Constitution of India, Article 14, 226 – Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (V of 1908), Section 34 -- Interest on arrears of salary/ pension -- Once, a similarly situated employee allowed the benefit of interest by the Department, the same needs to be extended to the mother of the petitioner also on the arrears of salary/pension -- Denial will amount to discrimination, which cannot be permitted – Petitioner held entitled for interest on the arrears which have already been released to the mother of the petitioner @ 6% per annum from the date the payment became due till the actual disbursement of the same.

(Para 6, 9-11)

Haryana Land Revenue Act, 1887 (XVII of 1887), Section 34 – Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Sanction of mutation – Writ petition -- Petitioner has submitted application before the Tehsildar but no action has been taken on the same -- Writ petition disposed of with a direction to Tehsildar to decide the application filed by the petitioner in accordance with law within a period of one month.

(Para 1-4)

Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (9 of 1994), Section 20 – Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Enquiry against Sarpanch – Writ jurisdiction -- Petitioner/ Lambardar of the village has filed complaints against the Sarpanch for committing irregularities – Submission that prima facie case is there, however, no action has been taken on the complaints filed by the petitioner – Writ petition disposed of with a direction to respondent to expedite the enquiry initiated and conclude the same expeditiously in accordance with law preferably within two months.

(Para 2-5)

Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Re-imbursement of Medical treatment expenses – Treatment at Government Hospital -- Total expenditure incurred on the treatment of petitioner is Rs.4,17,004/- -- Respondent-Department cannot restrict the reimbursement to Rs.1,10,044/- -- Implant which was used on recommendations of the Doctors, who conducted the surgery cost Rs.2,75,000/-, the said amount incurred by the petitioner cannot be deducted to mean that only Rs.45,000/- will be reimbursed -- Petition allowed and the respondents directed to reimburse the total medical bills submitted by the petitioner as verified by the Medical Superintendent of the Medical College.

(Para 8-12)

A. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 439 – Constitution of India, Article 21 -- Regular bail -- Delay in concluding the trial – Life and liberty -- Sometimes, the trial gets delayed without any fault on the part of the accused and this violates Article 21 of the Constitution of India, because every accused has also a right to speedy justice -- Sometimes, when the trial gets delayed unnecessarily, it is not in the interest of justice that the accused should be detained in jail for an indefinite period.

(Para 7)

B. Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 302 – Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 439 – Constitution of India, Article 21 – Murder -- Regular bail -- Delay in trial – No doubt petitioner is facing a serious charge, but that, by itself, should not deter the Court from allowing the bail application, when there is no serious contention of the State that the accused, if enlarged on bail, would interfere with the trial or tamper with the evidence -- Petitioner is languishing in jail since 15.12.2019 i.e over 03 years and 07 months and the prosecution had only examined 02 witnesses out of total 19 witnesses -- Most material witness, complainant has already been examined as PW-1 and there are no chances of tampering with the prosecution evidence -- Without commenting on the merits of the case, the bail allowed.

(Para 7, 8)

Constitution of India, Article 136 – Special Leave to Appeal – Alternative remedy -- Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to grant special leave to appeal can be invoked in very exceptional circumstances -- Question of law of general public importance or a decision which shocks the conscience of the Court are some of the prime requisites for the grant of special leave -- Provisions of Article 136 of the Constitution as such are not circumscribed by any limitation -- When the party aggrieved has alternative remedy to go before the High Court, invoking its writ jurisdiction or supervisory jurisdiction as the case may be, the Court should not entertain petition seeking special leave thereby short-circuit the legal procedure prescribed.

(Para 24)

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (43 of 2005),  Section 17, 18, 19, 20, 22 – Constitution of India, Article 227 -- Domestic violence case – Speedy disposal – Case of 2019 -- Petitioner is a senior citizen of 82 years of age, falls in a distinctive category, qua which directions have been given by High Court, from time to time, for expeditious disposal of the matters relating to the senior citizens i.e. who are 65 years of age or above – Ld. Lower Court shall remain sensitized about the said instructions and proceed further to decide the application for interim relief and to hear the arguments on the application on 04.08.2023 and if not possible to hear the arguments on the said date, the same shall be heard and decided, within a period of one week thereafter – Ld. Lower Court shall ensure expeditious disposal of the main petition.

