401. Compromise quashing of FIR -- Attempt to murder -- Mere registration of offence u/s 307 IPC does not bar compromise -- An injury which has been “declared dangerous to life” is in fact an injury which is “endangering life” and therefore would be punishable u/s 326 IPC -- FIR and consequential proceedings quashed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 20.03.2026

402. Kidney transplantation -- Swap donation -- Near relative -- Mother-in-law held to fall within definition of “near relative” for purpose of swap transplantation. (P&H HC) Decided on: 19.03.2026

403. Departmental proceedings -- Continuance of disciplinary proceedings after retirement -- Where disciplinary proceedings were initiated before employee attained age of superannuation and Service Regulations permit continuation of proceedings, same can continue and be brought to logical conclusion even after retirement. (SC) Decided on: 19.03.2026

404. Cheating -- Offence is made out only when dishonest or fraudulent intention to deceive exists at the time of making the promise or inducement; mere subsequent failure to fulfil the promise does not by itself establish cheating (SC) Decided on: 19.03.2026

405. Company as Consumer -- A body corporate can be a consumer because the determining factor is the dominant purpose of the transaction not the legal status of the purchaser (SC) Decided on: 19.03.2026

406. Minor offence under section 222 Cr.P.C. – Punishment for minor offence compare to charged offence -- Section 364 IPC cannot be treated as minor/cognate offence of Section 302 IPC -- Accused charged under Section 302 IPC cannot be convicted under Section 364 IPC in absence of specific charge. (SC) Decided on: 18.03.2026

407. Co-owner -- Permanent injunction -- Construction over joint property can be restrained where it prejudices rights of other co-owners and affects partition proceedings -- Concurrent findings granting injunction held proper -- RSA dismissed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 11.03.2026 Decided on: 18.03.2026

408. Compromise decree – Compulsory Registration -- Family settlement arrived at even between persons standing in remote familial relationships having even a semblance of claim in the property, when acknowledged through a compromise decree, does not require compulsory registration under the Registration Act (P&H HC) Reserved on: 09.03.2026 Decided on: 18.03.2026

409. Striking off the defence -- Striking off the defence in a Section 144 BNSS maintenance petition is hasty and unjustified, as only two effective opportunities were granted without a last opportunity warning, necessitating a trial on merits (P&H HC) Decided on: 18.03.2026

410. S. 319 Cr.P.C -- Summoning of additional accused -- Mere naming of a person by a witness in his deposition, without the support of strong and cogent evidence, cannot by itself justify the exercise of the extraordinary power u/s 319 Cr.P.C. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 11.03.2026 Decided on: 18.03.2026

411. MACT -- Permanent disability / Functional disability -- Permanent disability 63% -- Partial blindness, cognitive impairment, and partial loss of range of motion and stability of the left knee -- Functional disability/ Loss of earning capacity assessed at 100% (SC) Decided on: 18.03.2026

412. Compassionate appointment -- Claim is to be considered under policy prevailing on date of death of employee and vested right accrued thereunder cannot be defeated by subsequent rules having no retrospective effect -- Denial of similar benefit given to other held violative of Article 14 -- Respondents directed to consider appointment under Rules of 2003. (P&H HC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

413. Quashing of summoning order -- Where the Magistrate issues process without recording satisfaction, without discussing the material produced by the complainant, and without considering the inquiry report u/s 202 Cr.P.C., the order reflects non-application of mind and cannot be sustained – Matter remitted back (P&H HC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

414. MACT -- Holder of a valid LMV driving licence is competent to drive a transport vehicle not exceeding 7500 kg GVW and no separate endorsement is required -- Insurance Company liable to indemnify and pay compensation (P&H HC) Reserved on: 19.12.2025 Decided on: 17.03.2026

415. Part-time/Daily wages service – Pensionary benefit – Past service rendered on part-time/daily wage basis followed by regularisation, particularly where the work is of perennial nature, is liable to be counted towards qualifying service for pension, and the employee is entitled to the benefits of the Old Pension Scheme along with interest on delayed retiral dues (P&H HC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

