#employment dispute

Bombay HC grants interim reliefs under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, holding prima facie that an arbitration agreement exists in an employment dispute involving confidential information. The Court preserved the Arbitral Tribunal's jurisdiction to finally decide on the agreement's scope, impacting parties in confidentiality and non-compete disputes.

Bombay High Court sets aside a Rs. 1,00,000 compensation awarded under the Maternity Benefit Act, holding that hardship awards must stay within statutory limits under Section 17(2)(b). The ruling clarifies that tribunals cannot grant lump-sum damages exceeding the Act's prescribed framework, impacting future employment disputes involving maternity benefits.

Chhattisgarh High Court rules that mere employment disputes, even if linked to suicide, cannot be quashed at the preliminary stage unless allegations fail the prima facie test. The court emphasizes that workplace harassment claims under Section 306 IPC must be adjudicated at trial, impacting employers facing abetment charges.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that transactions occurring after an employee's resignation cannot form the basis for a cheating charge under Section 318(4) BNS without proof of dishonest intent. The court granted anticipatory bail, emphasizing that uncorroborated allegations and civil disputes do not justify arrest in criminal proceedings.