Author: Anvita Dwivedi

In a significant development reflecting the judiciary’s evolving response to digital identity misuse and celebrity rights, the Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to acclaimed actor Mohanlal, recognising the urgent need to safeguard personality rights against unauthorised commercial and digital exploitation. The case, filed by the veteran Malayalam actor, raises critical questions about ownership of identity in the era of artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and online impersonation, marking another important milestone in India’s growing body of personality rights jurisprudence. The actor approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection against the unauthorised use of his name, image, likeness, voice, and persona,…

In a strong rebuke underscoring the gravity of dowry-related offences, the Supreme Court of India has criticised the Patna High Court for granting bail in a dowry death case through what it termed a “mechanical and unreasoned order”, reiterating that such serious crimes demand heightened judicial scrutiny and reasoned discretion. A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Vijay Bishnoi not only set aside the bail granted to the accused husband but also directed that a copy of its order be placed before the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court an unusual step signalling institutional concern. The case concerned the…

In a significant ruling at the intersection of free speech, religion, and criminal law, the Allahabad High Court has refused to quash proceedings under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), holding that claiming one religion to be the “only true religion” can prima facie amount to disparagement of other faiths. The judgment, delivered by Justice Saurabh Srivastava, underscores the constitutional commitment to secularism and religious plurality, while clarifying the legal threshold for offences relating to outraging religious sentiments. The case arose from a 2023 FIR registered in Mau district, Uttar Pradesh, against a Christian priest who was accused…

In a significant ruling reinforcing judicial restraint and victim dignity in sexual offence cases, the Supreme Court of India has expunged adverse remarks made by the Kerala High Court against a woman complainant in a rape case involving Kerala MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, while simultaneously declining to interfere with the anticipatory bail granted to the accused. The judgment, delivered by a bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and N.K. Singh, strikes a careful balance between protecting the rights of the accused at the bail stage and safeguarding the dignity of the survivor during judicial proceedings. The case arose from allegations of rape,…

In a significant ruling balancing constitutional patriotism with individual liberty, the Supreme Court of India has dismissed a plea challenging the Union Government’s circular on the singing of Vande Mataram, clarifying that no citizen can be penalised for choosing not to sing the national song. The Court, while disposing of the petition, held that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines are advisory in nature and do not impose any coercive obligation, thereby preserving the fundamental right to freedom of conscience and expression. The petition arose in the backdrop of a recent MHA directive standardising the protocol for singing Vande…

In a significant and legally consequential order, the Allahabad High Court has refused to quash criminal proceedings arising out of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Kanpur, observing that the allegations if proven may constitute genocide, thereby warranting full trial rather than premature judicial intervention. The Court, while dealing with petitions seeking quashing of proceedings, held that the material on record discloses a prima facie case of large-scale, targeted violence against a particular community, and therefore cannot be dismissed at the threshold stage. The case relates to one of the many prosecutions stemming from the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which followed the…

In a significant reaffirmation of the protective framework under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC), the Supreme Court of India has held that once a moratorium is imposed, creditors cannot appropriate or set off pre-CIRP dues from a security deposit furnished earlier by the corporate debtor. The ruling, delivered by a bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K. Vinod Chandran, strengthens the sanctity of the moratorium under Section 14 of the IBC, underscoring that all recovery mechanisms must cease once insolvency proceedings commence. The dispute arose from a transmission agreement between Central Transmission Utility of India Ltd. (CTUIL) and…

In a revealing and data-driven assessment of gender realities within India’s legal profession, a nationwide survey conducted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has found that over 81% of women lawyers believe their professional journey has been more difficult than that of their male counterparts, highlighting entrenched structural and institutional barriers across the Bar. The findings, released at a national conference attended by members of the Supreme Court of India, are based on responses from more than 2,600 women legal professionals across India, making it one of the most comprehensive empirical studies on gender disparity in the Indian legal…

In a significant judgment clarifying the legal contours of caste-based reservation, the Supreme Court of India has held that conversion to any religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism results in the automatic loss of Scheduled Caste (SC) status, reinforcing a strict interpretation of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. The ruling came in the context of a dispute where a person born into a Scheduled Caste had converted to Christianity but sought to invoke protections under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Court upheld the quashing of such proceedings, holding that once conversion is admitted, statutory protections linked…

In a significant order addressing the intersection of urban governance, illegal immigration, and street vending regulation, the Bombay High Court has directed civic authorities and police to undertake a comprehensive verification of all hawkers operating across Mumbai, including those suspected to be foreign nationals or undocumented immigrants. The direction came from a Division Bench of Justices Ajay S. Gadkari and Kamal Khata while hearing a batch of petitions concerning the proliferation of unauthorised hawkers and regulatory failures under the Street Vendors law. The High Court has ordered the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Police to conduct a thorough,…