416. Bail – Writ jurisdiction -- Continued incarceration of toll employees for over two months for a scuffle arising out of demand of toll, held unjustified and violative of Article 21 -- Bail granted in the exercise jurisdiction under Article 32 (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

417. Summoning u/s 319 Cr.P.C. -- Sworn testimony of three witnesses, including the complainant, meets the strong and cogent standard for summoning additional accused, as minor inconsistencies are matters of trial and cannot be used to conduct a mini-trial at the stage of summoning (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

418. Quashing of FIR -- High Court's quashing of an FIR for forgery and fraud u/s 482 CrPC is premature and unjustified as vital forensic evidence (SFSL report) is still pending (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2026

419. MACT -- Compensation -- Deduction -- Employer-provided group insurance -- Amount received under group insurance scheme cannot be deducted from compensation under Motor Vehicles Act. (SC) Decided on: 16.03.2026

420. Termination of LIC agency for failure to make proper enquiries -- In absence of fraud or connivance agent entitled to renewal commission and removal of stigma – Termination of agency upheld. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 04.02.2026 Decided on: 16.03.2026

421. Specimen signature of witness -- Court cannot direct a third-party appeared as witness, who is neither complainant nor accused, to give specimen handwriting. (P&H HC) Decided on: 16.03.2026

422. Execution -- Limitation -- For execution of a MACT award, limitation of 12 years runs from the appellate decree due to the doctrine of merger, and not from the date of the original award (P&H HC) Decided on: 16.03.2026

423. Mutation -- Civil Court -- Rights of parties to be ultimately decided by Civil Court, whose decision would bind revenue authorities. (SC) Decided on: 13.03.2026

424. S. 311 Cr.P.C. -- Belated stage – Power u/s 311 Cr.P.C. is very wide and can be exercised at any stage of trial. (P&H HC) Decided on: 13.03.2026

425. Regular bail -- Attempt to murder -- Charges framed in January 2025 but the prosecution failed to examine any witness and trial made no substantial progress, prolonged incarceration of the accused would violate the right to speedy trial under Article 21 -- Bail granted considering custody period (1 year 7 months) and delay not attributable to the accused. (P&H HC) Decided on: 13.03.2026

426. Scope of S. 528 BNSS -- Inherent powers u/s 528 BNSS are to be exercised sparingly and cannot be used unless the order reflects patent illegality or miscarriage of justice (P&H HC) Decided on: 13.03.2026

427. Quashing of FIR -- Agreement to sell -- Dispute arising from non-execution of sale deed and subsequent sale during pendency of specific performance suit -- Unexplained delay of 11 years in lodging FIR and absence of allegations of forgery or dishonest intention at inception -- FIR and consequential proceedings quashed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 11.03.2026 Decided on: 12.03.2026

428. Maintenance -- Minor child -- Father's statutory obligation not absolved merely because mother is also employed -- Loan repayments and other voluntary liabilities cannot override child's right to maintenance. (UK HC) Reserved on: 05.01.2026 Decided on: 11.03.2026

429. Dying declaration – If the Court is satisfied of the fit state of mind of the injured from the evidence on record, a contrary medical opinion or an absence of it will be inconsequential. (SC) Decided on: 11.03.2026

430. Regular bail – Attempt to murder – Accused alleged to be member of unlawful assembly causing injuries with axe remained in custody for over one year and trial had not progressed -- Even charges have not been framed -- Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 10.03.2026

431. Quashing of FIR – Cheating/ Forgery -- Allegations regarding return of money and an alleged partnership without any written agreement -- Purely a civil dispute -- FIR quashed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 03.02.2026 Decided on: 10.03.2026

432. Framing of additional issues -- Failure of the Trial Court to frame issues on the defendants’ plea of ownership based on exchange and mutation, specifically denied by the plaintiff as illegal and fraudulent, amounted to material illegality, warranting direction to frame additional issues – Revision allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 10.03.2026

