This roundup of weekly legal developments in India covers the most significant Supreme Court and High Court rulings, such as: Supreme Court declines PG Collapse case transfer; Judicial Officers are not employees; Lifting woman’s clothes not attempt to rape, along with other updates.
STORY OF THE WEEK
Supreme Court declines to transfer Satya Niketan PG Hostel Building Collapse case from Delhi HC to itself
While considering the continuing proceedings arising from its earlier directions concerning building safety and taking note of the proceedings initiated by the Delhi High Court and the submissions of the Amicus Curiae, the Division Bench of Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan, JJ., declined to transfer Satya Niketan PG Hostel Building Collapse case from Delhi High Court to itself and directed the parties concerned to file comprehensive affidavits and reports regarding compliance with its earlier directions.
[Loganathan v. State of T.N., Miscellaneous Application (C) Diary No. 17103/2026, decided on 10-9-2026]
Read more HERE
SUPREME COURT UPDATES
HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS | Direct recourse to Human Rights Court without prior Commission inquiry permissible; Rule 6, Karnataka State Human Rights Courts Rules, 2006, upheld
The Supreme Court set aside the impugned judgment and order, holding that Rule 6, 2006 Rules, is valid and intra vires the Human Rights Act. The Court, further, held that a prior inquiry or recommendation by the National/State Human Rights Commission was not a mandatory condition precedent for approaching a Human Rights Court.
[Sayad Asifulla v. State of Karnataka, Criminal Appeal Nos. 4075—4076 of 2026, decided on 25-8-2026]
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JUDICIARY | Judicial Officers are not employees: Supreme Court’s case for raising the District Judge retirement age to 62, explained
The Supreme Court in order to ensure the “preservation of experienced judicial officers, while removing the clog of deadwood, blocking the entrance of young blood invigorating the system” directed the States, namely Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, M.P., Maharashtra, Sikkim, T.N., W.B., who had consented to the enhancement of age of the Judicial Officers from 60 to 62 years to enhance the age subject to suitability and performance assessment. Retired officers in these States are permitted to exercise option for rejoining service subject to stipulated conditions. The Court directed the other States/UTs to reconsider their stand.
[All India Judges Association v. Union of India, 2026 SCC OnLine SC 1784, decided on 1-9-2026]
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PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE | Article 226 Writ Petition cannot be treated as Article 227 to deny right of appeal
The Supreme Court held that a writ petition filed under Article 226 could not be treated as one under Article 227 merely to deny the aggrieved party an appellate remedy.
[Vrindavan Chaturvedi v. Pushpa Devi Khemka, 2026 SCC OnLine SC 1787, decided on 2-9-2026]
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HIGH COURT UPDATES
CRIMINAL LAW | Suicide note absolving accused weakens prima facie case for abetment of suicide; Bail granted to husband
The Himachal Pradesh High Court held that a suicide note absolving the accused weakens prima facie case for abetment of suicide.
[Himesh Karki v. State of H.P., Cr. MP(M) No. 1584 of 2026, decided on 9-9-2026]
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CRIMINAL LAW | Lifting woman’s clothes, catching hold of her without specific overt act not attempt to rape
The Jharkhand High Court held that the evidence of the prosecutrix, considered in its entirety, did not disclose any specific overt act towards the commission of rape so as to attract Section 376/511 IPC.
[Kamalendu Mahto v. State of Jharkhand, Cr. Appeal (SJ) No. 1332 of 2006, decided on 31-8-2026]
Read more HERE
Also read: No Objection before Cognizance, Full Participation thereafter: Belated Challenge Rejected
FAMILY AND PERSONAL LAWS | ‘Pious wife’ and ‘Bahu’ remarks unwarranted and regressive, cannot replace child-welfare assessment: Family court’s interim custody order set aside
The Bombay High Court held that the Family Court had not identified any imminent danger, neglect or circumstance demonstrating that continuation of the child in the mother’s custody was detrimental to him.
[Kshitija Anup Gogate v. Anup Anil Gogate, 2026 SCC OnLine Bom 11690, decided on 1-9-2026]
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FAMILY AND PERSONAL LAWS | Need permission to visit her parents but commanded to care for in-laws and do chores?
The Karnataka High Court held that a wife cannot be compelled to seek permission to visit her parents’ house or be forced to perform household activities and look after her in-laws.
[Sathish v. Jyothi G. R., 2026 SCC OnLine Kar 11710, decided on 3-8-2026]
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HOUSING AND REAL ESTATE | Satya Niketan PG Hostel Building Collapse: Citywide PG Hostels inspection directed, inquiry into regulatory lapses, fixing of Officials’ responsibility
The Delhi High Court issued several directions including a comprehensive examination of the regulatory framework governing PG hostels, the availability of university/government hostels, the legality of the collapsed buildings, accountability of officials responsible for regulatory lapses.
[Aniket Kumar Gupta v. State (NCT of Delhi), 2026 SCC OnLine Del 6754, decided on 7-9-2026]
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MEDICAL AND HEALTH LAW | “Age bar under ART Act applies to individuals, not the couple as a unit”; Couple allowed to avail IVF despite wife crossing prescribed age-limit
The Gujarat High Court allowed the petition and directed the respondent authorities to permit the petitioners to avail IVF services, despite the wife having crossed the upper age limit of 50 years prescribed under Section 21(g), Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 (the Act).
