As the Supreme Court of India steps into 2026, the courtroom atmosphere already feels different. The cause lists are heavy, the stakes are high, and several matters listed for early hearings carry the potential to reshape how laws are made, enforced and challenged across the country.
From online gaming and religious freedom to electoral integrity and public safety, the cases expected to come up this year cut across politics, society and the economy. Lawyers following these hearings say the court is entering one of its most consequential phases in recent times.
Here is a clear look at the most important cases likely to dominate the Supreme Court’s calendar in 2026.
1. Online Gaming Act Under Constitutional Scrutiny
One of the first big challenges involves the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. Head Digital Works Pvt Ltd has questioned Parliament’s power to impose restrictions on real-money online games.
The company argues that skill-based games like rummy and poker cannot be treated the same as gambling. Key provisions allowing investigation and enforcement have been challenged, with the petitioner seeking protection from coercive action until the case is finally decided.
2. Railways Land Eviction Case Returns
A long-running dispute over nearly 29 acres of railway land in Delhi’s Gafoor Basti, Dholak Basti and Indira Nagar is set to resurface. Earlier eviction orders had raised alarms over the fate of nearly 50,000 residents.
The Supreme Court had stayed mass evictions in the past, stressing the human cost involved. The matter is expected to be taken up again in January 2026.
3. Challenge to State Anti-Conversion Laws
A batch of petitions questioning anti-conversion laws enacted by states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Haryana remains pending.
Petitioners argue that these laws interfere with personal choice, religious freedom and privacy. The court has been told that several states are tightening these laws even as constitutional challenges remain undecided.
4. Justice Yashwant Verma Probe
In a rare and sensitive matter, Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Verma has approached the apex court against a committee formed by the Lok Sabha Speaker to probe corruption allegations.
The controversy began after unaccounted cash was reportedly found at his official residence following a fire incident. Justice Verma has questioned the legality of the inquiry process itself.
5. Electoral Roll Revision Under Scanner
The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has drawn sharp criticism. Petitioners claim the exercise led to large-scale deletion of voters’ names, threatening the right to vote.
While the court declined to stop the process earlier, it agreed to examine concerns over transparency and safeguards. The exercise has now been extended beyond Bihar to several states and Union Territories.
6. Sedition-Like Law in New Penal Code
Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which replaced the IPC, is being challenged for allegedly reviving sedition in a new form.
Petitioners argue the provision criminalises vague acts said to threaten sovereignty or unity, echoing the old sedition law struck down earlier. The matter has been tagged with similar petitions.
7. Appointment of Election Commissioners
Another constitutionally significant case questions the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. The law removed the Chief Justice of India from the appointment panel.
Petitioners say this violates a 2023 Supreme Court judgment that aimed to safeguard the independence of the Election Commission. Hearings are expected in January.
8. Stray Dog Safety Case
In a suo motu case triggered by fatal dog attack incidents, the Supreme Court is examining how cities handle stray animals.
After initially directing permanent sheltering, the court modified its approach, allowing release after sterilisation and vaccination. The issue has now been expanded to cover the entire country, with the next hearing fixed for January 7, 2026.
9. Indiabulls and Alleged Builder-Bank Nexus
The court is monitoring allegations of fund diversion and regulatory failures involving Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd, now known as Sammaan Capital.
It has questioned the inaction of agencies like SEBI and SFIO and asked the CBI Director to consider forming a Special Investigation Team.
10. Waqf Amendment Act, 2025
Among the most far-reaching disputes is the challenge to the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025. Nearly 65 petitions argue that the law violates the constitutional right of religious communities to manage their own affairs.
The Supreme Court has already stayed several provisions, including expanded powers to district collectors and rules on board composition.
Together, these cases show the breadth of issues before the Supreme Court of India in 2026. With many hearings expected early in the year, the coming months are likely to play a defining role in India’s constitutional journey.
