(141) RATUL BHARALI AND ANOTHER Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 06-02-2026 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 — Section 6 — Evidence — Age of victim — Investigating Officer stated that radiological report indicated age above 18 and below 19, but school certificate showed age as 15 years on a particular date, leading to non-annexation of the radiological report to the chargesheet. India Law Library Docid # 2439592
(142) MEHAL SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 06-02-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 372 (proviso) and Section 378(4) — Appeal against acquittal — Victim's right to appeal — A victim, as defined under Section 2(wa) of Cr.P.C., has the right to file an appeal against a judgment of acquittal under the proviso to Section 372 of Cr.P.C. — Such a victim does not require to obtain leave to appeal against an acquittal under Section 378(4) of Cr.P.C. — High Court's refusal to grant leave to appeal to a victim against an acquittal without co India Law Library Docid # 2439593
(143) M/s. NAV NIRMAN BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS PVT. LTD. Vs. THE UNION OF INDIA THROUGH DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT, GOVT OF INDIA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 06-02-2026 Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 — Section 8(7) — Confiscation of property when trial cannot be concluded — Special Court cannot decide on Section 8(7) application if an appeal against the Section 8(3) confirmation order is pending before a higher forum like the Appellate Tribunal — Doctrine of merger applies — Proceedings under Section 8(7) are deemed stayed until the confirmation order becomes final. India Law Library Docid # 2439600
(144) STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ANOTHER Vs. CONFEDERATION OF STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, WEST BENGAL AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-02-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 309 — Power to frame rules for recruitment and conditions of service — Such power is extensive and expansive, and must be exercised in a just, fair, and reasonable manner, conforming to Articles 14 and 16. India Law Library Docid # 2439020
(145) M/s SHYAM BEEJ BHANDAR AND ANOTHER ETC Vs. SURESH ETC[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-02-2026 Consumer Protection Act, 1986 — Section 12 — Complaint by farmers against seed producer and distributor for sub-standard groundnut seeds leading to crop failure — Supreme Court examined the inspection report which indicated that 50% of the pods were not completely developed and attributed a potential 20-25% shortfall in yield due to excess rainfall and natural causes (vis-major) — Held that while there India Law Library Docid # 2439536
(146) DORAIRAJ Vs. DORAISAMY (DEAD) THROUGH LRs AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-02-2026 Hindu Law — Joint Family Property — Acquisition of Property — Presumption of Joint Nature — Proof of Ancestral Property and Income-Yielding Nucleus — Once ancestral properties yielding income are established, and acquisitions are made during the subsistence of a joint family, the burden shifts to the claimant to prove self-acquisition. India Law Library Docid # 2439022
(147) SHASHIN PATEL AND ANOTHER Vs. UDAY DALAL AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-02-2026 Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 — Section 152, 154, 23(2) — Societies Act — Membership — Dispute regarding grant of membership to successor of deceased tenant — Held, where an AGM resolution to admit a member has not been revoked, and the successor has genuinely sought membership and paid requisite amounts, denial of membership would create anomaly; subsequent transfer of India Law Library Docid # 2439023
(148) PRAMOD KUMAR NAVRATNA Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-02-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 376(2)(n) — Rape — Repeated commission on the same woman — Elements — Requires at least one act of sexual assault followed by multiple acts under fear, pressure, captivity, or continued deceit, where the woman is vulnerable and unable to escape — A series of acts separate in nature, not a continuation of a single transaction. India Law Library Docid # 2439024
(149) ABDUL SATTAR Vs. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF HOME AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 05-02-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 279, 337, 338, 304(A) — Accident and death due to negligence — Review petition for review of conviction — Appeal arising out of conviction for causing death by negligence — Supreme Court allowed review petition, restored special leave petition to file, and granted leave to appeal — Court considered age of deceased (13 years) and negligence of appellant — Section 304(A) India Law Library Docid # 2439594
