(81) ALANKAR PADAJI MHATRE AND OTHERS Vs. NAMDEO NARAYAN NAIK SINCE DECEASED THR. LEGAL HEIRS AND OTHERS[BOMBAY HIGH COURT] 06-01-2026 Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 23 Rule 1(1) — Withdrawal/Abandonment of Suit/Claim — Plaintiff is 'dominus litus' — Plaintiff has an absolute right to abandon the suit against all or any defendants, or abandon part of the claim (e.g., deleting a defendant and a suit property) unconditionally; permission of the court is not peremptory for such abandonment — Court cannot compel a plaintiff to prosecute a suit against their wish — Unconditional abandonment under India Law Library Docid # 2437957
(82) ANKUR DAVID AND OTHERS Vs. NILL[CHHATTISGARH HIGH COURT] 06-01-2026 Divorce Act, 1869 — Section 10A(1) — Dissolution of marriage by mutual consent — Period of separation — Constitutional Validity — The stipulation in Section 10A(1) requiring a separation period of "two years or more" for filing a mutual consent divorce petition was declared unconstitutional and read down to a period of "one year" by the Kerala High Court in Saumya Ann Thomas v. Union of India Law Library Docid # 2437962
(83) NUR HUSSAIN ALI Vs. JATINDRA BHARALI[GAUHATI HIGH COURT] 06-01-2026 Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 — Section 138 (Dishonour of Cheque) — Legally Enforceable Debt Requirement — For an offence under Section 138, the dishonoured cheque must represent a legally enforceable debt on the date of maturity or presentation — If the drawer makes a part payment of the sum represented on the cheque between the date it is drawn and when it is presented for encashment, the India Law Library Docid # 2437964
(84) TAFIKA MANOWARA RAHMAN Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND OTHERS[GAUHATI HIGH COURT] 06-01-2026 Service Law — Seniority — Inter-establishment transfer on own request — Effect on seniority — The petitioner was transferred on her own request from the establishment of Respondent No. 5 (Dhansiri Project Division) to the establishment of Respondent No. 4 (Mangaldai Division) with a specific stipulation in the transfer order (dated 19-08-2005) that her seniority in the new establishment (Respondent No. India Law Library Docid # 2437965
(85) M/S. OM TELECOM LOGISTICS PVT. LTD. Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND OTHERS[GAUHATI HIGH COURT] 06-01-2026 Assam Value Added Tax Act, 2003 — Section 89 — Compounding of Offence — Delegation of Power — Superintendent of Taxes (Respondent No. 3) ordered compounding of offence under Section 85(1)(n) upon petitioner's request — Challenge raised that Superintendent of Taxes lacked jurisdiction under Section 89 to compound — Section 89 grants power to the Commissioner of Taxes; however, Rule India Law Library Docid # 2437966
(86) PRATUL KR DAS AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND OTHERS[GAUHATI HIGH COURT] 06-01-2026 Assam Craftsman Training Service Rules, 1993 — Rule 3(c)(iv) — Cadre of Senior Instructor — Interpretation of 'Instructor' — The cadre of Senior Instructor includes the posts of Instructor (Social Studies) and Instructor (English language), in addition to those specifically enumerated in Rule 3(c)(iv), based on the interpretation of the term 'Instructor' within the Rule context as established in prior judicial India Law Library Docid # 2437967
(87) SUBHASH AGGARWAL Vs. MAHENDER PAL CHHABRA AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 16(c) — Suit for specific performance — Readiness and willingness — Standard of proof — Appellant (plaintiff) failed to demonstrate the necessary financial capacity (readiness and wherewithal) to pay the balance consideration of Rs. India Law Library Docid # 2437731
(88) DHARMENDRA SHARMA Vs. M. ARUNMOZHI AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Contempt of Court — Non-compliance with Supreme Court Order — Directions to Development Authority (ADA) — Supreme Court previously directed ADA to pay compensation, refund amount with interest, and return non-judicial stamp worth Rs. 3,99,100 to petitioner — ADA returned expired physical stamp papers instead of refunding the value — Petitioner India Law Library Docid # 2437732
(89) PANGANTI VIJAYA Vs. UNITED INDIA INSURANCE COMPANY LTD. AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923 — Claim for Compensation — Employer-Employee Relationship — Death arising out of and in the course of employment — Commissioner for Workmen’s Compensation found that the deceased driver was employed and the accident occurred during and in the course of employment, awarding compensation — High Court set aside the award based on the owner's initial counter-affidavit denying employment — Supreme Court restored the Commissioner’s award, noting that the owner India Law Library Docid # 2437733
(90) M/S BHAGHEERATHA ENGINEERING LTD. Vs. STATE OF KERALA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 34 and Section 37 — Setting aside of Arbitral Award — Scope of judicial review — Arbitral Tribunal's jurisdiction — Contractual dispute resolution mechanism (Adjudicator to Arbitrator) — Setting aside of award by High Court on the ground that the Arbitral Tribunal was appointed to adjudicate only one dispute and exceeded its jurisdiction by deciding others — The arbitration clause was widely worded, and the conduct of the respondent-State indicate India Law Library Docid # 2437734
