Madras High Court acquits a man sentenced to death for allegedly sexually assaulting five minors, finding the child witnesses' evidence appeared tutored, the circumstances of the alleged assault implausible, and the accused's trial-stage legal representation inadequate.
Supreme Court closes the suo motu case it had registered over an NCERT Class 8 textbook chapter on "corruption in the judiciary," holding that constructive criticism of the judiciary is a necessary feature of democracy but must be voiced through appropriate forums.
Rajasthan High Court holds that confiscation proceedings under mining law and a criminal complaint under the Motor Vehicles Act are legally distinct, so a magistrate cannot order a seized vehicle released without first calling for a report from the Mining Department.
Rajasthan High Court sets aside a Family Court order and grants divorce in a 22-year marriage, holding that the wife's denial of cohabitation since 2005 combined with a since-failed Section 498-A complaint against the husband amounted to cruelty.
The Bombay High Court has upheld the cancellation of admissions of three students to the MMS course at JBIMS after finding they had secured admission on materially falsified academic credentials, holding that reaching the final semester or securing job placements cannot override the requirement of a fair admission process.
The Punjab & Haryana High Court has rejected what it called the "Doctrine of Negative Fee Waiver," holding that candidates cannot be denied age-relaxation benefits merely because they paid an application fee out of caution despite being exempted from it.
Madhya Pradesh High Court scraps a state rule paying Class III and IV government employees only 70%, 80% and 90% of the minimum pay scale in their first, second and third probation years, calling the reduced-pay scheme discriminatory and unconstitutional, and orders refunds for amounts already withheld.
Madras High Court's Madurai Bench declines to direct that Tamil hymns be recited on an equal footing with Sanskrit during the Meenakshi Temple's Kumbabishegam consecration, holding a writ court cannot legislate such a ritual arrangement absent an enabling law.
Madras High Court sets aside a Family Court order that declined jurisdiction over a mutual-consent divorce petition, holding the petition ought to have been entertained where filed since the husband resided within those local limits.
Bombay High Court sets aside a Pune Family Court order that handed a minor boy's interim custody to his father after the lower court sermonised on the "pious duties" of a wife, holding such stereotyped reasoning is regressive and has no place in a child-welfare determination.
Bombay High Court refuses to quash a criminal defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi over his "Choron Ke Sardar" and "Commander-in-Thief" remarks about the Prime Minister, holding that a registered political party is an identifiable body capable of being defamed.
Supreme Court directs three National Green Tribunal members whose tenure was expiring to continue in office until fresh appointments are made, after the NGT Bar Association warned the Tribunal's functioning could otherwise be affected, and asks the Centre to expedite appointments to other vacant tribunal posts.