(Para 4, 5)

Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Government accommodation -- Repair/replace the roof of House – Contention that on account of recent rains, upper layer of the roof of the house has fallen and entire roof can fall at any time and thus, there is imminent danger to the life – Writ Petition disposed of with direction to the competent authority/ Government authority to consider and if case is found to be meritorious then to take appropriate action in accordance with law as expeditiously and if the authority is of the opinion that the averments made by the petitioner are not found to be meritorious then a speaking order rejecting the same be passed within a period of two weeks.

(Para 1-4)

Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Compassionate appointment to married daughter -- Source of earning of husband of the petitioner would have no reason for consideration while considering the application of the petitioner -- Petition allowed, respondents directed to consider the application of the petitioner for appointment on compassionate grounds, after death of her father -- If otherwise found suitable, appointment ordered to be offered to her.

(Para 6-8)

Constitution of  India, Article 16, 226 -- Appointment of PGT Teacher -- Reservation -- Firstly all the open category seats shall be filled then the individual category of any candidate and it is thereafter reserved category seats shall be filled – It is not the case of the respondents that the petitioner has taken any additional advantage of being belonged to the SC (R&O) category – Held, merit was required to be placed in the general category.

(Para 11, 13)

A. Constitution of India, Article 14, 16, 226 -- Appointment of Extension Lecturers from retired employee/ non-retired employee – Discrimination in pay – Sustainability of – Petitioners/ Retired employee are fully eligible for being appointed as extension lecturers and they are performing the same duties -- Held, payment of lesser remuneration to the retired teachers/petitioners amounts to practising discrimination against them and treating equals as unequals which cannot be permitted -- Respondents cannot shrink from the duty to pay equally for the same work done by them in compliance of the Constitutional mandate of equality enshrined in Articles 14 and 16 – Writ petition allowed.  

(Para 6)

B. Constitution of India, Article 14, 16, 226 -- Policy guidelines regarding engaging Eligible Extension Lecturers in Govt. Colleges purely on work requirement basis, dated 04.03.2020, Clause 11 -- Clause/paragraph 11 of the Policy dated 04.03.2020 is illegal being irrational and arbitrary – Clause 11 quashed.

(Para 6, 8)

Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (56 of 2007), Section 9, 16, 23 – Constitution of India, Article 226 – Letter patents Appeal -- Death of senior citizen – Benefits under Senior citizen Act stands abated on his death -- As senior citizen/ respondent No.2, at whose instance the Maintenance/ Appellate Tribunal had passed the impugned order, had since expired, so the proceedings in the case are rendered infructuous/ otiose as senior citizen's right to seek benefits under the special statute abated on his death -- Parties/ legal heirs of respondent No.2 are given the liberty to avail the civil remedy available under law.

(Para 9)

Constitution of India, Article 239-AA, Article 239-AA(7)(b) --- National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 – A primary reading of Article 239-AA(7)(a) indicates that the law shall not alter the existing constitutional structure envisaged for NCTD in Article 239-AA -- However, a prima facie reading of Article 239-AA(7)(b) denotes that the law enacted under Article 239-AA(7)(a) could alter the existing constitutional structure of governance of NCTD -- Apparent conflict between the two clauses on the nature of law making power vis-à-vis NCTD’s constitutional structure of governance needs to be resolved -- Following questions refer to a Constitution Bench:

(i) What are the contours of the power of Parliament to enact a law under Article 239-AA(7); and

(ii) Whether Parliament in the exercise of its power under Article 239-AA(7) can abrogate the constitutional principles of governance for NCTD.

(Para 15, 16)

Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (1 of 1894), Section 6 --  Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Writ of mandamus -- Acquisition of land -- Petitioner is the owner of the land measuring 1500 square yards, only 1000 square yards acquired -- Now petitioner is sought to be dispossessed, gave representation – Estate Officer directed to examine the representation and take a decision and pass a speaking order within four weeks after examining the necessary revenue records and the acquisition record after giving notice to petitioner to put in an appearance and submit all necessary documents in support of his claim -- Till the decision, the petitioner shall not be dispossessed from the land in question.

(Para 1-7)

Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (9 of 1994), Section 20, 22 -- Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 – Suspension of Sarpanch – Authorized Sarpanch -- Sitting Sarpanch suspended and out of 11 Panches, 8 Panches, i.e. petitioners No.2 to 8 are with petitioner No.1 – Petitioners submits that, petitioner No.1 be appointed as the authorised Panch in view of Section 22 of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 – Writ petition disposed of with a direction DDPO to decide the representation given by petitioners in accordance with law preferably within one month.