(91) NAK ENGINEERING COMPANY PVT. LTD. Vs. TARUN KESHRICHAND SHAH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 1 Rule 10 — Impleadment of parties — Necessary party vs. Proper party — Definition and test — A necessary party is one without whom no effective order or decree can be made; the suit is liable to be dismissed if a necessary party is not impleaded — A proper party is one whose presence enables the court to completely and adequately India Law Library Docid # 2437735
(92) BHADRA INTERNATIONAL (INDIA) PVT. LTD. AND OTHERS Vs. AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 12(5) read with Seventh Schedule — Ineligibility of Arbitrator — Unilateral Appointment — Effect of 2015 Amendment Act — Section 12(5) renders any person whose relationship falls under the Seventh Schedule ineligible to be appointed as an arbitrator, notwithstanding any prior agreement — Where the arbitration clause empowers the Chairman of one party (Airports Authority of India) to unilaterally appoint the India Law Library Docid # 2437736
(93) MOTILAL OSWAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED Vs. SANTOSH CORDEIRO AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 11(6-A) — Appointment of Arbitrator — Scope of judicial review — The court, while considering an application under Section 11, must confine its examination to the prima facie existence of an arbitration agreement, as mandated by the un-notified but effective Section 11(6-A) — The court's role is merely to inspect or scrutinize India Law Library Docid # 2437737
(94) NIRBHAY SINGH SULIYA Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Service Law — Disciplinary Proceedings — Judicial Officer — Removal from Service — Misconduct — Judicial orders and grant of bail — A judicial officer, with 27 years of unblemished service, was removed based solely on four bail orders where Section 59-A of the Madhya Pradesh Excise Act, 1915 (imposing twin conditions for bail) was not expressly mentioned, contrasted with 14 other India Law Library Docid # 2437738
(95) ANJANI SINGH Vs. THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 302, 307, 504 read with 34 — Appreciation of Evidence — Sole Eye Witness Testimony (PW-1) — Reliability — Where a sole eye witness's testimony is wavering, inconsistent regarding the scene of the crime and the specific role of the accused, and where motive is alleged only against the PW but multiple innocent persons were killed at close range (suggesting targeted killing) without motive, the testimony India Law Library Docid # 2437739
(96) GULFISHA FATIMA Vs. STATE (GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI)[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) — Section 43D(5) — Bail — Accused Sharjeel Imam — Role attributed is that of a "principal ideologue and early architect" of the alleged conspiracy, involving the creation of coordination platforms (WhatsApp groups), mobilization through pamphlets, and delivery of speeches advocating disruptive "Chakka Jam" (road blockage/paralysis of essential services) as India Law Library Docid # 2437740
(97) ADANI POWER LTD. AND ANOTHER Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 (SEZ Act) — Section 30 — Customs Act, 1962 — Section 12 — Levy of Customs Duty on Electrical Energy — Clearance from Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) — Absence of Charging Event — Electrical energy generated in India within an SEZ and supplied to DTA is not ‘imported into India’ under Section 12 of the Customs Act — The deeming fiction in Section 30 of the SEZ India Law Library Docid # 2437741
(98) SUKHCHAIN Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-01-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 389 — Suspension of Sentence — Fixed Term Sentence — Appellate Court's Approach — The High Court while considering an application for suspension of a fixed term substantive sentence passed by the Trial Court pending appeal must apply settled principles of law and consider the plea liberally, unless exceptional circumstances exist, in contrast to the approach India Law Library Docid # 2437833
(99) RAVINDER SINGH GANDOAK Vs. STATE (GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI) AND OTHERS[DELHI HIGH COURT] 05-01-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 311A — Power of Magistrate to order specimen signatures or handwriting — Challenge to Magistrate's order directing Petitioner to give handwriting samples — Petitioner placed in Column 12 of Chargesheet (insufficient evidence) and claims never to have been arrested — Proviso to Section 311A mandates arrest as a condition for the order — Interpretation of Proviso: The proviso’s requirement that “the person has at some time been arrested” applies to an India Law Library Docid # 2437889
(100) MANOJ MISHRA AND OTHERS Vs. STATE (GNCTD) AND OTHERS[DELHI HIGH COURT] 05-01-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Inherent power of High Court — Quashing of FIR and consequential proceedings — The High Court can exercise its inherent power to quash criminal proceedings, including the FIR and ensuing charge-sheet/charge orders, when the allegations, even if taken on face value, do not disclose the commission of cognizable offences or where the proceedings amount to an India Law Library Docid # 2437890