The Supreme Court has ruled that an appellate court cannot unilaterally enhance a convict's sentence unless an appeal for enhancement is filed by the State, victim, or complainant. This significant observation came in a triple-murder case where the Madras High Court had enhanced a co-convict's life sentence to imprisonment for the remainder of his life without such an appeal.
The ruling is expected to have wide-ranging consequences for global trade, businesses, consumers, inflation trends and household finances across the country.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee has commented on the Supreme Court judgment regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, emphasising its specific application to the Bihar case and highlighting the Election Commission's limited authority in determining citizenship.
'This government is in the very bad habit of doing so again and again. It has done so many times.'
The Supreme Court has directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to issue a no-objection certificate and relieving order to international water sports coach Bilquis Mir, enabling her to join the Indian National Kayaking and Canoeing Team as chief coach for the Asian Games. This ruling came after PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti criticised the bureaucratic hurdles faced by Mir, highlighting systemic issues within the administration.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a final hearing for a batch of petitions challenging the marital rape exception in Indian law. The court will examine the constitutional validity of the provision that grants immunity to husbands from prosecution for sexual acts with their wives, even under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. This significant legal challenge follows split verdicts from High Courts and seeks to address whether such an exception aligns with fundamental rights.
The Supreme Court has ordered the Karnataka government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a fresh probe into the 2012 rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in Dharmasthala. The court expressed shock at the previous investigations by local police, CID, and CBI, which led to the acquittal of the sole accused. The new SIT must conclude its investigation within three months, excluding any officers involved in prior probes, and the acquitted individual will not be re-investigated.
The Supreme Court has intervened to allow international water sports coach Bilquis Mir to join the Indian National Kayaking and Canoeing Team for the Asian Games in Japan. Overruling a Jammu and Kashmir administration order that denied her permission due to pending inquiries, the apex court emphasised the time-sensitive nature of sports administration and directed the issuance of a No Objection Certificate by September 15, 2026.
The Supreme Court has granted a divorce to a couple separated since December 2005, noting the wife had abandoned the matrimonial relationship. The court directed the husband to pay Rs 7 lakh as permanent alimony. The ruling emphasised that prolonged separation and the reality of an irreconcilable marriage are key factors, overturning a Madhya Pradesh High Court decision.
The Supreme Court has refused to quash proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act against former NSE MD and CEO Chitra Ramkrishna, stating that the trial court will determine whether she can be considered a 'public servant' under the Act.
The US Supreme Court is poised to rule on the legality of state laws in West Virginia and Idaho that ban transgender student athletes from female sports teams. This contentious issue, deeply embedded in the nation's culture wars, challenges federal anti-discrimination laws and the Constitution's equal protection clause.
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that an appellate court convicting an accused for the first time in a criminal case must hear the accused on sentencing and cannot delegate the matter to a lower court.
The Supreme Court, in a 6:3 majority verdict, has ruled that the expansive, labour-friendly definition of 'industry' from its 1978 Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board judgement will not be used for interpreting the Industrial Relations Code of 2020. However, the 'triple test' from the 1978 verdict will still apply to pending cases under the now-repealed 1947 Industrial Disputes Act.
The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a plea challenging the CBSE's policy mandating the study of three languages, including two native Indian languages, for Class 9 students starting July 1. The court has sought responses from the Centre, CBSE, and NCERT and will hear the matter in July.
The Supreme Court, using its extraordinary powers under Article 142, has quashed the conviction of a man sentenced under the POCSO Act. This decision came after the victim, who was a minor at the time of the offence, married the accused upon reaching adulthood. The court emphasised that this ruling is based on the peculiar facts of the case and should not be considered a precedent.
The Supreme Court has questioned the amended constitution of the Shiv Sena, observing that it appeared to have made the party 'virtually a one-person structure' and raising concerns about democratic functioning within political parties.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will make an additional provision of USD 70 million in Q1 FY2027, bringing its total provision to USD 220 million, after the US Supreme Court declined to review a lower court ruling in a trade secrets dispute with Computer Sciences Corporation (now DXC Technology).
