(21) K.R. SURESH Vs. R. POORNIMA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 02-05-2025 Contract Act, 1872 — Section 74 — Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 22 — Forfeiture of Earnest Money vs. Advance Money — Distinction and Applicability of S. 74 — Earnest money serves a dual purpose: part-payment and security for performance — Its forfeiture upon the purchaser’s default, if reasonable and explicitly provided for, generally falls outside the scope of penalty under Section 74 of the Contract Act — Conversely, forfeiture of ‘advance money’ (mere part-payment) or stipulations by wa India Law Library Docid # 2425317
(22) ASF BUILDTECH PRIVATE LIMITED Vs. SHAPOORJI PALLONJI AND COMPANY PRIVATE LIMITED[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 02-05-2025 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 – Sections 2(1)(h), 7, 16 & 19 – Power of Arbitral Tribunal to Implead Non-Signatories – Group of Companies Doctrine and Mutual Consent – An Arbitral Tribunal possesses the authority and jurisdiction, rooted in Sections 2(1)(h) and 7 and exercisable under Section 16, to determine whether a non-signatory is bound by the arbitration agreement and, if so, to implead such non-signatory as a party to the arbitration proceedings — This power derives from the foun India Law Library Docid # 2425318
(23) DR. VIMAL SUKUMAR Vs. D. LAWRENCE AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 02-05-2025 Church Law / Ecclesiastical Law — Church of South India (CSI) — Constitution and Bye-Laws — Amendments — Validity — Procedure — Assessment of the validity of amendments proposed/passed concerning the CSI Constitution (increasing retirement age of clergy) and Bye-Laws (qualifications of office bearers) during a Special Synod Meeting on 07.03.2022. India Law Library Docid # 2425323
(24) KABIR PAHARIA Vs. NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 02-05-2025 Constitution of India — Articles 14, 16 & 21 — Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 — Admission to Medical Education (MBBS) — Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) — Substantive Equality & Reasonable Accommodation — The constitutional mandate of substantive equality under Articles 14, 16, and 21, read with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, requires affording reasonable accommodations to Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) India Law Library Docid # 2425325
(25) SANTOSH DEVI Vs. SUNDER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 02-05-2025 Limitation Act, 1963 — Section 17 — Effect of fraud — Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 — Order VII Rule 6 — Grounds of exemption from limitation law — Suit for cancellation of sale deed — To claim exemption from the ordinary period of limitation under Section 17 of the Limitation Act on the ground of fraud, the plaintiff must specifically plead and prove not only the fraud pertaining to the transaction itself but, crucially, that they were, by means of such fraud, kept from the knowledge of their r India Law Library Docid # 2425397
(26) M/S. COAL INDIA LIMITED Vs. COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (PORT), CUSTOMS HOUSE, KOLKATA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 01-05-2025 Customs Act, 1962 — Section 14 — Customs Valuation (Determination of Price of Imported Goods) Rules, 1988 — Rule 9(1)(e) — Assessable Value — Payments to Third Party (Indian Agent) — Payments made by an importer (Appellant) to an Indian agent/distributor (M/s Voltas Ltd.) of a foreign supplier, stipulated as a percentage of the FOB value and payable in addition to the price paid to the foreign supplier, are includible in the assessable value India Law Library Docid # 2425256
(27) RAJU @ UMAKANT Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 01-05-2025 Penal Code, 1860 — Sections 366, 376(2)(g), 342 — Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 114A — Rape — Testimony of Prosecutrix — Corroboration — The testimony of a prosecutrix in a sexual assault case, if found to be credible, consistent, and confidence-inspiring despite minor contradictions or variations from initial reports, is sufficient for conviction without corroboration — A victim of sexual assault is not an accomplice, and her evidence should be evaluated keeping in mind she is an interested witn India Law Library Docid # 2425284
(28) ASHOK KUMAR JAIN Vs. THE STATE OF GUJARAT AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 01-05-2025 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 — Section 482 — Quashing of FIR — Commercial Disputes — Abuse of Process — The inherent power under S. 482 CrPC to quash an FIR should be exercised sparingly and cautiously — While the court cannot embark upon an enquiry into the reliability of FIR allegations at this stage, where the FIR itself, read with undisputed documents related to the transaction, clearly points towards a dispute primarily of a civil nature (like non-payment in a commercial transaction involv India Law Library Docid # 2425285
(29) DINESH D PANCHAL AND OTHERS Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 01-05-2025 Service Law — Railways — Seniority — Absorption of Surplus Staff — Indian Railway Establishment Manual (IREM), Para 313A — Railway Board Circular No. RE 106/2004 dated 26.06.2004 — Upon redeployment or absorption into a new unit/department due to being rendered surplus, Railway employees are treated as fresh entrants in the matter of seniority under Para 313A of IREM (introduced via Circular dated 26.06.2004) — They are not entitled to the benefit of past service rendered in the previous unit fo India Law Library Docid # 2425286
(30) R. RANJITH SINGH AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 01-05-2025 Service Law — Seniority — Direct Recruitment — Inter-se Seniority between Open Market Candidates and Departmental Candidates selected through same process — Basis of Seniority — Merit vs. Source — Constitution of India — Articles 14, 16 & 21 — Where recruitment to a post is made through a common direct recruitment process (including a common examination) involving candidates from the open India Law Library Docid # 2425319
