Registration of a Sale Deed Cannot be Declined for Not Producing Prior Deeds

8 April 2025Posted inProperty & Succession
For registration of a sale deed, prior deeds are not essential The Registration Act, 1908 does not authorize the Registering Authority to deny registration of a sale or transfer deed on the ground that the seller's title documents are not produced or that the seller’s title is unproven, says the Supreme Court (SC) in K. Gopi v The Sub-Registrar & Others [2025 INSC 462].

A Case Must be Decided on Merit Unless the Litigant Makes Lapses

7 April 2025Posted inCivil law
The Supreme Court (SC) in its judgment  in Mithailal Dalsangar Singh v Annabai Devram Kini says that the courts have to adopt a justice-oriented approach dictated by the uppermost consideration that ordinarily a litigant ought not to be denied an opportunity of having a case determined on merits unless he has, by gross negligence, deliberate inaction or something akin to misconduct, disentitled himself from seeking the indulgence of the court. 

Abetment of Suicide can be Charged only When the Harassment Leaves no Alternative but Suicide

31 March 2025Posted inCriminal law
Abetment of suicide can be charged against a person only when the alleged harassment should be of such nature that it leaves the victim with no other alternative but to end their life, says the Supreme Court (SC) in Mahendra Awase v The State of Madhya Pradesh [2025 INSC 76], and Ayyub & Others v State of Uttar Pradesh & Another [2025 INSC 168].

A Cognizable Offence must be Reported to the Police before Making a Private Complaint about it to the Magistrate

26 March 2025Posted inCriminal law
A person aggrieved by a cognizable offence committed by someone else must first inform the officer in charge of a police station, who is required to record it in writing, read it back to the informant, and obtain their signature, under Section 154(1) of the Code of Criminal Proceedure,1967 (CrPC), says the Supreme Court ( SC) in Ranjit Singh Bath & Anr. v Union Territory Chandigarh & Anr.

Not to Register a Criminal Case against a Teacher Relating to School Discipline without a Preliminary Probe

16 March 2025Posted inCivil law
A preliminary inquiry must be conducted before registering a criminal case against a teacher for any bonafide act done in the school to discipline their students and the accused teacher should not be arrested during the preliminary enquiry. Such an enquiry is essential to ensure that teachers are not unfairly targeted, says the High Court of Kerala (HCK) in Sibin SV v State of Kerala [2025: KER:20847].