The Supreme Court has granted bail to Shubham Saxena, accused of siphoning off Rs 22 crore from a real estate company, primarily due to his prolonged pre-trial detention of over four and a half years. This decision overturns a Delhi High Court ruling that had denied bail citing the gravity of the economic offence.
The Supreme Court has issued an interim stay on the Madras High Court's directive that imposed a blanket ban on cow slaughter in Tamil Nadu, responding to an appeal from the State government.
The Supreme Court has ruled that a physical relationship between two consenting unmarried adults cannot be used to draw an adverse impression about a person's character. This observation came while directing the appointment of a police constable candidate whose selection was cancelled due to a past criminal case stemming from a failed romantic relationship, which was later settled.
The Supreme Court has agreed to examine Sebi's challenge to a Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) decision that cleared Wadia Group Chairman Nusli Wadia, Bombay Dyeing, and others of allegations of fraudulent financial reporting.
The Jammu and Kashmir Congress staged protests against the Centre over the cancellation of the NEET-UG exam, demanding strict action against those involved in the alleged paper leak and a Supreme Court-monitored probe.
The Supreme Court has appointed former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna as the sole mediator to resolve a dispute involving businessman Ashokbhai Haribhai Gajera and others in a case linked to textile market projects in Surat. The case involves allegations of siphoning off Rs 1,900 crore and forging documents.
The Supreme Court has declared the right to walk on demarcated footpaths a fundamental right, prioritising it over motorised vehicle movement, and has called for the establishment of a regulatory body to ensure its enforcement and provide restitutionary remedies for violations.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to appeal the Delhi High Court's decision to quash a money laundering case against news portal NewsClick and its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, arguing that the High Court 'overlooked or left unaddressed' critical contentions regarding alleged FDI rule violations and false representations to authorities.
The Supreme Court has quashed criminal proceedings against the in-laws of a woman who alleged dowry-related harassment, citing a lack of specific evidence linking them to the alleged crimes.
A group of lawyers and activists have petitioned the Chief Justice of India to retract recent Supreme Court remarks that cast doubt on the legitimacy of environmental pleas against developmental projects.
The Supreme Court of India has stated that the current legal framework is sufficient to address hate speech, declining to intervene and create new offences.
The ruling comes against the backdrop of an intensified anti-encroachment campaign launched by the Assam government since May 2021.
The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi government to assess the well-being of a child in a disputed paternity case, ensuring access to basic necessities and a minimum standard of living.
The Supreme Court has referred Christian Michel James' plea for release in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam case to another bench. The Delhi High Court previously dismissed his petition, but James continues to challenge his detention and the India-UAE extradition treaty.
The Supreme Court has said that selling land or property is not a service under the Finance Act, 1994, so such sales cannot be charged with service tax.
The Enforcement Directorate has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of obstructing its investigation into a Rs 2,700-crore coal smuggling case, alleging she used state machinery to halt a search of an I-PAC office in Kolkata.
The Allahabad High Court has ruled that an Arya Samaj marriage certificate alone does not prove a valid Hindu marriage unless essential ceremonies under the Hindu Marriage Act are performed. This decision led to the reinstatement of an SSB officer who was dismissed for allegedly falsely declaring his marital status, as the court found no evidence of the required rituals in his disputed marriage.
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that a minor child cannot be forced to carry a pregnancy to term, urging the government to amend laws to allow rape survivors to terminate unwanted pregnancies beyond 20 weeks.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea on May 29 seeking a direction to the Nagpur Parsi Panchayat to treat a Parsi woman equally with her male counterparts, even after she marries a person of another faith, challenging a rule that allegedly strips Parsi women of their religious identity upon inter-faith marriage.
In a relief to former BCCI president Anurag Thakur, the Supreme Court on Thursday cleared decks for his association with the board by modifying its January 2017 order.
The US Supreme Court has ruled against an Indian citizen who has spent decades in the US and faces deportation after checking the wrong box on a driver's licence application.
The verdict marks a notable shift from a series of recent wins for Trump at the Supreme Court.
The Bombay High Court has ruled that the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) takes precedence over debt recovery laws like SARFAESI and RDB Acts when it comes to the attachment of proceeds of crime.
