401. Compassionate appointment -- Claim is to be considered under policy prevailing on date of death of employee and vested right accrued thereunder cannot be defeated by subsequent rules having no retrospective effect -- Denial of similar benefit given to other held violative of Article 14 -- Respondents directed to consider appointment under Rules of 2003. (P&H HC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

402. Quashing of FIR -- High Court's quashing of an FIR for forgery and fraud u/s 482 CrPC is premature and unjustified as vital forensic evidence (SFSL report) is still pending (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

403. Summoning u/s 319 Cr.P.C. -- Sworn testimony of three witnesses, including the complainant, meets the strong and cogent standard for summoning additional accused, as minor inconsistencies are matters of trial and cannot be used to conduct a mini-trial at the stage of summoning (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

404. Bail – Writ jurisdiction -- Continued incarceration of toll employees for over two months for a scuffle arising out of demand of toll, held unjustified and violative of Article 21 -- Bail granted in the exercise jurisdiction under Article 32 (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

405. Part-time/Daily wages service – Pensionary benefit – Past service rendered on part-time/daily wage basis followed by regularisation, particularly where the work is of perennial nature, is liable to be counted towards qualifying service for pension, and the employee is entitled to the benefits of the Old Pension Scheme along with interest on delayed retiral dues (P&H HC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

406. MACT -- Holder of a valid LMV driving licence is competent to drive a transport vehicle not exceeding 7500 kg GVW and no separate endorsement is required -- Insurance Company liable to indemnify and pay compensation (P&H HC) Reserved on: 19.12.2025 Decided on: 17.03.2026

407. Quashing of summoning order -- Where the Magistrate issues process without recording satisfaction, without discussing the material produced by the complainant, and without considering the inquiry report u/s 202 Cr.P.C., the order reflects non-application of mind and cannot be sustained – Matter remitted back (P&H HC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

408. Termination of LIC agency for failure to make proper enquiries -- In absence of fraud or connivance agent entitled to renewal commission and removal of stigma – Termination of agency upheld. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 04.02.2026 Decided on: 16.03.2026

409. MACT -- Compensation -- Deduction -- Employer-provided group insurance -- Amount received under group insurance scheme cannot be deducted from compensation under Motor Vehicles Act. (SC) Decided on: 16.03.2026

410. Execution -- Limitation -- For execution of a MACT award, limitation of 12 years runs from the appellate decree due to the doctrine of merger, and not from the date of the original award (P&H HC) Decided on: 16.03.2026

411. Specimen signature of witness -- Court cannot direct a third-party appeared as witness, who is neither complainant nor accused, to give specimen handwriting. (P&H HC) Decided on: 16.03.2026

412. Mutation -- Civil Court -- Rights of parties to be ultimately decided by Civil Court, whose decision would bind revenue authorities. (SC) Decided on: 13.03.2026

413. Scope of S. 528 BNSS -- Inherent powers u/s 528 BNSS are to be exercised sparingly and cannot be used unless the order reflects patent illegality or miscarriage of justice (P&H HC) Decided on: 13.03.2026

414. Regular bail -- Attempt to murder -- Charges framed in January 2025 but the prosecution failed to examine any witness and trial made no substantial progress, prolonged incarceration of the accused would violate the right to speedy trial under Article 21 -- Bail granted considering custody period (1 year 7 months) and delay not attributable to the accused. (P&H HC) Decided on: 13.03.2026

415. S. 311 Cr.P.C. -- Belated stage – Power u/s 311 Cr.P.C. is very wide and can be exercised at any stage of trial. (P&H HC) Decided on: 13.03.2026

416. Quashing of FIR -- Agreement to sell -- Dispute arising from non-execution of sale deed and subsequent sale during pendency of specific performance suit -- Unexplained delay of 11 years in lodging FIR and absence of allegations of forgery or dishonest intention at inception -- FIR and consequential proceedings quashed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 11.03.2026 Decided on: 12.03.2026

417. Maintenance -- Minor child -- Father's statutory obligation not absolved merely because mother is also employed -- Loan repayments and other voluntary liabilities cannot override child's right to maintenance. (UK HC) Reserved on: 05.01.2026 Decided on: 11.03.2026

418. Dying declaration – If the Court is satisfied of the fit state of mind of the injured from the evidence on record, a contrary medical opinion or an absence of it will be inconsequential. (SC) Decided on: 11.03.2026

419. Regular bail – Attempt to murder – Accused alleged to be member of unlawful assembly causing injuries with axe remained in custody for over one year and trial had not progressed -- Even charges have not been framed -- Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 10.03.2026

420. Framing of additional issues -- Failure of the Trial Court to frame issues on the defendants’ plea of ownership based on exchange and mutation, specifically denied by the plaintiff as illegal and fraudulent, amounted to material illegality, warranting direction to frame additional issues – Revision allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 10.03.2026

