The Supreme Court holds that BOCW cess qualifies as subsequent legislation under NHAI contracts where statutory machinery was absent at the bid stage, reinforcing arbitral autonomy and limits on judicial interference.

The Supreme Court clarifies the legal limits of de-licensing of land use, reinforces strict pleading standards in writ jurisdiction, and delineates the National Green Tribunal’s role in urban planning disputes.

The Supreme Court holds that ordinary rate of wages overtime under the Factories Act must include compensatory allowances, rejecting executive memoranda that sought to exclude them. The ruling reinforces statutory primacy and labour-protective interpretation.

The Supreme Court rules that a DGFT notification becomes legally enforceable only upon publication in the Official Gazette, rejecting reliance on prior website uploads. The decision in Viraj Impex reinforces strict compliance with statutory modes of promulgation under trade law.

The Supreme Court dissolves a marriage under Article 142 on the ground of irretrievable breakdown, bringing closure to long-running matrimonial litigation while preserving perjury proceedings.

The Supreme Court has issued landmark interim student suicide guidelines requiring higher education institutions to report deaths, strengthen mental-health systems, and comply with existing UGC regulations. The Court, acting under Article 142, has constituted a National Task Force to design enforceable SOPs for student well-being and institutional accountability.

Case Summary Case:  Elegna Co-operative Housing and Commercial Society Ltd. v. Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. & Takshashila Heights India Pvt. Ltd. (Civil Appeals Nos. 10261 & 10012 of 2025) Citation:  2026 INSC 58 Date of judgment:  15 January 2026 Bench:  Honourable Justice J.B. Pardiwala; Honourable Justice R. Mahadevan (opinion authored by Honourable Justice R. Mahadevan) Parties: Appellants —  Elegna Co-op. Housing & Commercial Society Ltd.; Takshashila Heig

The Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s order directing the Centre to resume MGNREGA payments in West Bengal, holding that wages under the rural employment scheme are a statutory entitlement and cannot be withheld due to administrative disputes or political differences.

The Supreme Court clarified that witness intimidation under Section 195A IPC is a cognizable offence, empowering police to take direct action without prior court approval, and emphasized the need to protect witnesses to ensure fair trial and judicial integrity.

The Supreme Court ruled that investigators cannot search or seize a lawyer’s digital devices without prior judicial approval, emphasizing the need to protect advocate-client privilege and prevent investigative overreach into confidential professional communications.

The Supreme Court restricted the issuance of ex-parte summons to lawyers and reiterated that advocate-client communications are privileged, reinforcing that legal professionals must not be compelled to disclose client information without due judicial process.

The Supreme Court has declined to interfere with the Bar Council of India’s decision to fix ₹1.25 lakh as the election fee for State Bar Council candidates. The Court observed that the issue falls within the BCI’s regulatory domain and refrained from judicial intervention, emphasizing autonomy in managing professional bodies.

The Supreme Court has clarified that the Judge Advocate General (JAG) recruitment process must adhere to gender-neutral criteria, reinforcing the Armed Forces’ constitutional obligation of equality. The ruling came amid petitions alleging discriminatory practices in shortlisting male and female candidates, marking another step toward inclusive military service norms.

The Supreme Court has quashed the FIR filed under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act against the Vice Chancellor of SHUATS. The Court observed that mere allegations of religious conversion without supporting evidence cannot justify prosecution under the anti-conversion law, emphasizing the need for concrete proof and procedural fairness.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the alarming rise in ‘digital arrest’ scams, the Supreme Court has sought detailed responses from the Union government and major telecom operators. The bench highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated framework to protect citizens from cyber-fraud operations exploiting digital identities and impersonating law enforcement agencies.

In a stern message to election authorities, the Supreme Court has struck down an attempt by the Uttarakhand State Election Commission...

The Supreme Court in State Bank of India v. Ramadhar Sao (2025) reaffirmed that judicial review in disciplinary proceedings is limited to correcting legal or procedural errors, not re-evaluating evidence. Setting aside Patna High Court’s orders, the Court restored SBI’s penalty of removal with superannuation benefits, stressing that corruption cannot be excused even at lower levels of employment.

The Supreme Court in Nabha Power Ltd. v. PSPCL (2025 INSC 1002) ruled that withdrawal of deemed export benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy and Cabinet press releases do not qualify as “Change in Law” under power purchase agreements. Emphasising that “press releases cannot stand in place of law”, the Court reaffirmed sanctity of competitive bidding and clarified limits of restitution in infrastructure contracts.

SC overturns bail for Olympian in Chhatrasal case, stressing liberty can't outweigh justice in grave offences.

There is clear distinction in law between setting aside of the bail by a higher Court and cancellation of the bail. While cancellation of bail is due to some supervening circumstances like breach of bail condition, setting aside of the bail is concerned not with the breach of condition but with the justifiability and soundness of the order granting bail.” (Neeru Yadav v. State of U.P.)