(161) WEST BENGAL STATE ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION CO. LTD. Vs. ADHUNIK POWER AND NATURAL RESOURCE LTD. AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 27-02-2026 Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) / Power Supply Agreement (PSA) — Interpretation of Contract — Surrounding Circumstances — Evidence Act, 1872, Sections 92, 94, 95 — Contractual terms can be clarified by attending circumstances and conduct of parties, even if contract is reduced to writing, to give meaning to terms that may otherwise be meaningless or unworkable. India Law Library Docid # 2440103
(162) UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS Vs. AMSON AND ANOTHER[CALCUTTA HIGH COURT (CIRCUIT BENCH AT PORT BLAIR)] 27-02-2026 Central Administrative Tribunal — Jurisdiction — High Court can interfere with CAT's order in writ proceedings if there is a manifest error of law. India Law Library Docid # 2440112
(163) SMTI. EVANGELIST KHONGJEE Vs. STATE OF MEGHALAYA AND OTHERS[MEGHALAYA HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 439 — Bail — Accused charged under Section 142 BNS, 2023 read with Section 3(a)/4 of POCSO Act, 2012 — Allegation of sexual relationship with a minor — Survivor's statement under Section 180 BNSS admits love relationship and consensual sex — High Court India Law Library Docid # 2440113
(164) PRABHU PRASAD SAO @ PRABHU SAO @ PRABHU SAW @ PRABHU SAHU @ PRABHU PRASAD SAHU Vs. UNION OF INDIA THROUGH NATIONAL INVESTIGATING AGENCY[JHARKHAND HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 439 — Bail — Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 — Section 43D(5) — Grant of bail — Delay in trial — Long incarceration and lack of progress in trial are grounds for granting bail, even under special statutes like UAPA. India Law Library Docid # 2440114
(165) USMAN KHAN Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND[UTTARAKHAND HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 309 — Speedy Trial — Mandate for day-to-day proceedings once witness examination starts, with special reasons required for adjournment, to ensure timely conclusion of trial. India Law Library Docid # 2440115
(166) MANAGER, LEGAL (T.P. CLAIM), CHOLOMANDALAM, M/S. GENERAL INSURANCE CO. LTD. KHORDHA Vs. PRIYADARSHI DAS AND ANOTHER[ORISSA HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166, 173(1) — Motor Accident Claims — Appeals by Insurer and Claimant — Challenge to quantum of compensation awarded for injuries sustained in motor vehicular accident — Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.1,12,71,231/- — Insurer appealed challenging disability assessment; India Law Library Docid # 2440116
(167) STATE OF JAMMU & KASHMIR Vs. JAVAID AHMAD GANAI AND OTHERS[JAMMU AND KASHMIR AND LADAKH HIGH COURT (SRINAGAR BENCH)] 27-02-2026 Compassionate Appointment — Exception to General Rule — Not a Matter of Right — Appointments under SRO 43 are exceptions to the general rule of public service appointments based on merit and equality under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. Such appointments are primarily to assist families facing financial hardship due to the death of a government employee and are not a guaranteed right or India Law Library Docid # 2440117
(168) SHER-E-KASHMIR UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY, JAMMU THROUGH ITS VICE CHANCELLOR Vs. DR. ANKUR SHARMA AND OTHERS[JAMMU AND KASHMIR AND LADAKH HIGH COURT (JAMMU BENCH)] 27-02-2026 Civil Services Regulations (J&K) — Schedule XIX and Rule 14(b) of Leave Rules — Foreign Assignment — Government employee required to obtain prior permission for foreign employment — Applying and appearing for interview without formal permission constitutes misconduct. India Law Library Docid # 2440118
(169) D.K. BHUIYA Vs. A. K. SINHA[CHHATTISGARH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 31(5) and Section 34(3) — Limitation for setting aside award — Compliance with Section 31(5) is essential for triggering the limitation period under Section 34(3) — If a signed copy of the arbitral award is not delivered to the party itself, the limitation period for applying to set aside the award does not begin — India Law Library Docid # 2440119
(170) NUMALIGARH REFINERY LIMITED Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND OTHERS[GAUHATI HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 — Sections 64 and 77 — Protest against compensation — If the award becomes effective on a particular date, any correspondence or actions prior to that date are irrelevant for determining acceptance or protest of the award — Protest must be contemporaneous with or precede the receipt of compensation for a India Law Library Docid # 2440120