421. Quashing of FIR – Cheating/ Forgery -- Allegations regarding return of money and an alleged partnership without any written agreement -- Purely a civil dispute -- FIR quashed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 03.02.2026 Decided on: 10.03.2026

422. Regular bail – Cheating/ Criminal breach of trust – Delay in trial --Accused remained in custody for over ten months, offence triable by Magistrate with maximum punishment up to seven years and trial not likely to conclude soon – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 09.03.2026

423. Offence under SC/ST Act -- Mere attempt at reconciliation cannot prevent the police from taking cognizance of criminal acts -- A prima facie case made out -- Anticipatory bail cancelled. (SC) Decided on: 09.03.2026

424. Quashing of criminal proceedings – General and omnibus allegations against in-laws -- Court cannot apply different standards while allowing quashing of criminal proceedings against sister-in-law and dismissing for other-in-laws -- Relief extended to one similarly placed accused must equally extend to the others. (SC) Decided on: 09.03.2026

425. Cyber fraud – Regular bail -- Petitioner in custody for the last about one year and one month -- Out of 24 prosecution witnesses, only two witnesses have been examined so far -- Keeping in view the period of custody already undergone, the fact that the petitioner has already been granted bail in the connected FIR arising out of the same incident, the nature of allegations which would ultimately be a matter of evidence during trial, the medical condition of the petitioner and the slow pace of trial no useful purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner behind bars for an indefinite period – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

426. Murder -- Regular Bail -- As per prosecution, the occurrence took place on the spur of the moment on a trivial issue -- It would be a moot point during the course of the Trial as to whether the offence made out is one under Section 302 IPC (Section 103 BNS, 2023) or Section 304 IPC (Section 105 BNS, 2023) -- Petitioner is a lady, a first-time offender, in custody since 21.03.2025 but none of the 23 prosecution witnesses has been examined so far -- Trial not likely to be concluded anytime soon – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

427. Live in Relationship with married woman – Divorce not taken -- Police protection – Even if the petitioners are living in a “Live in Relationship”, they are entitled to the protection of their life and liberty – Directions given to respondent No.2 (Superintendent of Police) to consider the representation and to assess the threat perception to the petitioners and after considering the same, to take appropriate action in accordance with law. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

428. Cancellation of bail -- Abetment of suicide – Anticipatory bail by learned Sessions Judge – Allegations are primarily based upon the suicide note and the version of the complainant, which are matters to be examined during the course of investigation and trial -- At this stage, it cannot be said that the learned Sessions Judge has ignored any material fact or considered irrelevant material while granting anticipatory bail to the private respondents -- Mere fact that the respondents are also involved in another FIR, by itself, cannot be treated as a sufficient ground for cancellation of the concession of bail already granted. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

429. Report of fake license – Admissibility of -- Legal Manager, in his cross examination, stated that he had never visited the office of RTO to verify the driving licence and the person who had visited was working in their office -- He further stated that he had not brought any application sent to verify the record -- Said report (Ex.RW3/B) is based on some verbal information having been received -- Nothing in writing which was produced from the RTO to even remotely suggest that the driving licence was fake – Contentions to exonerate Insurance Company rejected. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 24.02.2026 Decided on: 07.03.2026

430. Jump of bail – Cancellation of bail -- Non-bailable warrants -- Learned trial Court, while cancelling bail, straight away proceeded to issue nonbailable warrants – Held, cancellation of bail orders amounts to an unjustifiable restriction on the procedural rights of the petitioner in the absence of any misconduct, lack of bona fides, or a deliberate attempt to evade the proceedings on his behalf -- Issuance of non-bailable warrants must not be exercised in a mechanical manner and the same must be adopted sparingly and only upon the recording of cogent reasons reflecting the necessity of adopting such a stringent course -- Petitioner-accused himself come forward to face trial -- Petition allowed, impugned order set aside. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

431. NDPS -- Commercial quantity -- Accused nominated on disclosure statement of co-accused and recovery from a public place – Charges framed, none of the prosecution witnesses examined and accused remained in custody for more than one year and seven months – Trial likely to take considerable time – Bail granted (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

432. Tenant/ Licensee – Plea beyond pleadings – Not permissible -- As per the legal notice, plaintiff claimed that the defendant was in possession of the suit property as tenant -- No plea raised in the written statement regarding defendant being licensee under the plaintiff -- Parties are bound by their pleadings -- In view thereof, reliance placed upon Section 60 the Indian Easements Act, 1882 is without any foundational pleading and cannot be accepted. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 24.02.2026 Decided on: 06.03.2026

433. Scope of second appeal – Question of law -- In Punjab and Haryana, second appeals are to be treated as appeals u/s 41 of the Punjab Courts Act, 1918 and not under Section 100 CPC -- No question of law is required to be framed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 24.02.2026 Decided on: 06.03.2026

