Author: Law Files Office
The Kerala High Court has held that the offence of cruelty under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code is not attracted when the marriage itself has been annulled by a competent court. Key Ruling Justice C. Pratheep Kumar quashed the criminal proceedings initiated against a man and his mother, observing that in the absence of a valid subsisting marriage, prosecution under Section 498A IPC cannot be sustained. Court’s Reasoning Section 498A IPC applies only when there exists a legally valid marriage In the present case, the marriage between the parties had already been annulled by a competent court Once…
The Punjab & Haryana High Court has appreciated the efforts of a Sessions Judge for avoiding needless waste of paper by printing judicial orders on the same sheet wherever possible. Court’s Appreciation Justice Neerja K. Kalson applauded the initiative, observing that: “Every precaution has been taken by the officer to ensure optimum utilization of paper. Printing orders on the same sheet wherever possible sets a commendable example in avoiding needless waste of paper—a precious resource that demands prudent consideration in judicial proceedings.” The Court emphasized that such practice should be followed by all courts. Background of the Case The Court…
The Karnataka High Court on Friday (January 30) refused to grant interim relief to a husband who sought a stay on a 2024 State Government circular prohibiting the entry of attendants, including spouses, inside ultrasound scan rooms. The plea was filed by a married couple, seeking permission for the husband to accompany his pregnant wife during the ultrasound procedure. Court’s Observation Justice B.M. Shyam Prasad declined to stay the circular at the interim stage, but reserved liberty for the petitioners to pursue the cause further. The petition challenged a Circular dated 18 March 2024, issued by the Department of Health…
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) can lawfully arrest an accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) even if certain FIRs are added to the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) at a later stage. Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya dismissed two petitions filed by the promoter-directors of Ramprastha Promoters & Developers Pvt. Ltd., who had challenged their arrest, remand, and the proceedings initiated by the ED. Court Rejects Petitioners’ Objection The petitioners contended that their arrest was illegal because two FIRs were incorporated into the ECIR only subsequently. Rejecting this argument, the…
The Delhi High Court has directed that cross-country skier Manjeet be included in India’s contingent for the XXV Winter Olympic Games, Milano-Cortina 2026, holding that his exclusion by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was manifestly arbitrary, unfair, and contrary to the binding international qualification framework. Justice Jasmeet Singh severely criticised the IOA and its Ad-hoc Committee, observing that they had acted beyond their authority by introducing eligibility conditions not prescribed under the International Federation of Ski and Snowboard (FIS) Qualification System. Court’s Strong Observations The Court stated: “The conduct of the respondents reflects institutional indifference to merit and excellence, as…
The Supreme Court has held that the composition of the Search-cum-Selection Committee for appointment of a University Vice-Chancellor forms part of the “standards of higher education”, a subject that falls exclusively within Parliament’s legislative competence under the Union List. The Court ruled that if a State law prescribes a Search Committee composition contrary to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2018, the appointment made pursuant to such a process is illegal and unsustainable in law. Madras High Court Decision Affirmed Upholding the Madras High Court’s judgment, the Supreme Court struck down Section 14(5) of the Puducherry Technological University (PTU) Act,…
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) member N. Subramanian has approached the Kerala High Court challenging the criminal proceedings initiated against him for a Facebook post allegedly linking Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with Unnikrishnan Potty, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case. The prosecution alleges that on December 25, 2025, at around 8 p.m., Subramanian shared a photograph of the Chief Minister and Unnikrishnan Potty, along with a caption suggesting a connection between them. Sections Invoked Against the Petitioner Subramanian has been booked under: Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot),…
Actor Vijay’s political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has approached the Madras High Court challenging the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Tamil Nadu government for regulating public meetings and political rallies. The petition, filed through TVK Joint General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar, seeks modification of the SOP, contending that it gives undue priority to political parties recognised by the Election Commission while imposing restrictive conditions on newly formed and unrecognised parties. Key Concerns Raised The SOP allegedly creates an unequal playing field among political parties, violating democratic principles. Preference to recognised parties is said to be arbitrary and…
The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a long-standing and contentious issue under income tax law regarding whether employers can claim tax deductions for employees’ Provident Fund (PF) and Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) contributions deposited after the statutory due date. A Bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta issued notice in an appeal challenging a Delhi High Court ruling, which held that employees’ PF and ESI contributions deposited after the due dates prescribed under the respective welfare laws are not eligible for deduction, even if the payments are made before filing the income tax return. Key Legal Issue Involved…