(441) 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
(442) 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
(443) 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
(444) 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
(445) 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
(446) 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
(447) 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
(448) 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
(449) 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
(450) 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
(451) 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
(452) 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
(453) 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
(454) AMIR KHAN AND ANOTHER Vs. THE UNION OF INDIA AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 (NDPS Act) — Bail — Release on bail granted by Supreme Court considering the duration of incarceration of appellants and lack of opposition regarding their criminal antecedents, despite High Court rejecting their bail plea, and setting aside the High Court's order — Application for bail allowed. [Paras 4-8] India Law Library Docid # 2441769
(455) PREM CHAND AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 16-03-2026 Service Law — Regularisation of Ad Hoc Employees — Policy Applicability — The Supreme Court held that ad hoc employees appointed before a certain cut-off date could be regularised even if their service had short breaks, provided similarly situated employees with longer breaks were regularised — The court reasoned that such breaks were artificial and should not negate long service, especially when vacancies existed and the employees were qualified. India Law Library Docid # 2442590
(456) S. THAMARAISELVAN ETC. Vs. S. JANAKIRAMAN[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 13-03-2026 Real Estate Law — Agreements to Sell and Specific Performance — Sale agreements were found invalid by the first appellate court and High Court due to differences in the place of execution and signature, lack of independent attesting witnesses, and the seller not being the owner at the time of agreement — While specific performance was denied, the High Court directed the seller to return the loan amount with interest, and the Supreme Court modified this to a total sum of Rs — 7,00,000/- to be pai India Law Library Docid # 2441477
(457) LOKPAL OF INDIA Vs. MUJAHAT ALI KHAN[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 13-03-2026 Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 — Section 20(3) — Opportunity of hearing — Delhi High Court judgment modified to ensure Lokpal accords an opportunity of hearing to respondent as per Section 20(3) of the Act — Respondent liberty to raise all contentions at hearing stage and Lokpal to consider all submissions — Appeal disposed of accordingly. India Law Library Docid # 2441499
(458) THE GOVERNMENT OF JHARKHAND Vs. M/S K.S. SOFTNET SOLUTION PVT. LTD[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 13-03-2026 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Sections 34/37 — Interim Award — Interference — Interim arbitral award based on a committee report, which was not seriously challenged by the appellant, was upheld by the High Court — Supreme Court found no grounds for interference as the award was based on an admitted India Law Library Docid # 2441702
(459) RAJ BAHADUR SINGH Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 13-03-2026 Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PC Act) — Sections 7 and 13(2) — Appeal against conviction and sentence — Supreme Court upheld the concurrent findings of the Trial Court and High Court regarding the guilt of the appellant based on ocular evidence and corroboration from independent witnesses — No error found in India Law Library Docid # 2440693
(460) RAJENDRA AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 13-03-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 376(2)(g) and 506 — Conviction based on sole testimony of prosecutrix — Delay in lodging FIR — Lack of corroborative evidence — Court held that conviction can be based on sole testimony of prosecutrix only if it inspires confidence — In this case, the prosecutrix's version did not inspire confidence due to unexplained delay and lack of disclosure to family, inconsistencies India Law Library Docid # 2440694