433. Regular bail – Cheating/ Criminal breach of trust – Delay in trial --Accused remained in custody for over ten months, offence triable by Magistrate with maximum punishment up to seven years and trial not likely to conclude soon – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 09.03.2026

434. Quashing of criminal proceedings – General and omnibus allegations against in-laws -- Court cannot apply different standards while allowing quashing of criminal proceedings against sister-in-law and dismissing for other-in-laws -- Relief extended to one similarly placed accused must equally extend to the others. (SC) Decided on: 09.03.2026

435. Offence under SC/ST Act -- Mere attempt at reconciliation cannot prevent the police from taking cognizance of criminal acts -- A prima facie case made out -- Anticipatory bail cancelled. (SC) Decided on: 09.03.2026

436. NDPS -- Commercial quantity -- Accused nominated on disclosure statement of co-accused and recovery from a public place – Charges framed, none of the prosecution witnesses examined and accused remained in custody for more than one year and seven months – Trial likely to take considerable time – Bail granted (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

437. Jump of bail – Cancellation of bail -- Non-bailable warrants -- Learned trial Court, while cancelling bail, straight away proceeded to issue nonbailable warrants – Held, cancellation of bail orders amounts to an unjustifiable restriction on the procedural rights of the petitioner in the absence of any misconduct, lack of bona fides, or a deliberate attempt to evade the proceedings on his behalf -- Issuance of non-bailable warrants must not be exercised in a mechanical manner and the same must be adopted sparingly and only upon the recording of cogent reasons reflecting the necessity of adopting such a stringent course -- Petitioner-accused himself come forward to face trial -- Petition allowed, impugned order set aside. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

438. Report of fake license – Admissibility of -- Legal Manager, in his cross examination, stated that he had never visited the office of RTO to verify the driving licence and the person who had visited was working in their office -- He further stated that he had not brought any application sent to verify the record -- Said report (Ex.RW3/B) is based on some verbal information having been received -- Nothing in writing which was produced from the RTO to even remotely suggest that the driving licence was fake – Contentions to exonerate Insurance Company rejected. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 24.02.2026 Decided on: 07.03.2026

439. Cancellation of bail -- Abetment of suicide – Anticipatory bail by learned Sessions Judge – Allegations are primarily based upon the suicide note and the version of the complainant, which are matters to be examined during the course of investigation and trial -- At this stage, it cannot be said that the learned Sessions Judge has ignored any material fact or considered irrelevant material while granting anticipatory bail to the private respondents -- Mere fact that the respondents are also involved in another FIR, by itself, cannot be treated as a sufficient ground for cancellation of the concession of bail already granted. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

440. Live in Relationship with married woman – Divorce not taken -- Police protection – Even if the petitioners are living in a “Live in Relationship”, they are entitled to the protection of their life and liberty – Directions given to respondent No.2 (Superintendent of Police) to consider the representation and to assess the threat perception to the petitioners and after considering the same, to take appropriate action in accordance with law. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

441. Murder -- Regular Bail -- As per prosecution, the occurrence took place on the spur of the moment on a trivial issue -- It would be a moot point during the course of the Trial as to whether the offence made out is one under Section 302 IPC (Section 103 BNS, 2023) or Section 304 IPC (Section 105 BNS, 2023) -- Petitioner is a lady, a first-time offender, in custody since 21.03.2025 but none of the 23 prosecution witnesses has been examined so far -- Trial not likely to be concluded anytime soon – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

442. Cyber fraud – Regular bail -- Petitioner in custody for the last about one year and one month -- Out of 24 prosecution witnesses, only two witnesses have been examined so far -- Keeping in view the period of custody already undergone, the fact that the petitioner has already been granted bail in the connected FIR arising out of the same incident, the nature of allegations which would ultimately be a matter of evidence during trial, the medical condition of the petitioner and the slow pace of trial no useful purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner behind bars for an indefinite period – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 07.03.2026

