Here is the daily roundup of important judgments and orders from the Supreme Court and the High Courts for August 14, 2026.
No Prior DOE Approval, Bias in Disciplinary Process: Delhi HC Quashes Teacher’s Removal, Orders Fresh Inquiry
The Delhi High Court set aside Rekha Sabharwal’s removal from Saai Memorial Girls School, holding that prior approval from the Directorate of Education was required and the disciplinary process raised an apprehension of bias. The Court ordered a fresh inquiry, reinstatement with continuity, and 50% back wages, subject to the fresh proceedings. Read more...
Appellate Courts Should Not Remand Cases When Pleadings, Issues and Evidence Are Sufficient: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has set aside a Karnataka High Court order remanding a property dispute to the trial court. The Bench held that the existing pleadings, issues and evidence were sufficient for appellate consideration, reiterating that remand should not be used as a routine course of action. Read more...
Madras High Court Sets Aside ₹6,000 Maintenance Order, Says 57-Year-Old Woman Was Not a ‘Senior Citizen’ Under 2007 Act
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court quashed a District Collector's order directing Rs 6,000 monthly maintenance, holding the claimant was 57 years old and not a parent of the petitioners, hence outside the Senior Citizens Act's scope. Read more...
Advocates Acting as Insolvency Professionals Liable to Pay GST Under Forward Charge, Delhi High Court Rules
The Delhi High Court has ruled that advocates acting as Insolvency Professionals under the IBC must follow the forward charge mechanism for GST. The Bench held that insolvency services form a distinct category from conventional legal services and upheld the IBBI's direction requiring GST-compliant invoices from the petitioner. Read more...
Bombay HC Quashes Fake RT-PCR Report Case After Considering Pandemic Lockdown Circumstances and Petitioners’ Young Age
The Bombay High Court quashed the FIR, chargesheet and consequential proceedings against three Mumbai residents in a COVID-19 RT-PCR report case. Justice Milind N. Jadhav considered the pandemic circumstances, the petitioners’ age and the society’s no-objection. Each petitioner was directed to pay ₹10,000 as costs. Read more...
Agreement To Sell Does Not Automatically End Tenancy Unless Express Or Implied Surrender Is Established: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court held that an agreement to sell executed between a landlord and tenant does not automatically terminate the tenancy. Unless the agreement or conduct establishes express or implied surrender, the existing tenancy continues. The Court also denied Section 53A protection because the agreement was unregistered and possession remained that of a tenant. Read more...
Supreme Court Quashes Rahul Gandhi’s Savarkar Remarks Case Over Lack of Mandatory Prosecution Sanction
The Supreme Court quashed criminal proceedings against Rahul Gandhi arising from his remarks about VD Savarkar. The Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu found that the required State sanction for prosecution had not been granted. The complaint and Magistrate’s orders were consequently set aside. Read more...
Bombay HC Allows LPG Cargo Discharge After Security Concerns Over Arrested Vessel at Jaigarh Port
The Bombay High Court allowed discharge of 1,880.260 MT LPG from the arrested vessel LPG Amir Gas after requiring AED 34,78,481 as security. Justice Abhay Ahuja also directed emergency repairs, fuel and lubricant supply, insurance coverage and disaster-management assistance to address safety risks at Jaigarh Port. Read more...
Extended Limitation Cannot Be Invoked Where Department Knew Chassis Valuation Details: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court held that a vehicle body-building job worker remained liable to include the full chassis value, including the prescribed 10% component. However, the Department could not invoke extended limitation because the relevant valuation information was already known and the demand was raised beyond the ordinary limitation period. Read more...
Allahabad HC Quashes Cruelty & Dowry Case Against Husband, Says Wife Too Called Him "Impotent" During Quarrel
The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow Bench quashed a 498-A and dowry case against a husband, ruling that the wife's allegations reflected mutual abuse during a matrimonial quarrel rather than one-sided cruelty, and that the dowry claim lacked specific details. Read more...
Supreme Court Quashes Criminal Proceedings Against Samay Raina, Four Comedians Over Disability Remarks
The Supreme Court quashed criminal proceedings against Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Ghai, Sonali Thakkar and Nishant Tanwar over insensitive remarks concerning persons with disabilities. The Bench appreciated their subsequent awareness and fundraising efforts, while keeping the larger question of safeguards against humiliating online content pending. Read more...
Delhi High Court Refuses Interim Ban on Gurbani Broadcast from Golden Temple in SGPC Copyright Dispute
The Delhi High Court refused to immediately restrain Galactic Television from broadcasting Gurbani from the Golden Temple. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani observed that Gurbani may involve literary and musical works and that genuine religious use without commercialisation may fall within copyright exemptions. The matter will next be heard on September 24.
