498 Supreme Court of India judgments explained in plain English: what was decided, the law applied and why it matters. Page 4 of 21.
The Supreme Court quashed a Rs 425 crore Section 114 Customs Act penalty after finding the order relied on AI-generated citations that were non-existent or mis-quoted. It imposed a zero-tolerance rule for unverified AI material, rendering such decisions void and urging verification by customs officials and litigants.
The Supreme Court ruled that a High Court cannot invoke its inherent power under Section 482 CrPC to set aside a conviction that has already attained finality before the apex court, even if the accused later proves he was a juvenile under Section 7A of the Juvenile Justice Act. This narrows the scope of Section 482, preserving the finality of appellate judgments and limiting relief avenues for convicted persons claiming subsequent juvenility.
Interim release of a vehicle seized under the Gujarat Prohibition Act can be ordered under CrPC Section 451 upon furnishing satisfactory security, despite Section 98(2). This permits owners to recover seized conveyances pending trial, expanding procedural relief in prohibition cases.
The Supreme Court held that professional clearing members in the NSE’s futures-and-options segment have no statutory duty to verify individual client positions and that restitution orders beyond the powers granted by the SEBI Act are ultra vires. As a result, SEBI cannot impose blanket restitution on PCMs, leaving liability with the trading members and their clients.
A 2014 revision notice cancelling an earlier land-record order was set aside because the Karnataka Land Revenue Act imposes a strict three-year limit on exercising revisionary power, which cannot be extended by subsequent amendments or the Limitation Act. The ruling bars authorities from reviving old cases beyond that period, protecting owners of surveyed lands.
The Supreme Court ruled that a penalty can be imposed only when the Foreign Travel Tax is not paid at all, and that a one-day delay in deposit does not attract the fine under Section 38(3). This limits liability to non-payment, obliges the government to refund the Rs 71.29 million penalty with interest, and affects airlines and other carriers subject to the tax.
The Supreme Court set aside murder convictions of six accused, ruling that inconsistent eyewitness accounts and the absence of forensic proof failed to meet the standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt under the IPC. This underscores that corroborative evidence is essential for murder charges, affecting future prosecutions relying solely on eyewitnesses.
The Supreme Court confirmed that a decree issued by Ras Al Khaimah’s Investment Authority is enforceable in India under Section 44A CPC, dismissed a contempt petition based on an ambiguous undertaking, and mandated the respondents to furnish an additional security of Rs 200 crore, leaving any corporate veil-piercing questions to the execution courts. This clarifies cross-border decree enforcement and limits contempt claims tied to vague undertakings.
The Supreme Court affirmed that a High Court may set aside arbitration awards of a cooperative society only when the award breaches statutory provisions, confirming the narrow reach of certiorari under Articles 226/227. This limits judicial interference in internal cooperative disputes, affecting societies and members alike.
The Supreme Court ruled that a criminal case can be quashed under Section 482 CrPC only when the victim himself settles the dispute, rejecting the notion that a third party can seek quash. This distinction separates compounding from quashing and limits judicial interference to victim-initiated settlements, affecting litigants and prosecutors in pending criminal matters.
The Supreme Court struck down an ex parte externment order for breaching the mandatory notice and hearing provision of Section 8 of the Chhattisgarh Rajya Suraksha Adhiniyam, reaffirming natural-justice safeguards. The ruling bars authorities from imposing exile without prior notice, protecting individuals facing such orders across Chhattisgarh.
The Supreme Court reinstated the statutory authorities’ view that land registered as residential but used as a showroom/factory must be classified as commercial for stamp-duty purposes. The higher commercial stamp duty stands and the appellant’s refund claim is dismissed.
The Supreme Court ruled that missing notarisation on Form-25 and rubber-stamp attestations do not automatically invalidate an election petition under Section 86 of the Representation of People Act. Such procedural defects are therefore not grounds for peremptory dismissal, safeguarding the petitioner’s right to contest the election result.
Supreme Court set aside Kerala HC’s order, holding that a valid settlement agreement extinguishing monetary claims prevents any later complaint under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, and that filing such a complaint is an abuse of process. Settled spouses are thus shielded from re-litigation.
‘Industry’ now requires a commercial character in addition to the Triple Test under Sec 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act. Applied prospectively via the Industrial Relations Code 2020, the ruling reshapes which enterprises fall within industrial-dispute jurisdiction, affecting employers and workers.
The Supreme Court ruled that while police can file an FIR for alleged PCPNDT violations, the investigation must be conducted exclusively by the Act’s Appropriate Authority. Magistrates therefore cannot take cognizance of a police-prepared charge-sheet, curbing police powers in sex-selection cases.
The Supreme Court restored the Family Court’s interim maintenance of Rs 30,000 per month for each of the two minor daughters, overturning the High Court’s cut to Rs 15,000. It held that a wife’s professional earnings cannot be used to halve the husband’s liability under Section 125 CrPC.
The Supreme Court set aside a life-sentence conviction where the sole evidence was an uncorroborated child witness, reaffirming the double presumption of innocence. It held that independent corroboration is essential in serious criminal trials, reshaping how prosecutions rely on child testimony.
The Supreme Court ruled that a caste-based insult must be uttered in a place visible to the public to attract liability under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST Act. Consequently, charges were dismissed where the alleged abuse occurred in a private office. This clarifies the public-view test for all future SC/ST Act prosecutions.
The Supreme Court set aside the Indore High Court’s dismissal of a co-ownership suit, restoring the lower courts’ decree. It held that Section 100 CPC permits appellate review only on substantial questions of law, revenue mutations do not extinguish title and limitation begins when the impediment is discovered, shaping future land co-ownership litigation.
Supreme Court ruled the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, creates no distinct offence, so charge-sheets based solely on a gang chart are unconstitutional. All pending prosecutions relying only on such charts are therefore quashed.
A candidate recommended by a State Public Service Commission cannot claim an indefeasible right to appointment, as Rule 10 of the 1983 Service Rules makes the eligibility finding conclusive and bars any de novo review by the State. This limits State governments’ ability to reassess eligibility for registrar and similar posts.
The Supreme Court declared Lok Adalat awards void where any claimant's signature is missing, overturning the High Court's endorsement. It remitted the compensation dispute for fresh reference to the civil court under Section 30 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, impacting all parties in similar land-acquisition cases.
The Supreme Court ruled that an FIR and the accompanying charge-sheet suffice as prima facie proof of negligence in motor accident cases, and that a criminal acquittal does not extinguish the right to claim civil damages. This expands claimants’ ability to recover full compensation despite a not-guilty verdict.