (SC/ST/OBC), who secures marks higher than the cut-off marks prescribed for the General/Open category, must be treated as a General/Open category candidate based purely on merit at every stage of the selection process India Law Library Docid # 2437356
(220) SMT. SANNI BAI AND OTHERS Vs. VIPLOV RAI AND OTHERS[CHHATTISGARH HIGH COURT] 19-12-2025 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 (Claim Petition) — Nature of death — Distinguishing Motor Accident from Murder — Claim petition dismissed by Tribunal holding deceased's death was a murder, not a motor accident — High Court found the non-accidental finding erroneous based on the acquittal of accused in the criminal trial (Sessions Trial No. 125/2010), testimony of independent eye-witness (A.W.-2) corroborated by medical evidence (post-mortem report stating cause of death as India Law Library Docid # 2437419