(Para 1-5)

Constitution of India, Article 136 -- Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, Rule 14 -- Retired employee as Enquiry officer – Permissibility of -- Disciplinary authority is empowered to appoint a retired employee as an inquiry authority -- It is not necessary that the inquiry officer should be a public servant -- Urged that disciplinary authority had not recorded specific reasons why a retired government servant was appointed to act as an inquiry officer – Argument rejected as a belated afterthought -- This submission should not be entertained before this Court, post the inquiry etc.

(Para 6)

Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Extension of period of Parole – Petitioner released on parole -- Suffered a fracture on his right ankle joint – Held, jurisdiction at this stage not exercisable by High Court, but is exercisable only by the Competent Authority -- Review jurisdiction exercisable only in case a declining order is made by the Competent Authority -- Prayer is mis-constituted, and, is liable to be rejected – However, one week protection from step into prison given and one week time granted to move application before competent authority for extension of parole, then on such application valid speaking order shall be expeditiously recorded.

(Para 3, 4)

A. Passports Act, 1967 (15 of 1967), Section 6 -- Constitution of India, Article 14, 21 – Refusal of Passport, travel documents etc. -- Show cause notice -- Opportunity of hearing – Reasons for denial -- Right to travel abroad is part of fundamental rights guaranteed by Article 21 and 14 of the Constitution of India -- State can deny right to travel subject to compliance of safeguard in the form of show cause notice, opportunity of hearing and order disclosing reasons for the denial.

(Para 10)

B. Passports Act, 1967 (15 of 1967), Section 6 -- Constitution of India, Article 14, 19(1)(a), (g), 21 -- Refusal of Passport, travel documents etc. -- Umpteen number of persons are travelling abroad for the sake of business or employment -- If these persons are mechanically denied passport or permission to visit abroad, without allaying fear to flee from justice, not only would deprive them from their right to earn livelihood but also violate their fundamental right to freedom of business and profession, guaranteed by Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India -- Denial of passport not only amounts to violation of fundamental rights guaranteed by Article 14 & 21 but also freedom of speech, business and trade contemplated by Article 19(1)(a) and (g) of the Constitution unless and until procedure prescribed by law is followed.

(Para 26)

C. Passports Act, 1967 (15 of 1967), Section 6(2) (f), (e) -- Right to Passport -- Registration of FIR – Criminal trial – Conviction – Acquittal -- Effect of – Held:

i) Clause (f) of Section 6(2) of Passport Act, 1967 is inapplicable to post conviction or post acquittal proceedings.

ii) As soon as a person is convicted or acquitted, he would be governed by Clause (e) of Section 6(2) of 1967 Act.

iii) Notification dated 25.8.1993 is applicable to criminal proceedings pending before trial court and as per instructions dated 10.10.2019, mere registration of FIR is not sufficient whereas a case should be registered before Court and Court must have taken cognizance.

iv) Clause (e) of Section 6(2) can be invoked if an applicant; within 5 years preceding the date of application, for the commission of an offence involving moral turpitude has been sentenced to imprisonment of not less than 2 years.

v) High Court is not criminal court in terms of Section 6(2)(f) of the 1967 Act.

(Para 27)

Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Promotion as Assistant Engineer (Civil) – Pendency of criminal case -- FIR u/s 420, 467, 468, 471, 120B of IPC and Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act – Result of the petitioner kept in sealed cover – Closure report by Police in FIR – Held, sealed cover procedure was wrongly adopted by the respondents – Writ petition allowed, respondents directed to open the sealed cover and in case the petitioner is found eligible for promotion, all consequential benefits shall be given to him from the due date.

(Para 3-5)

A. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (2 of 2016), Section 12 – Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 302, 34 – Murder -- Juvenile in conflict with law – Trial as Adult -- Bail – Applicability of Section 12 of Juvenile Justice Act -- Held, appellant/CCL was directed to be tried like an adult, but still he remains a juvenile in conflict with law and can never be denied the benefit of Section 12 of the “Act”.

(Para 9)

B. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (2 of 2016), Section 12 – Constitution of India, Article 21 -- Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 302, 34 – Murder -- Juvenile in conflict with law – Trial as Adult -- Bail – Appellant was arrested on 07.12.2020 and is continuing in custody which may bring him in association with any known criminals and his right to speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution of India is also violated – Appeal allowed, the appellant is ordered to be released on bail pending trial.

