Author: Anvita Dwivedi

In an unusual yet institutionally significant development, the Supreme Court of India has floated a public tender inviting agencies to deploy trained personnel colloquially termed “monkey scarers” to address the persistent monkey menace in judges’ residential premises and court-linked facilities. While seemingly administrative in nature, the move reflects the Court’s broader engagement with institutional governance, safety obligations, and public procurement frameworks. The Supreme Court issued a notice through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal inviting bids from private agencies for deployment of “Monkey Chasers/Handlers/Repellers”, coverage across judges’ residential bungalows, guest houses, and court premises, and a two-year contractual engagement period. The…

In a stern reiteration of the conditional nature of bail, the Supreme Court of India has cancelled the bail granted to businessman Satinder Singh Bhasin in connection with the controversial Grand Venice project, holding that non-compliance with bail conditions strikes at the very foundation of the liberty granted. A Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh cancelled Bhasin’s bail on the ground that he had failed to comply with essential conditions imposed at the time of grant of bail in 2019. The Court made it unequivocally clear that failure to adhere to bail conditions is sufficient to…

In a ruling that sharpens the contours of election jurisprudence in India, the Supreme Court of India has reaffirmed that election petitions cannot be remanded merely to enable parties to fill gaps in evidence. The Court held that such a course would fundamentally undermine the statutory discipline governing election disputes. In Rakam Singh v. Amit & Ors., a Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta categorically ruled that Election petitions must be adjudicated strictly on the basis of material already on record, and courts cannot permit reopening of evidence to cure evidentiary deficiencies. The Court disapproved the practice…

In a dramatic and constitutionally charged hearing, the Supreme Court of India came down heavily on the situation in West Bengal, describing it as “the most politically polarised State” after a shocking incident where judicial officers were gheraoed, held hostage, and attacked while performing official duties under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The observations made by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant signal one of the strongest judicial indictments of law and order breakdown and politicisation of governance in recent times, with the Court stepping in to ensure protection of judicial authority and electoral processes.…

In a significant ruling refining the contours of child maintenance jurisprudence, the Allahabad High Court has held that an earning mother need not be impleaded as a party in maintenance proceedings initiated by a child against the father, but the court must nonetheless consider the financial capacity of both parents while determining maintenance. The judgment, delivered by Justice Madan Pal Singh, strikes a nuanced balance between procedural autonomy of the claimant and the substantive principle of shared parental responsibility, marking an important development in family law under Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) (earlier Section 125 CrPC).…

In a significant ruling addressing the growing complexities of matrimonial litigation, the Supreme Court of India has held that unexplained delay in filing criminal complaints especially in dowry harassment cases can be fatal to the prosecution, quashing proceedings against in-laws under Section 498A IPC. The judgment, delivered by a bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, reinforces a critical principle: criminal law cannot be invoked belatedly without credible explanation, particularly in disputes rooted in personal and familial relationships. The case arose from a complaint filed by a woman alleging dowry harassment, assault, and cruelty by her husband and his…

In a landmark ruling strengthening India’s position as an arbitration-friendly jurisdiction, the Supreme Court of India has held that a foreign arbitral award cannot be resisted in India on grounds already rejected by the court at the seat of arbitration, invoking the doctrine of “transnational issue estoppel.” The judgment, delivered by a bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K. Vinod Chandran, clarifies the limited scope of judicial interference in enforcement of foreign awards under Section 48 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, and reinforces India’s obligations under the New York Convention. The dispute arose from a commercial agreement involving…

In a significant ruling reinforcing the constitutional autonomy of the Election Commission, the Calcutta High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation challenging the large-scale transfer of IAS and IPS officers in West Bengal ahead of the Assembly elections, holding that such administrative decisions fall squarely within the domain of the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen made it clear that courts cannot sit in appeal over the administrative wisdom of the Election Commission, unless clear arbitrariness or mala fide intent is established. The PIL, filed by advocate…

In a recent development that sits at the intersection of corporate law and media regulation, Anil Ambani has instituted a civil defamation suit alleging that sustained reportage by Republic TV has caused irreparable injury to his reputation. The matter is slated for hearing before Justice Milind Jadhav on April 1, where the court will consider interim relief, including injunctive measures. At the core of the dispute lies Ambani’s contention that repeated broadcasts and digital publications have wrongly linked him to regulatory investigations involving certain Reliance Group entities, thereby creating a misleading public perception of personal culpability. Allegations of Misrepresentation and…

In a landmark moment reflecting the judiciary’s expanding vision of access to justice beyond conventional courtrooms, the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, addressed Indian Army personnel at Leh, asserting a powerful constitutional principle that the law must travel to the soldier, because the soldier cannot always travel to the law.” The address delivered at a high-altitude military base in Ladakh marks the first time a sitting Chief Justice of India has directly engaged with armed forces personnel in such a setting, signalling a transformative shift in how justice delivery is conceptualized for those serving in extreme and remote…