This Tribunals and Commissions Roundup of May 2025 captures key highlights including the Competition Commission’s acceptance of Google’s ₹20.24 crore settlement in the Android TV antitrust case, NCLT’s rejection of Vedanta’s demerger plan, SEBI’s stringent action against a high-profile pump and dump scheme involving actor Arshad Warsi, and critical environmental rulings by the National Green Tribunal. From consumer disputes to insolvency updates, this roundup brings you a comprehensive overview of decisions that shaped the legal landscape in May 2025.
Central Administrative Tribunal
Inter Railway Request Transfer approved before policy change cannot be denied; CAT directs Railways to restore pre policy approved transfer
In an application filed by the applicant seeking reliefs regarding the cancellation of his ‘Inter Railway Request Transfer’ (IRRT) application, which had previously been approved but was later treated as cancelled by the respondents following a change in policy, a Coram of Akhil Kumar Srivastava (Judicial Member) and Mallika Arya (Administrative Member) allowed the application and directed the respondents to restore the application for IRRT of the applicant to its original position and to consider for IRRT from SECR to NCR Jhansi and shall relieve the applicant within 15 days of receipt of a copy of this order. Read more HERE
Competition Commission of India
CCI approves Google’s Rupees 20.24 crore settlement in Android TV anti-competitive practices case
In a case filed by the informants under Section 19(1)(a) of the Competition Act, 2002 (the Act) against Google LLC (OP-1), Google India Private Limited (OP-2), Xiaomi Technology India Private Limited (OP-3) and TCL India Holding Private Limited (OP-4) alleging contravention of various provisions of Section 3 and Section 4 of the Act, a 4-member bench of Ms. Ravneet Kaur (Chairperson), Mr. Anil Agrawal, Ms. Sweta Kakkad and Mr. Deepak Anurag, found prima facie contraventions by Google and accepted Google’s Settlement Proposal of rupees 20.24 crore under Section 48A(3) of the Act. Read more HERE
District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
When DCDRC, Mumbai directed Amazon to pay Rs 40,000 for non-delivery of Rs. 100 Motu Patlu Kids Rakhi.
While considering the instant consumer complaint filed against Amazon for failure to deliver a ‘Motu Patlu Kids Rakhi’ as ordered by the complainant; the Bench of Samindara R. Surve, (President)* and Sameer S. Kamble, (Member), held Amazon to be guilty for deficiency in service and unfair trade practices and directed them to pay Rs.30,000 towards compensation to the complainant along with Rs.10,000 towards the cost of the proceedings. Read more HERE
National Company Law Appellate Tribunal
Electricity is an “essential service” under Section 14(2) IBC; can’t be discontinued even if dues remain unpaid during CIRP: NCLAT
In an appeal challenging the Adjudicating Authority’s order directing the appellant, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd., to restore Corporate Debtor’s electricity without insisting on payment during CIRP, a 3-member bench of Ashok Bhushan, J., Barun Mitra (Technical Member) and Arun Baroka (Technical Member), upheld the Adjudicating Authority’s order and held that Electricity is an essential service under Section 14(2) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) and cannot be disconnected even if dues remain unpaid during CIRP. Read more HERE
Acknowledgment of Balance Sheet under Section 18 of Limitation Act to be counted from date of signing of Balance Sheet: NCLAT
In an appeal filed under Section 61 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) challenging the Adjudicating Authority’s order dismissing Section 7 IBC application, a Division Bench of Ashok Bhushan, J., and Barun Mitra (Technical Member), upheld the Adjudicating Authority’s order that the Section 7 IBC application is time-barred. The NCLAT held that the acknowledgment in Balance sheet for the purpose of limitation under Section 18 of the Limitation Act, 1963 has to be counted from the date of signing of the Balance sheet and not from the date of its uploading with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) on the MCA portal. Read more HERE
‘Single Homebuyer can’t challenge CoC approved Resolution Plan’; NCLAT upholds CoC’s commercial wisdom.
In appeals challenging the rejection of application under Section 43 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC), rejection of objections to the Resolution Plan and the approval of the Resolution Plan itself, a 3-member bench of Ashok Bhushan, J., (Chairperson), Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) and Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member), upheld the NCLT’s order and the Resolution Plan. Read more HERE
Zee Entertainment guarantor’s liability arises only upon invocation of demand guarantee by IDBI: NCLAT dismisses IDBI’s plea to initiate CIRP.
In an appeal challenging the rejection of Section 7 application filed by the appellant-IDBI Bank on the ground that the same is barred by Section 10-A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC), a Division Bench of Ashok Bhushan, J., (Chairperson) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member), upheld the rejection of the Section 7 application against respondent-Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEE) and held that the invocation of the corporate guarantee during the Covid-19 moratorium period under Section 10-A barred the initiation of CIRP against the Corporate Debtor, even though the underlying debt continued to exist. Read more HERE
National Company Law Tribunal
‘Secured Creditor who relinquishes interest cannot seek priority among others based on charge’; NCLT directs distribution of sale proceeds of Monnet Power’s assets.