(Para 10)

A. Constitution of India, Article 226 – Writ jurisdiction -- Writ remedy is an extraordinary remedy but does not the panacea of all evils.

(Para 10)

B. Constitution of India, Article 226 – Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (56 of 2007), Section 22, 23 -- Writ of mandamus – Vacation of house from daughter-in-law – Writ with prayer as “that a writ in the nature of mandamus may very kindly be issued thereby directing respondent No.1 to respondent No.3 to oust respondent No.4 from the house of petitioner.” --  Respondent no.4 is daughter in-law -- Held, writ petition is not maintainable in respect of dispute between two private parties.

(Para 3, 4, 10-12)

Rajasthan Premises Control of Rent and Eviction Act, 1950 (17 of 1950), Section 14(3) – Constitution of India, Article 142 -- Eviction of tenant – Suit for eviction within 5 years of tenancy -- Suit may have been defectively instituted within five years of the tenancy, more than 38 years have now elapsed since the suit was filed – Held, passage of time beyond the period of five years would wash away the initial impediment against the suit -- To say that the landlord should now, once again, restart the proceedings would be a travesty of justice -- Expression used is ‘shall lie’ or ‘be entertained’ would really make no difference -- Objective is to create an impediment in the institution and trial of the suit for a period specified under the said Act -- Spirit of protection is fulfilled with the passage of the prescribed time period – Supreme Court is also armed with the extraordinary power under Article 142 to do absolute justice inter se the parties -- Decree of eviction passed by the first appellate court affirmed.

(Para 16-22)

Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (9 of 1994), Section 24, 26 – Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Quorum of Panchayat incomplete –Panchayat Secretary not writing down resolution -- Legal notice to handover charge from Panchayat Secretary to other official –  Writ petition disposed of with a direction to respondent to decide the legal notice within a period of two weeks.

(Para 1-5)

Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 – Delayed payment of arrears -- Writ petition claiming interest -- Petitioner was paid arrears of Rs.8,44,618/- for the period from 06.11.2017 to 05.01.2020 in September 2021, with a delay of 20 months -- In writ jurisdiction, direction given to respondent to consider and decide legal notice and pass a speaking order within 03 months.

(Para 1-4)

Constitution of India, Article 16, 21, 226 – Pharmacy Act, 1948 (8 of 1948), Section 36(4) -- License of Pharmacist – Restoration of licence -- Petitioners have acquired qualification of D. Pharmacy from approved college, however, the enrollment cancelled for the reason that the 10+2 certificate was found to be fake -- Petitioners have thereafter passed 10+2 from an approved board – Petitioners have a statutory remedy of appeal under Section 36 (4) of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 before the State Government -- Liberty given to the petitioners to take recourse to the remedies available to them in accordance with law.

(Para 1-4)

Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 – Municipal law – Removal of Encroachment – Demarcation of land – Public street made on petitioner’s land – Petitioner filed a representation before the respondent-Municipal council for carrying out demarcation of land of Municipal Council so that the encroachment on the land of the petitioner could be removed, however, till date Municipal Council has not carried out demarcation – Writ petition disposed of with a direction to the respondents to get demarcated the land within two weeks and thereafter proceed further in accordance with law.

(Para 1-4)

Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Interest on the amount of Contributory Pension Scheme Fund – Amount released to the petitioners pursuant to death of their husbands – Petition disposed, with a direction to DGP to consider legal notice and to decide the same in light of ratio of judgment of the Court in CWP-35361-2019 titled as Constable Bikramjit Singh and others Vs. State of Punjab and others expeditiously preferably within a period of four weeks.

(Para 1-5)

Constitution of India, Article 14 -- Natural justice – Show cause notice -- No proposal in the show cause notice qua blacklisting the petitioner -- Show cause notice disclosing allegations, adverse material and proposed penalty is foremost fundamental requirement of principles of law -- Penalty of blacklisting without show cause notice is contrary to rule of law -- Every action which is contrary to rule of law is arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India -- Adjudicating Authority cannot travel beyond the show cause notice -- Writ petition allowed, impugned order set aside.

