(301) VELATHAL AND OTHERS Vs. PALANISAMY AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Civil Procedure — Settlement Agreement — Supreme Court modified High Court’s judgment in terms of a Settlement Agreement between the parties, directing them to abide by its terms and conditions, and making the agreement a part of the decree. [Paras 3 to 6] India Law Library Docid # 2441589
(302) GHOUSIA WILLIAMS Vs. PRASANNA H S AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 — Section 12 — Punishment for contempt of Court — Willful disobedience of Court order — Appellant convicted for willfully disobeying interim order directing payment of salary — Institute where appellant was Managing Trustee ceased to function due to acquisition of premises by Metro Rail Corporation and surrender of government grants — Employees had not performed any work since August 2018 — Non-compliance of order was not willful but due to intervening factors beyond India Law Library Docid # 2441597
(303) SHINY C.J. AND OTHERS Vs. SHALINI SREENIVASAN AND OHTERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Recruitment Rules — Interpretation of — Anganwadi Workers applying for Supervisor posts — Eligibility and quota for graduates vs. SSLC holders — Amendment to rules increasing quota for Anganwadi Workers and earmarking a portion for graduates — Whether graduates are excluded from the general quota for Anganwadi Workers with SSLC and 10 years' experience — Supreme Court held that India Law Library Docid # 2440765
(304) THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, KSRTC Vs. P. CHANDRAMOULI AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 — Compensation — Deduction of group insurance benefits — Whether amounts received by claimants under employer-provided group insurance or other contractual/social security benefits can be deducted from compensation awarded under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Held, such benefits arise from independent contractual relationships and lack nexus with India Law Library Docid # 2440766
(305) THE STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH Vs. SURAT SINGH[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) — Section 50 — Compliance with search provisions — Accused must be apprised of legal right to be searched before a Magistrate or Gazetted Officer, not a Police Officer — Offering a third option to be searched before a Police Officer contravenes Section 50 and India Law Library Docid # 2440767
(306) HARSHDEEP THAKUR Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 — Sections 20 and 29 — Bail — Appellant granted bail on parity with co-accused who had criminal antecedents, while appellant had no prior criminal record and had been in custody for over a year — Appeal allowed. [Paras 1–3] India Law Library Docid # 2441478
(307) SAHIL ETC. Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Anticipatory Bail — High Court rejected bail prayers — Supreme Court considered that custodial interrogation was not necessary given the stage of investigation and that appellants had joined investigation — Impugned judgment set aside and appellants directed to be released on bail on terms and conditions to be fixed by the trial court, with liberty to cancel bail upon breach of conditions, and with a clarification that observations are not findings on merit India Law Library Docid # 2441492
(308) MSA GLOBAL LLC (OMAN) Vs. ENGINEERING PROJECTS (INDIA) LIMITED[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Arbitration Act, 1996 — Sections 17, 19.1, 19.3 — Validity of anti-arbitration suit order — arbitrator resigned during pendency of proceedings — resignation of arbitrator removes the primary reason for injuncting the appellant — High Court's order to be re-examined in light of changed circumstances — all contentions regarding arbitrator's past involvement and interim award are kept open for fresh consideration by High Court — Appeal allowed in part, impugned judgment set aside, and case remitted India Law Library Docid # 2441496
(309) SATYA PRAKASH BAGLA Vs. STATE OF NCT OF DELHI[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 439 — Bail application — Special Leave Petition arising from order advancing hearing of bail application — Supreme Court not inclined to entertain Special Leave Petition as High Court had already advanced hearing of bail application to a specific date, prioritizing matters involving medical grounds — State's submission that urgent hospitalization not required based on medical opinion accepted — Directions issued for continued proper medical care, wi India Law Library Docid # 2441515
(310) PILA PAHAN@ PEELA PAHAN AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF JHARKHAND AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Administration of Justice — Court Procedures — Transparency and Accountability — Recommendations of Amicus Curiae for strengthening institutional strength, transparency, and accountability in final hearings, judgment reservation, and pronouncements were circulated to lawyers and Registrar Generals of High Courts for suggestions within ten days — Further suggestions from counsel were also invited within ten days, with a two-week deadline for all recommendations. [Paras 1, 2, 3, 4] India Law Library Docid # 2441521