In an application filed by the liquidator (‘Applicant’) of the corporate debtor, i.e., Monnet Power Company Limited (“Monnet”), seeking directions for distribution of the balance sale consideration and for extending the time for distribution of sale proceeds under Section 53 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (‘IBC’) read with Regulation 42 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Liquidation Process) Regulations, 2016 (‘the Regulations’), a two-member bench of Deep Chandra Joshi (Judicial Member) and Banwari Lal Meena (Technical Member), allowed the application holding that Secured Creditors cannot seek priority over other similar creditors during the distribution of the sale proceeds of the secured assets. Accordingly, the Tribunal directed the Applicant to distribute Rs. 30.26 Crores among the Secured Creditors of Monnet on a pro rata basis without giving any priority of charge. Read more HERE
NCLT rejects Vedanta Ltd.’s demerger plan over non-disclosure of SEPCO’s debt and procedural irregularities
In an application challenging the demerger plan of Vedanta Limited into multiple resulting companies, a Division bench of Madhu Sinha (Technical Member) and Reeta Kohli (Judicial Member), rejected the demerger plan on the ground of non-disclosure of material facts which violated Section 230(2)(a) of the Companies Act, 2013, and is bound to prejudice the public interest at large. Read more HERE
Force Majeure doesn’t absolve Corporate Debtor from contractual obligations; NCLT directs initiation of CIRP against Corporate Debtor
In an application filed under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC), seeking to initiate the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) against the Corporate Debtor, a Division Bench of Sanjiv Jain (Judicial Member) and Venkataraman Subramaniam (Technical Member), admitted the Section 7 IBC application and initiated the insolvency proceeding against Corporate Debtor. Read more HERE
Protection of minority shareholder rights | NCLT lays down structured buy-out mechanism to resolve deadlock between shareholders
In a company petition seeking relief under Sections 241 and 242 of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Companies Act), and requested a buyout order, a Division bench of Dr. Venkata Ramakrishna Badarinath Nandula (Judicial Member) and Charan Singh (Technical Member), allowed the petition and held that the Deccan Group’s actions amounted to “grave acts of oppression” and was not mere instances of internal shareholder disputes. The NCLT laid out a structured buy-out mechanism to resolve the deadlock between shareholders. Read more HERE
National Green Tribunal
NGT takes cognizance of plea on Guillain-Barré Syndrome Outbreak in Pune due to contaminated drinking water
In an application filed by law students seeking urgent intervention from NGT regarding the outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, a Division bench of Dinesh Kumar Singh, J., (Judicial Member) and Dr. Vijay Kulkarni (Expert Member), acknowledged the gravity of the situation and took cognizance of the potential environmental and health hazards arising from contaminated drinking water. Read more HERE
‘Necessary permissions were taken’; NGT dismisses plea against illegal tree cutting in Adani’s Chhattisgarh Coal mining project.
In an original application against illegal cutting of more than 15,000 trees in Hasdev forest, Korba and Sarguja District of the State of Chhattisgarh for carrying out the proposed coal mining project of Parsa East, District Kele Bason, the Bench of Sheo Kumar Singh, Judicial Member and Dr. Vijay Kulkarni, Expert Member, noted that the Joint Committee found that the necessary permissions were taken by the project proponents. The Tribunal directed the Project Proponent that the necessary plantation must be done to maintain the ecology in the area. Read more HERE
Matheran Horse Dung Pollution Case | NGT lists matter for next year as it awaits final report by Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University.
In an original application filed seeking directions for the protection of Matheran hill station which was facing environmental degradation due to the excessive use of horses for tourism and goods transportation, the Bench of Sheo Kumar Singh, Judicial Member, and Dr. Vijay Kulkarni, Expert Member, listed the matter for 30-01-2026, after being informed that the final report of environmental assessment by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (‘BATU’) would be submitted after carrying out the testing scheduled for September to December 2025 and subsequent evaluation of test results. Read more HERE
Felling of 700 trees in Bhoj Wetland, a Ramsar site; NGT forms panel, orders Statewide Tree Census
In an original application, raising substantial environmental issues relating to the felling of approximately 700 trees for road construction and the construction of a cricket stadium within the catchment area of Bhoj Wetland, a Ramsar site of international importance in Bhopal, the Division Bench of Sheo Kumar Singh, Judicial Member and Dr. Afroz Ahmad, Expert Member allowed the application and formed the Joint Committee to enquire into the matter. The Tribunal gave a slew of directions to the Committee. Read more HERE
Neglect and encroachment of historical water body in Narela: NGT issues notice to authorities
In an application raising grievance regarding encroachment on a historical water body which was constructed by a king named Chand and historically used for water sports, a 3-member bench of Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson), Arun Kumar Tyagi, JJ., and Dr. Afroz Ahmad (Expert Member), acknowledged that the matter involves “substantial issue relating to compliance of environmental norms” and issued notice to the respondents with direction to file their response/reply. Read more HERE
Securities And Exchange Board of India
SEBI bans actor Arshad Warsi and 58 others for 5 years in a textbook case of ‘pump and dump’ orchestrated through false narratives on digital media
In a case involving a fraudulent scheme to manipulate the share price of Sadhna Broadcast Limited, Ashwani Bhatia (Whole Time Member) after a detailed investigation, found that a group of connected entities had engaged in a coordinated “pump and dump” operation by artificially inflating the price and trading volume of the company’s scrip and luring retail investors through misleading YouTube videos being in violation of the SEBI Act, 1992 and the PFUTP Regulations, 2003. Read more HERE