(Para 14-16)

Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 (XVII of 1887), Section 34 – Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 – Correction in the record of rights – Writ petition – Petitioner has already filed an representation before Deputy Commissioner and the same is pending consideration since 22.04.2022 and no progress is being made in the same – Writ petition disposed of with a direction to Deputy Commissioner to look into the representation and decide the same within a period of one month in accordance with law.

(Para 1-5)

A. Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 -- Abolition of post -- An employer has the sole discretion to decide as to whether a post is to be retained or abolished -- Ground for discontinuation of services is that there was poor intake of students which would warrant no interference by the court -- It is not for High Court to decide what would be an adequate number of students to justify the retention of a teacher.

(Para 13)

B. Guru Gobind Singh Inderprasth University Act, 1988 (9 of 1988), Section 22 -- AIT Service Rules, Rule 20.2 -- Termination of services -- Show cause notice -- Violation of Act/ Rules -- Institute has flouted the Service Rules with great impunity as the Service Rules itself provide for three months’ notice in terms of Rule 20.2 of AIT Service Rules, but Section 22 of the Act of 1988 to which the Institute was affiliated, provided for a show cause notice to be issued before termination which procedure was never followed -- Since there was a violation of Section 22 of the Act of 1988, the termination is illegal and is set aside as well as the order of the Tribunal -- Consequently, respondent No.2 which stands merged with respondent No.3 directed to reinstate the petitioner forthwith with all notional benefits -- In case the petitioner seeks arrears of salary, the respondents would be at liberty to seek information on whether the petitioner had been gainfully employed during the pendency of these proceedings and take an appropriate decision -- Entire exercise regarding entitlement of arrears of salary be completed expeditiously, preferably within a period of three months on the demand being made.

(Para 13)

Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 – Revenue case – Speedy disposal – Case pending before Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner, Revenue (Haryana) since 2016 – Respondent No.1 directed to expedite the hearing of the said case and conclude the same expeditiously preferably within a period of six months.

(Para 2-5)

Constitution of India, Article 226, 309 -- Punjab Civil Service (Punishment and Appeals) Rules, 1970, Rule 9 – Departmental proceedings -- Re-inquiry – Retiral benefits -- “Whether it is permissible to hold a departmental inquiry after the competent officer has closed the departmental proceedings based on the inquiry report?” – Held, there is no provision in the rules that allows for a re-inquiry after the charges have been dropped by the competent authority in a detailed order -- Principal Secretary has not recorded his reasons to justify such re-inquiry – Writ petition allowed and the impugned orders set aside -- Petitioner is a physically disabled person and on attaining the age of superannuation, retired, hence, the respondents directed to recalculate and release the pensionary benefits of the petitioner in accordance with law within a period of next two months.

(Para 10-13)

Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 – Deletion of name of husband from passport -- Name of PS was jotted down in the application seeking passport as husband as they had planned to go out of country and solemnize marriage -- Petitioner could not solemnize marriage with PS, thus, she wants to get his name deleted from her passport –  Direction given to respondents to pass an appropriate order on representation within 6 weeks.

(Para 1-4)

Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 -- Termination of services – Punishment u/s 354/ 448 of Ranbir Penal Code -- Contention that during service, the petitioner was adorned with 30 rewards including 4 Commendation Cards and punishment of termination of services is harsh and is disproportionate to the alleged offence – Petition disposed of, punishment set aside, matter remanded back to the competent authority to pass afresh order qua quantum of punishment.

(Para 2-4)

Constitution of India, Article 14 – Regularisation of services – Consequential benefits – Discrimination -- 65 persons were found entitled to be regularized -- Act of regularizing the services of only 35 employees and not regularizing the services of other employees is patently discriminatory and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India -- Services of the appellants directed to be regularized from the date on which the services of other 35 employees were regularized and the backwages and other consequential benefits etc., to which the appellants would be entitled to, shall be paid to them within a period of six months.

(Para 10-13)

Punjab Land Revenue Rules, Rule 15 -- Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 -- Appointment of Lambardar – Choice of Collector -- Choice of the Collector cannot be interfered in a cavalier manner and the same has to be given weightage unless and until there are some serious discrepancies in the appointment made by the learned Collector.