(311) MAHESH PRATAP MEENA Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Service Law — Appointment — Relaxation of age and weightage for contractual experience — Supreme Court held that appellant, having worked on contract basis and securing first position in merit list, was entitled to age relaxation and weightage for prior experience — High Court erred in interfering with the CAT's order — Supreme Court set aside High Court's order, restored CAT's order, and directed appointment with prospective effect, also directing similar appointment for respondent no.5 with pr India Law Library Docid # 2441688
(312) M/S INDIA INFOLINE HOME FINANCE LIMITED Vs. NAGESWARA RAO PERIKALA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act) — Section 14 — Execution of warrant of possession — Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) erroneously closed the petition without considering the Advocate Commissioner's report seeking extension of time due to obstruction by respondents — CJM has a statutory duty to ensure execution of the warrant of possession and time limits under Section 14 are directory, not mandatory — High Court er India Law Library Docid # 2441689
(313) SHOBHABAI GORAKSHANATH VIDHATE Vs. THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail — Grant of Bail — Circumstances for grant of bail includes pendency of trial, similarity of case with co-accused who has been granted bail, and no necessity of further detention pending trial — Supreme Court setting aside High Court’s order refusing bail in view of these circumstances — Order of bail subject to furnishing bail bonds and other conditions imposed by trial court — Breach of conditions may lead to cancellation of bail — Observations in ord India Law Library Docid # 2441398
(314) SANJU BANJARE Vs. THE STATE OF CHHATTISGARH[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail — Appellant not named in FIR, complicity based on co-accused's confessional statement with no evidentiary value, appellant's prior acquittal in an Excise Act case, over one year of incarceration, and multiple co-accused already granted bail — High Court's rejection of bail set aside and appellant granted bail on terms and conditions imposed by the trial court. [Paras 1-8] India Law Library Docid # 2441409
(315) MANOJ PILLEY Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail pending trial — Grant of bail — Where charges have been framed, trial is likely to take time, and further detention of the accused pending trial is not deemed necessary by the Supreme Court, the accused may be admitted to bail, subject to furnishing bail bonds, adherence to conditions like not influencing witnesses or breaching bail terms, and diligent attendance at trial proceedings, without prejudice to the merits of the case. India Law Library Docid # 2441410
(316) HITESH KUMAR Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail — Conditions for grant of bail — Appellant cooperated with investigation and did not influence witnesses — Supreme Court confirmed earlier order granting bail, directing appellant to continue cooperation and report to Investigating Officer — Supreme Court emphasized that any delay due to appellant's conduct could lead to cancellation of bail — Impugned High Court order set aside. [Paras 5-9] India Law Library Docid # 2441428
(317) AJEET @ AJAY BATHAM Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail — Suspension of sentence during appeal — Supreme Court granted leave to appeal and suspended the sentence of an appellant convicted under Section 376(1) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and released him on bail — The High Court had previously rejected his prayer for bail — The Supreme Court noted that the prosecutrix was not examined before the Trial Court as she was not traceable, and directed the appellant to cooperate during the appeal hearing and no India Law Library Docid # 2441749
(318) TASLIM AND ANOTHER Vs. THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) — Sections 21(c), 25 — Bail — Appeal against dismissal of bail application by High Court — Supreme Court granted bail considering totality of circumstances and length of custody, setting aside High Court's order — Appellants to cooperate fully with trial and not misuse liberty — Trial expedited, with liberty to High Court to cancel bail if necessary. [Paras 5 to 8] India Law Library Docid # 2441761
(319) KAPILDEO MANDAL AND ANOTHER Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 304 Part II — Alteration of conviction from Section 302 to Section 304 Part II — Sentence reduced to period already undergone — Conviction upheld for culpable homicide not amounting to murder due to trivial nature of the incident and peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, considering the time elapsed since the occurrence and the period of sentence already served by the appellants. [Paras 3–14] India Law Library Docid # 2441762
(320) BHAJI RANJIT KUMAR Vs. BHAJI RANJIT DEEPA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Family Law — Child Custody — Interim Custody — While deciding interim custody of a child, the court must consider the child's well-being and any stated reluctance of the child to live with a parent, as well as the principle of parens patriae — An order granting interim custody to a parent against the child's wishes, especially when the child has been living with the other parent for a significant period, may not be in the child's best interest and can be set aside — The court should expedite the India Law Library Docid # 2441763