(171) ATUL BAJAPEI Vs. MR. V. N. AMBADE[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Contempt of Court — Wilful Disobedience — A contempt petition requires proof of wilful and deliberate disobedience of a court order. If an order is ambiguous or lacks specific direction on a matter, it is better to seek clarification from the original court rather than proceeding with contempt. India Law Library Docid # 2440278
(172) MOHAMMAD NASIRQURESHI Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 319 — Power to proceed against additional persons — A court can summon a person not already facing trial alongside other accused if evidence presented during proceedings suggests their involvement — This evidence must be adduced before the trial court and not merely India Law Library Docid # 2440279
(173) GUMMADI USHA RANI AND ANOTHER Vs. SURE MALLIKARJUNA RAO AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 27-02-2026 Artificial Intelligence (AI) — Use in Legal Proceedings — Reliance on AI-generated judgments by a court is a serious matter concerning the integrity of the judicial process — Such judgments, if non-existent or fake, amount to India Law Library Docid # 2440294
(174) M/S ZENITH-EVENT & SERVICES AND ANOTHER Vs. STATE OF HP AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226 — Writ Petition — Forfeiture of security deposit — Failure to follow principles of natural justice — When civil consequences arise, principles of natural justice must be followed — Forfeiture of a significant sum without affording an opportunity to be heard is arbitrary and violative India Law Library Docid # 2440369
(175) PAWAN KUMAR Vs. STATE OF HP AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Land Revenue Law — Partition Proceedings — Question of Title — A party raising a question of title in partition proceedings after a significant delay, particularly after the mode of partition has been finalized and despite having consented to the partition earlier, may have their objections dismissed as belated, especially if a gift India Law Library Docid # 2440370
(176) H.P. STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD LTD. AND ANOTHER Vs. M/S ATLAS STEEL INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD. AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Limitation Act, 1963 — Condonation of delay — Application for — Appellants failed to provide any sufficient or tangible explanation for the inordinate delay of 559 days in filing appeal — Certified copy of judgment obtained after considerable delay of one year and five months without clear justification — Justification provided by India Law Library Docid # 2440371
(177) STATE OF HP AND OTHERS Vs. MONIKA THAKUR AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Limitation Act, 1963 — Section 5 — Condonation of delay in filing appeal — State’s application for condonation of delay — State demonstrated significant delay in filing appeals (1 year 285 days to 2 years 2 months) — Reasons provided for delay, including internal official procedures and consultation with Law, Finance, and India Law Library Docid # 2440372
(178) RAJ SHARMA Vs. THE STATE OF HP AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Public Interest Litigation — Illegal Mining — Environmental Damage — The High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation concerning illegal mining activities in the Humm-Khad region, finding that the auction proceedings for dredging were conducted properly. While acknowledging concerns about environmental damage and India Law Library Docid # 2440373
(179) SUBHASH CHAND Vs. STATE OF H.P AND ANOTHER[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226 — Discretionary relief — Petitioner not approaching court with clean hands — Petitioner suppressed material facts regarding regularization of service and subsequent promotion — Petitioner approached court after obtaining appointment in a different department — Petitioner not entitled to discretionary relief. India Law Library Docid # 2440390
(180) PURAN CHAND Vs. THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY PUBLIC WORKS DEPTT. AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 27-02-2026 Compassionate Appointment — Rejection of application — Petitioner's father took premature retirement due to disability in 2011 — Petitioner applied for compassionate appointment in 2012, which was rejected in 2013 on grounds of exceeding income criteria, and this rejection was not challenged — Petitioner re-applied, and the second India Law Library Docid # 2440391