[X v. Chief Medical Officer, 2026 SCC OnLine Guj 6712, decided on 2-9-2026]
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MOTOR ACCIDENT COMPENSATION | Burden of proving policy breach lies on insurer: Motor Accident Compensation enhanced to ₹ 11.90 Lakhs
The Jharkhand High Court held that an insurer must specifically plead and prove a fundamental policy breach before seeking pay-and-recover relief. As no convincing evidence established absence of a permit, liability remained with the insurer.
[ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Gayatri Kuar, M. A. No. 311 of 2015, decided on 8-9-2026]
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POCSO | Applying mouth to a child’s private part constitutes penetrative sexual assault under S. 3(d), POCSO Act; Conviction upheld
The Kerala High Court held that the evidence proved the accused’s act of applying mouth to a child’s private part which constituted penetrative sexual assault under Section 3(d), POCSO Act. Consequently, the conviction and sentence imposed by the Special Court were affirmed and the appeal was dismissed.
[Thomas Thomas v. State of Kerala, 2026 SCC OnLine Ker 13623, decided on 1-9-2026]
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POCSO | Sentence suspended in teacher-student POCSO case over material contradictions and lack of electronic evidence
The Bombay High Court held that the record disclosed material contradictions, omissions and improvements in the prosecutrix’s version, coupled with absence of electronic evidence, thereby indicating fair chances of acquittal, and therefore, the Court suspended the sentence imposed by the trial court.
[Mahesh Chanekar v. State of Goa, 2026 SCC OnLine Bom 11691, decided on 4-9-2026]
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SERVICE LAW | EWS Certificate from the year before cannot be rejected without clear stipulation in recruitment notice; Coast Guard Navik allowed to continue in service
The Delhi High Court noted that the recruitment advertisement did not clearly stipulate the relevant financial year and contained provisions creating ambiguity regarding the validity of EWS certificates. The Court accordingly quashed the discharge order, permitting the petitioner to continue in service.
[Kadam Kiran Sanjay v. Indian Coast Guard, W.P.(C) 4710/2025 with CM APPL. 21684/2025, decided on 2-9-2026]
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SERVICE LAW | Retiral Benefits cannot be withheld arbitrarily: Interest on delayed gratuity granted
The Calcutta High Court held that the petitioner, who retired from Birbhum District Central Cooperative Bank on 31 January 2013, was entitled to interest on delayed gratuity. The Court held that a cooperative bank cannot withhold gratuity indefinitely on the basis of administrative autonomy, or pending criminal proceedings when no applicable service rule authorises such withholding.
[Ashadul Haque v. State of W.B., MAT 698 of 2025, decided on 18-8-2026]
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SPORTS LAW | Vinesh Phogat’s interim plea for participation in 2026 World Wrestling Championships Selection Trials declined
The Delhi High Court declined to grant interim relief to wrestler Vinesh Phogat permitting her to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships, holding that maternity-related absence doesn’t warrant interim exemption from uniform selection criteria.
[Vinesh Phogat v. Wrestling Federation of India, W.P.(C) 12674/2026, decided on 10-9-2026]
Read more HERE
TRIBUNAL UPDATES
NCLAT sets aside CIRP against Superfine Metals (P) Ltd.; Cash Credit and Ad Hoc facility defaults under S. 10-A IBC fell within protected period
National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi allowed the appeal and set aside the admission order, holding that the Cash Credit and Ad Hoc facility defaults relied upon by the Financial Creditor fell within the period protected under Section 10-A IBC.
[Siddharth Satish Katariya v. Central Bank of India Ltd., Comp. App. (AT) (Ins.) No. 1286 of 2026, decided on 1-9-2026]
Read more HERE
FOREIGN COURTS
Can a conviction be reopened through a new interpretation of previously canvassed evidence? Singapore Court of Appeal clarifies
The Singapore Court of Appeal held that the applicant had failed to satisfy the requirements of Section 394J of Criminal Procedure Code 2010 (Criminal Procedure Code), as the material relied upon was neither new nor capable of constituting “sufficient material” for the purposes of a criminal review.
[Dineshkumar Sambusivam v. Public Prosecutor, [2026] SGCA 37, decided on 20-08-2026]
Read more HERE
LEGISLATION UPDATES
Karnataka Eases Compliance for Shops and Establishments; Bars Employers from Retaining Employees’ Original Documents
On 4 September 2026, the Karnataka Government notified the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2026.
Read more HERE
Maharashtra revises Registration Fees for Searches, Copies and Home Registration Visits
On 11 August 2026, the Maharashtra Government notified amendments to the Table of Fees under the Registration Act, 1908. The notification substitutes Articles X, XIV and XXII of the existing Table of Fees.
Read more HERE
Tamil Nadu Assembly passes Resolution for Tamil as principal language of Madras High Court
On 3 September 2026, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly adopted a Government Resolution seeking the use of Tamil as the principal language of the High Court of Madras.
Read more HERE
‘My Feed, My Way’: Australia Moves to Give Users Control Over Social Media Algorithms
On 8 September 2026, the Albanese Government released a draft legislation for a new Digital Duty of Care regime for targeted consultation.
Read more HERE
Malaysia adopts new Cross-Border Insolvency Framework
On 18 August 2026, the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) issued a notification appointing 28 August 2026 as the date on which the Cross-Border Insolvency Act, 2026 came into operation.
Read more HERE
APPOINTMENTS AND TRANSFERS
OP. ED. AND EXPERTS CORNER
EVENTS REPORTS
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OTHER UPDATES