443. Scope of second appeal – Question of law -- In Punjab and Haryana, second appeals are to be treated as appeals u/s 41 of the Punjab Courts Act, 1918 and not under Section 100 CPC -- No question of law is required to be framed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 24.02.2026 Decided on: 06.03.2026

444. Tenant/ Licensee – Plea beyond pleadings – Not permissible -- As per the legal notice, plaintiff claimed that the defendant was in possession of the suit property as tenant -- No plea raised in the written statement regarding defendant being licensee under the plaintiff -- Parties are bound by their pleadings -- In view thereof, reliance placed upon Section 60 the Indian Easements Act, 1882 is without any foundational pleading and cannot be accepted. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 24.02.2026 Decided on: 06.03.2026

445. Jumla Malkan Wa Digar Haqdaran Arazi Hasab Rasad Raqba land – Suit for declaratory decree against change in mutation/ jamabandi entry – Jurisdiction of civil court – Rejection of plaint -- Held, only prayer in the plaint is that mutation entry is illegal, null and void -- Defendant No.4/ Gram Panchayat not able to show as to how the said relief which has been claimed in the plaint is covered u/s 13 Act, 1961 -- Dispute is squarely covered by the provisions of Section 45 Act, 1887 hence the suit cannot be held to be barred by law – Application or rejection of plaint dismissed by Trial Court, upheld. (P&H HC) Decided on: 05.03.2026

446. Ex-parte injunction – Appeal/ Revision -- Order passed under Order 39 Rule 1 CPC is appealable under Order 43 Rule 1 of CPC -- Besides this, an application under Order 39 Rule 4 CPC too can be moved, as the ex parte injunction was granted in favour of the plaintiff without issuing notice to defendants/petitioner – Revision cannot be entertained. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 27.02.2026 Decided on: 05.03.2026

447. Maintenance u/s 125 Cr.P.C. -- Nature -- Proceedings u/s 125 Cr.P.C. are summary in nature, as such, the minute details of the matrimonial dispute between the husband and wife need not be examined -- It is not necessary to ascertain as to who was in the wrong -- Salutary purpose behind Section 125 Cr.P.C. is to prevent the wife from being subjected to adversities of vagrancies and to ensure that she is not left to lead a life of indignity. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 24.02.2026 Decided on: 05.03.2026

448. Suit for permanent injunction – Possession -- Determinative factor is possession of the parties on the date of institution of the suit, which was instituted on 12.10.1989 -- Revenue entries up to Rabi 1990 continued to record possession of the plaintiff -- Subsequent entries reflecting possession of the defendants from Kharif 1990 cannot displace the position of possession as it existed on the date of institution of the suit. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 25.02.2026 Decided on: 05.03.2026

449. Penalty for attempting evading of Octroi -- Jurisdiction of civil court – Alternative remedy available – Assessment and recovery of Octroi fall within the domain of municipal authorities – Imposition of penalty contemplated under Section 116, being penal in nature and capable of extending to multiple times the duty allegedly evaded, can be ordered only by a Criminal Court in accordance with law – Municipal authorities are not vested with the power to impose such penalty – Both Courts below have concurrently held that the Commissioner or officers of the Municipal Corporation lacked competence to impose the penalty in question – Once such a finding regarding inherent lack of jurisdiction stands recorded, the demand raised becomes void and unenforceable in the eyes of law – Rule of alternative remedy is a rule of prudence and not a bar where the impugned action is wholly without jurisdiction – A party cannot be compelled to pursue a statutory remedy against an order which is a nullity. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 25.02.2026 Decided on: 05.03.2026

450. -- Disability pension – Military service -- Primary Hypertension -- Rounding off the disability from 30% to 50% -- Once at the time of enrolment, respondent No.1/ employee was medically examined and was found to be fit in all respects and it was only during his service period, he was found to be suffering from ‘Primary Hypertension’ -- That being so, the said disability has to be attributed to the military service and the unsubstantiated report of Medical Board cannot take away the right to claim the benefit of disability pension. (P&H HC) Decided on: 05.03.2026