Stray Dog Menace: Bombay HC Directs Maharashtra To Focus On Aggressive ABC Sterilisation
The Bombay High Court urged Maharashtra to aggressively implement the Animal Birth Control Programme to check the growing stray dog population. Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Gautam A. Ankhad stressed sterilisation of adult dogs and directed the State to submit further compliance material. Read more...
Supreme Court Allows Bar Council of Delhi Election Results, Sends Disputes to Election Tribunals
The Supreme Court permitted declaration of the Bar Council of Delhi election results while making them subject to pending Election Tribunal proceedings. The Bench directed aggrieved candidates to approach the tribunals and ordered preservation of complete election records and original CCTV footage. It also requested expeditious disposal of disputes, preferably within three months. Read more...
Karnataka HC Allows Hindu Jagarana Vedike Torchlight March in Mysuru, Says Criminal Cases Alone Cannot Bar Independence Day Celebration
The Karnataka High Court allowed Hindu Jagarana Vedike to conduct its Independence Day eve torchlight procession in Mysuru. Justice Suraj Govindaraj held that pending criminal proceedings against some organisers could not alone justify denying participation in Independence Day celebrations, while making organisers responsible for peaceful conduct. Read more...
P&H High Court Dismisses PIL Challenging Appointment of High Court Judge, Imposes ₹1 Lakh Costs
The Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed a PIL challenging the recommendation of Pravindra Chauhan for appointment as a High Court Judge. The Bench found that the petitioner had personal grievances connected with earlier proceedings and held that the PIL was not filed in genuine public interest. Costs of ₹1 lakh were imposed. Read more...
Supreme Court Dismisses Reliance Industries Appeal, Imposes Rs 10 Lakh Costs Over Two-Decade Delay in NTPC Gas Contract Suit
The Supreme Court dismissed Reliance Industries Limited's appeal concerning redaction of evidence affidavits in its long-running commercial dispute with NTPC Limited. The Court upheld the Bombay High Court's approach, reiterated its earlier directions on excluded internal documents and oral evidence, directed expeditious disposal of the suit, and imposed Rs 10 lakh costs. Read more...
Kerala HC Closes PIL Against Men’s Entry Restrictions at Freedom at Midnight Event
The Kerala High Court closed a PIL challenging alleged restrictions on men’s entry during the Freedom at Midnight event in Thiruvananthapuram. The Bench noted that the plea relied on unverified press reports and that the petitioner had not approached the authorities first. The State clarified that public road use would not be restricted. Read more...
Accidental Drowning More Plausible Than Murder: Supreme Court Acquits Two Convicted Men in 2006 River Drowning Case
The Supreme Court acquitted two men convicted in connection with their friend's 2006 drowning death. The Bench found that medical evidence did not establish homicide, while the alleged motive and other circumstances were insufficient. It reversed the Trial Court and High Court judgments and directed the accused's release. Read more...
Supreme Court Rejects 1976 Will Over Unresolved Suspicious Circumstances, Restores Two-Thirds Partition Share in Family Property Dispute
The Supreme Court held that a registered 1976 Will was not proved according to statutory requirements and that surrounding circumstances remained unresolved. It restored the trial court’s partition decree, giving the plaintiffs a collective two-thirds share in the disputed A and B schedule properties and dismissing the injunction suit. Read more...
Bombay HC Grants Interim Protection From Arrest to Former TISS Student in TISS Slogan Case
The Bombay High Court granted interim protection from arrest to former TISS student Kamakhya Prasad Das in a case concerning alleged slogans at a campus gathering. Justice Prafulla Khubalkar noted that his mobile phone and laptop had already been seized and directed him to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Read more...
Supreme Court Asks CBSE to Protect Students Affected by OSM Scores in Entrance-Based Admissions
The Supreme Court asked CBSE to examine ways to protect students whose Class 12 scores under the new On-Screen Marking system have affected their eligibility for entrance-based admissions. The Bench considered concerns about alleged evaluation irregularities and directed CBSE to explore measures addressing students facing immediate admission difficulties. Read more...
Commercial Courts Act Applies to Pre-2015 Suits Even After Later Re-numbering, Delhi High Court Holds
The Delhi High Court held that the Commercial Courts Act applies to commercial suits instituted before October 23, 2015, even if re-numbered later. The three-judge Bench affirmed Samsung Leasing and overruled Brahmos Aerospace to the relevant extent, while holding that the statutory framework restricts appeals against orders not made appealable under Section 13. Read more...
Residential House Exemption U/S 60(1)(ccc) Is Personal to Judgment-Debtor, Cannot Be Claimed by Legal Representatives in Debt Recovery: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court held that residential property protection under Section 60(1)(ccc) CPC is personal to the judgment-debtor and unavailable to legal representatives. It also ruled that absence of prescribed notice did not invalidate the auction sale in the circumstances, and set aside the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s remand order. Read more...