(Para 7)

Constitution of India, Article 21, 226 -- Illegal custody – Compensation – Writ jurisdiction – Public Law remedy -- Petitioner was illegally kept in judicial custody between 14.02.2014 to 27.07.2014 for a crime, which has not been committed by him – Subsequently the police submitted the final form stating the mistake of fact, the petitioner was discharged by the learned court – Case of the petitioner is maintainable under Article 226 of the Constitution of India under the Public Law Remedy -- Respondent-State directed to pay a sum of Rs. 5,00,000/- to the petitioner within six weeks as a compensation for illegally detaining the petitioner into the custody for the aforesaid period.

(Para 14-20)

Constitution of India, Article 14, 226 -- Contractual employees -- Regularisation of service -- Class-IV Helpers in Regional Hospital completed more than eight years of service – Services of similarly situated persons, whether initially appointed by Govt. or Rogi Kalyan Samiti had been regularised as per policy of government -- Denial of the relief to the petitioner would amount to sheer discrimination among similar situate persons, which is not permissible under law – Writ allowed, respondents directed to regularize the services of the petitioners strictly as per policy.

(Para 1-6)

Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860), Section 376(2)(N), 506, 294, 323 --  Constitution of India, Article 226 – Rape – Quashing of FIR – Delay in lodging of FIR – Long standing relationship between prosecutrix and petitioner – There is no allegation that there was false promise to marry – There is also FIR against other men by prosecutrix which shows that FIR has been lodged malafidely due to break in their relationship or for some other ulterior motives – FIR quashed, writ petition allowed.

(Para 7-9)

Constitution of India, Article 22(5), 226 – Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 (46 of 1988), Section 3, 4 -- Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 (VI of 1978), Section 13 -- Quashing of detention order -- Non supply of the dossier to the detenu – Legality of -- Detenu cannot be expected to make a meaningful exercise of his Constitutional and Statutory rights guaranteed under Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India and Section 13 of the J&K Public Safety Act, 1978, unless and until the material on which detention order is based, is supplied to him – Failure on part of detaining authority to supply material, relied at the time of making detention order to detenu, renders detention order illegal and unsustainable – Petition allowed, Jail Superintendent directed to release the detenu forthwith.

(Para 4-7)

Constitution of India, Article 226 – Tender – Work contract – Non-renewal of registration – Effect of -- Bid submitted by petitioner could not qualify the technical evaluation and was held non-responsive due to non-validation of registration as per Clause-15(a) of General Condition (IFB) of Standard Bidding Document (SBD) -- Till the opening of bids, registration of petitioner had not been renewed – Only the application submitted by petitioner for renewal of enlistment as “Class-A” contractor -- Nothing on record to suggest that petitioner was granted provisional renewal – No case for interference in exercise of jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

(Para 3-8)

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (61 of 1985), Section 18, 25, 29, 37 -- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), Section 439 – Constitution of India, Article 21 -- NDPS case – Regular bail – Commercial quantity – Rigour of Section 37 of NDPS Act – Speedy trial -- Petitioner in custody since 1.6.2021 -- Trial is not likely to conclude within short time -- Indisputably, accused has constitutional right for speedy trial -- Weighed against such constitutional right, it cannot be said that the rigors of Section 37 of the Act can have efficacy in perpetuate and more particularly in case where trial is not concluded within a reasonable period -- Nothing on record to suggest that the delay in trial has been caused for any reason attributable to the petitioner – Petition allowed, petitioner ordered to be release on bail.

(Para 6-9, 17)

Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Public Interest Litigation/ PIL – Quashing of affiliation -- Society imparting Bachelor of Education Course -- NOC with the condition that the Society should be owning the land on which the institution is being operated -- Secretary of the Society requested the Director of Higher Education to transfer the land in the name of the Society and such transfer was also recommended by the Director of Higher Education, but the said transfer had not materialized probably because the Revenue Department had not effected such transfer – Held, no public interest involved in the matter and that the Society cannot be punished if the Revenue Department of the State of Himachal Pradesh has delayed in implementing the transfer of the land – Petition dismissed.

(Para 2-6)

Constitution of India, Article 226 – Regularisation of services -- Writ jurisdiction -- Delay and laches -- Impugned order dated 18th July, 2019 – Tribunal allowed O.A. and directed the petitioner to regularize services of the respondent on completion of eight years continuous service with all consequential benefits in accordance with law within two months, while restricting the actual financial benefits to three years prior to filing of O.A -- Challenging the same, writ petition preferred on 24.05.2023, without offering any explanation for the delay in filing the same – Delay not explained satisfactorily -- Writ petition dismissed on the ground of delay and laches.