434. -- Disability pension – Military service -- Primary Hypertension -- Rounding off the disability from 30% to 50% -- Once at the time of enrolment, respondent No.1/ employee was medically examined and was found to be fit in all respects and it was only during his service period, he was found to be suffering from ‘Primary Hypertension’ -- That being so, the said disability has to be attributed to the military service and the unsubstantiated report of Medical Board cannot take away the right to claim the benefit of disability pension. (P&H HC) Decided on: 05.03.2026

435. Penalty for attempting evading of Octroi -- Jurisdiction of civil court – Alternative remedy available – Assessment and recovery of Octroi fall within the domain of municipal authorities – Imposition of penalty contemplated under Section 116, being penal in nature and capable of extending to multiple times the duty allegedly evaded, can be ordered only by a Criminal Court in accordance with law – Municipal authorities are not vested with the power to impose such penalty – Both Courts below have concurrently held that the Commissioner or officers of the Municipal Corporation lacked competence to impose the penalty in question – Once such a finding regarding inherent lack of jurisdiction stands recorded, the demand raised becomes void and unenforceable in the eyes of law – Rule of alternative remedy is a rule of prudence and not a bar where the impugned action is wholly without jurisdiction – A party cannot be compelled to pursue a statutory remedy against an order which is a nullity. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 25.02.2026 Decided on: 05.03.2026

436. Suit for permanent injunction – Possession -- Determinative factor is possession of the parties on the date of institution of the suit, which was instituted on 12.10.1989 -- Revenue entries up to Rabi 1990 continued to record possession of the plaintiff -- Subsequent entries reflecting possession of the defendants from Kharif 1990 cannot displace the position of possession as it existed on the date of institution of the suit. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 25.02.2026 Decided on: 05.03.2026

437. Maintenance u/s 125 Cr.P.C. -- Nature -- Proceedings u/s 125 Cr.P.C. are summary in nature, as such, the minute details of the matrimonial dispute between the husband and wife need not be examined -- It is not necessary to ascertain as to who was in the wrong -- Salutary purpose behind Section 125 Cr.P.C. is to prevent the wife from being subjected to adversities of vagrancies and to ensure that she is not left to lead a life of indignity. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 24.02.2026 Decided on: 05.03.2026

438. Ex-parte injunction – Appeal/ Revision -- Order passed under Order 39 Rule 1 CPC is appealable under Order 43 Rule 1 of CPC -- Besides this, an application under Order 39 Rule 4 CPC too can be moved, as the ex parte injunction was granted in favour of the plaintiff without issuing notice to defendants/petitioner – Revision cannot be entertained. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 27.02.2026 Decided on: 05.03.2026

439. Jumla Malkan Wa Digar Haqdaran Arazi Hasab Rasad Raqba land – Suit for declaratory decree against change in mutation/ jamabandi entry – Jurisdiction of civil court – Rejection of plaint -- Held, only prayer in the plaint is that mutation entry is illegal, null and void -- Defendant No.4/ Gram Panchayat not able to show as to how the said relief which has been claimed in the plaint is covered u/s 13 Act, 1961 -- Dispute is squarely covered by the provisions of Section 45 Act, 1887 hence the suit cannot be held to be barred by law – Application or rejection of plaint dismissed by Trial Court, upheld. (P&H HC) Decided on: 05.03.2026

440. Service Jurisprudence -- Conflict between State Rules and AICTE Regulations -- Finality of Supreme Court Judgment – Effect of High Court Judgment on Non-Parties -- Rule 6A of Kerala Technical Education Service Rules granting exemption from Ph.D. qualification challenged – Earlier provision upheld by Supreme Court – Promotions granted accordingly -- High Court later held that AICTE Regulations override State Rules and made Ph.D. mandatory – Appellants, not parties before High Court, adversely affected despite earlier Supreme Court relief – Held, nothing said in the impugned order of the High Court will affect their career prospects -- Non-parties affected by judgments are not remediless and may seek review or initiate independent proceedings before appropriate forum. (SC) Decided on: 27.02.2026

441. Variance in terms of contract – Overdraw of cash credit facility -- Right/ liability of surety -- For Section 139 to apply, the creditor must (1) either act in a manner that is inconsistent with the surety’s rights or omit to act in a manner that the creditor is duty bound to and (2) such act or omission must impair the eventual remedy of the surety as against the principal debtor – Applicable provision Section 133 of the Act -- Respondent Nos.1 and 2/sureties are liable to the extent of Rs.4,00,000/- with applicable interest that was initially sanctioned to respondent No.6/principal debtor and for which respondent Nos.1 and 2 consented to stand as sureties -- However, they are not liable for the excess amounts permitted to be withdrawn from the cash-credit facility of the appellant-Bank by respondent No.6/principal debtor. (SC) Decided on: 27.02.2026