(150) VINIT BAHRI AND ANOTHER Vs. M/S MGF DEVELOPERS LTD AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Consumer Protection Act, 1986 — Section 2(1)(d) — Definition of 'consumer' — 'Commercial purpose' exclusion clause — Onus of proof — The service provider (developer) bears the onus to prove that a complainant obtained services for a commercial purpose to exclude them from the definition of 'consumer'. The complainant only needs to prove the initial elements of the definition. India Law Library Docid # 2438988
(151) RUPESH KUMAR MEENA Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Civil Services Examination — Cadre Allocation — Seniority — Claim for re-allocation to an 'insider' vacancy based on non-joining of candidates senior in merit list — Court held that such a process cannot be adopted as it would render cadre allocation fluid and unsettled for all time. India Law Library Docid # 2438990
(152) MOHTASHEM BILLAH MALIK Vs. SANA AFTAB[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 — Section 25 — Custody of minor children — Determination of custody requires consideration of paramount welfare of children along with other factors like conduct of parties, financial capacity, standard of living, and comfort/education of children. High Court's view that only welfare is relevant is incorrect. India Law Library Docid # 2438991
(153) U.P. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL COUNCIL INSTRUCTOR WELFARE ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Right to Education Act, 2009 — Section 24(3) — Grievance redressal mechanism — While the Act provides for grievance redressal, it primarily pertains to defaults by teachers or disciplinary actions against them. It should not be read in isolation from other provisions and does not operate as an absolute bar to writ jurisdiction, especially when a matter has been adjudicated on merits. India Law Library Docid # 2438992
(154) M/S EMINENT COLONIZERS PRIVATE LIMITED Vs. RAJASTHAN HOUSING BOARD AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 11 — Appointment of Arbitrator — Pre-2015 Amendment regime — Precedential value of Section 11 Court's order — Where the Section 11 Court appointed an arbitrator, the order, being a judicial order, became final and binding on the parties and subsequent proceedings, including India Law Library Docid # 2438993
(155) JITENDER KUMAR PANDEY AND OTHERS Vs. SUMAN GAUTAM AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Uttar Pradesh Kshettra Panchayats and Zilla Panchayats Adhiniyam, 1961 — Section 15(2) — No Confidence Motion — Powers of District Magistrate — District Magistrate cannot determine the genuineness of signatures on India Law Library Docid # 2439547
(156) M/S. KABRA AND ASSOCIATES AND OTHERS Vs. REKHA RAJKUMAR HEMDEV AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Consumer Protection Act, 2019 — Maintainability of Consumer Complaint — Election of Remedy — Complainants initially approached Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 — Filed two complaints, one seeking registration of project and another for refund of amount paid for flats — First complaint dismissed by RERA holding registration not India Law Library Docid # 2439548
(157) SUNNY CHAUHAN Vs. STATE OF HARYANA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail Applications — Pendency in High Courts — Supreme Court expresses disappointment over delays in hearing bail applications, noting that liberty of individuals should not be jeopardized by prolonged pendency — Individuals languish in jail while bail applications remain unheard for extended periods — This situation persists despite previous directives from Supreme India Law Library Docid # 2439550
(158) E. ANITHA Vs. THE UNION TERRITORY OF PUDUCHERRY AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Puducherry Reservation of Other Backward Classes (Other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Act, 1994 and rules thereunder — Community Certificate for reservation — Appellant born in Puducherry, educated and married within Union Territory — Previous community certificates issued based on residence — Denial of fresh certificate based on father's alleged residence in Tamil Nadu at some point — India Law Library Docid # 2439553
(159) MOHTASHEM BILLAH MALIK Vs. SANA AFTAB[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 — Section 25 — Custody of minors — Paramount consideration is welfare of children, but other factors such as conduct of parties, financial capacity, standard of living, comfort, and education of children are also relevant and cannot be ignored. India Law Library Docid # 2439374
(160) ANKHIM HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. AND ANOTHER Vs. ZAVERI CONSTRUCTION PVT. LTD.[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 04-02-2026 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 15(2) — Termination of mandate and substitution of arbitrator — High Court declared arbitral proceedings void due to moratorium under IBC. Supreme Court held that Section 15(2) mandates appointment of substitute arbitrator, and prior proceedings remain valid unless parties agree otherwise. High Court exceeded jurisdiction by declaring proceedings a nullity. India Law Library Docid # 2439191