(Para 1-7)

Constitution of India, Article 21, 226 -- Live-in relationship – Police protection – Petitioner No.1/ married lady is in a live-in-relationship with petitioner No.2 -- Petitioners are Muslim by religion -- Every person, more so, a major, has right to live his / her life with a person of his / her choice – Petition dispose of with a direction to respondent no.2 to consider the representation/ P-3 and to assess the threat perception to the petitioners and after considering the same, respondent No.2 shall take appropriate action in accordance with law.

(Para 13-15)

Constitution of India, Article 226(2) -- Unconstitutional law – Setting aside by one High Court – Effect on nation -- Ratio decidendi -- Stare decisis – Once a provision of the Central Law or a Rule is held to be unconstitutional by a High Court, the same would stand effaced from the statute book in respect of the entire Nation and it cannot be said that it would not be valid within the jurisdiction of the particular High Court and it would be valid in other areas.

(Para 23)

Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Appointment of receptionist in University – Waiting list -- Selected person did not join and the person in the waiting list too did not join – Petitioner at Serial no.2 in waiting list – Right of appointment -- Since the petitioner was on the waiting list and the respondents did not call him to join after persons higher in merit list had failed to do so, the onus of filling up the vacancies was squarely on the respondents and this cannot be permitted to take the defence of the waiting list having expired -- Writ petition allowed and the respondents-University directed to issue appointment letter to the petitioner -- Petitioner will only get notional benefits for the purpose of seniority, length of service etc. from the date his batchmates under the advertisement were appointed but he will not be entitled for actual monetary benefits.

(Para 9-10)

Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 (18 of 1961), Section 7(1)(2) -- Constitution of India, Article 226, 227 – Eviction -- Illegal possession of gair-mumkin gali -- Demarcation report – Proof of -- Authors of 4 different demarcation reports never stepped into witness box – Demarcation got conducted on the directions of High Court, the author of that demarcation report, is also required to be stepping into witness box, to prove such demarcation, and, the petitioner has a right to cross-examine such witness – The above recourse cannot be adopted before the writ Court rather it can be adopted only before the learned Assistant Collector Ist Grade -- Impugned orders quashed, lis remanded to Assistant Collector Ist Grade -- Author of the demarcation report to step into witness box to prove the same and thereafter petitioner to cross-examine such witness – Thereafter, Assistant Collector Ist Grade to make a lawful decision thereon after hearing all the affected persons.

(Para 5)

Punjab Welfare Officers Recruitment and Conditions of Service Rules, 1952, Rule 6, 7, 7A -- Constitution of India, Article 14 -- Termination of service – Violative of rule of natural justice – Re-instatement after age of superannuation – Notional benefits -- Services of the petitioner were terminated, without any notice and reason, by invoking clause 3 of the appointment letter and that too, after the petitioner had worked for 15 years, without any complaint made against him -- Writ petition allowed and consequently orders terminating the services and dismissal of appeal set aside – Petitioner ought to have attained the age of superannuation, deemed to be reinstated from the date of his termination and will be entitled to all notional benefits i.e. pension, gratuity, leave encashment etc., as per relevant service Rules.

(Para 1, 8-11)

A. Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Contractual liability – Writ jurisdiction – Interest on delayed refund of security deposit -- Interpretation of clause of agreement -- There is no dispute about the makings of complete satisfactory execution of the awarded works by the petitioners -- Dispute limited to an interpretation of Clause 19 of contract -- High Court can well make an interpretation of Clause in the exercise of writ jurisdiction -- It would be extremely harsh and oppressive for the petitioners being relegated to a civil remedy.

(Para 7, 8)

B. Constitution of India, Article 226 -- Contractual liability – Writ jurisdiction – Interest on delayed refund of security deposit – Purposive interpretation -- Harmonious interpretation -- No objection certificate issued to the petitioners on 26.7.2010 – Release of security amount in January, 2020 -- First component of clause bars/ estop the contractors to claim interest on security deposit – Second component mandate refund of security amount to the contractors within 3 months from the execution of the works or determination of the contract whichever is earlier – If State or the executing agency delay the releasing of security amount beyond 3 months, said estoppel has a tenure of only 3 months -- Interest @ 7% p.a. from 2010 upto January 2020 on the security deposit awarded.

(Para 1, 9-11)