The Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced a stamp duty exemption for property transfers executed through gift deeds among blood relations. The Finance Department issued a notification under Section 9(a) of the Stamp Act 1977, stating that this move is in the public interest.

The exemption applies to a father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, and granddaughter. It will be effective from April 1, 2025, ensuring that eligible transactions from this date benefit from the waiver.

Both the transferor and transferee are required to provide at least two identification documents as proof.

This initiative aims to ease property transfers within families and reduce financial burdens.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that excluding married daughters from compassionate appointments under Rule 10(4) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Servants Rules, 1989, is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

The Court emphasized that a woman's legal rights and autonomy are not nullified by marriage.

In its judgment, the Court referenced decisions from the Supreme Court of India, highlighting the importance of avoiding gender stereotypes in legal interpretations

It ordered the reinstatement of Zahida Parveen, a primary school teacher whose appointment was revoked due to her marital status. The judgment also highlighted that assuming a married woman becomes financially dependent on her husband is both legally flawed and inconsistent with Islamic principles

The Delhi High Court has clarified whether hyperlinking a defamatory article amounts to republication, leading to a fresh defamation claim.

The case involved a ₹2 crore defamation suit filed by Ruchi Kalra, co-founder of OFB Tech Pvt Ltd, against The Morning Context for publishing an allegedly defamatory article.

The Court ruled that hyperlinking to expand the reach of defamatory content constitutes republication, creating a fresh cause of action. However, mere reference without reinforcement does not.

Despite this, the Court denied OFB’s (complainant's) request for an interim injunction, stating that freedom of speech must be balanced against reputation concerns, and injuncting the article prematurely would be unjustified.

The Bombay HC ruled that amounts received under a medical insurance policy cannot be deducted from compensation awarded under the Motor Vehicles Act (MV Act).

A three-judge bench held that compensation under Section 166 of the MV Act is statutory, while medical claim benefits are contractual and independent.

The case involved a claimant awarded compensation by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) for accident-related medical expenses. The insurance company argued for deduction, claiming double compensation.

The Court rejected this, stating that tortfeasors cannot benefit from a claimant’s insurance foresight. Citing SC precedents, the Court emphasized the principle of just compensation and remanded the matter to a single judge for further consideration.

The Madras High Court has issued guidelines to curb police harassment during investigations, responding to a plea by Rippling co-founder Prasanna Sankaranarayanan, who alleged harassment by Tamil Nadu police amid his divorce and child custody dispute.

The Court, citing Section 528 of BNSS, 2023, emphasized that police must follow due process. It mandated written summons under Section 179, proper documentation, and adherence to the Lalita Kumari judgment.

It also directed that harassment claims be assessed objectively and that officers ensure transparency and accountability by properly recording all steps taken during investigations.

With these directives, the plea was disposed of, aiming to prevent future police excesses.

The Supreme Court quashed an FIR filed by the Gujarat Police against Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi over a poem he posted on social media, which allegedly promoted disharmony under Section 196 BNS, reinforcing the protection of free speech under the Indian Constitution.

The Court emphasized that freedom of expression is essential for a dignified life and a meaningful society, enriched through literature, art, and expression.

It stated that even if many disagree with an individual's views, their right to express them must be respected and protected.

The Court also noted that law enforcement must uphold these constitutional rights, and courts are duty-bound to protect citizens' fundamental freedoms. 

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has reduced the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) penalty on Google from ₹936.44 crore to ₹216.69 crore in the Play Store policy case.

While upholding parts of the CCI's 2022 findings, the tribunal agreed that Google abused its dominant position by mandating its payment system for in-app purchases.

However, it noted that Google did not deny market access to other payment processors, as less than 1% of Play Store transactions occurred through Google's billing system.

Consequently, the penalty was reduced, and Google has been directed to pay the revised amount within 30 days.

The Patna High Court dismissed the petition under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, seeking the appointment of an arbitrator.

The petitioner terminated a dealership agreement over delayed vehicle deliveries and sought arbitration. The agreement's Clause 36.3 mentioned New Delhi as the "venue" for arbitration.

The petitioner argued that "seat" and "venue" differ, implying jurisdiction could lie elsewhere, citing Ravi Ranjan Developers Case (2022), while the respondent cited Brahmani River Pellets (2020) to claim exclusive jurisdiction in Delhi.

The court held that, without a separate "seat" clause, the designation of New Delhi as the "venue" conferred exclusive jurisdiction to the Delhi High Court and dismissed the petition. 

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Union Government on a PIL seeking 24/7 blood donation services.

A Court has sought a response from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

The petitioner, Advocate Vishal Arun Mishra, argues that limited donation hours (till 4-5 PM) prevent many potential donors, especially working professionals, from donating blood. 

Despite blood banks operating 24/7, donation facilities are restricted to limited hours, affecting patient care. The plea urges government action to ensure round-the-clock donations. 

The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 9.

The Kerala High Court upheld a divorce granted to a woman whose husband was excessively focused on spirituality and showed no interest in marital life

The court ruled that compelling a spouse to adopt one's religious practices amounts to mental cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

The wife alleged that her husband avoided intimacy, neglected marital responsibilities, and forced her to participate in frequent temple visits.

The Court found her claims credible and dismissed the husband's appeal, stating that the marriage had irretrievably broken down due to persistent neglect and emotional abuse.

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has granted bail to Yugraj Singh, who is accused of financing illicit drug trafficking under Section 27-A of the NDPS Act.

Justice Sanjay Dhar ruled that mere call detail records (CDRs) without accompanying voice recordings are insufficient for conviction, though they may raise suspicion.  

Singh was arrested based on co-accused statements, which the court deemed inadmissible as confessions made in police custody

Noting the absence of prior criminal records and considering that a co-accused had already been granted bail, the court admitted Singh to bail under specified conditions.

After a 17-year trial, a special CBI court in Chandigarh acquitted former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Justice Nirmal Yadav, and three others in the 2008 'cash-at-judge's-door' case.

The case originated when a bag containing ₹15 lakh was mistakenly delivered to Justice Nirmaljit Kaur's residence, allegedly intended for Justice Yadav.

The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges, leading to the acquittal of all accused.

The Madras High Court has ruled that the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations of 2018, which govern faculty appointments, do not apply to minority educational institutions, as they infringe upon the rights guaranteed under Article 30(1) of the Indian Constitution.

The court upheld petitions from five minority colleges, directing the University of Madras and Annamalai University to approve faculty selections made by these institutions.

The court emphasized that constitutional protections ensure minorities' rights to administer their educational institutions without undue interference from state or regulatory bodies.