Prachi Bhardwaj, Author at SCC Times

Supreme Court issues Circular on procedure to circulate Letters of Adjournment: Key Updates

On 19-05-2025, the Supreme Court released a new circular updating the procedures for circulating letters of adjournment of cases, following a letter from SCAORA to the newly appointed Chief Justice of India, Justice B.R. Gavai, on 14-05-2025.

Hot Off The Press News

Supreme Court Announces Partial Working Days: Full Details

The Supreme Court has officially replaced ‘summer vacation’ with ‘partial working days’ in the 2025 calendar.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

UAPA| 14-Days timeline for grant of sanction mandatory; Validity of sanction to be ordinarily challenged at the earliest stage: SC

The Supreme Court clarified that the observations made in this judgment shall apply prospectively.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Storing and watching child pornography an offence under POCSO, IT Act: Key takeaways from Supreme Court’s Landmark Verdict

The Supreme Court observed that the term “child pornography” is a misnomer that fails to capture the full extent of the crime as it can lead to a trivialization of the crime, as pornography is often seen as a consensual act between adults. It, hence, proposed a new term for the offence.

Non-Signatories bound by Arbitration Agreements

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Supreme Court explains how Non-Signatories may be bound by Arbitration Agreements

The Supreme Court elucidated the key factors through which the intention of the parties to be bound by an arbitration agreement can be gauged.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

When can an application for Handwriting Expert’s Opinion in Cheque Dishonour Case be rejected? Supreme Court explains

The Supreme Court was called upon to decide whether the appellant Court was right in rejecting the application of the accused seeking opinion of the handwriting expert in Cheque Dishonour case.

Hot Off The Press News

Judge vs Judge: Supreme Court transfers Fake Caste Certificates Case from Calcutta High Court to itself

The Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter and, in a special hearing on Saturday, 27.01.2024, stayed the Single Judge Bench’s order directing the handover of case papers related to the alleged issuance of fake caste certificates to the CBI, despite a division bench stay order.

Case Briefs Supreme Court (Constitution/Larger Benches)

Single Judge vs Division Bench: Supreme Court’s 5-Judge Bench stays Calcutta HC’s Single Bench order defying Division Bench stay on CBI Probe in Fake Caste Certificates Case

In the case relating to allegations of issuance of fake caste certificates, the Single Judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court had directed the handover of papers related to the case of alleged issuance of fake caste certificates to the CBI, despite the stay order of a division bench.

Case Briefs Supreme Court (Constitution/Larger Benches)

Article 370| “Whatever has been, has been…”: Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul calls for “Truth and Reconciliation” in Kashmir

Calling for a collective understanding of the human rights violations perpetrated both by State and non-State actors, against the people of Kashmir, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul recommended the setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Supreme Court, in a balancing act, commutes Death Sentence to 20 Years Imprisonment in Indiscriminate Firing case that killed 6

The Supreme Court held that the Court cannot be limited only to two punishments, one a sentence of imprisonment, for all intents and purposes, of not more than 14 years and the other death.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

‘Special Benches, Suo Motu cases’; SC issues guidelines for HCs for expeditious disposal of criminal cases against MPs and MLAs

The figures show that there are as many as 5,175 subject cases against elected MPs/MLAs pending as of November, 2022. Of these, cases that are pending for more than 5 years are as many as 2,116, which figure is more than 40% of such pendency.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Supreme Court suggests amending Supreme Court Rules to include E-Copies of Original Records to cut delays and adjournments

The Supreme Court deprecated the practice of depositions of material witnesses not being placed on record.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Is Second Petition under Section 482 CrPC maintainable on grounds available at the time of First Petition? Supreme Court determines

The Supreme Court was deciding the appeal against Allahabad High Court’s order wherein it had held that the petitioner could not continue to challenge the proceedings when he had not raised objections to the charge sheet or cognizance order in his first petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C.

Case Briefs Supreme Court Supreme Court (Constitution/Larger Benches)

Supreme Court Verdict on Same Sex Marriage: Breakdown of the Agreements and Disagreements

In a verbose verdict running into 366 pages, the 5-judge Constitution Bench of Dr DY Chandrachud, CJI and Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S. Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli, PS Narasimha, JJ wrote 4 opinions on the Same Sex Marriage matter where they agreed on some points and disagreed on others.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

SC orders IAF, Army to pay Rs. 1.55 Crore to Veteran infected with HIV after blood transfusion at Military hospital; Centre and States to issue HIV/AIDS guidelines, welfare schemes

The Supreme Court held that the IAF and the Indian Army were vicariously liable, jointly and severally, as the former was Veteran’s immediate employer and the latter was the organization controlling and in charge of the Military Hospital

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Supreme Court acquits Death row convicts: The 15-year-old’s brutal murder case that sparked call for code of investigation for Police to avoid technical acquittals

“It is high time that a consistent and dependable code of investigation is devised with a mandatory and detailed procedure for the police to implement and abide by during the course of their investigation so that the guilty do not walk free on technicalities, as they do in most cases in our country.”

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Supreme Court: Unconditional apology not enough to evade punishment for contempt of court if conduct damages dignity of institution

The Supreme Court strongly criticised litigants who use ‘apology’ as a ‘potent weapon’ to evade punishment and expressed concern over the trend of courts showing excessive leniency towards those held in contempt.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

Legitimacy alone not enough for Coparcenary Rights: Decoding Supreme Court verdict on Rights of Children from Null and Void Marriages

The Supreme Court has held that children born from Null and Void marriages would be entitled to rights in or to the absolute property of the parents and no other person.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

“Where women are respected Gods live there”; Supreme Court cancels bail of Rajasthan MLA’s son in 15-year-old’s gang-rape case

The Supreme Court was of the opinion that the Rajasthan High Court seemed to have been primarily swayed by the delay in filing the complaint i.e. 13 months for granting bail in favour of the accused, without considering other important facts.

Case Briefs Supreme Court

POCSO| Role of Support person in child sexual abuse cases crucial; All States must frame guidelines in this regard: Supreme Court

“Justice can be said to have been approximated only when the victims are brought back to society, made to feel secure, their worth and dignity, restored. Without this, justice is an empty phrase, an illusion.”