(31) RAJU Vs. THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN[RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT] 01-05-2025 Penal Code, 1860 — Sections 306 & 107 — Abetment of Suicide — Essential Ingredients — Proof Required — Mens Rea & Proximate Link — To establish the offence of abetment of suicide under Section 306 IPC, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed a positive act of instigation or intentionally aided the commission of suicide, as defined under Section 107 IPC — This requires demonstrating a clear mens rea (intention) to drive the deceased to suicide — Mere allegati India Law Library Docid # 2425467
(32) SHENBAGAVALLI AND OTHERS Vs. THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE, KANCHEEPURAM DISTRICT AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Penal Code, 1860 — Section 306 — Abetment of Suicide — Ingredients — To constitute an offence under Section 306 IPC, the essential ingredients of abetment as defined under Section 107 IPC must be established — There must be proof of a direct or indirect positive act of incitement to the commission of suicide by the accused, reflecting a mens rea to instigate or aid the deceased to end their life. India Law Library Docid # 2425257
(33) KRISHNA KUMAR KEDIA Vs. UNION OF INDIA THROUGH DIRECTOR, CBI[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 133 — Approver Evidence — Corroboration — Conviction based significantly on approver’s testimony admitting forgery at appellant’s behest is sustainable when corroborated by: (i) testimony of the official denying the forged signature, (ii) testimonies of appellant’s employees confirming lifting of goods and diversion on appellant’s instructions, and (iii) testimonies of departmental India Law Library Docid # 2425258
(34) KESHAV S/O LAXMAN RUPNAR AND ANOTHER Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Criminal Law — Rape — Evidence — Testimony of Prosecutrix — Reliability — While conviction for rape can be based solely on the testimony of the prosecutrix if it inspires confidence (State of Punjab v. Gurmit Singh), the court must carefully evaluate the testimony in the context of the entire case — Where the narrative contains significant inconsistencies, lacks corroboration on material aspects, and appears unbelievable, raising grave suspicion, implicit reliance cannot be placed solely on the India Law Library Docid # 2425259
(35) RINA RANI MALLICK Vs. SUSIM KANTI MOHANTY AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Compensation — Injury to Minor — Non-Pecuniary Heads — In motor accident claims involving injury to minors resulting in permanent disability, compensation is determined primarily under non-pecuniary heads (pain, suffering, loss of amenities, inconvenience, discomfort) in addition to actual expenses incurred for treatment, attendant care etc., as establishing loss of future earnings is difficult — The quantum for non-pecuniary loss can be guided by the structured amount India Law Library Docid # 2425260
(36) SMT. M. SABITHA AND OTHERS Vs. BRAHMA SWAMULU AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Negligence — Contributory Negligence — Head-on Collision — Overtaking Vehicle and Speeding Vehicle — In a head-on collision between a car overtaking another vehicle and a lorry approaching from the opposite direction at high speed (evidenced by dragging the car post-impact), both drivers are contributorily negligent — The car driver failed to exercise sufficient care while overtaking, and India Law Library Docid # 2425261
(37) MEERA BAI AND OTHERS Vs. ICICI LOMBARD GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LTD. AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Negligence — Proof — Absence of Eyewitness — The High Court erred in dismissing a motor accident claim petition solely on the ground that no eyewitness was examined to prove rash and negligent driving, especially when other evidence indicated negligence — Eyewitness testimony is not indispensable India Law Library Docid # 2425262
(38) PRAGYA PRASUN AND OTHERS Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Constitution of India — Article 21 — Right to Life — Digital Accessibility — In the contemporary digital era, the Right to Life under Article 21 encompasses the right to digital access — Bridging the digital divide and ensuring universal accessibility to digital infrastructure, government portals, and essential services (including financial and telecommunication services) for all, including persons with disabilities and marginalized populations, is a constitutional imperative for the State to en India Law Library Docid # 2425263
(39) KANIZ AHMED Vs. SABUDDIN AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Unauthorized Construction — Public Interest Litigation — Eviction and Demolition — High Court Directions Affirmed — Supreme Court affirms the High Court’s directions issued in a Public Interest Litigation, mandating authorities to ensure vacation of premises built unauthorizedly, eviction of occupants using adequate police force if necessary by a specified timeline, and subsequent demolition of the unauthorized structure by the Municipal Corporation, with the entire process being videographed a India Law Library Docid # 2425287
(40) GAYATRI BALASAMY Vs. M/S. ISG NOVASOFT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 30-04-2025 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Sections 34 & 37 — Power of Court — Modification of Arbitral Award — Courts exercising power under Section 34 (setting aside) or Section 37 (appeal) of the Act do not have the power to modify or vary the terms of an arbitral award — The legislative scheme confines the court's power primarily to setting aside the award on enumerated grounds, reflecting the principle of minimal India Law Library Docid # 2425294