442. Interest pendente lite -- Clause 64(5) of the General Conditions of Contract bars interest “till the date on which the award is made” -- The provisions of the Act of 1996, including provisions contained in Section 31(7)(a) give paramount importance to the contract entered into between the parties and categorically restrict the power of an arbitrator to award pre-award/ pendente lite interest when the parties have themselves agreed to the contrary -- Thus, the AT cannot award pre-award/pendente lite interest, even in the form of compensation. (SC) Decided on: 27.02.2026

443. Regular bail -- NDPS – Commercial quantity : -- Recovery of 285 grams of heroin – Petitioner arrested on 14.12.2025 – Challan presented on 23.02.2026 – Total 18 prosecution witnesses cited; none examined till date – Petitioner implicated solely on the basis of disclosure statement of co-accused – No independent or corroborative material available on record to connect the petitioner with the alleged contraband -- Petitioner not present at the spot. -- Held, disclosure statement of a co-accused, in the absence of corroborative evidence, carries limited evidentiary value and cannot form the sole basis for implicating an accused – Evidentiary value of such disclosure statement is a matter for trial. -- Rigour of Section 37 NDPS Act stands diluted in the facts and circumstances of the case. Nothing on record to suggest that the petitioner is likely to abscond or tamper with prosecution evidence – Petitioner in custody for 3 months and 7 days – Not involved in any other case – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 27.02.2026

444. Regular bail -- NDPS -- Commercial quantity -- Delay in Trial -- Prolonged Custody : -- Recovery of 45.414 kilograms of ganja from a vehicle owned by the petitioner, concealed inside a gas cylinder lying in the trunk of vehicle – Petitioner apprehended at the spot – Recovery falls within the category of commercial quantity. -- Petitioner in custody for a period of one year and six months – Charges framed on 18.11.2024 – Out of 18 prosecution witnesses, only 3 have been examined till date, resulting in undue delay in the trial. Held, in the absence of substantive evidence directly linking the petitioner to the offence, and considering the inordinate delay in trial, continued custodial detention of the petitioner is not warranted -- Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 27.02.2026

445. Production of original document before Rent Controller -- Pendency of other civil proceedings -- Effect -- Petitioner is directed to produce the exchange deed in original before the learned Rent Controller – Whenever the petitioner requires the said document, he may move an appropriate application before the Rent Controller, which shall be allowed subject to a specific undertaking that the document will be re-produced before the Court as and when required -- In case the petitioner requires the document for production before the Civil Court in a suit intended to be filed, a certified copy of the agreement shall be provided to the petitioner. (P&H HC) Decided on: 27.02.2026

446. Regular bail -- Unlawful assembly -- Parity -- Custody period -- Role attributed to the petitioner is that he was allegedly armed with a baseball bat and was part of the unlawful assembly -- No specific injury attributed to him and no firearm injury is stated to have been caused by him rather firearm injuries are attributed to other coaccused -- Petitioner has been in custody since 15.08.2025 and has undergone custody of six months and eight days -- Investigation stands completed and challan has been presented – Co-accused have already been granted bail and the case of the petitioner stands on similar footing inasmuch as no specific injury has been attributed to him – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 27.02.2026

447. Revisional powers – Object -- Where a Civil Court subordinate to the High Court fails to exercise the jurisdiction vested in it, the High Court possesses the power to intervene under Article 227 of the Constitution of India -- This principle ensures that subordinate courts act within their lawful mandate and that parties are not deprived of justice due to inaction or neglect by such courts. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 19.02.2026 Decided on: 27.02.2026

448. Non-appearance of accused -- Cancellation of bail -- Issuance of non-bailable warrants -- Procedural safeguards -- While cancelling the concession of bail, Trial Court straight away proceeded to issue non-bailable warrants: -- Cancellation of bail, in the absence of any misconduct, lack of bona fides, or deliberate evasion of proceedings, amounts to an unjustified restriction on the procedural rights of the accused. -- Issuance of non-bailable warrants must not be mechanical and should be resorted to sparingly, only upon recording cogent reasons demonstrating the necessity of such action -- Primary object of cancellation of bail and forfeiture of bail bonds is to secure the presence of the accused during trial. Petitioner-accused come forward himself to face trial – Impugned order set aside, conditions imposed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 27.02.2026

449. Gair Marusi / Bila Lagan Bawajeh Purani Kast – Scope -- Mere entry of possession as Gair Marusi in cultivation column does not establish tenancy. (P&H HC) Reserved on : 23.02.2026 Decided on: 27.02.2026

450. Electricity disconnection -- No prior notice issued – Disconnection unsustainable for want of opportunity of hearing -- Electricity supply ordered to be restored. (P&H HC) Decided on: 27.02.2026