Author: Hemalatha Mahur
When Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) announced it would maximise LPG output at Jamnagar and redirect KG-D6 gas to “priority sectors,” the boardroom language was measured. The legal implications, however, are anything but. The PSC: A Contract Above Contracts The KG-D6 block does not operate under ordinary commercial law. It is governed by a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) — a tripartite instrument between RIL, its consortium partners, and the Union of India, administered by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 1959. The PSC carries quasi-statutory force: it is not merely a private agreement but…
India’s quasi-judicial framework came under intense scrutiny this week as the Supreme Court trained its lens on a troubling institutional blind spot — the near-complete absence of accountability mechanisms governing the heads and members of the country’s statutory tribunals. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi did not mince words while deliberating on petitions challenging provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, raising a question that strikes at the heart of judicial governance: if tribunal members answer neither to the government nor to the judiciary, who exactly are they answerable to? The Court’s discomfort was rooted…
When Sonam Wangchuk — the soft-spoken Ladakhi innovator turned fierce environmental voice — was locked away under the National Security Act, the legal battle to free him was always going to be messy. But few could have predicted just how drawn out and frustrating that fight would become. On Monday, March 10, India’s Supreme Court once again postponed hearing the habeas corpus petition challenging his detention, pushing it to March 17. For Wangchuk’s family, supporters, and the broader public watching this case unfold, it was yet another week of waiting — and the silence from the bench was loud enough…
In a significant step consolidating India’s bustling payments ecosystem, the esteemed law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. has stepped in to counsel IndiaIdeas.com Limited—better known as BillDesk—on its ambitious plan to snap up the Indian payment operations of global player Worldline. This proposed transaction isn’t just another merger; it’s a savvy play amid tightening RBI regulations on payment aggregators, where seamless compliance with KYC norms, data localization, and transaction monitoring is non-negotiable. From a legal standpoint, the deal highlights the critical role of due diligence in cross-border fintech M&A. Shardul Amarchand’s team, leveraging deep expertise in corporate structuring and…
India’s Highest Court Sounds the Alarm: Hundreds of Criminal Trials in J&K Stuck in a Legal Limbo There is a quiet injustice unfolding in the courts of Jammu and Kashmir — one that doesn’t make headlines as loudly as a verdict, but cuts just as deep. Hundreds of people are sitting behind bars, day after day, year after year, waiting for a trial that never seems to arrive. On March 10, India’s Supreme Court finally said, in unmistakable terms, that this is simply unacceptable. A bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan expressed deep dismay after being informed…
The Supreme Court of India has issued a stern warning against baseless allegations targeting the integrity of judicial officers involved in West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In a recent hearing, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made it clear that such claims undermine the judiciary’s sanctity and will not be entertained. This development underscores the Court’s commitment to protecting its officers while ensuring the SIR process moves forward efficiently. Background of the SIR Controversy West Bengal’s SIR, launched by the Election Commission of India (ECI), aims to cleanse voter lists…
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has launched a strategic push ahead of the 2027 elections, directing BJP and ally MLAs/MLCs to propose up to Rs 5 crore in constituency-specific projects via video conference. Proposals, focusing on roads, civic amenities, and advocate chambers, must reach his office within a week for DM scrutiny and swift funding. This “Mission 2027” builds on the 2022 MLA fund hike, urging legislators to stay grounded, monitor works, and deliver voter-visible results. Yogi Adityanath has asked every ruling alliance MLA/MLC in Uttar Pradesh to send proposals for up to Rs 5 crore worth of development works…
India’s Supreme Court has directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to clarify its position on a petition urging permission for Urs observances and Namaz at the historic tomb of Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus in Gwalior. This move reignites debate on faith’s place amid strict preservation mandates. Timeless Architectural Marvel Perched amid Gwalior’s tranquil environs, the tomb of Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus exemplifies 16th-century Mughal ingenuity. Constructed post-1562 CE, its ornate carvings and soaring domes echo through India’s architectural annals. Declared a “monument of national importance” via a 1962 gazette notification, the site falls under ASI’s strict guardianship. This status…
New Delhi, March 2026:The Supreme Court has reiterated that litigants do not have a vested or automatic right to introduce additional evidence during the appellate stage of civil proceedings under Order XLI Rule 27 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC). The Court emphasized that the power to permit additional evidence lies within the discretion of the appellate court and can only be exercised when the specific conditions prescribed in the provision are satisfied. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta clarified that the rule does not entitle parties to produce fresh material in appeal merely because…